> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://codifi-fdm.gitbook.io/codifi-docs/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://codifi-fdm.gitbook.io/codifi-docs/glossary.md). # Glossary A quick reference to the terms you'll hear most often when working with Codifi. Use this page when something in a meeting, release note, or training video doesn't quite click. *** ## How it fits together Most Codifi jargon stacks on top of five concepts. If you understand how these fit together, the rest of the glossary is just labels. 1. **Library** — your organization's catalog of reusable pieces (archetypes, fields, value lists, media subtypes). Built once, then pulled into many Projects. 2. **Composition** — a configuration that assembles pieces from the Library into a complete setup for a type of work (e.g. "Archaeological Survey", "Utility Inspection", "Monitoring Report"). A Composition defines what archetypes exist, which fields they have, what statuses they move through, and what media they accept. 3. **Project** — a specific job that uses a Composition to collect real data (e.g. "Memphis Phase One"). One Composition can power many Projects. 4. **Archetype** — a definition of a kind of Record (e.g. "Artifact", "Excavation Unit", "Photo Station"). Archetypes live in the Library and become active in a Project via the Composition. 5. **Record** — an actual instance captured in the field, based on an archetype (e.g. *this particular artifact*, *this particular excavation unit*). Records have Fields, Media, and usually a Location. > **One-sentence summary:** The **Library** feeds a **Composition**, the Composition powers a **Project**, Projects contain **Records**, and each Record is an instance of an **Archetype**. *** ## A–Z ### Annotation A freeform drawing on the map — a line, polygon, arrow, or label — that is *not* attached to a Record. Useful for sketching transects, marking areas of interest, or adding reference lines while you work. See [Annotation & Measurement Tools](/codifi-docs/mobile-app/mapping-locations/annotation-and-measurement-tools.md). ### Archetype A reusable **template that defines a kind of Record** — what fields, sections, media, and relationships it has. "Artifact", "Excavation Unit", and "Photo Station" are all archetypes. An archetype is the *template*; the Records you capture in the field are *instances* of that template. Archetypes live in the Library and become active in a Project via the Composition. > You may sometimes hear or see **"Record type"** in older docs, third-party integrations, or backend conversations — that's the legacy name for the same thing. The product UI on web and mobile uses **Archetype** everywhere. ### Basemap The underlying map imagery or style (satellite, streets, topographic, etc.) that your data is drawn on top of. ### Calculated Field A field whose value is computed automatically by a [Ripple](#ripple) formula rather than typed in by hand. Used for totals, derived measurements, unit conversions, and conditional results. See [Calculated Fields](/codifi-docs/cross-platform-features/calculated-fields.md). ### Composition The complete configuration for a type of work — which archetypes exist, which fields they have, how Records are grouped, what statuses they move through, which media they accept, and how they relate to each other. Sometimes called a **Project Template**. A Composition is what an admin configures so that Field users can collect structured data. ### Conditional Visibility A rule that shows or hides a field, section, or archetype based on the value of another field. For example, "only show the *Collected By* field if the *Collected?* checkbox is Yes." See [Conditional Visibility](/codifi-docs/cross-platform-features/conditional-visibility.md). ### Coverage Footprint A labeled outline showing the ground a raster Map Overlay covers, drawn without loading the imagery itself. Lets a crew see which raster sheet covers their work area before switching it on. ### Draw Mode The mobile map mode for capturing or editing a Record's **geometry** (point, line, or polygon). Draw Mode gives you GPS capture, manual placement, vertex editing, undo/redo, and reference layers. See [Draw Mode & Editing](/codifi-docs/mobile-app/mapping-locations/draw-mode-and-editing.md). ### Field A single data input on a Record — a text entry, a number, a date, a dropdown, a checkbox, etc. Fields are the building blocks of an Archetype, configured in the Library and grouped into Sections. Codifi's field types are listed below as their own glossary entries. ### Field Type: Check Box A field that's either checked or unchecked — a single yes/no toggle. Use for simple boolean data ("Was a permit on file?", "Has the photo been uploaded?"). Multiple Check Box fields side by side are sometimes used as a multi-select where any combination can be ticked. ### Field Type: Date A field that captures a calendar date. Configurable as either a **Single Date** (a single point in time) or a **Date Range** (a Start Date and End Date pair). Optionally includes a time component. Useful for Record dates, deadlines, and field-season ranges. ### Field Type: Drop Down A field that lets you pick a value from a list defined by a Value List in the Library. Configurable as **single-select** (one value) or **multi-select** (any number of values). Best for vocabularies with more than a handful of options where keeping the form scannable matters — soil types, artifact materials, status options, etc. ### Field Type: Numeric A field that captures a number. Configurable for the size and precision you need: **Short Integer**, **Long Integer**, **Big Integer**, **Float** (6 digits of precision), or **Double** (15 digits). Use Decimal-capable variants for measurements; use Integer for counts. ### Field Type: Radio Button A field with a small fixed list of values where the user picks exactly one. All options are visible at once, so use Radio Buttons when there are only a few options and you want them all on screen — e.g. "Yes / No / Unknown" or "Low / Medium / High". For longer lists, use a Drop Down instead. ### Field Type: Text A field that captures free-text input. Configurable as **Single Line** (titles, names, IDs — capped at a configurable character limit) or **Multi Line** (paragraphs, observations, notes — up to thousands of characters). ### Focus Lineage A mobile filter that narrows the Project view to a specific Record plus all of its ancestors and descendants in the relationship tree. Useful when you want to focus on everything rolled up under (or above) a specific parent Record. ### GPS Widget A configurable live readout that sits in an expandable row below the Live Data Bar on the mobile map. Widgets show real-time spatial info as you move — distance