Re: User Defined Fields - HELP PLEASE!

"news.hp.com" <bunchah_at_yahoo.com> wrote in message news:4213615e$1_at_usenet01.boi.hp.com...
> I've got a political (and technical question) I could use a hand with.
>
> I developed (and maintain) an inventory system for a large company. It
> has over 150 regular users, one of which is bucking really hard for 5-10
> "User Defined Fields". Read that as free-form text fields.
>
> Can anyone here present a strong argument as to why doing this as a bad
> idea?

It is a bad idea to the same extent that having junk drawers in your kitchen is a bad idea. The system will not be able to assist users in keeping this data organized in a way that is useful to your company. It is more useful if you have a place for everything and everything in its place.

However, one junk drawer might be very helpful, provided everyone in the house knows it is a junk drawer and if they can get something useful out of it, that's great, but don't assume that anything in it is worthwhile. Having 5-10 types of items in this drawer is not so bad. In fact, I suspect that there are days when it would really expedite someone's work to have such flexibility.

> Management, as usual, doesn't understand that allowing users to put any
> random data they want in these fields is bad in the long run.

Sorry I can't be more help -- I'm on the side of those who are trying to improve their productivity in getting their job done while you are standing in their way. You might need to loosen up just a tad on this one? Of course there are others who would agree with you, as this opinion seems to crop up with those of certain personality types (Myers-Briggs of ISTJ or others?). Smiles & Best wishes. --dawn

> It'd be nice if you can point me to reference material where this is
> spoken against (either online or in currently available publications). I
> need something concrete to take with me to a meeting this afternoon.
>
> Thanks in advance!
Received on Wed Feb 16 2005 - 17:10:40 CET