Who is this article for?

Users who are responsible for Metadata Type management.

Issue Administrator (ISSADM) permissions are required.

Metadata Type is the name given to a user defined Data field which can be added to the record of an Issue. These additional fields can be designated as mandatory or not. This is achieved by associating the Metadata Type(s) to an Issue Type record. These additional fields are then drawn into new or existing Issue records from the selected mandatory Issue Type record.

Therefore, you could ensure that the Product Code is captured for a Product of a specific Issue Type, or that the order size for that product is collected and displayed.

1. Accessing Metadata Types
2. Creating Metadata Types
   • Dropdown and Radio Button Data Types
   • Integer and Decimal Data Types
   • Text and Multiline Data Types
   • Date Data Type
   • Yes/No Data Type
   • URL Buttons
3. Amending Metadata Types

1. Accessing Metadata Types

To access Metadata Types:

1. Navigate to Issue Manager.
2. Select Issue Admin.
3. Switch to the "Metadata Types" tab.

The screen is paginated and records are viewed by selecting the page numbers to the bottom left of the list screen.

2. Creating Metadata Types

To create a new Metadata Type:

1. Click the New Metadata Type icon to the right of the Metadata Types header bar.
   A blank Metadata Type Details screen will be displayed.

2. Complete the mandatory details: Title, Label.
3. Define an optional Tooltip.
   This will be displayed when the associated display screen Label has the cursor placed over it.
4. Select an Owner.
   This can be an individual User or a Group.
5. Tick Active to make the Type available for selection.
   Leaving it unticked removes the Metadata Type from further selection in Product and Supplier Types.
6. Select the Data Type.
   Text, Integer, or Decimal Metadata Types may be simple fields or offer choice from a table of values. These are presented as either a dropdown box or as a radio button selection.
7. Click Save.
   This will expand the screen to reveal the additional, metadata-specific fields.

Dropdown and Radio Button Data Types

When Drop Down or Radio Button is selected, the Metadata Type Details screen will expand to reveal the Value section.

To add a new row, click the Add New Value icon.

Values entered in each row added must match the data type selected.

You can use the arrows to sequence the supplied items. This dictates the order in which they will be presented in the Dropdown or Radio Button.

To delete a field, click the Delete Value icon to the right of its row.

Integer and Decimal Data Types

When Integer and Decimal Data Types is selected, additional fields for the optional declaration of Minimum, Maximum and Default will be displayed.

Minimum Number and Maximum Number fields can be used to validate the input value supplied when the record is saved.

Default field can be used to populate the value into all records using the associated Metadata Type.

Text and Multiline Data Types

When Text and Multiline Data Types is selected, additional fields for the optional declaration of Minimum Length and/or Maximum Length of characters (cannot exceed 9999), and an optional Default field will be displayed.

A fourth Text option is available - Multiline. This allows for the provision of paragraphs of information. This has no default field. For Multiline Data Types, ensure that you set both the Minimum and Maximum Length.

Date Data Type

When Date Data Type is selected, fields for Minimum Offset, Maximum Offset, and Default values will be displayed.

These values are expressed in terms of offset in Days or Months from the date of record creation. The Default is an offset, which must be between the Minimum Offset and Maximum Offset values (if provided).

The date range has a limit of plus 834 years and minus 84 years.

Yes/No Data Type

When Yes/No is selected, a Boolean field option will be displayed.

This allows the Default value to be set to Yes, No, or No Default (allowing the User to select a value of their choice).

Ticking the Has Condition? box will reveal additional fields. Conditional Metadata allows you to set conditions on Yes/No entries. You can define a message that will be displayed to a user when one of the options is selected.

Ticking the Advanced? box will reveal additional options.

You can now select what event should happen and what type of Issue should be raised.

• Cancel & Clone with New Issue Type - Cancel the current Issue record and raise a new Issue record.
• Clear & Clone with New Issue Type - Clear the current Issue record and raise a new Issue record.
• Clone with New Issue Type - Create a new Issue record.

Clone means that the data in any of the common Metadata fields will be copied across to the new record.

URL Buttons

URLs can be input as Metadata in the form of a button that will take you to the defined link in a new browser screen.

You can also include URL tokens in the URL string to pass information to other systems. To get the full benefit of this feature, you will need a good understanding of URL schema.

URL Buttons can be used to create an email including all the required details for an Issue.
Example: "mailto:[declan.webster@qualsys.co.uk]?subject=Complaint Raised in EQMS Ref [%Issue ID:F59%]&body=Complaint Raised in EQMS Ref [%Issue ID:F59%] [%Detail:F18%]".

3. Amending Metadata Types

To edit an existing Metadata Type:

1. Click anywhere in the record row.
   The Metadata Type details screen will be presented.

2. Alter any field that is not greyed out.
3. Untick Active to remove the Type from being available for selection.
   Where an association has already been made it remains in place.
4. Click the Save icon to the right of the Metadata Type details header bar.
5. Click OK to continue.

Making changes to an active Metadata Type?
Any changes made to Metadata Types will be reflected in all Inspections - closed or active - that have the Metadata Type associated with them.