This documentation supports the 21.02 version of BMC Helix Innovation Studio.To view an earlier version, select the version from the Product version menu.

Creating external record definitions

An external record definition is a record definition that maps the external data (for example, AR System forms) such that the external data appears in the BMC Helix Innovation Studio as a local record instance. The external record definitions can be used as regular record definitions, so that the objects such as, View components, Processes, Rules, Named Lists can be mapped to them just like regular Record Definitions. You can create and also edit an existing external record definition. 

You can perform CRUD (create, read, update, and delete) operations on external data sources that appear as records in BMC Helix Innovation Studio. Any modifications done in the external record definition from BMC Helix Innovation Studio are carried on the external data source. If the external data source does not permit those operations, then such operations fail from BMC Helix Innovation Studio.  

You can create external record definitions for AR System and Web API data source types.

Before you begin

Ensure that you have created a project by using Maven and Archetype, and deployed it in BMC Helix Innovation Studio. For more information, see Creating-a-Project-using-Maven-and-the-Archetype.

Important

Application business analysts can customize the objects developed in their own applications and that are marked customizable by the administrator, but cannot customize the objects developed in com.bmc.arsys in Best Practice Customization mode. For example, objects in core BMC applications like Foundation, Approval, and Assignment cannot be customized in Best Practice Customization mode.

To create an external record definition for the AR System data source

  1. Log in to BMC Helix Innovation Studio and navigate to the Workspace tab. 
  2. Select the application for which you want to create a record definition.
  3. Select Records > New > External Record. 

  1. On the Create New External Record dialog, complete the fields as described in the following table:

    Tab

    Field

    Action

    Data Source

    Data Source Type

    Select AR System.

    Data Source Name

    From the list, select the name of the data source that you have configured. Note: All the data sources that you have configured for AR System are displayed in the list.

    Table Selection

    Table

    Select a table name that represents the table in the external data source.

    Record ID Fields

    Record ID Field Mappings

    To map the external field IDs to the BMC Helix Innovation Studio record ID fields, select the Record ID Fields either using the external Record ID Field and External Field ID. 

    Record ID fields are used to uniquely identify record instances. Typically, external record ID fields are automatically mapped to the BMC Helix Innovation Studio ID fields. Verify that the mappings are correct, and select the appropriate External Record ID fields. 

    Field Selection

    Available Fields

    Select the fields from the table that you selected earlier. Note: In the Field selection tab, if you do not select the fields, the server implicitly adds them. The following image shows the Field Selection tab:Create new external record_field selection.png

  2. On the Create New External Record dialog, click Save.

To create an external record definition for the Web API data source

  1. Log in to BMC Helix Innovation Studio and navigate to the Workspace tab. 
  2. Select the application for which you want to create a record definition.
  3. Select Records > New > External Record.

  4. On the Create New External Record window, complete the fields as described in the following table:

    Tab

    Field

    Action

    Data Source

    Data Source Type

    From the list, select Web API.

    Data Source Name

    From the list, select the name of the data source that you have configured. Note: All the data sources that you have configured for Web API are displayed in the list.

    Web API Selection

    Web API

    Select the Web API that you have configured.

    Document Selection

    Documents

    Select the document that you have created for the web API.

    Field Selection

    Available Fields

    In Available Fields, the fields from the document that you selected are displayed. Select the fields that you want to add in the record definition, and click 2002_Add document fields in RD.png. These fields are displayed in the Selected Fields section.

    The following image shows the Field Selection tab:

    2002_Field selection tab for web api.png

    Map to Helix Display ID (Field ID =1)

    If you have a unique field in your record, you can map it with any of the following fields:

    • Map to Helix Display ID (Field ID = 1)
    • Map to Helix ID (Field ID = 379)

    Map to Helix ID (Field ID = 379)

    Operation Selection

    Operation

    To get the data from the external record definition via web API, select GET.

    Web API Request

    Select the web API request that you created.

  5. In the Create New External Record window, click Save.

    Note

    When you create an external record definition for a web API, the system generates the fields for header, query parameters, path parameters, and body in the web API.

    For more information about web APIs, see Integrating with REST services in a codeless way.

Tasks that you can perform on an external record definition

You can perform the following tasks on the external record definitions. The steps to perform these tasks are same as performing them on a regular record definition.  

Task

Description

Add fields to a record definition

(Mandatory) Add fields to the record definition according to the organization's requirement.

Update the existing fields of a record definition

Modify the details of the existing record fields.

Add permissions to a record definition

By default, a record definition is visible only to the administrators. To provide access to a record definition for other users, you must add permissions to a specific group or a role.

Define a scope for the record definition

Limit the use of the record definition within the same application or library, or enable the use of the record definition for all the applications or libraries.

Copy fields in a record definition

Copy custom fields from a regular record to the same record.

The following operations are not supported for external record definitions: 

  • Record inheritance 
  • Associations 
  • Global transactions across external and local record instances
  • FTS, if the data source type is AR System

To add fields to an external record definition

  1. Click New field and select the required datatype for the field.
  2. In the Add Fields From External Record section, select the available fields.
  3. Click Add Fields. 

View-definition-components

Creating-a-view-for-a-record-instance-by-using-record-editor

Creating-a-REST-API-web-service-request-definition