word choice - "so that" + present/past tense

Which one is correct:

Introduce additional user interface widget so that it was possible

to enter phone number

or

Introduce additional user interface widget so that it is possible
to enter phone number

I noticed that the first form is often used by my english-speaking manager when he asks me do do something (defining tasks), but on the other hand, the second form seems to be more widely used elsewhere.

Answer

Saying

Introduce additional user interface widget so that it was possible to enter phone number

is like saying

Make a change now so that we could have entered a phone number yesterday

which while desirable, ordinarily cannot be done. The speech pattern of incorrectly using "was" instead of "is" is a common colloquial or informal pattern. A couple of reasons to not try correcting your boss are (1) In spite of the wording being improper, its meaning is clear; (2) some people resent being corrected in any way by subordinates -- or by anyone, for that matter.