Answers.Body: <p>If you need to adjust Subject to be a select field for use directly in Civicrm then would need to change the field type in the db and customise so it uses a set of Option Values</p>
  
  <p>If the data is mostly being added via a Webform then you can adjust the widget on the Component and set it up as a Select field without needing to mess with the machinery</p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2018-07-21T21:34:59.947Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2018-07-21T21:34:59.947Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: petednz - fuzion
Body: <p>I have several custom fields in for a CiviCRM Activity ("Client Need"). Which of the following scenarios would be the best approach for me to sort and view Activity Summaries? And how would I go about doing that?</p>
  
  <ol>
  <li>When data is collected into the "Client Need" custom field, dump that data into the CiviCRM "subject" field as well. In other words, these two fields essentially would need to mirror each other at all times.</li>
  <li>Edit the default "Activity Subject" field so that it is a drop-down with a list of options when someone is entering a new Activity into the database. If that's possible, then I can just completely remove the secondary "Client Need" field. </li>
  <li>Collect the data in the Client Need field, don't collect data in the Activity Subject field, and modify CiviCRM's default behavior for displaying the Activities, so that it displays the custom field instead of the activity subject field (so in the below screenshot, display Client Need field, and don't display Subject field): <a href="https://i.sstatic.net/98Qzb.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/98Qzb.png" alt=""></a></li>
  </ol>
  
Tags: <activity>
Title: What is the best approach for displaying / modifying behavior of Activity Subject & Custom Field?
ThreadText: # What is the best approach for displaying / modifying behavior of Activity Subject & Custom Field?
  
  (Asked by: username_0 on 2018-07-21)
  
  I have several custom fields in for a CiviCRM Activity ("Client Need"). Which of the following scenarios would be the best approach for me to sort and view Activity Summaries? And how would I go about doing that?
  
  1. When data is collected into the "Client Need" custom field, dump that data into the CiviCRM "subject" field as well. In other words, these two fields essentially would need to mirror each other at all times.
  2. Edit the default "Activity Subject" field so that it is a drop-down with a list of options when someone is entering a new Activity into the database. If that's possible, then I can just completely remove the secondary "Client Need" field.
  3. Collect the data in the Client Need field, don't collect data in the Activity Subject field, and modify CiviCRM's default behavior for displaying the Activities, so that it displays the custom field instead of the activity subject field (so in the below screenshot, display Client Need field, and don't display Subject field): [![](https://i.sstatic.net/98Qzb.png)](https://i.sstatic.net/98Qzb.png)
  
  **Tags:** activity
  
  
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  ## 1 answers
  
  ### Answer by username_1 on 2018-07-21. Score: 1 | Accepted answer
  
  If you need to adjust Subject to be a select field for use directly in Civicrm then would need to change the field type in the db and customise so it uses a set of Option Values
  
  If the data is mostly being added via a Webform then you can adjust the widget on the Component and set it up as a Select field without needing to mess with the machinery
  
  
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