Master Data Management

Automatically Generate Tasks to Process Mass Maintenance Requests

Master Data Management allows users to post mass change updates for the data in a logical way for multiple existing business objects, such as by material group (Basic Data) for existing materials, pricing procedures (Sales Data) for existing customers or incoterms (Purchasing Data) for existing vendors.

Users can create a task and its associated tables based on an Integrate template that was created based on a BDC script. Users can also create a task and its associated tables based on the columns manually built from an existing table. In both cases, once the task is generated, the page in the Content WebApp where users enter the data for the mass update is also created.

NOTE: This process is to create the task and page only. Once the task and page are created, updates must be made directly to the task and page.

This topic contains the following sections:

Create a Task for Mass Maintenance Based on an Integrate BDC Script Template

Users can automatically create the tables, views, and pages and register a task based on an Integrate BDC Script template for use in Mass Maintenance scenarios.

To create a task from an Integrate template:

  1. Select Design > Create New Task in the Navigation pane.

  2. Click the Create Task From Integrate Template icon for a category.

  3. Enter the unique table name, which must begin with tt, in the TABLE NAME field.

  4. Select the template from the INTEGRATE TEMPLATE ID list box.

  5. Enter the name of the page that is generated along with the task in the PAGE DESCRIPTION field.

  6. Click Save.

  7. Click the Create Base Table Structure icon.

    NOTE: The column definitions from the selected template are pulled into the task definition that displays on the Create Base Table Columns page. These are used to build the table but can be updated before the table is built.

  8. Edit any column definitions or page properties as needed to create the page where the Mass Maintenance data will be entered.

    NOTE: The table can only be built once, so ensure the column definitions meet the requirements.

    NOTE: Excel Integration is enabled on this page so that users can upload the contents of a spreadsheet. Refer to Use Excel Integration for more information.

  9. Click Save.

  10. On the Create Base Table page, click the Create Table in Category Database icon.

    NOTE: When the table is created, the boaReserved columns (AddedOn, AddedBy, etc) are automatically appended to the table.

    NOTE: After the table has been created, it cannot be created again, and the Create Table in Category Database icon is dimmed.

    NOTE: Along with the tt table, an rt table for archiving is also added to the database.

  11. If the page associated with this task uses partial record rejection, click the Add Partial Rejection Columns icon on the Page toolbar.

    NOTE: This icon is only active after the table has been created, and can only be clicked once. Once the process runs, the icon is dimmed.

    NOTE: This process adds the Rejected and Rejection Reason columns used in partial request rejection to the tt and rt tables. Partial request rejection allows the Review role user to reject only the data that is not correct instead of rejecting all of the records in the request. Refer to Perform a Partial Request Rejection for more information.

  12. Return to the Create New Task From Integrate Template page.

    NOTE: Note that the TABLE CREATED check box is checked.

  13. Click the Create New Task icon.

    NOTE: An Application task is created in the category, along with an approval task if the category is using partial request rejection. The views and the rt table for archiving are created in the database. The task is created in the category

Additionally, the following pages are automatically created:

  • A data entry page to enter the request data

    NOTE: The page has a Horizontal View only but can be updated. It is not overwritten on upgrade.

  • A page for archiving to view old data from old requests

If the category uses partial request rejection:

  • An approval page

  • A review page

Create a Task for Mass Maintenance Based on an Existing Table

Users can automatically create the rt table, views and register a task based on a manually created table for use in Mass Maintenance request posting scenarios.

Prior to using this functionality, the SME must manually build a tt table that includes only those fields needed for the Mass Maintenance scenario. Store it in the category’s Content WebApp database.

Along with the columns affected by the Mass Maintenance scenario, this table must contain the columns:

  • ID

  • RequestID

  • PostMessage

  • PostError

  • Validation Error Message

  • boaReserved columns (AddedOn, AddedBy etc)

NOTE: A validation runs when the user attempts to save the table that checks for these boaReserved columns and adds them if they are not included.

Then, in MDM, to create a task to perform Mass Maintenance request processing based on an existing table:

  1. Select Design > Create New Task in the Navigation pane.

  2. Click the Create Task From Existing Table icon for a category.

  3. Enter the unique table name, which must begin with tt, in the TABLE NAME field..

  4. Enter the name of the page that is generated along with the task in the PAGE DESCRIPTION field.

  5. Click Save.

    NOTE: When the user attempts to save this table, a validation runs that confirms that:

    • The table was not already created

    • The page description isn’t already in use.

    • The boaReserved columns have been added to the table. If they do note exist, they are added.

  6. Click the Create Base Table Structure icon.

    NOTE: The columns from the existing table are pulled into the task definition that displays on the Create Base Table Columns page.

  7. Review the column definitions and click Edit to update as needed.

    NOTE: No columns can be added and the order cannot be changed, but users can update the page properties in the PAGE KEY, CONTROL and CONTROL STATUS fields to change the data entry page generated with the task..

    NOTE Excel Integration is enabled on this page so that users can upload the contents of a spreadsheet. Refer to Use Excel Integration for more information.

  8. Click Save.

  9. If the page associated with this task uses partial record rejection, click the Add Partial Rejection Columns icon on the Page toolbar.

    NOTE: This icon is only active after the table has been created, and can only be clicked once. Once the process runs, the icon is dimmed.

    NOTE: This process adds the Rejected and Rejection Reason columns used in partial request rejection, to the tt and rt tables. Partial request rejection allows the Review role user to reject only the data that is not correct instead of rejecting all of the records in the request. Refer to Perform a Partial Request Rejection for more information.

  10. Return to the Create New Task From Existing Table page.

  11. Click the Create New Task icon.

NOTE: The views and the rt table for archiving are created in the database. An Application task is created in the category.

Additionally, the following pages are automatically created:

  • A data entry page to enter the request data

    NOTE: The page has a Horizontal View only but can be updated. It is not overwritten on upgrade.

  • A page for archiving to view old data from old requests

If the category users partial request rejection:

  • An approval page

  • A review page