Configuring field-level priorities to manage data updates available from external sources

When BMC Helix Remedyforce is integrated with external sources such as BMC Discovery, BMC Client Management, and so on, then data from these sources is imported into Remedyforce CMDB. When the data is imported, field or attribute values are updated. Though configuring field-level rules is not mandatory, it is beneficial in controlling the field-level updates.

Administrators can configure field-level rules to set the priority for each source at the field level. The configured rules are applied when updates from multiple external sources are available for those fields and their respective classes.

For example, in the following figure, rules are configured for the Description and Short Description fields. For the Description field, Atrium is given highest priority and for the Short Description field, SCCM is given the highest priority.

How Remedyforce updates fields in the CMDB

Before you start creating rules to specify the priority of external sources, be aware of how fields are updated.

When updates are available from external sources, but the Source field is not available in the data update process, the field retains its existing value irrespective of the source priority.

After you add a new source to the Base Element object, you must modify the existing rules to set the priority for the newly added source. If you do not update the existing rules and an update is available from the newly added source, the field retains its existing value.

Field-level updates are dependent on the existing field value and its source as illustrated in the following table:

Existing and incoming source are the same or different?	Existing field value is blank?	Incoming field value is blank?	Field value after the update
Same	No	No	Field value is updated with the incoming value.
Same	No	Yes	Field is updated with the incoming value.
Same	Yes	No	Field is updated with the incoming value.
Same	Yes	Yes	Field remains blank.
Different	No	No	If the incoming source is given higher priority than the existing source, field is updated with the incoming value
Different	No	Yes	Field retains the existing value. However, if the incoming source is Remedyforce UI and is given higher priority than the existing source, the field is updated as blank. For example, the existing source of a field is BMC Discovery and the field value is not blank. The incoming source is Remedyforce UI and the incoming value is blank. If Remedyforce UI is given a higher priority than BMC Discovery, the field is updated with the blank value.
Different	Yes	No	If the incoming source is given a higher priority than the existing source, the field is updated with the incoming value.
Different	Yes	Yes	Field remains blank.

Field-level updates are dependent on the rules defined for all classes or for a specific class as illustrated in the following table:

Rules defined on a field for	Rules are applicable for
All classes	All CIs and assets
Specific class	CIs and assets of the specified class
All classes and a specific class	If the class of a CI or an asset matches with the specified class in the rule, then the field is updated according to the source priority mentioned in the specific class rule. If the class of a CI or an asset does not match with the specified class in the rule, then the field is updated according to the source priority mentioned in the all classes rule.

To define field-level priority rules

In the following figure, numbered annotations correspond to procedure steps. The letter annotations are referenced in the procedure.

You can define new rules and view the existing rules from the Field Source Priority Rules tab under Remedyforce Administration > Configure CMDB 2.0.

Click New to create a rule.
Select the required class type.
Select the required class name.
Select the required fields for which you want to create source priority rules and click to move them to Selected Fields.
If you select multiple fields, same priority rules are applied for all of them.
This list displays the selected fields for which you are creating rules.
To apply the rules for all classes, select the Apply to All Classes check box.
Before selecting this check box, ensure that you are aware of the considerations.
Displays the list of sources for which you can set the order of priority. The sources added to the Source picklist list field of Base Element are listed here.
Click or to move a source up or down in the Sources list.
The source placed on the top of the list is given the highest priority.
Note

We recommend that you assign top priority to the Remedyforce UI source.
Click Save.

To verify if the configured rules are applied, check the respective CI class and field value on the CMDB Instance Editor.

To manage field-level priority rules

10	Rules section	This section displays the existing rules and their status such as active and inactive.
11	Delete	Click to delete a rule.
12	Inactive	Select this check box to mark a rule as inactive. Inactive rules are not applied.
13	Search	Enter a keyword to search an existing rule.
14	Views	Click to sort the existing rules based on their status. Select Active Items to view active rules. Select Inactive Items to view inactive rules. Select All to view all rules.

Configuring field-level priorities to manage data updates available from external sources

How Remedyforce updates fields in the CMDB

To define field-level priority rules

To manage field-level priority rules

Related topic

Comments