Capturing the Right Information
You have designed your🧊 Objects
(the “what”) and the Workflows
they follow (the “how”). Now, you must define the precise information that your team needs to capture for each Object
as it moves through its lifecycle. This is done by configuring Data Fields and arranging them into Screens.
Good screen design is critical for user adoption. A clean, logical layout that only shows relevant fields at the right time makes the system a pleasure to use and dramatically improves data quality. This step leverages the Data Fields LEGO piece.
Phase 1: Creating Your Data Fields
AData Field
is the smallest unit of information storage in Luklak. Choosing the right field type is essential for ensuring data integrity, which enables powerful filtering, reporting, and automation later on.
When creating fields for your Object Types
, you can choose from a wide variety of types, including:
- Text: For short or long-form text descriptions.
- Number: For numerical data like currency, quantity, or scores.
- Date/Time: For tracking deadlines, appointments, or timestamps.
- Dropdown (Single/Multi-select): For predefined lists of options, ensuring data consistency.
- User Selector: To assign or link
Objects
to specific people. - Object Field: To create relationships by linking to other
Objects
(as covered in Step 2). - Checkbox: For simple true/false or yes/no options.
- Formula: To perform real-time calculations based on other fields in the
Object
.
Always choose the most specific field type possible. For example, to track a contract’s value, use a
Number
field with currency formatting, not a generic Text
field. This allows you to perform calculations and build accurate reports.Phase 2: Arranging Fields into Screens
AScreen
is the user-facing layout that presents your Data Fields
to the end-user for viewing and data entry. The Screen
designer is a visual, drag-and-drop canvas that lets you organize your fields for maximum clarity and efficiency.
When designing your Screens
, consider these best practices:
- Group related fields: Use sections to group fields like “Contact Information” or “Deal Value Details” together.
- Prioritize a visual hierarchy: Place the most critical, must-have information at the top of the
Screen
. - Use tabs for complexity: If an
Object
has a very large number of fields, organize them into tabs to avoid overwhelming users with a long, scrolling form.
Phase 3: Assigning Screens to Your Workflow
This is a powerful architectural concept in Luklak. You are not limited to a single, static form for anObject
. Instead, you can design multiple Screens
and dynamically show the most relevant one based on an Object
’s Status
in its Workflow
.
This enables progressive disclosure, where you only ask for the information you need, when you need it.
Example:
- When a
Support Ticket
Object
is first created, it is in theNEW
Status. You can assign a simple “New Ticket”Screen
that only asks for the customer’s name, their issue, and the urgency. - Once a support agent starts working on it and moves it to the
IN PROGRESS
Status, you can automatically switch to a more detailed “Investigation”Screen
that includes fields for diagnostic notes, root cause analysis, and linked technical documents.
What’s Next?
You have now built the complete static structure of yourFunction
: the data model, the process flow, and the user interface for capturing data. The next step is to make this structure intelligent by building automation rules that connect the dots and eliminate manual work.