Who it’s for: Administrators
Platform: Web app (Sense HR)
Available on: Elite and Enterprise plans
Before you begin, make sure you’re:
☑️ Logged into the Sense Workplace web app
☑️ Assigned administrator permissions
☑️ Familiar with Screen Designer basics (see Screen Designer: Overview)
☑️ Aware of how fields behave and where changes apply (see Concepts & Data Behaviour)
⚠️ Important:
Custom screens can be added to multiple profile templates.
If you edit a screen later, those changes apply everywhere the screen is used.
Overview
Custom screens allow you to capture organisation-specific information that does not exist in system or locked screens.
You can create screens for almost anything, including:
• Training records
• Uniform allocations
• Skills or certifications
• Onboarding information
• Volunteer details
• Equipment issued
• Performance checkpoints
Creating a custom screen involves:
1. Choosing the layout (Form or Table)
2. Adding fields (existing or new)
3. Configuring field properties
4. Marking column headers (for table screens)
5. Saving the screen
6. Adding it to one or more Profile templates
7. Setting visibility using Access roles
This article guides you through each step safely and clearly.
Navigation path
To create a new custom screen:
Dashboard > Settings > Screen designer > Screens > Create
💡 Tip:
You can also start creating a screen from inside a Profile template:
Screen designer > Profile templates > [template] > Manage screens + > Custom screens > + Create new screen
... but this is just a shortcut — all screens are created and stored in the main Screens area.
Create a new custom screen
To create a custom screen:
1. Open Settings from the Sense HR dashboard.
2. Click Screen designer
3. Click Create in the upper right
4. Name your custom screen
Enter a clear, descriptive name for the screen.
Examples:
• Uniform allocation
• Training history
• Contractor onboarding
• Volunteer details
This name:
• Appears in profile navigation after added to a template
• Becomes a reporting category
• Appears in workflows if variants are created
⚠️ Important:
Renaming a screen later updates the name everywhere — templates, workflows, and reports.
5. Choose the screen layout (Form or Table)
You must choose the layout before designing the screen.
FORM:
A form layout displays a single set of fields — one record per person.
Use a Form screen for:
• Personal or contact details
• Onboarding information
• Employment details
• General info captured once
• Screen types where duplicates don’t make sense
TABLE:
A table layout allows multiple records, displayed in rows.
Use a Table screen for:
• Training events
• Qualifications
• Memberships
• Reviews (multiple entries per year)
• Equipment issued
• Compliance checks
⚠️ Important: All table screens must have at least one column header before they can be saved.
💡 Tip: Mark all meaningful fields as column headers to improve searchability and reporting.
6. Add fields to your custom screen
After choosing the layout and naming your screen, you can add fields.
There are two kinds of fields:
Existing fields
Fields already in your system. These reuse data structures and remain consistent across screens.
New fields
Fields you create from scratch. Once created and saved, they become reusable existing fields.
To add fields to a screen:
Drag fields from the left sidebar onto the canvas.
6.1. Adding existing fields
Existing fields are reusable fields that keep your system clean and reduce duplication.
To add one:
Open Existing fields tab in the left sidebar
Drag the field onto the canvas
Configure properties if needed (see 6.3 Configure field properties)
⚠️ Important: Changing an existing field’s properties updates that field everywhere it is used.
Existing fields:
• Keep their existing configuration
• Update everywhere they are used if you change their properties
• Can appear on multiple screens
• Can be used safely for consistent reporting
💡 Tip: Always check the Existing fields list before creating something new.
6.2. Adding new fields
To create a new field:
Open New fields tab in the left sidebar
Drag your chosen field type onto the canvas
Complete required properties in the right-hand panel (see 6.3 Configure field properties)
Available new field types include:
Text field, Paragraph, Rich text, Validator, Heading, Dropdown, Radio, Checkbox, Attachments, Date picker, Time picker (12-hour / 24-hour), Number, Currency, User picker, Mail, Phone, On/Off switch, URL link.
🖊️ Note: New fields must be fully configured before the screen can be saved.
6.3. Configure field properties
Click a field on the canvas to configure:
• Field label (name)
• Help text
• Required/optional status
• Options (dropdowns, checkboxes, radio buttons)
• Validation rules (where available)
• Default values
Once the field is configured click Apply
🖊️ Note:
Clicking Apply saves your changes to the field.
For newly added fields, Apply also finalises the field and makes it available in the list of existing fields for use on other screens.
💡 Tip: Keep field labels short and clear — these appear in profiles, reports, and workflow tasks.
6.4. Mark column headers (table screens only)
If your screen is a table, you must choose at least one field to be a column header.
Column headers determine what appears as columns in the table view.
To mark a column header:
Click a field > Mark as column header
Mandatory rule:
• At least one column header is required to save a table screen.
💡 Tip: Mark all meaningful fields as column headers for better readability and reporting.
