Scilife supports three types of custom variables: Standalone custom variables, Grouped custom variables, and Dynamic variables. Each type serves a different purpose and behaves differently in reports and listing pages.
Below is an overview of how each variable type is intended to be used, along with details on naming conventions, report presentation, and listing page availability.
Standalone custom variables
Standalone custom variables are individual custom fields created for Events or Documents that are not part of a group.
Preferred use
Standalone variables can be used freely in any document extension that supports variable replacement. They are ideal when you need full flexibility in formatting and placement.
Nomenclature${event_custom_field_label}
Presentation in the report
In generated reports, the variable is replaced directly with its corresponding value. No additional formatting or data arrangement is applied.
Integration in the listing page
Standalone variables are available as fields on the listing page. They are also included in listing page exports when the option to export all columns is selected.
Example
Event Investigation form
Report template
Report
Listing page
Grouped custom variables
Grouped custom variables are designed to handle repetitive data with a variable number of entries per item. For example, one Event might require multiple batch records (batch number, manufacturing date, status), while another might require only one.
Some customers use grouped variables to organise multiple fields within registration or investigation forms (Events module) or document settings (Documents module). While this is possible, it is not the intended design of the feature. If your main goal is to structure forms, we recommend using a naming convention instead, as grouped variables come with specific limitations (explained below).
Preferred use
Capturing repeating sets of related data where the number of entries may vary.
Nomenclature${event_custom_field_group_label}
Presentation in the report
When replaced in a report, grouped variables generate a table:
Each variable label appears as a column
Each variable value appears as a row
The layout of this table cannot be modified. A large number of variables may result in a wide table that is difficult to read. For best results, we recommend limiting groups to no more than four variables.
Integration in the listing page
Grouped variables - and the individual variables within the group - are not available as fields on the listing page. They are also excluded from listing page exports, even when exporting all columns.
Example
Event registration form
Report template
Report
Dynamic variables
Dynamic variables are used in conjunction with grouped custom variables. They allow you to retrieve only specific variables from within the group, rather than displaying the entire group.
Preferred use
When grouped variables are already in use and you want to include only selected fields from the group in a report.
Nomenclature${group_variable#field_1_to_be_shown#field_2_to_be_shown#…#field_N_to_be_shown}
Presentation in the report
Dynamic variables generate a table using the same layout as grouped variables and cannot be customized:
Variable labels appear as columns
Each variable value appears as a row
Integration in the listing page
Dynamic variables do not create new fields for the listing page. Since they are simply a restricted view of an existing grouped variable, they follow the same behavior as grouped variables and are not included in listing pages or exports.
Example
Event registration form
Report template
Report