Methods for identifying Foundation data customizations

While you make customizations to your foundation data, use the following information to make your customizations easily identifiable:

  • Documentation — If your customizations are documented, use this information to create a list of the workflows, fields, and forms that have been added or changed within your application. 
  • Naming conventions — Use a naming convention that identifies customized workflow.
    The workflow is then placed within a namespace reserved for this purpose. For example, if you modify the HPD:HPD-GetPerson active link, you can name the modified active link to HPD:CUS-GetPerson, where CUS in the name indicates that it is a customized workflow.

Related topics

Using-the-data-wizard-to-modify-data

Using-Data-Management-tools-for-custom-Foundation-data

After you identify customizations, you must determine their impact on the data load functionality. The following types of customizations to BMC Helix ITSM can impact the functionality of the Data Management tool:

  • Custom fields with Required entry mode—Whether these fields are new or are modified on existing BMC Helix ITSM forms, they impact the data load. Make sure that these fields are populated with data. Otherwise, the data load fails. 
  • Fields with Optional entry mode—If these fields have a custom workflow to enforce data entry when records are created or updated, they impact the data load. If required, duplicate the custom workflow on the data load staging forms to enforce the same constraints. To determine the appropriate staging form, see Spreadsheets-provided-and-target-form-mapping.
  • Custom workflow—In most cases, workflow customizations do not impact the Data Management tool. When data is loaded by the tool, all BMC Helix ITSM workflows on forms targeted for the load are bypassed, with the exception of workflows firing from the tool itself. This bypass on target forms is performed by using filter workflow with goto actions. These filters fire on execution order 0 based on keywords that are received from the data load staging forms.
    Some custom workflows do impact the data load function. For example, the workflow might be triggered on creation of a record on the form to create other child or dependent records elsewhere. 
  • New customized forms—In most cases, new forms do not impact the data load function. If dependencies are created between a new customized form and data load target forms, you must perform additional evaluation.

 

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