to a Record, offset from a transect line, inside/outside a polygon, spacing between points. See [Live Data Bar & GPS Widgets](/codifi-docs/mobile-app/mapping-locations/gps-and-live-data/live-data-bar-and-widgets.md). ### Library Your organization's master catalog of reusable pieces — archetypes, fields, value lists, status workflows, media subtypes, and styles. Everything built in the Library can be pulled into one or more Compositions. ### Live Data Bar The strip at the top of the mobile map screen that shows your current GPS source, coordinates, elevation, accuracy, and heading. Tap segments to switch units or cycle coordinate formats. ### LiveTrack A mobile capture mode that continuously Records GPS positions as you walk or drive, building a line or polygon automatically. Smart Mode adds more points on turns and fewer on straight paths to keep geometry accurate without bloating the Record. See [LiveTrack & Streaming](/codifi-docs/mobile-app/mapping-locations/livetrack-and-streaming.md). ### Magnet Snapping A Draw Mode option that pulls the crosshair onto geometry already on the map: your Records, Map Overlay features, basemap roads and contours, and your own live GPS position. Points placed this way record that they were snapped. ### Map Overlay A GIS layer loaded onto the Project map — GeoJSON, shapefile, raster imagery, or a hosted tile service. Overlays give field users spatial context (property boundaries, planned transects, historic features) without that data becoming Records. ### Media Any photo, video, or file attached to a Record. Each media item usually has a **Media Subtype** (see below) that categorizes it. ### Media Subtype A named category of media that an archetype accepts (e.g. "Overview Photo", "Profile Drawing", "Artifact Detail"). Subtypes keep field media organized and drive report templating. ### Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) A second step at sign-in, a six digit code from an authenticator app, on top of your password or identity provider. Available per Tenant, with self-service reset if you lose the device. ### Nearby Features A bottom sheet on the mobile map (opened by long-pressing the map) that lists Records and annotations near the tapped spot, along with the tapped coordinate. Tapping the coordinate cycles its format (DD / DMS / UTM). ### Nearby Sync Device-to-device syncing between crew members working the same Project, with no internet connection involved. Needs Wi-Fi and Bluetooth switched on, though neither has to be connected to anything. Photos travel as previews; full resolution originals still upload to the Cloud. ### Offload Removing a Project from your device while keeping your membership and access to it. The opposite of syncing a Project down. Unsynced work always uploads before anything is removed. ### Offset Capture Recording a point you cannot stand on by taking a compass bearing to it and entering a distance. The Record keeps your real position and GPS quality alongside the bearing and distance used. ### Project A specific, named job in Codifi where real field data is collected — e.g. "Memphis Phase One", "Michigan Above Ground Survey". A Project is built from a Composition and populated with Records captured in the field. ### Project Details (PD) The Project-level metadata — Project name, site name, dates, custom Project-wide fields, and the Project's own map geometry. Project Details is *not* a Record; it's the context that every Record belongs to. Some Project-wide Calculated Fields and Ripple formulas live here. ### QA Mode A mobile view that highlights Records with missing required fields, so reviewers can quickly find incomplete work before leaving the field. ### Record A single instance of an Archetype captured in a Project — a specific artifact, a specific excavation unit, a specific photo station. Records have Fields, Media, and usually a Location. ### Relationship A configured link between archetypes — parent-to-child (an Excavation Unit has many Artifacts), one-to-many, many-to-many, or one-to-one. Relationships shape the Record tree and the child-creation menus on mobile. ### Report Template A DOCX or XLSX file with special Codifi tags that generates per-Project reports (field notes, site write-ups, export sheets). See [Reports](/codifi-docs/reports/introduction-to-word-and-excel-custom-reports.md). ### Ripple Codifi's **formula engine**. Ripple evaluates expressions to power Calculated Fields, Conditional Visibility, dynamic titles, spatial measurements, and rollups from child Records. You don't write Ripple by hand in the field — admins configure formulas in the Composition and they just run, on web, mobile, and offline. See the full [Ripple section](/codifi-docs/cross-platform-features/ripple.md) for what Ripple can do, examples, and an operations reference. ### Role A bundle of permissions that controls what a user can see and do in a Tenant (Admin, Editor, Field User, etc.). See [Roles-Based Access Controls (RBAC)](/codifi-docs/cross-platform-features/roles-based-access-controls-rbac.md). ### Section A named group of fields inside an archetype or Project Details. Sections keep long forms scannable (e.g. "General Info", "Soil Description", "Photos"). ### Sequence Group A label shared by a set of Fields so Ripple can number them as one run across a whole Project, repeater rows included. Positions are permanent: a deleted Record keeps its slot and the next Record takes the number after it. Used for hand-assigned numbering such as PD numbers. ### Status Workflow A named, ordered sequence of statuses a Project or Record can move through (e.g. "Not Started → In Progress → Complete"). Defined in the Library (where the list section is labeled **Statuses**) and attached to a Composition. Sometimes called a **Status List** in conversation. ### Target A pin you drop on the map at a specific coordinate — typed from a keyboard, pasted from another source, or chosen from map taps — used to navigate to or commit a location. ### Tenant An organization-level Codifi account. Your company, agency, or consultancy is a Tenant. Users and Projects all live inside a Tenant. ### UTM **Universal Transverse Mercator** — a coordinate format expressed as a zone + easting + northing (e.g. `16S 676545E 3890570N`) instead of latitude/longitude. Commonly used for land surveys and field mapping because distances are in meters. Codifi accepts UTM in the Live Data Bar, Nearby Features sheet, and typed coordinate entry. ### Value List A reusable dropdown or multi-select list of values (e.g. "Soil Colors", "Artifact Types"). Value Lists live in the Library and can be attached to fields across many archetypes. You may occasionally see these referred to as "options lists" — that's the backend name for the same thing.