Creating associations to relate record definitions

As a case business analyst, you create record associations to relate two record definitions. Use record associations to apply the data from one record for another record. For example, you can use the association fields in a notification template.

To use an association field, you must perform the following steps:

1. Create a record association
2. Create a field association mapping

To create a record association

You can create a record association and use the association field in the record definition. For information about how to create record associations, see Creating a record association .

For example, to use a Person field from the Foundation library to the Case record definition, you can create a Person to Case record association between the Person and Case record definitions. After you create the record association, an association field is added to the Case record definition. The association field stores a foreign key reference to another field value. The name of the association field is the value that you put in the Role of primary record field while creating the record association. In the case record definition, when you enter Manager in the Role of primary record field, a Manager_ID field is created automatically. This MANAGER_ID field is the association field.

The following figures show the record association and the association field:

You can display the associated fields in a view. For information about how to display the fields in a view, see Adding custom fields to views.

To create a field association mapping

When you use an association field to display a value, it might display the field GUID as the association field stores a foreign key reference to another field. To use an association field, create a field association mapping for the field so that the field displays the correct value instead of the field GUID.

For example, you want to use an association field, Location, in your custom notification template to inform the agent in which location a case is created. You create a field association mapping for Location. When the notification is triggered, the Location field displays its correct value instead of the GUID.

To create a field association mapping, perform the following steps:

1. Log in to BMC Helix Business Workflows.
2. Click My Application Settings .
   The Settings page opens in a new browser tab.
3. Select Field Associations > Application Configuration.

4. On the Field Association Mappings page, click Add Field Association Mapping, and complete the following fields:

   Field	Description
   Application or Bundle Name	Select the application in which you created the record association.
   Record Definition Name	Select the record definition in which the association field is created.
   Field Name	Select the association field.
   Association to Use	Select a field from an association whose value you want to display in the association field specified in Field Name.
   Status	Select either of the following statuses for the mapping: Active—Mapping is available for use. Inactive—Mapping is not available for use.

5. Click Save.

Related topics

Adding custom fields to record definitions

Creating record associations

Creating custom notifications