Hi

I have a product model similar to the ProductSamplemodel that ships with MDS. i.e. Product Category, Product Sub Category entities. Both of these entities have been created to automatically generate a code - as a code does not exist in the business only a description.

The product entity has both the category and sub category attributes as domain-based attributes which results in storing the code physically and also displaying the description.

From a bulk insert scenario where the business has a number of new products that they want to add (due to a new range) I was suggesting that they use the Excel AddIn. This would allow them to cut and paste the data into the product entity. However as the category and sub category are domain-based Attributes they will need to know the ID they will only know the name.

From a MDS functionality point of view is it possible to get it to look up the code from the name?

My current understanding on how to achieve this would mean I would need to have both code and name attributes on the Product entity for Category and Sub. The name attributes would be free text and the code attribute would be populated from a business rule. Downside to this approach is that you lose out on the nice dropdown pick list and the user does not know what a valid entry is as they can no longer select one.

How is this usually implemented or handled in MDS?

 

Cheers

Kevin

They should be able to see both Code and Name in the dropdown of Excel. Both of these are displayed by default. btw your Code could be same as name if its unique.

I would also be interested in how people have dealt with this issue. It seems the domain-based fields can only be populated with valid data if in the  format code {name} .

I was wondering if the Data Quality Services might be able to assist via the "Match Data" icon and if anyone has had an success.

Currently, due to time constraints, am looking to provide an Excel template to preformat the raw data before "combining" as a workaround but this not an ideal solution. And am considering LightSwitch as an alternative as MDS is not wholly established here yet.

Domain based attribute will take a "Code",  (not "Code {name}" in the Excel field. If that Code is same as Name you are done.

If you don't know it you could keep it blank to be filled out later via user input.

Also you could write an Excel formula to Convert whatever value in your original data to valid Code that will be used in the Domain-based field.

I've tried Match Data before but functionality is very limited. It seems much easier to massage the data for import with SQL , or Excel.

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as a side I never use self generating code, but something that can be generated via formula out of underlying data, so Code can be generated on the fly.

If not possible then its still something + random to at least get part of the coding. (not sure it that makes sense)

Many thanks, I can see now that the "Code {name}" is not required, the data validation error in the cell threw me. But publishing with just the "Code", followed by a refresh puts everything back in order.