Mass Maintenance

Automatically Set Settings when Creating an External Request Scenario that Creates an Excel-initiated Request

Certain settings, such as the Staging Table Name and the Sheet Name, can be populated automatically when a user uploads an Excel file for an external request scenario that creates an Excel-initiated request.

To populate values automatically:

  1. Select Team from Navigationpane.
  2. Click Templates for a team.
  3. Click Vertical View for a template.
  4. Click Configuration tab.

  5. Click External Request Scenarios.

    NOTE: This icon is disabled if the template has not been generated. If the template is active, the Template (External Request Scenario)page opens in display mode.

    NOTE: If conditions allow a scenario to be added and no records exist, the page displays in add mode. Otherwise, click Add.

    View the field descriptions for the Template (External Request Scenario) page

  6. Enter a value in the SUBJECT ALIAS field.

    NOTE: When Mass Maintenance receives an external email and the subject line of the email contains this text, Mass Maintenance uses this external request scenario for the template to create a request.

  7. Enter the name or a brief description of the scenario in the SCENARIO DESCRIPTION field.

    NOTE: Use this field to identify the scenario, and, if the template has multiple scenarios, to distinguish it from others attached to the template.

  8. Enter a description in the REQUEST DESCRIPTION FORMAT field.

    NOTE: The text entered in this field displays on the Request page in the DESCRIPTION field for a request created from this external request scenario. The field defaults toRequest from #RequesterEmailAddress# - #Date#where the RequesterEmailAddress is the address of the user who submitted the email to create the request, and the Date is the date that the email was received at the External Data Email Account.

  9. Select the connection ID from the REQUEST CONNECTION ID list box.

    NOTE: The REQUEST CONNECTION ID is the connection ID to use for the created request. Refer to Establish a Target System Connection for more information.

  10. Click Save; the Vertical View displays.
  11. Click Save again.

  12. Click the Advanced tab.

    NOTE: The page is in display mode.

  13. Click Upload Sample Sheet.
  14. Navigate to the Excel file that contains the worksheet.

  15. Click Open.

    NOTE: The spreadsheet must be in the following format:

    • The first row contains the column names of the table that will be created for the lowest priority Data Entry role for the request.
    • The second row is ignored, and could contain column descriptions to assist users when entering data.
    • The third row is the first data record imported into the staging table.

    NOTE: The only files that can be uploaded are Excel files (with an .xls or .xlsx extension).

    NOTE: When the Excel file has completed uploading,

    • The Excel Allowed check box is enabled
    • The name of the first worksheet in the Excel file displays in the Sheet Name field

    NOTE: After the external request scenario that creates an Excel-initiated request is configured, a version of this worksheet with request-ready data will be mailed to the external data email account to create requests for this template. Refer to Map Columns from the Template to Columns from the Excel File for more information.

    • The Staging Table Name field displays st[Template name]_[Subject Alias]_ExcelStaging.

    NOTE: The Staging Table Name is the name of the table that will be used to import Excel attachment spreadsheet data. Once the data has passed validations, it will be written to the data entry table for the Data role with the lowest priority for the request.

    NOTE: If another sheet other than the first sheet in the Excel file should be used for this scenario, click Edit, select the sheet name in the Sheet Name list box and click Save.

  16. Click Build Staging Area; a confirmation message displays.
  17. Click Ok.

NOTE: Mass Maintenance creates a staging table in the cMass_Data database. The column names in the table match the column headers in the Excel file.

NOTE: In some cases, the table may need to be rebuilt if the sheet in the Sheet Name field is uploaded again. Clear the staging table by clicking Clear Staging Area, then click Build Staging Area. 

Refer to Map Columns from the Scenario to Columns from the Spreadsheet for more information to continue configuring the external request scenario.