In Uncountable, definitions act as templates for the different types of entities users can create—such as experiments, lab requests, approvals, and more. Each definition specifies the structure and behavior of the entities based on it.
Definitions are made up of fields, which determine the type of information users can enter when creating a new entity. Fields can include text boxes, dropdowns (single or multi-select), file attachments, links, tables, etc. You can also apply constraints to these fields to control their visibility, editability, or to make them required or prompted for when creating a new entity.
Definitions can include additional configuration, such as:
- Triggers to automate actions based on specific events or conditions.
- Permissions to control who can view or edit entities based on the definition.
- Runsheets or labels that can be used when exporting entities from the platform.
Common Scenarios for Creating New Definitions
Below are some of the most common scenarios when users would want to create a new definition.
- Lab Requests: Lab request definitions allow users to create structured requests for testing. Each definition can include different fields for priority, instructions, lab location, due dates, and more. Learn more about creating lab request definitions.
- Approvals: Approval definitions can be used to request sign-offs before running an experiment.
- Custom Entities: Custom entity definitions are often created and used as components on existing entities. For example, you might add a custom entity to a task definition, allowing users to fill in specific task-related information that don’t belong in the base task structure.
- Variants of Existing Forms: User also often want to create entities that are similar in function to an existing entity with slightly different content or formatting. In these cases, you would select the existing entity for “Copy Source”, create the new definition, and adjust fields, formatting, and styling as desired.
Creating a New Definition
To create a new definition, take the following steps:
- Within the Definitions tab of the Form Admin page, click the blue Create Definition button.
- In the Add Definition modal, fill out the following required information:
- Name: Assign a name for the definition.
- Reference Name: Add a reference name, used to call on the definition when using value spec. Learn more about reference names.
- Select one of the following:
- Copy Source: If copying an existing definition, select it from the dropdown menu.
- Type: If not using a Copy Source, select a definition type from the dropdown menu.
- Add the definition.
Once a definition has been created, it will be available for selection when creating a new entity of that type within the platform (so long as it is available within your current material family).
Definition Example
Consider the example below of the “Lab Request” definition containing various fields.
Since the new definition has a “Lab Request” type, it will appear as an option when creating a new request.
Selecting the definition type will bring you to an entity form with the fields configured on the definition. Use these fields to fill out all relevant information.
In this example, note how the Experiments field displays a warning, and the Lead field shows an error message. These indicators appear because constraints were added to those fields, prompting users to enter values before they can submit the request.
Configuring a Definition
Based on the definition type selected, some fields and settings may be added by default upon creation. To add, remove, or adjust fields, settings, permissions, and other components of a definition, use the tabs at the top of the definition page.
Structure
Within the Structure tab, admin users can:
- Add groups and fields to a definition.
- Adjust the visibility and styling of field groups by adjusting Group Settings.
- Add entity action fields to trigger defined actions directly from the entity.
- Add constraints to groups and fields to control their visibility and editability on the entity.
To learn more, refer to the following articles:
- Adding and Configuring Groups on a Definition
- Managing Fields on a Definition
- Adding Static Fields on a Definition
- Action Buttons
- Managing Constraints on a Definition
Settings
Within the Settings tab, admin users can:
- Update the definition name, workflow, layout width, and other display options.
- Set which material families the definition is available within.
- Configure additional options like debug mode.
To learn more, refer to the following article:
Runsheets and Labels
In Uncountable, runsheets are customizable export documents that can be downloaded from an entity, and labels are used to generate printable identifiers for physical samples or materials.
By associating a definition with specific runsheets and labels, admins can set which are available for download/export from those entities.
To learn more about runsheets and labels, refer to:
Actions
The Actions tab in a lab request definition contains two sections: Entity Actions and Action Buttons.
- Entity actions allow users to trigger predefined actions on entities within an entity form. These actions are configured via trigger sets, making them reusable across multiple definitions. When added to a definition, entity actions are selectable within the Actions dropdown menu in the toolbar.
- Action buttons are configured within Actions tab of the definition. Adding an action button adds a clickable button to trigger the actions directly from the entity itself.
For more information on action buttons, refer to:
Permissions
Within the Permissions tab, admin users can:
- Restrict access to the definition for specific users or user groups.
- Override the default visibility and editability permissions assigned to user groups.
For more information on definition permissions, refer to the following article:
Triggers
Within the Triggers tab, admin users can:
- View all active trigger sets on a definition.
- Connect predefined trigger sets to the definition.
- Use triggers to automate tasks such as status updates, field pre-fills, or entity creation.
For more information, refer to the following article: