Field Types
In Seal we have many different field types, allowing all sorts of data to be stored. Fields can be added to any entity via theFields tab in the right hand sidebar.
| Field | Notes |
|---|---|
| Text | Single or multi-line. Multi-line text fields support markdown text formatting. |
| Number | Simple number input |
| Checkbox | Boolean |
| Date | Date input, no timezone |
| Time & date | Time & date input, option to add timezone information |
| Select | Create custom options for users to select between. Can be configured to allow users to select one or be able to select multiple. |
| User | Select a User from Seal. Can be configured to allow users to select one or multiple. |
| Reference | Reference an entity within Seal. Data can be looked up through this link. Can be configured to allow users to select one or multiple entities. |
| Formula | Enable you to perform calculations across an entity’s fields. Learn more below. |
| Submission | Allows you to create dependent entities from a template or type. Learn more below. |
| Script | Link to a Script entity, then that script can be run in the context of the entity you are in. |
| JSON | Stores JSON as a string. |
| Saved search | View a search query as a table within the entity. Learn more below. |
Formatting Fields
Formatting options available to a field depend on the type of data within them. Currently, formatting is available for the following data types:- Number
- Time & date
These options are available in formula fields that return supported data types too!
Text
Text fields can be Multi-line to enable longer paragraphs of content. This can be formatted using markdown. See table below for markdown varieties.| Symbol | Description |
|---|---|
[ ] | Checkbox |
#, ##, ### | Heading 1, heading 2, heading 3 * Note that headers can be in lists, and indented as well. |
`` | Codeblock |
* or _ | Italics |
** or __ | Bold |
> | Quoted text |
- | Bulletpoints |
1. | Numbered list |
~~ | Strikethrough |
You can also adjust indentation, for better organisation.
Number
For Number fields, the following formatting options are available:- 0.X: Displays the original number without formatting.
- 0.0: Formats the number to one decimal places.
- 0.00: Formats the number to two decimal places.
- 0.000: Formats the number to three decimal places.
- 0.0000: Formats the number to four decimal places.
- SCI: Displays the number in scientific notation.
- SCI3: Scientific notation with the coefficient rounded to three significant figures.
- Rounded: Rounds the number to the nearest integer
Date / Time & Date fields
Fields can be configured to customize both the format and the timezone. The same configuration can also be applied to formula fields that return a Datetime value. Time & Date field values are stored as UNIX timestamps. LEarn more about UNIX timestamps here. You can also set a Default Datetime format for your whole org in the Settings page.Adjusting Format
Users can customize Date/Time & date formats using our presets or by creating custom formats. We support date-fns and Unicode Technical Standard #35 standards. Here are a couple of commonly used format patterns to get you started:| Unit | Pattern | Result Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Calendar year | y | 44, 1, 1900, 2017 |
| yy | 44, 01, 00, 17 | |
| yyyy | 0044, 0001, 1900, 2017 | |
| Month | M | 1, 2, …, 12 |
| MM | 01, 02, …, 12 | |
| MMM | Jan, Feb, …, Dec | |
| MMMM | January, February, …, December | |
| Day of month | d | 1, 2, …, 31 |
| do | 1st, 2nd, …, 31st | |
| dd | 01, 02, …, 31 | |
| AM, PM | a..aa | AM, PM |
| aaa | am, pm | |
| Hour [1-12] | h | 1, 2, …, 11, 12 |
| hh | 01, 02, …, 11, 12 | |
| Hour [0-23] | H | 0, 1, 2, …, 23 |
| HH | 00, 01, 02, …, 23 | |
| Minute | m | 0, 1, …, 59 |
| mm | 00, 01, …, 59 |
Format patterns are case-sensitive.For example,
M stands for month, while m stands for minute. Always double-check the case when creating custom formats to ensure accuracy.Adjusting Timezone
Time & Date fields are displayed in the user’s local timezone by default. To ensure all users see the same timezone, disable “Use user’s local timezone” and select from the dropdown list. Use the search function to quickly find your timezone. The actual timestamp remains consistent and is adjusted according to the selected timezone settings. The chosen timezone will be flagged on the date picker when filling in fields to avoid any confusion.
Formulas
Formula fields in Seal enable you to perform calculations across an entity’s fields.
@ symbol in the formula input to see the fields and properties (eg. CREATED_BY) available to use in the formula expression.
Formula expressions can include the following fields:
- Number
- Text
- Select
- Time & date
- Reference
- Checkbox
- Formula
What can I compute with formula fields?Seal’s formula fields cover a wide range of functionality, from simple calculations to complex computing.The underlying library handling the calculations is Math.js. See the table below for examples of common operators and how to use them in your formulas.For a full list, please refer to the Math.js library, or speak to our team.
| Formula Language | Data type | Description |
|---|---|---|
+ - / * | Number | Addition, subtraction, division, multiplication |
== | Number | Equal to |
!= | Number | Not equal to |
< > | Less than, greater than | |
<= >= | Less than or equal to, greater than or equal to | |
or | Mixed | OR statement |
and | Mixed | AND statement |
not | Mixed | NOT statement |
concat( @Field1, @Field2 ) eg. concat( string( @quantity), @unit) | Mixed | Concatenate multiple fields in a formula expression. Convert the field to a string using string() if the field types are different. |
lookup( @referenceField , "Field name") orlookup( @referenceField , "Property") | Entity | Looking up a field in another entity via a reference field. Note that the field name you want to look up must be in quotation marks, e.g. "String". You can look up a multi-value field via a single-value reference — all values will be displayed.  |
dateAdd( @dateField, number, unit) E.g. dateAdd( @dateField, 2, years) | Date | Function to add time periods to date fields. Supported units: 'days', 'months', 'years' |
convertToDatetimeField( @datetimeField) E.g. convertToDatetimeField(@datetimeField1 - @datetimeField2) | Time & Date | Function to convert a unix timestamp to a Time & date field. |
formatDatetime(@datetimeField, "format string", "timezone") E.g. formatDatetime(@datetimeField, "yyyy-MM-dd HH:mm", "America/New_York") OR formatDatetime(@dateField, "format string") E.g. formatDatetime(@dateField, "MM-dd-yyyy") | Time & Date, Date | Function to format a Time & date or Date field into a string. Date fields do not have the additional timezone section whereas Time & date fields must have it. The format string must adhere to the rules set out above Refer to the timezone support section below for more information about the timezone string. |
? E.g. (@Field > 3 ? "Large" : "Small" | Mixed | if statements (conditional logic)  |
compareText( @Field, "text" ) == 0 E.g. compareText( @Status, "Active" ) == 0 | Text, Select | Compare strings for equality. Returns 0 if equal, 1 if first > second, -1 if first < second. Use == 0 to check equality. Works with Text and Select fields (compares the selected option). |
Timezone Support
Our platform provides flexible timezone handling by supporting three types of identifiers:- IANA names
- Timezone abbreviations
- Fixed-offset
Etc/GMTcodes
IANA Timezone Names
Using a standard IANA name pins a location to a specific region, the platform will automatically handle changes for Daylight Saving Time, so timestamps are always correct for that location throughout the year. For a complete list, you can visit this comprehensive list of tz database time zones.Common Timezone Codes
Common Timezone Codes
Here is a reference list of some commonly used IANA timezone names
| IANA Timezone Name | UTC Offset (Standard) | UTC Offset (Daylight Savings) |
|---|---|---|
Pacific/Honolulu | -10:00 | -10:00 |
America/Anchorage | -09:00 | -08:00 |
America/Los_Angeles | -08:00 | -07:00 |
America/Vancouver | -08:00 | -07:00 |
America/Denver | -07:00 | -06:00 |
America/Edmonton | -07:00 | -06:00 |
America/Phoenix | -07:00 | -07:00 |
America/Chicago | -06:00 | -05:00 |
America/Regina | -06:00 | -06:00 |
America/Winnipeg | -06:00 | -05:00 |
America/Halifax | -04:00 | -03:00 |
America/St_Johns | -03:30 | -02:30 |
America/Fortaleza | -03:00 | -03:00 |
Europe/London | +00:00 | +01:00 |
Africa/Lagos | +01:00 | +01:00 |
Europe/Brussels | +01:00 | +02:00 |
Europe/Athens | +02:00 | +03:00 |
Asia/Istanbul | +03:00 | +03:00 |
Asia/Dubai | +04:00 | +04:00 |
Asia/Kolkata | +05:30 | +05:30 |
Asia/Bangkok | +07:00 | +07:00 |
Asia/Manila | +08:00 | +08:00 |
Asia/Shanghai | +08:00 | +08:00 |
Asia/Singapore | +08:00 | +08:00 |
Asia/Seoul | +09:00 | +09:00 |
Fixed UTC Offset Timezones
If you require a timezone with a static UTC offset that does not change during the year, you can use either a timezone abbreviation or anEtc/GMTcode .
The Etc/GMT format is a more explicit way to define a fixed offset.
Important Note: The Etc/GMT notation uses a POSIX-style sign, which is the reverse of what is commonly expected.
Etc/GMT-Xcorresponds to UTC+X. For example,Etc/GMT-10is 10 hours ahead of UTC.Etc/GMT+Xcorresponds to UTC-X. For example,Etc/GMT+5is 5 hours behind UTC.
Setting Out of Specifications
Users can set an Out-of-Specification expression on Number, Formula, Text, Time & date, and Select fields, using the formula language mentioned above. The expression must resolve to a booleantrue or false .
@ symbol to see available field value suggestions.
Reference the field value that you want to validate against any condition using the operators available in Seal’s formula language.
Out-of-Spec Expression Additions
The out-of-spec (OOS) expression extends the capabilities of the standard formula language. This section outlines specific operators and techniques unique to OOS within the formula language framework.| Operators | Data Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
| now() | - | The current date and time |
@Field == true E.g. @Cell checked == true | Checkbox | If the field is checked |
@Field == false E.g. @Cell checked == false | Checkbox | If the field is unchecked |
@Field == null E.g. @Number == null | Any | If the field is blank |
Submission Fields
Submission is a field type that allows tables of data to be embedded in a Document or Record. This allows for more powerful and flexible units of work. Submission fields create child entities from a given template or type, the parent entities have an ownership relationship to the children. This means that:- Entities in the table are automatically published when the parent is published
- If a child entity is put into draft, the parent will also go into draft and automatically point to the updated child.
How to embed a Submission Table:
- Create a new ‘Submission’ field.
- Click on Configure, and choose a template or type.
- Adding the Submission field as a block in page content will display the table. It is possible to hide irrelevant columns by clicking on ‘Configure Table’.
- Add the Submission field.
- When a clicked, a pop out in a modal with the submission table will appear.
Adding columns to Submission Fields
You can add columns directly into a Submission table. Doing so will add that as a field to all existing and future child instances in the submission field. You are also able to configure these fields directly from the column in the table. Adding these columns to the table does not affect or add them to the child template used in the submission field, only the instances made within that particular field. In templates, you will be able to add placeholder columns. These, similarly to placeholder rows, will become real when the template is instantiated.
Note:
- This cannot be done if any entities in the submission are non-editable (published or in review)
- This cannot be done if the Submission field points to a type or an ‘active version’ template
Reference Fields
Reference fields allow you to link to other entities in Seal. When selecting a reference, you can choose which version of an entity to reference.Version Options
| Entity Kind | Version Options |
|---|---|
| Templates | Can reference a pinned version (e.g. v1, v2) or the Active version (always points to the current active version) |
| Instances | By default, can only reference pinned versions. Active version references from templates get pinned when the instance is created. |
Allowing Active Version References in Instances
A type setting called “Allow active version references” changes this behavior for instances:- When off (default): Instances can only reference pinned versions. If a template references “Active version”, this gets resolved to the current active version when the instance is created.
