Data Types and Configuration
This page provides detailed information about metadata data types and how to configure them properly.
Data Type Reference
Text Type
| Property |
Value |
| SharePoint Field Type |
Text |
| SharePoint Type |
Single line of text |
| Max Length |
255 characters |
| Best For |
Names, codes, short descriptions |
Example Fields:
- Customer No.
- Customer Name
- Document No.
- Short descriptions
Note Type
| Property |
Value |
| SharePoint Field Type |
Note |
| SharePoint Type |
Multiple lines of text |
| Max Length |
Large (varies) |
| Best For |
Long descriptions, comments |
Example Fields:
- Description fields
- Comments
- Notes
- Address blocks
Integer Type
| Property |
Value |
| SharePoint Field Type |
Integer |
| SharePoint Type |
Number (no decimals) |
| Best For |
Whole numbers, option values |
Example Fields:
- Quantity
- Option values
- Count fields
- Integer IDs
Number Type
| Property |
Value |
| SharePoint Field Type |
Number |
| SharePoint Type |
Number (with decimals) |
| Decimal Places |
Configurable in SP |
| Best For |
Amounts, prices, rates |
Example Fields:
- Amount
- Unit Price
- Discount %
- Exchange Rate
Boolean Type
| Property |
Value |
| SharePoint Field Type |
Boolean |
| SharePoint Type |
Yes/No |
| Values |
Yes/No checkbox |
| Best For |
True/false flags |
Example Fields:
- Blocked
- Active
- Approved
- Printed
DateTime Type
| Property |
Value |
| SharePoint Field Type |
DateTime |
| SharePoint Type |
Date and time |
| Format |
Date only or Date+Time |
| Best For |
Dates, timestamps |
Example Fields:
- Posting Date
- Order Date
- Due Date
- Created DateTime
Choice Type
| Property |
Value |
| SharePoint Field Type |
Choice |
| SharePoint Type |
Choice (dropdown) |
| Values |
Created automatically from BC option captions |
| Best For |
Limited set of options |
Example Fields:
- Status
- Document Type
- Category (if predefined)
Note: When the connector creates a Choice column for a BC Option field (via the Add Column To SharePoint action), the column is created with the BC option captions as its choices -- no manual SharePoint-side configuration is needed. Only for pre-existing or manually created columns do you need to configure the choice values in SharePoint to match the BC option values.
URL Type
| Property |
Value |
| SharePoint Field Type |
URL |
| SharePoint Type |
Hyperlink |
| Format |
URL with optional description |
| Best For |
Web links |
Example Fields:
- Home Page
- Web Service URL
- External link fields
Supported SharePoint Field Types
The supported SharePoint field types (from the OptionMembers) are:
| SharePoint Field Type |
Description |
| Integer |
Whole numbers |
| Text |
Single line of text |
| Note |
Multiple lines of text |
| DateTime |
Date and time |
| Choice |
Choice (dropdown) |
| Boolean |
Yes/No |
| Number |
Decimal numbers |
| URL |
Hyperlink |
Note: "Decimal" is not a separate type in the option list. BC Decimal fields are mapped using the "Number" type.
Show in File List Options
The metadata table includes a Show in File List option with the following values:
| Show in File List Value |
Description |
| (blank) |
Not displayed in FactBox |
| Category |
Shows as Category column |
| Custom 1 |
Shows in Custom 1 column |
| Custom 2 |
Shows in Custom 2 column |
| Custom 3 |
Shows in Custom 3 column |
| Custom 4 |
Shows in Custom 4 column |
| Custom 5 |
Shows in Custom 5 column |
Exported to SharePoint
The metadata table also has an "Exported to SharePoint" Boolean flag that tracks whether the column has been created in SharePoint:
| Value |
Meaning |
| No |
Column not yet created in SharePoint |
| Yes |
Column has been created in SharePoint |
Column Naming
Naming Rules
| Rule |
Good |
Bad |
| Avoid spaces |
CustomerName |
Customer Name (spaces are silently replaced with underscores when the name is validated, e.g. Customer_Name) |
| No special chars |
InvoiceTotal |
Invoice-Total |
| Start with letter |
Amount1 |
1Amount |
| Max 30 chars |
ShortName |
VeryLongColumnNameThatExceedsLimit |
Naming Conventions
| Convention |
Example |
| CamelCase |
CustomerName |
| snake_case |
customer_name |
| PascalCase |
CustomerName |
Choose one and be consistent.