7. Preview your screen
Use Preview to see what the screen will look like and test its functionality in a safe 'sandbox' environment.
The interactive preview shows:
• Table columns
• + Add record functionality for table screens
• Dropdown functionality for form fields
• Required fields
• Field order
• Layout and clarity
• How rows will appear to users
💡 Tip: Use Preview as you go — it helps catch layout issues early. If a field isn’t appearing in a table preview, make sure it’s marked as a column header.
8. Save and publish your screen
When you’re ready:
Click Done in the top-right corner.
Once saved, your screen becomes available in:
• Screen designer > Screens
• Profile templates > Manage screens > Custom screens
• Reporting categories
• Workflow variant creation (if needed)
💡 Tip:
After building the main screen, you can create workflow variants via More actions (…).
⚠️ Important:
Saving a screen makes it live.
If the screen is already used in templates, employees and managers may see the changes immediately depending on Access role setup.
Workflow variant creation
If you want to control how the screen behaves inside workflow tasks — such as which fields appear or must be completed — you can create a Workflow variant.
Go to Screen designer › Screens, find your screen, and choose More actions (…) > Create variant.
For full details, see Understanding Workflow Variants.
Add your custom screen to a Profile template
A custom screen only appears in profiles once it is added to a template.
To add a screen to a template:
1. Go to Screen designer > Profile templates
2. Select a template
3. Click Manage screens +
4. Open the Custom screens tab
5. Tick the screen ✔️
6. Click Save
7. Click Done to confirm
For full details, see Manage profile templates
💡 Tip:
One custom screen can be used across many templates — useful if multiple groups need the same data structure.
⚠️ Remember:
Editing a shared Screen affects all Profile templates that use it.
Rename a screen
To rename:
1. Go to Screen designer > Screens
2. Locate the screen you want to rename
3. Click More actions (…)
4. Select Rename
5. Enter a new label
6. Save
💡 Tip:
Renaming updates the screen label everywhere but does not affect underlying data
Delete a Screen
You can delete a custom screen, even if it contains data.
To delete a screen:
Go to Screen designer › Screens.
Find the screen you want to delete, then select More actions (…) › Delete.
If the screen contains no data:
• Only one confirmation is required
If the screen contains data:
• You will see two confirmation steps
• You will be required to type DELETE
⚠️ Important Warning:
Deleting a screen permanently removes:
• All data stored in that screen
• The reporting category
• Any workflow variants connected to that screen
• Any reports referencing its fields
• Any profile-level data captured in it
💡 Tip:
Before deleting, run a report to download the data you wish to retain.
Automatic clean-up (after screen deletion)
When a screen is deleted, Sense HR automatically:
• Removes it from all templates
• Removes related reporting categories
• Deletes all variants
• Clears stored data
• Removes linked permissions
• Clears related to-dos
• Records the deletion for auditing
Screen visibility vs Screen design
Screen Designer controls the structure of screens — not visibility.
To control visibility, use Access roles:
Settings > Access roles > [Role] > Permissions > Own profile
Access roles allow you to:
• Hide entire screens
• Make screens read-only
• Hide or show specific fields
• Control Add permissions for table screens
• Give managers more detailed views than employees
For full visibility controls, see Access Roles Management.
🖊️ Note: Default permissions for new screens
Screens created by an admin start with all Own profile permissions set to OFF for every role (admins always have full access).
Screens created by workflows may have predefined permissions depending on the workflow.
Summary
Custom screens are one of the most powerful tools in Sense HR.
They allow you to capture exactly the data your organisation needs and organise it clearly across different workforce areas.
Use this process:
• Choose the right layout (form or table)
• Reuse existing fields where possible and logical
• Keep fields consistent and clear
• Preview often
• Use templates for availability
• Use Access roles for visibility
• Use variants only for workflow behaviour
A well-designed screen means clearer profiles, better reporting, and clean, sustainable configuration.
FAQs
Click to see answers to frequently asked questions
Click to see answers to frequently asked questions
Why can’t I save my table screen?
The reason you cannot save your table screen is that table screens require at least one column header. Mark at least one field as a column header, then try saving again.
Why do my new fields appear under “Existing fields” later?
The reason your new fields appear under “Existing fields” later is that once a field is saved to a screen, it becomes reusable. This is expected behaviour.
Why did editing an existing field change it on other screens?
The reason editing an existing field changed it on other screens is because fields are reusable. Updating field properties updates that field everywhere it appears.
Why can’t employees see the screen I created?
Employees cannot see the screen because visibility is controlled in Access roles, not in Screen Designer. Make sure you have turned on View/Update/Add permissions for that role.
What happens if I delete a custom screen?
If you delete a custom screen, all data stored in that screen is permanently removed, along with the reporting category and workflow variants. Always export your data first.
Why does renaming a screen change its name everywhere?
Renaming a screen changes its name everywhere because the screen is a single shared object. The label is updated across templates, workflows, and reporting.