- When on: Instances can also select “Active version” in reference pickers. Template references to “Active version” remain as “Active version” in the instance.
This setting is configured in the Type’s Instance Settings.
Draft References
In templates and draft instances, you can reference draft entities. These draft references get pinned to the newly published version when the referenced entity is published.Saved Search Fields
Saved search fields allow you to render search results within an entity with page content. You may use the same filter language as in the normal search page. This query then gets saved on publish. The search results will remain live even after your entity is published.Creating a Saved Search Field
Filtering by a Reference Field
It is possible to create a filter to only show entities that reference the entity you are on. This screenshot shows a saved search field filtered to show entities that reference the containing entity.
- To create a filter like this, we use the normal filtering logic for when we want to filter by a field value - following the pattern
field:"Field name"="Field value" - For reference fields, the pattern goes
field:Reference=ref(entity_id,version)- The version after the comma is optional, if you include it, it will show you all entities that reference that entity at that specific version.
- If you do not include the version, it will show you all entities that reference any version of the entity,
- In saved search config, you can easily find the containing entity’s id by using
@ID- In the example above therefore, the config is:
field:"Part number"=ref(@ID) - This returns a list of all entities that have a reference field called “Part number” that references this specific entity: “Part 12345”
- Note there is no version included, as the table is showing entities that reference all versions of the part.
- In the example above therefore, the config is:
Using Field Values in Filters
You can reference field values from the containing entity using@"Field Name". This works in both saved search fields and reference field search configs.
- Use
@"Field Name"to insert a field’s value into your filter - The field value is resolved dynamically when the search runs
Live Fields
Live fields allow specific fields to remain editable on published entities.Example Use Case
Consider an inventory management system:- You have entities representing chemicals, each with a “Current Stock Level” field
- These entities need to be published so they can be referenced in work instructions
- But you also need to update the stock level regularly
Making a Field Live
To make a field live:- Open the entity (template or instance)
- Go to the Fields tab in the right sidebar
- Click the three-dot menu on the field you want to make live
- Select “Make field live”
Live fields are indicated with a special badge in the UI.
How Live Fields Work
When a field is marked as live on a published entity:- Editing the field value on any version updates it for all versions where that field is live. This includes the field configuration
- Changes to live fields are tracked in the audit log
Live Reference Fields
When a Reference field is made live, it has special behavior:- You can reference draft entities without blocking publishing
- The draft reference does not need to be in the change set
- When the referenced draft is eventually published, the reference gets pinned to the new version
Live Submission Fields
- When an Instance Submission field is made live, you can modify submitted instance’s live fields on published entities without creating a new draft.
- Adding or removing instances is not supported for live submission fields.
Live Formula Fields
When a Formula field is made live, it is recomputed at read-time rather than being stored. This enables powerful dynamic calculations:- Recomputed on every view: The formula recalculates each time the entity is fetched
- References current data: When looking up values from other entities, live formulas always use the current live data, not historical snapshots
- Can reference other live fields: Live formulas can safely reference other live fields on the same entity or external entities when combined with Reference field
Example Use Case
Consider tracking inventory across multiple locations:- You have a “Chemical” entity with a live “Current Stock Level” field
- You have a “Lab” entity with a live formula that sums stock levels from referenced chemicals
- When stock levels are updated on chemicals, the lab’s total automatically reflects current values
Important: Non-Live Formulas Cannot Reference Live Fields
If a formula field is not marked as live, it cannot reference live fields on published entities. This is because:- Non-live formulas are computed once at publish time and stored
- You’ll see an error: “This formula references a live field. Make this formula field live to resolve this error.”