Custom Data Field (CDF) values can now carry an effective date: the date a value actually became true, separate from when it was typed in. Reporting uses the effective date when it's set, otherwise falls back to the entered date as before. This closes the gap where, for example, an NDIS plan that started on the 1st but was entered on the 15th shows the wrong date in reports.

What's new

• A per-category toggle (Admin, in the Collect Data control panel) to turn effective dates on — off by default
• When enabled, each value gets an optional Effective Date field on edit (defaults to today, accepts any past or future date, and can be left blank)
• Editable in three places: when entering or editing a value, on its own without changing the value, and per-entry in a value's history to correct past entries

Good to know

• Off by default — nothing changes until a category's toggle is switched on, per category; all others behave exactly as before
• Internal editor only — not on client-facing forms or the client portal
• Once a category is enabled, editing a past value's effective date can change which value reads as "current", since reporting picks the latest effective date