Flags can be used throughout the system to apply specific labels to contracts, location screens, and invoices.

The Flag symbol in CATS.

This wiki will explain how to create and apply flags in CATS.

To review the list of flags in the system, from the CATS main menu select File > Maintenance > Setup > Contract Setup. Select the Contract Settings tab.

Manage flags from contract settings

Click on the button labeled Edit Contract Flags…

Use this to add/edit/remove flags

You can use the Manage Custom Flags dialog to add/remove/edit flags. Flags use a unique code (Flag) to identify the flag in the system (and on reports). The longer name (Text) will be displayed on the screen.

Click on the Add Flag button to create a new flag.

Use this to add flags

• Certification associate this flag with a certification group. Contracts with this flag will prompt the user to select a matching certification when adding/modifying contract items.
• Restrictions limits where the flags can be applied. The valid entries are 'C' 'M' 'I' (or any combination). C - contracts, I - Invoices, M - Traffic Screens. (Ex. If you don't want others to put a certain type of flag on an invoice, you can set the restrictions to CM and they will only be able to enter them on Contracts and Traffic Screens)
  
• Linked Flag 1 and 2 instructs CATS to pull additional flags when you select this one.
  
• FLO# pull the FLO information onto related documents.
• FTUSA# pull the FTUSA information onto related documents.
• Copies from automatically copy flags from the purchase to the sale (or from the sale to the purchase).

Once you've set up the flags, you can add (or modify) the flags on a particular contract/location/invoice by clicking on the blue flag on the corresponding screen.

Click on the flag symbol to change the flags.

You can then add or remove flags as you need.

Or, you can type the first few characters of the flag in the field and CATS will suggest a match. Fill in the box and click on the + button to have CATS fill in the corresponding flag.

After typing “FLO” CATS fills in the rest.

Alternatively, you can click on the button labeled Lookup to select from a list of available flags.

Select Lookup to search for a flag.

Select the flag you want from the list and pick Continue to proceed.

Choose the flag you want from the list and pick Continue.

Click on the [x] or click out of the box to stop adding flags.

Close the change flags box.

The flags will now be displayed on the screen.

You can remove a flag by selecting it from the list and clicking the button labeled Remove.

“One-off” labels of 10 characters or less can be added in the same way. Enter the label in the field and click on the +. If the label doesn't match an existing flag, CATS will ask you if you want to create the label.

Creating a “One-off Label”.

Click on Yes to apply the label to the screen.

If you decline to create a one-off flag (or if the entry is longer than 10 character) CATS will prompt you to create a new flag.

Click on Yes to create a new label that will be available throughout the system.

You can filter reports based on the flags. You can also use the flags as a column in your report.