Read-only reference field makes dot-walked fields read-only as well?

[taarik_rahaman]

Hi everyone,

This one is a bit mind-boggling.  Take Requested Item and Catalog Task for example.

When I add the Requested Item.Close Notes field to the Catalog Task form, it is editable.  If I make the Catalog Task.Requested Item field read-only, the Requested Item.Close Notes field also becomes read-only...even if I have rights to update the Requested Item record!

When I make a reference field read-only, I just want the relationship to be read-only.  If I have rights to the other record, I should be able to edit the referenced field on the referencing record.  Now, in order to lock-down the Catalog Task.Requested Item relationship, what should have been a simple checkbox, is now instead a lot more config.

Anyone agrees with me?  I'll be happy to submit an FTASK if others are in agreement.  Anyone with a different opinion?  I'd love to see this fixed in a future release as it definitely complicates implementation of the platform.

Thanks,
Taarik.

[Uncle Rob]

I see the reference field as a doorway to the referenced record.  By making that read-only, you convert the door to a window.  Now everything on the other side is VISIBLE, but you can't reach through and put something in it.  

Though I understand your use case, you're basically asking the reference to both restrict AND expose the field.  You can achieve this via ACLs, but you need to make sure the effort is worth the value.

[taarik_rahaman]

Ok, thanks Robert.  I see your point.  I'll see if we can lock-down the relationship via UI policy as it most-likely was done to prevent fat-fingering by users.  This way, we wouldn't need any configurations to open the referenced fields.

Taarik.