I'm wanting to create a value list that offers years in the range 5 years prior through to 5 years after the current year, self updating from year to year via calculation. I have found the range I need through a custom function with parameters of starting year and ending year which returns a single field with the list of years within the one field. I can't however figure out how to use this single field of multiple values as a value list.

It may be obvious but I haven't been able to find a way of achieving what I want - it may not be the best way so any help is appreciated. 

The "official" answer to your question is that a calculation field that relies on the current date must be unstored, and a value list cannot be based on an unstored (i.e. unindexable) field.

However, there is an undocumented hack: if you define the value list to use only related values through some relationship, and dismiss the warning you'll get, it will work. 

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P.S. Your title mentions a global field - but a global field will not "self-update from year to year". 

 

Edited May 12, 20223 yr by comment

Thanks for your your quick reply - I will give that a go. 

Perfect. There is always someone on this forum willing to help out, and a great source of information that would otherwise remain undocumented as you put it. Thanks so much (once again) for your help.