Create a turn-key data import function

kklosson

My system has multiple accounts, each operates independently. I'd like to provide a turn-key data import procedure to import multiple BOs. I don't need a lot of fields. I've read all doc's and threads here and I've used the Import action successfully. Given that, I don't feel I have enough tools natively in AwareIM to provide a bullet proof function for end users. Perhaps the Import action was never meant for that. The basics are:

Ensure the file to import meets certain spec's or abort (here's where I think AwareIM falls short out of the box).
Ability to roll back the import (I think I can handle that).
Any other necessary checks/traps to ensure good data fidelity.

With validation on, the object will create a child object (this worked fine in my tests). I would also like to set an attribute value in the child object globally (all the same) based on a user selection of another object.

Please chime in here. Is this doable? Should I consider some custom programming? Has anyone implemented anything like this before?

RocketRod

I believe that to ask users to directly import is unworkable. What I have done is basically what you have said and it seems to work well. I have set up import BO's in my app and have the users import into them. This means:

You can restrict the import file to a simple structure.
Once loaded they can view the imported data before it is added to the app and delete individual records or change the data if they see that they got it wrong.
They then run a process that validates the data and it redisplays the imported data query displaying which attributes have been validated. All colored coded. They can then fix the ones that are not correct.
When they are happy there is another process that then adds the data into the correct BO's. Once added I remove them from the imported BO leaving just the ones that wont post that is those that have a field still not validated.

Very simple and because the data is moved from the imported BO's to the live BO's via a process you can do whatever you like with the data.

Cheers Rod

kklosson

Great idea to import to a shadow BO. I will work towards that.