APEX

I'm using APEX 4.0.1.

I have a strange requirement that I need to help with.... please bear with me while I try to explain.

I have a "Form on a Table with Report". So Interactive report, with an Edit icon on each row. Click that and you're into the page to edit the row from the report.

Each of the rows in the report represent a Job of work and attributes of each Job will be edited many times. I've been instructed that one of the Job attributes is sensitive - the time taken to do the Job. In the form I want the user to be able to enter a value this in a text box, but once they've updated the values in the Form, they (or other staff at their level) shouldn't be allowed to see that value.

I make the value available in the report by checking the :APP_USER. That works fine.

My problem is how to allow a user to enter a value, save it, but then when subsequently viewing the Form page, how to hide it.
For now I have implemented it as a Password page item, which partially serves my needs.
But I found that if the user enters a value, saves the form, goes back to the report, then reenters the Form page later to enter more information, the "Time Taken" field is empty since I'm using a password field. This then means that when you hit update, the "Time Taken" gets set back to null.

I know this is an odd requirement, but I'm a bit stumpted on how to implement it. I could potentially use a Hidden page item and then get the user to click a button to update it, upon which I would display a javascript dialog asking for the value, then set the Hidden item based on that. But that doesn't sound great.

I've also thought about using a standard text box and hashing the value, but I'm not too sure where to do with that.

Any suggestions welcome.

Thanks,
John