FlexFields are custom fields you can add to any transaction in PanatrackerGP. This guide walks through how to configure a FlexField with a dropdown list and optional validation using the Portal.

What Are FlexField Lookups?

By default, a FlexField is a free-text field — users can type anything into it. A lookup adds a dropdown list so users can pick from a predefined set of values instead of typing. You can also add validation to check that the entered value is correct before the transaction continues.

Both features are powered by SQL stored procedures that you create in your GP company database:

• Populate procedure — provides the list of values shown in the dropdown
• Validate procedure — checks the value after the user enters or selects it

You can use either one independently, or both together on the same field.

Configuring a FlexField in the Portal

FlexField settings are managed in the PanatrackerGP Portal under Configure → FlexField Configuration. The grid shows every FlexField for every transaction type.

Grid Columns

Setting Up a Lookup — Step by Step

1. Navigate to Configure → FlexField Configuration in the Portal.
2. Find the row for your Transaction Name and Field Type (e.g. Add Adjustment / FlexField1). Click Edit.
3. Set Behavior to Optional or Required so the field is visible to users.
4. Set the Field Name to something descriptive (e.g. "Employee Name", "Project Code", "Container ID").
5. To add a dropdown list: set List Mode? to true and enter the name of your procedure in the List Stored Procedure field.
6. To add validation: enter the name of your procedure in the Validation Stored Procedure field.
7. Save the configuration.

Example Configuration

Here is what a configured FlexField row looks like in the Portal. This example sets up FlexField1 on the Add Adjustment transaction as an Item Code lookup with validation:

Writing a Populate Procedure

Why Use a Populate Procedure?

A Populate procedure is useful when you want users to select from a defined list of values at a specific point in the transaction, rather than typing freehand. This reduces data entry errors, speeds up the workflow, and ensures consistency. For example, you might present a list of valid item numbers, lot numbers, or department codes so the user doesn't have to remember or look up the value themselves.

A Populate procedure is a SQL stored procedure in your GP company database. When the user taps the dropdown button, Panatracker runs this procedure and displays the results as a selectable list.

What It Must Return

Your procedure must return a result set with these column names:

Simple Example — Item Lookup

This procedure returns lot-tracked items matching what the user has typed so far:

CREATE PROCEDURE [dbo].[PanatrackerGPV7_ItemPopulate]
    @FlexField1  NVARCHAR(31)
AS
BEGIN
    SELECT DISTINCT
        RTRIM(ITEMNMBR)  AS Code,
        RTRIM(ITEMDESC)  AS Description
    FROM IV00101
    WHERE RTRIM(ITEMNMBR) LIKE @FlexField1 + '%'
      AND ITMTRKOP = 3
END

The @FlexField1 parameter receives whatever the user has typed so far, so the list narrows as they type. The LIKE @FlexField1 + '%' pattern enables this type-ahead filtering.

Cascading Example — Lots Filtered by Item

When one FlexField depends on another, add the other field as an input parameter. Panatracker fills it in automatically. Here, FlexField2 (Lot) is filtered by the item already entered in FlexField1:

CREATE PROCEDURE [dbo].[PanatrackerGPV7_LotPopulate]
    @FlexField1  NVARCHAR(31),   -- Item (from FlexField1)
    @FlexField2  NVARCHAR(31)    -- Lot typed so far (this field)
AS
BEGIN
    SELECT DISTINCT
        RTRIM(LOTNUMBR)  AS Code,
        RTRIM(LOTNUMBR)  AS Description
    FROM IV00300
    WHERE RTRIM(LOTNUMBR) LIKE @FlexField2 + '%'
      AND ITEMNMBR = @FlexField1
END

Three-Field Chain — Item → Site → Bin

You can chain multiple FlexFields. Here, the bin list is filtered by what was entered in FlexField1 and FlexField2:

CREATE PROCEDURE [dbo].[PanatrackerGPV7_BinPopulate]
    @FlexField1  NVARCHAR(31),   -- Item
    @FlexField2  NVARCHAR(31),   -- Site
    @FlexField3  NVARCHAR(31)    -- Bin typed so far
AS
BEGIN
    DECLARE @LOCNCODE VARCHAR(20) = 'WAREHOUSE'

    SELECT DISTINCT
        RTRIM(BIN)  AS Code,
        RTRIM(BIN)  AS Description
    FROM IV40701
    WHERE RTRIM(BIN) LIKE @FlexField3 + '%'
      AND LOCNCODE = @LOCNCODE
END

Writing a Validate Procedure

Why Use a Validate Procedure?

A Validate procedure enforces business rules at the point of entry — before the transaction is submitted. This catches mistakes early, while the user is still at the device and can correct them. For example, you might verify that an item number actually exists in GP, check that a container ID hasn't already been used, or warn the user if a value looks unusual. Without validation, bad data flows into GP and has to be corrected after the fact.

A Validate procedure checks the value after the user enters or selects it. It tells Panatracker whether to accept the value, reject it, show a warning, or substitute a different value.

