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# Use custom validations for system fields

You can use custom validations for some system PPM fields (fields that are delivered with the product).

In this topic:

## Fields that support custom validations

To see the full list of fields that support custom validations, refer to the validations.conf file in the <PPM_HOME>/conf/validations/seed directory. This file also includes important information such as tokens that can be used in the validation.

The following table lists some system fields that support custom validations:

Field | In PPM page
--- | ---
Resource Pool | The Add Position dialog box The new UI of the staffing profile page The Modify Search Criteria tab of the Select a Resource to Assign dialog box
Region | The Add Position dialog box The new UI of the staffing profile page The Modify Search Criteria tab of the Select a Resource to Assign dialog box The Search Cost Rules page The Add Cost Rules page
Role
Org Unit | The Search Cost Rules page The Add Cost Rules page
Project Type | The Create New Project page
Include Proposals | The Add Specific Items section of the Add New Program Content and Add New Proposals/Projects/Assets page
Include Projects
Include Assets
Cost Category | The Advanced tab of the Add Position dialog box The Cost Category column in the new UI of the staffing profile page
Work Load Category | The Create a Blank Staffing Profile page
Program Managers | The Search Programs page
Contains
Business Objectives | All the PPM pages and the preconfigured portlets that have the Business Objectives field.
Category | The Edit Costs page opened from financial summaries or financial data tables The Cost sub-tab of the portfolio Financials tab
Portfolio Manager | The Add Portfolio page
Owner | The Add Business Goal page The Add Epic page page
Specific Resource Requested | The Staffing profile page The position window opened from the staffing profile
Program | The Project Gantt portlet

## Configure system fields to use custom validations

You can replace the validation of a system field with your custom validation.

To configure a system field to use a custom validation:

1. Open the validations.conf file in the <PPM_HOME>/conf/validations/seed directory to obtain the system validation used by the target system field.

2. In the Validation Workbench, copy the system validation used by the target system field, and make necessary changes to the copied validation. You can also create a new validation for the system field. For details on how to copy and create a validation, see Configure validations.

   Note down the reference code of the copied validation or the custom validation.

   Caution: The validation used by the system field is tied to workflow logic, keep in mind the following when configuring the custom validation. Otherwise, using the custom validation can invalidate a process.

   - The custom validation must use the same component type as the system validation.
   - The results returned by the custom validation must be a subset of the results returned by the system validation.

3. Open the validations.conf file in the <PPM_HOME>/conf/validations/seed directory, and copy the key used by the target system field.

   The key defines which validation the system field uses.

4. Paste the key to the custom_validations.conf file located in the <PPM_HOME>/conf/validations/custom directory.

   Note: The first time you configure a system field to use a custom validation, in the PPM_HOME>/conf/validations/custom directory, copy the custom_validations.conf.example file to the same directory and rename the copied file custom_validations.conf.

5. In the custom_validations.conf file, assign the custom validation to the key used by the system field by using either of the following methods:

   Option | Example
   --- | ---
   (Recommended) Assign the validation reference code to the key | `staffing.profile.position.resource.pool.acl=RSC_ENABLED_RESOURCE_POOLS_enhanced`
   Assign the validation ID to the key | `staffing.profile.position.resource.pool.acl=32793` You can query the database to get the validation ID.

   We recommend that you use the reference code because the validation ID may change when you export a validation from one environment to another, for example, from the test environment to the production environment.

6. Save the custom_validations.conf file.

   We recommend that you back up the custom_validations.conf file every time after you modify it.

7. If your PPM system is deployed in a server cluster configuration, copy the custom_validations.conf file to each of the nodes in the cluster.

8. Restart the PPM server.

   Note: If the VALIDATION_CUSTOMIZATION_RELOAD_ENABLED parameter is set to true, the custom validation is enabled for the system field without restarting PPM.

   Setting this parameter to true may have an impact on the performance. We recommend that you set this parameter to false after you finish the configuration.

## See also

- Configure validations
- View system validations

https://admhelp.microfocus.com PPM 8942
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