Schema – Data: DISPLAY Tab Overview

The DISPLAY tab controls how an object becomes visible to end users and where it is presented within Neostella. This tab acts as the bridge between the data model built in Schema – Data (objects, fields, and relationships) and the Forms tool, which provides a visual interface for interacting with that data.

A key concept in the DISPLAY tab is the Context. The context defines where the object lives and is displayed in the user experience, and it determines in which menus or parent records the object will appear. The selected context controls:

• Where the object is visible (for example, under a Project or under a Person).
• How users navigate to the object from the platform menus.
• Which forms and tools can surface the object in that location.

For example, a Settlement object uses the Project context. As a result, settlements appear as a menu option within a Project, allowing users to access and manage them directly from the Project workspace.

In contrast, an Employment History object configured under the Person context appears only within a Person record and is not visible at the Project level.

Through the DISPLAY tab, admins can:

• Make an object visible in specific contexts (Projects and other supported areas).
• Link the object to a form (existing or new).
• Control visibility and access using Role Sets and Custom Permissions.
• Define how the object appears in the menu, including its label, order, and icon.

The DISPLAY tab does not modify the data structure itself. Instead, it determines where, how, and to whom that data is surfaced and navigated by end users.

How to Access the DISPLAY Tab

1. Click Schema.
2. Click Data.
3. Search for an object and double-click it to open the Object Editor.
4. Click the DISPLAY tab.

Here's an interactive tutorial

https://www.iorad.com/player/2668632/Data---How-to-Access-the-DISPLAY-Tab?iframeHash=watchsteps-1&lang=en

Next step

DISPLAY Tab Dashboard 

The DISPLAY tab dashboard provides centralized controls for configuring object visibility, form linkage, and menu behavior. The dashboard includes the following configuration areas:

Together, these controls define whether the object appears in Projects, which form is used to display its data, and how the object is presented in the user interface.

Here's an interactive tutorial

https://www.iorad.com/player/2668640/Data---DISPLAY-Tab-Walkthrough?iframeHash=watchsteps-1&lang=en

Next step

Default View Toggle 

The Default View toggle determines whether the object is visible in the Context and available to other tools.

When enabled:

• The object becomes visible in the Project menu.
• The Form dropdown is activated, allowing the object to be linked to a form.

When disabled:

• The object remains hidden from Projects.
• The Form dropdown is disabled.

This toggle is required to visually expose the object and connect it to a form.
 

Form Dropdown 

The Form dropdown is enabled only when the Default View toggle is active. This control links the object to a form that defines how its data is displayed and edited by users.

From this dropdown, admins can:

• Select an existing form created in the Forms tool.
• Create a new form directly from the DISPLAY tab.

In both cases, the selected form becomes the visual representation of the object for end users.

Roles Dropdown 

The Roles dropdown allows admins to apply a Role set to the object. When a role set is selected:

• Visibility and access to the object are restricted based on role definitions.
• Only users whose roles are included in the selected role set can view or interact with the object.

This ensures that object visibility aligns with organizational permissions.
 

Custom Permissions Dropdown 

The Custom Permissions dropdown applies a custom permission to the object.

When a custom permission is selected:

• Access to the object is dynamically controlled based on permission logic.
• Object visibility and interaction depend on whether the permission conditions are met.

Custom permissions provide more granular and conditional access control than role sets alone. When both a role set and a custom permission are configured for a view or action, the user must meet both conditions to gain access.
 

Label Field 

The Label field defines the name displayed in the Project menu for end users (for example, Communications, Contacts, or Case Details).

This label does not change the object’s system name. It only affects how the object is displayed in the user interface.
 

Order Field 

The Order field controls the position of the object within the Project menu. Objects are ordered numerically:

• Lower numbers appear higher in the menu.
• If multiple objects share the same order number, they are sorted alphabetically.

This field helps admins organize menu navigation logically.
 

Icon Field 

The Icon field allows admins to assign an icon to the object’s menu entry. The object icon can be customized. When changed, the selected icon replaces the default pyramid or hexagon.

Icons are selected from the icon picker, which includes more than 200 available options. The selected icon appears next to the object label in the Project menu, improving visual recognition and usability.