Required Output Parameters

Every Validate procedure must declare these output parameters:

Validation Results

Set @ValidationResult to one of these values:

Simple Example — Validate an Item

CREATE PROCEDURE [dbo].[PanatrackerGPV7_ItemValidate]
    @FlexField1          NVARCHAR(30),
    @ValidationResult    NVARCHAR(50)  OUTPUT,
    @ValidationMessage   NVARCHAR(200) OUTPUT,
    @SubstituteValue     NVARCHAR(200) OUTPUT
AS
BEGIN
    DECLARE @count INT

    SELECT @count = COUNT(DISTINCT ITEMNMBR)
    FROM IV00101
    WHERE RTRIM(ITEMNMBR) = @FlexField1
      AND ITMTRKOP = 3

    IF (@count = 0)
    BEGIN
        SET @ValidationResult  = 'Invalid'
        SET @ValidationMessage = 'Must enter a valid lot-tracked item'
        SET @SubstituteValue   = ''
    END
    ELSE
    BEGIN
        SET @ValidationResult  = 'Valid'
        SET @ValidationMessage = ''
        SET @SubstituteValue   = ''
    END
END

Warning Example — Duplicate Check

This procedure lets the user proceed but warns them if the value has been used before. The Warning result shows a Yes/No dialog:

CREATE PROCEDURE [dbo].[PanatrackerGPV7_Container_Validate]
    @FlexField1          NVARCHAR(30),
    @ValidationResult    NVARCHAR(50)  OUTPUT,
    @ValidationMessage   NVARCHAR(200) OUTPUT,
    @SubstituteValue     NVARCHAR(200) OUTPUT
AS
BEGIN
    DECLARE @count INT

    -- Check if this container ID has been used in a prior transaction
    SELECT @count = COUNT(*)
    FROM PanatrackerGP7_TrxGeneric
    WHERE FlexField1 = @FlexField1
      AND TransactionStatus = 4

    IF (@count > 0)
    BEGIN
        SET @ValidationResult  = 'Warning'
        SET @ValidationMessage = 'Duplicate Container ID.'
        SET @SubstituteValue   = ''
    END
    ELSE
    BEGIN
        SET @ValidationResult  = 'Valid'
        SET @ValidationMessage = ''
        SET @SubstituteValue   = ''
    END
END

Lookup List Validation

A common pattern: use a small custom table to enforce a fixed set of allowed values. For example, restricting a field to "Y" or "N":

CREATE PROCEDURE [dbo].[PanatrackerGPV7_YesNoListValidate]
    @FlexField2          NVARCHAR(30),
    @ValidationResult    NVARCHAR(50)  OUTPUT,
    @ValidationMessage   NVARCHAR(200) OUTPUT,
    @SubstituteValue     NVARCHAR(200) OUTPUT
AS
BEGIN
    DECLARE @count INT

    SELECT @count = COUNT(DISTINCT Code)
    FROM Panatracker_YesNo
    WHERE Code = @FlexField2

    IF (@count = 0)
    BEGIN
        SET @ValidationResult  = 'Invalid'
        SET @ValidationMessage = 'Must be Y or N'
        SET @SubstituteValue   = ''
    END
    ELSE
    BEGIN
        SET @ValidationResult  = 'Valid'
        SET @ValidationMessage = ''
        SET @SubstituteValue   = ''
    END
END

How Parameters Work

You don't need to manually pass values to your procedures. Panatracker automatically discovers each procedure's parameters and fills them with current values from the transaction:

• @FlexField1 receives the current value of FlexField1
• @FlexField2 receives the current value of FlexField2
• …and so on for any FlexField slot

This is how cascading lookups work — if your FlexField2 Populate procedure declares @FlexField1 as a parameter, it automatically receives whatever the user entered in FlexField1.

Deploying Your Procedures

1. Write your stored procedure in SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) and run it against your GP company database (not the Panatracker database).
2. Grant execute permission to the Panatracker service account:

   GRANT EXECUTE ON [dbo].[PanatrackerGPV7_ItemPopulate]
       TO [DYNGRP]

3. In the Portal, go to Configure → FlexField Configuration, edit the FlexField, and enter the procedure name in List Stored Procedure and/or Validation Stored Procedure.
4. Test by starting a new transaction of that type on the device.

Testing Your Procedures

Always test your procedures in SSMS before configuring them in the Portal.

Testing a Populate Procedure

EXEC [dbo].[PanatrackerGPV7_ItemPopulate]
    @FlexField1 = 'ITEM'   -- simulates user typing "ITEM"

You should see a result set with Code and Description columns.

Testing a Validate Procedure

DECLARE
    @Result     NVARCHAR(50),
    @Message    NVARCHAR(200),
    @Substitute NVARCHAR(200)

EXEC [dbo].[PanatrackerGPV7_ItemValidate]
    @FlexField1        = 'TEST-ITEM-001',
    @ValidationResult  = @Result     OUTPUT,
    @ValidationMessage = @Message    OUTPUT,
    @SubstituteValue   = @Substitute OUTPUT

SELECT
    @Result     AS ValidationResult,
    @Message    AS ValidationMessage,
    @Substitute AS SubstituteValue

Troubleshooting

Dropdown shows no results

• Verify List Mode? is set to true in the Portal.
• Check that the procedure name in List Stored Procedure matches the procedure name in SQL Server exactly.
• Confirm the result set columns are named Code and Description (or PrimaryKey/Item1).
• Run the procedure manually in SSMS to confirm it returns data.

Validation seems to have no effect

• Check that @ValidationResult and @ValidationMessage are declared with the OUTPUT keyword. Without it, the values never reach Panatracker.
• Make sure you're setting the parameters to one of the exact result strings: Valid, Invalid, Warning, SubstituteSilent, or SubstituteConfirm.

Errors not visible on the device

If your procedure has a SQL error (wrong column name, missing table, permission denied), the device will show a generic error. The actual SQL error details are in the Panatracker server logs. Check there if things aren't working as expected.

Questions? Contact Panatrack Support.