Boolean

Definition of Boolean, a data type, with examples and typical usage in sorts and filters.

In object-oriented programming, structured databases, and CRMs, fields/attributes/columns will often have defined Attribute Data Types.

Definition(s)

• Boolean is a data type found in our Objects, Lists, List Columns, and Outbounding Metrics

• Booleans can only take one of two values: TRUE, or FALSE.

• Booleans will often display in UI as ☑️ checkmarks, for TRUE, and empty, or ❌, for FALSE.

Examples

• A field called "Has Interest Call" in a table has a ☑️ checkmark as its value. This would be a boolean field

Typical Usage in Sorts & Filters

• Sorting Boolean will typically show all TRUE values first, or all FALSE values first, depending on sort order

• Filtering Boolean typically allows you to choose between IS TRUE, or IS FALSE.

• Booleans are interesting because filter logic itself depends the outcome of the filter itself being a boolean... for example, consider the filter logic statement:

  • [Name contains 'John'] OR [Name contains 'Jill']

  • [Name contains 'John'] evaluates to either TRUE or FALSE (which are booleans)

  • So does [Name contains 'Jill'].

  • Also, the entire filter logic statement: [[Name contains 'John'] OR [Name contains 'Jill']] would be evaluated as [[TRUE] or [FALSE]], which itself can be evaluated as simply [TRUE] (since TRUE or FALSE) evaluates to TRUE, since at least one of the conditions is true.

• Since booleans are both a data type and the evaluation result of the filter logic itself, sometimes, filters for Booleans will sometimes not show 'IS TRUE' or 'IS FALSE', and just show the column name. For example:

  • Instead of 'Has Interest Call' is TRUE

  • the filter might show 'Has Interest Call' (the implication being that since the column is a boolean itself, it's unnecessary to specify whether it's TRUE or FALSE.

  • This is poor UI design, but sometimes exists in certain filtering experiences (outside of Glencoco).

Cheatsheet of Common Boolean Evaluations:

• (TRUE AND TRUE) ⇒ TRUE

• (TRUE AND FALSE) ⇒ FALSE

• (TRUE AND NULL) ⇒ NULL

• (FALSE AND NULL) ⇒ FALSE

• (FALSE AND anything) ⇒ FALSE

• (TRUE OR TRUE) ⇒ TRUE

• (TRUE OR FALSE) ⇒ TRUE

• (TRUE OR NULL) ⇒ TRUE

• (FALSE OR FALSE) ⇒ FALSE

• (FALSE OR NULL) ⇒ NULL

• (NULL OR NULL) ⇒ NULL