Display Name Configuration

The Display Name tab controls how your records are identified throughout Coherence - in headers, breadcrumbs, dropdowns, links, and notifications.

What is a Display Name?

Every record needs a human-readable title. The display name is the text that represents your record when it's referenced anywhere in the system. For example:

A Contact might display as "John Smith"
A Project might display as "Website Redesign - Q4"
An Invoice might display as "INV-2024-0042"

Accessing the Display Name Tab

Go to Settings > Modules
Select your module
Click the Display Name tab

How Display Names Work

Display names are built from segments - pieces that combine to form the final title. There are two types of segments:

Field Segments

Reference a field from your module. The field's value becomes part of the display name.

Eligible field types:

Single Line Text
Multi Line Text
Rich Text
Email
Phone
URL

Literal Segments

Static text that appears exactly as you type it. Use literals for separators, prefixes, or fixed text.

Configuring the Display Name

Adding a Field Segment

Click Add field in the Display Name tab
Select the field from the dropdown
The field appears as a segment in your configuration

Adding a Literal Segment

Click Add text
Enter the static text (e.g., " - ", "#", or "Contact: ")
The literal appears as a segment

Reordering Segments

Use the up/down arrows on each segment to change the order. Segments display left-to-right as configured.

Removing Segments

Click the trash icon on any segment to remove it. You must keep at least one field segment.

Examples

Simple Display Name

For a Contacts module with first and last name fields:

Segment	Type	Value
1	Field	First Name
2	Literal	" " (space)
3	Field	Last Name

Result: "John Smith"

Composite Display Name

For an Invoices module:

Segment	Type	Value
1	Literal	"INV-"
2	Field	Invoice Number
3	Literal	" - "
4	Field	Client Name

Result: "INV-2024-0042 - Acme Corp"

With Prefix

For a Tickets module:

Segment	Type	Value
1	Literal	"#"
2	Field	Ticket Number
3	Literal	": "
4	Field	Subject

Result: "#1234: Cannot log in to dashboard"

Fallback Behavior

When all field segments are empty (no data), Coherence uses a fallback:

Option	Description
Record ID	Shows the system record ID (e.g., "rec_abc123")
Untitled record	Shows a neutral placeholder text

Choose the fallback that makes sense for your use case. Record ID is useful for debugging; "Untitled record" is more user-friendly.

Preview

The preview section shows how your display name will appear with sample data. Use this to verify your configuration before saving.

Automatic Mode

Click Use automatic fallback to let Coherence choose the best display name automatically. The system will:

Look for fields named "name", "title", or "subject"
Fall back to the first text field
Use the record ID if no text fields exist

This is useful when you don't need custom formatting.

Best Practices

Keep It Concise

Display names appear in dropdowns and compact UI elements. Aim for 50 characters or fewer when possible.

Make It Unique

Include enough information to distinguish similar records. Adding an ID or code helps users identify the right record quickly.

Put Important Information First

The most identifying information should come first, since display names may be truncated in some contexts.

Use Consistent Patterns

Across your workspace, use similar patterns for similar modules:

People: "First Last" or "Last, First"
Transactions: "Code - Description"
Items: "Name (Category)"

Troubleshooting

"This field no longer exists"

A field segment references a deleted field. Select a different field from the dropdown.

Display name shows record ID

All configured field segments are empty. Add data to those fields or choose a different fallback.

Changes not appearing

Click Save display name to persist your changes. The preview updates immediately, but changes aren't saved until you confirm.