For a loan application case type, how can you verify that the Date account opened is in the past?

To ensure that the "Date account opened" is in the past for a loan application case type, implementing a validation condition is the most effective approach. A validation condition allows you to define specific criteria that must be met for the data entered into the system. By creating a validation condition that checks if the entered date is less than or equal to the current date, you can enforce that only past dates are accepted. This ensures data integrity and reduces the risk of errors during the loan application process.

Using a field type as a date does help in managing the input, but it does not inherently restrict the user from entering a future date. Similarly, allowing text input and validating it can create ambiguity and increase the chances of format errors. Setting the field as optional does not address the requirement of the date being in the past; it simply allows for the possibility of no data being entered, which does not meet the specific validation needed for a loan application. Therefore, utilizing a validation condition is the proper solution for this scenario.