KFS Description Field

The Description field is one of the primary fields that displays in the KFS Action List, and is one of the first fields that approvers see when accessing a document in KFS.   

Since the field only allows for 40 alphanumeric characters, using it wisely can ensure that document approvers, can quickly identify the reason your document is being created. This can reduce approval delays and expedite the processing of your transactions.

  • High-Level description of what the request is for: Identify why the document is being created.
  • Business reason for transaction: Identify how the transaction furthers the university mission of teaching, research, or public service; (i.e. server for Chem 101 Spring 2017 class or spectrometer for Dr. Smith NIH Grt 245-78).
  • Keep the information and terms simple: As much as possible, use terminology that can be easily understood. Avoid simply copying and pasting technical data from a supplier’s website.
  • Refrain from special characters: Avoid using quotation marks or other non-alphanumeric characters; these can sometimes cause issues with the data properly formatting in FIS Decision Support (DS); they also “use up” the limited amount of space available in the Description field.