Text, checkbox & date

In addition to number and dropdown input columns, Plan allows you to capture manual input using text, checkbox, and date columns.

Insert a text column

You can use text columns to capture free-form input in reports.

To insert a text column:

1. Go to Planning > Insert Column > Text.

1. Enter a title and configure the required settings in the side panel that opens when you select Text, as shown below.

1. Select Create.

After creating the column, double-click a cell to enter text and press enter to save. You can modify a text column to edit its configuration.

Configure text input column properties

Key properties such as Insert As, Input type, Default Value, Allow entry on Totals/Subtotals, Allow Input and Description can be configured as in other data input columns. For more information, see configure data input column properties and configure dropdown properties.

In addition, text columns support the following properties:

• Word wrap - Enable word wrap for long text values to improve readability. Use the word wrap option in the Format tab to adjust text based on column width.

• Text validation - Validate text input to ensure data quality. You can:

  • Define minimum and maximum length to control the length of text input.

  

  • Restrict input type (numeric, email, alphanumeric) by selecting the required option from the Field Validation dropdown.

  

  • Use the Custom option to apply a regular expression (regex). Select Custom and enter the required text pattern.

  

Only text that satisfies the validation rules is accepted. Invalid entries display an error.

Field Validation	Allowed Text
Any Value	Allows numbers, alphabets, punctuation, and special symbols
Numeric	Only numbers
Non Numeric	Everything except numbers
Alpha Numeric	Numbers and alphabets
Email	Valid email addresses
URL	Valid URL links
Custom	Text that matches the defined pattern

Insert a checkbox column

Checkbox columns or measures are used to capture binary inputs such as selection, approval, or status.

To insert a checkbox column:

1. Go to Planning > Insert Column > Checkbox

1. Enter a title and configure the required settings in the side panel that opens when you select Checkbox, as shown below.

1. Select Create.

After creating the column, select a checkbox to check or uncheck it. You can modify a checkbox column to edit its configuration.

You can configure checkbox column properties similar to other data input columns. For more information, see configure data input column properties and configure dropdown properties.

Checkbox columns are commonly used for filtering and selection scenarios. For example, you can filter data based on Checked or Unchecked values. The Writeback application within Plan can use these filters to write back only the selected (checked or unchecked) records based on the configured criteria.

Insert a date column

Date columns allow you to capture or populate date values in the report.

To insert a date column:

1. Go to Planning > Insert Column > Date.

1. A side panel opens, as shown below, where you can enter a title and configure the required properties.

1. Select Create, an empty date column is inserted into the report with default configuration.

2. To enter a date, double-click a cell and select a value from the date picker or calendar.

You can modify a date input column to update its properties.

Configure date column properties

You can define properties such as Insert As, Input type, Allow entry on Totals/Subtotals, Allow Input, and Description, similar to other data input columns. For more information, see configure data input column properties and configure dropdown properties.

Additional configurations for date columns include:

• Format: Select the required date format from the Format dropdown.

• Minimum and maximum date: Set the allowed date range by defining minimum and/or maximum values. Users cannot enter dates outside this range.

• Default value: Pre-fill the column with a default date to avoid manual entry. You can set the default value using:

  • Static: Use the date picker to define a common date for all rows.

  

  • Measure/Column: Select a measure or column (native, formula, or date input) to source the default value.

  

After configuring the properties, select Create to insert the column. You can overwrite the default value by double-clicking a cell and selecting a new date from the date picker.

The default value option is available for both visual measures and visual columns. Invalid date formats are automatically handled as blank values to ensure clean export and writeback.