Forum Discussion

DrewVoge's avatar
DrewVoge
Qrew Cadet
11 years ago

Can you override column headings at the field level for all reports?

I know you can override the column heading label for a field on a report by report basis. However, is it possible to enter a 'column name' for an individual field that will rename that field's column in any report you build?

I use a naming structure for 3/4 of the fields in my app for various reasons, and it would be nice to set a 'column override' that would work for any report that the field is used in.

  • No, there is no Global override feature for column naming. Your options are to simply rename the native field name or else come up with a set of mirror fields which have the names you want to use on reports and View mode in Forms and the formula would just be the fields name of the native field.
    • RubyKapil2's avatar
      RubyKapil2
      Qrew Captain
      Anything new in Quickbase that would allow me to change column names on reports? If not, would love a few more details on the mirror fields you mentioned.
    • QuickBaseCoachD's avatar
      QuickBaseCoachD
      Qrew Captain
      Just a formula field equal to the original field.

      Brute force 1 by 1 for each field you need mirrored.

      I suggest sometimes do this if I need the same field to sometimes have decimals or no decimals.
  • >No, there is no Global override feature for ...

    The global override for everything on the Internet is JavaScript. Own the web - don't let it own you. Throw off the shackles that prevent you from enjoying the custom column headers you desire.

    Of course you can change the headings with a simple script using the image onload technique. Just create a an image onload field [-] and include it in the report say as the last column so it isn't the first thing you see. Then use the code in the following pastie to map the column headings to whatever you want:

    Pastie Database
    https://haversineconsulting.quickbase.com/db/bgcwm2m4g?a=dr&rid=354

    See before and after screenshot of manually applying the code through the JavaScript console.

    Notes:

    (1) I actually made the column headings longer but only because I tested the script on a report that had short headings in the first place.

    (2) You will have to use a slightly different script to get the column headings renamed on the print version of the report because it has a slightly different HTML structure. But you can put that code in the same script.

    (3) Some may discourage this approach because the script modifies the QuickBase authored page and QuickBase at some time in the future will change the structure of the report and the script will stop working. But hopefully when QuickBase changes the structure of reports they will incorporate the report heading feature you want and you will not need this workaround. But if you are don't like this workaround then you don't have a solution and hit a brick wall.