Administrators can also enforce that sidemarks follow a specific format. This is done using regular expressions, which allow flexible but precise validation rules.
A sidemark is a free‑form text field used to help identify and organize quotes and sales. It is commonly used to make records easier to search, recognize, or reference later.
Users often enter sidemarks such as:
A customer’s last name
Smith
Customer name plus date
Smith-2026-02-24
Customer name plus job or room
Smith-LivingRoom
Initials and date
JS-02242026
Without validation, sidemarks can vary widely. Requiring a sidemark — and optionally enforcing a format — helps maintain consistency across records.
When this feature is enabled by an administrator:
Users must enter a sidemark before saving a quote or sale.
New quotes and sales must start off with a sidemark.
Administrators can choose whether the requirement applies to:
Quotes only
Sales only
Both quotes and sales
In addition to requiring a sidemark, administrators may also require that the sidemark match a specific format.
This format is validated using a regular expression (often called a “regex”).
If the sidemark does not match the required format:
The user will be prompted to correct it.
New quotes and sales cannot be created until the format is valid.
Below are some common format rules and example regular expressions administrators might use.
Rule: Only letters, no spaces or numbers
Valid examples: Smith, Johnson
^[A-Za-z]+$
Rule: Customer name, dash, and date
Valid examples: Smith-2026-02-24
^[A-Za-z]+-\d{4}-\d{2}-\d{2}$
Rule: Customer name followed by a dash and a number
Valid examples: Smith-1, Smith-25
^[A-Za-z]+-\d+$
Rule: Two letters, dash, and date
Valid examples: JS-02242026
^[A-Za-z]{2}-\d{8}$
A regular expression is a pattern used to check whether text follows a specific rule.
Think of it as a template or filter:
It does not change the text.
It only checks whether the text is valid or invalid.
For example:
“Only letters allowed”
“Must include a dash and a date”
“Must start with two letters and end with numbers”
Regular expressions use special symbols to describe these rules, but administrators usually only need to configure them once.
If you need a deeper explanation or want to test a format before using it, the following site is highly recommended:
This site allows you to:
Enter a regular expression
Test example sidemarks
See a step‑by‑step explanation of how the pattern works
A sidemark is a user‑entered identifier for quotes and sales
Administrators can require sidemarks and enforce formatting rules
Formatting is validated using regular expressions
Regular expressions provide flexibility while ensuring consistency
If you need assistance creating or updating a sidemark format, please contact your system administrator or support team.