Reserved Names
Avoid SharePoint reserved column names:
- Name
- Title
- ID
- Created
- Modified
- Author
- Editor
Configuration by BC Field Type
Code Fields
| BC Field |
SP Column |
Type |
| Code[10] |
Text |
Text |
| Code[20] |
Text |
Text |
| Code[50] |
Text |
Text |
Text Fields
| BC Field |
SP Column |
Type |
| Text[30] |
Text |
Text |
| Text[100] |
Text |
Text |
| Text[250] |
Note |
Note (if > 255) |
Numeric Fields
| BC Field |
SP Column |
Type |
| Integer |
Number |
Integer |
| Decimal |
Number |
Number |
| BigInteger |
Number |
Integer |
Note: "Decimal" is not a separate SharePoint field type. BC Decimal fields map to the "Number" SharePoint field type.
Date/Time Fields
| BC Field |
SP Column |
Type |
| Date |
Date |
DateTime |
| Time |
Date |
DateTime |
| DateTime |
Date |
DateTime |
Option Fields
| BC Field |
SP Column |
Recommended Type |
| Option |
Number or Choice |
Integer or Choice |
Options can be mapped as:
- Integer (stores numeric value)
- Choice (stores text; connector-created columns get the BC option captions as choices automatically)
Boolean Fields
| BC Field |
SP Column |
Type |
| Boolean |
Yes/No |
Boolean |
SharePoint Column Configuration
Creating Columns Manually
As an alternative to the Add Column To SharePoint action (uploading files never creates columns):
- Go to SharePoint library
- Add column
- Match settings:
| Setting |
Value |
| Name |
Exactly as configured |
| Type |
Matching SharePoint Field Type |
| Format |
As appropriate |
Column Properties
Configure in SharePoint:
| Property |
Purpose |
| Default value |
If BC field is empty |
| Required |
Usually No |
| Indexed |
For large libraries |
| Enforce unique |
Usually No |
Date Column Configuration
For DateTime columns:
| Setting |
Option |
| Include time |
Yes/No based on need |
| Format |
Standard or Friendly |
| Default |
None or specific date |
Number Column Configuration
For Number columns:
| Setting |
Option |
| Decimal places |
Match your data |
| Min/Max |
If validation needed |
| Show as percentage |
For percentage fields |
Troubleshooting Data Types
Type Mismatch Errors
| Error |
Cause |
Solution |
| Can't store value |
Wrong type |
Verify type configuration |
| Number expected |
Text in number column |
Use Text type |
| Date format error |
Invalid date |
Check date format |
Empty Values
| Behavior |
Reason |
Solution |
| Column empty |
Field is empty in BC |
Expected behavior |
| Always empty |
Wrong field number |
Verify field mapping |
| Truncated |
Field too long |
Use Note type |
Choice Values Not Matching
Columns created by the connector's Add Column To SharePoint action already carry the BC option captions as choices, so no matching is needed. For pre-existing or manually created Choice columns:
- List BC option values
- Configure same values in SharePoint
- Ensure exact match
- Or use Integer type instead
Best Practices
Type Selection
| Guideline |
Recommendation |
| When in doubt |
Use Text |
| For filtering |
Use appropriate type |
| For sorting |
Match expected sort |
| For calculation |
Use Number |
Testing
Before production:
- Create test mapping
- Upload test file
- Verify values in SharePoint
- Check data displays correctly
Documentation
Record your mappings:
| Table |
BC Field |
SP Column |
Type |
| 18 |
Name |
CustomerName |
Text |
| 18 |
No. |
CustomerNo |
Text |
| 36 |
Amount |
OrderAmount |
Number |
