Calculated fields

 

Calculated fields are virtual fields available for display on a (worklist) table, for use in filters and for use on XML templates including reports. The values are the result of operations performed on one or more actual database fields. For example, the turnaround time for a study can be calculated as the difference between the report date and the study date, and then used to set up a notification when it exceeds some defined period of time.

 

Creating calculated fields requires administrator permissions. To create a calculated field, perform the following steps:

  1. Click the Admin tab and then the Settings tab

  2. Select Customize Labels in the System Settings section.

  3. From the Table menu, select the table containing the information you want to use in the new field.

  4. Click the New Calculated Field button,  , at the bottom of the table.

  5. Define the label and the expression. Use the Add Tag button to select the COLID of the field. Only fields listed in the Add Tag list are available for the selected table.

  6. Click Save. The system verifies the expression for correctness. If it is valid, a COLID is assigned and the field is stored on the server.

Field labels are regular language text strings used to identify the field in the selection list or in the worklist column header. Expressions consist of COLIDs, constants and methods tied together through operators. For a detailed description of these components, click the Help button or refer to the Calculated Fields User Manual.

 

To edit an existing calculated field, find the entry in the calculated field table at the bottom of the respective page, and edit the string in the text field. Click Save to have the syntax verified and the changes stored.

 

To delete an existing calculated field, find the entry in the calculated field table at the bottom of the respective page, and click the delete button,  . You will need to manually edit all worklist filters, XML templates, validators and other places where this COLID existed.

 

There is a limit of 100 calculated fields per database table.

 

When a calculated value is a time interval, such as the turnaround time defined in the example above, the resulting value’s format is defined by the Time Interval Format defined in the Date Format section of the Settings page. To change the default format, select the option from the pull-down list and click the Format button.

 

Note: Calculated fields do not propagate between servers.

 

Note: Calculated worklist fields are not available for all database tables. If the Calculate Fields button does not appear as described above, the tool is unavailable for the information on that table. At this time, the study and object database tables used by the Worklist page are not available for use with this feature.