Managing Attribute Types and Attributes

Intro

Attributes are used to identify or “tag” certain records that have specific characteristics that are used for inclusion or exclusion within various processing, reports or conditional expressions. Funds are the most common entity within Arc Suite with which such attributes are associated, however attributes may also be associated with one or more fund groups or complexes.

You can create and maintain any number of attribute types and associated attributes via the “Attribute Types and Attributes” page.

Tasks

• Adding an attribute to the database

  1. Expand the Environment Administration “Settings” menu.

     1. Click the “Home” button at the top of the application window to return to the landing page.

     2. Select “Environment Administration” from the administration area.

        

     3. Click the “Settings” menu to view available items.

  2. Click the “Attribute Types and Attributes” item.

     The “Attribute Types and Attributes” page displays.

     

     Existing attribute types will display in the “Listing” pane of the page that opens. Each attribute is associated with a specific attribute type.

  3. Specify the attribute type with which the new attribute will be associated.

     1. If the attribute type already exists, simply select it from the “Listing” pane at left of the page.

     2. Or, create a new attribute type.

        1. Click the “Add” button at lower-right of the page.

           A new, blank row displays in the “Listing” pane at left of the page.

        2. Provide all information pertaining to the new attribute type in the “Detail” pane at right of the page.

  4. Add the new attribute.

     1. Click the “Attributes” tab.

     2. Click the “Add” button at lower-left of the tab.

        A new, blank row displays in the grid on the “Attributes” tab.

     3. Enter an “Attribute Name” and “Description” for the new attribute in the cells of the new row.

     4. Click the “Save” button at lower-right of the page.

  5. Specify the fund(s) to which the attribute will be assigned.

     1. Click the “Funds” tab.

        The newly-added attribute displays in the grid on the tab, together with all other existing attributes for the type.

        

     2. Click the “(edit)” link at right of the attribute’s name.

        The “Attribute Fund Assignments” dialogue displays.

        

     3. Select the check box corresponding to each fund to which the attribute will be assigned.

        • The funds listed are limited based on the current attribute type’s “Complex” selection.

          • If the current attribute type is not associated with a specific complex (i.e., its “Complex” selection is “<None>”), the funds listed include all funds to which you have access (from any complex).
          • If the current attribute type is associated with a specific complex, the funds listed include all funds associated with that complex.

        • The funds listed are also limited based on the current attribute type’s “Assignability” selection.

          • If the “Assignability” selection is “Multiple”, all funds that can be listed based on the “Complex” setting (see above) will be listed.
          • If the “Assignability” selection is “Single”, only those funds that have not already been assigned an attribute of the current type, and that can be listed based on the “Complex” setting (see above), will be listed.

        You can use the “Select all” or “Clear all” links to quickly select/clear the check boxes.

     4. Click the “Accept” button at lower-right of the dialogue.

  6. Click the “Save” button at lower-right of the page.

  Importing attribute records

  As an alternative to manually entering attribute information one record at a time via the associated application page, you can import multiple attribute records at once using an Excel (XLSX) source file. Follow these steps to do so:

  1. Expand the Environment Administration “Settings” menu.

     1. Click the “Home” button at the top of the application window to return to the landing page.

     2. Select “Environment Administration” from the administration area.

        

     3. Click the “Settings” menu to view available items.

  2. Click the “Attribute Types and Attributes” item.

     The “Attribute Types and Attributes” page displays.

     

     Existing attribute types will display in the “Listing” pane of the page that opens. Each attribute is associated with a specific attribute type.

  3. Click the “Get import template” button at lower-right of the pane where existing items are listed to retrieve an Excel import file template.

     The “File Download” dialogue displays.

     

     1. Click the “Open” button to open the template within Microsoft Excel.
     2. Or, click the “Save” button, and then specify a local or network directory in which to store the template.
  4. Use Excel’s “Save As...” command to create your data import file, giving it a unique and meaningful name (e.g., “AttributesImport_20171231.xlsx”).
  5. Populate your new file with information for as many currency records as you’d like to import, and then save it (see the “Attributes Import File Structure” table for specifics).

  6. Click the “Import data” button at lower-right of the pane where existing items are listed to import data contained in your Excel source file.

     The “Attribute Import” dialogue displays.

     

  7. Select your import file using the “Browse” button at right of the “File” field.

  8. Click the “Options” tab to specify the import behavior options you’d like to use.

     

     1. Specify whether only new records in your file should be imported to the database, or whether any records it has that match existing database records should also be imported.

        By default, the “Import New Records Only” option is selected.

        Existing records will be overwritten by those contained in your file if you choose the latter option!

  9. Click the “Process” tab to specify whether or not you wish to preview data in the source file before importing.

     1. Preview data before it imports:

        1. Click the “Process” button at left of the tab.

           The record(s) to be imported display in the grid.

           

           1. Review information for each record included in the import file via the grid of the “Process” tab.

           2. Click the “Errors” tab to read any information provided for specific rows in the data import source file.

              

              If warnings and/or errors were encountered, you can take the steps necessary to resolve them (either by editing the source file accordingly, or making appropriate adjustments to database library settings, etc.), and then attempt to reload the data.

           3. Click the “Accept” button or “Reject” button at lower-right of the “Process” tab when you’re ready to import the data.

              The records are imported to the database.

     2. Import data without preview:

        1. Click the “Process” button at left of the tab.

           The import settings dialogue closes, records are placed in the import processing queue and the load will be automatically accepted by Arc Suite if it yields no prohibitive errors (otherwise, it will be rejected).

     Only one file can be imported and processed at a time.

  You can go to the dataload “Archive” page at any time to see the result of the import process by clicking the corresponding “View Details” link.