Using IS Data Construct

ISA Construction provides the ability to rapidly create and maintain a web-based user interface to manage cross reference table(s), and to control parameters dynamically within the application rather than hard code those values within the code of the SAP Information Steward Rule or View. The IS Rule is built once. If the IS Rule requires updates (for example, if parameters change or values need to be added) a business user does not need a developer to change the underlying code of the IS Rule. The business user can make changes directly in the web-based application. These changes are fully auditable. To edit reports in ISA Construction, users must be granted access to the application.

Often within a Passive data governance implementation, a business-specific configuration is required that is not maintained within the system of record. For example, a system may deliver over 150 valid units of measure, yet only 5 –10 of these values are business allowable values for the Base Unit of Measure of a Material. The remaining units of measure are used for Packaging, Weight, Volume, Sales, or Purchasing; conversion factors; or other needs and therefore should not be options for Base Unit of Measure.

ISA Construction allows the developer to create fully auditable web pages for a business user to maintain this configuration through the user interface of the DSP® so that the developer does not have to change the underlying code of the IS Rule. This process not only enables saving on IT costs, but also directly enables the business to make the necessary changes as they are needed and identified by the business, with no development involvement, estimates, budgets, or funding.

NOTE: Knowledge of Information Steward, such as how to add a view or make a rule, is required to use IS Data Construct.

At a high level, the process for using IS Data Construct is:

  1. Combine a table in the IS Data Construct database with another table or view in IS.

  2. Make a rule using parameters to join the lookup or join to the table.

    NOTE: A view could also be created in SQL when looking for keywords or performing a regular expression check.

  3. Create a page in the DSP accessible in IS Data Construct to display data in the table or to allow users to input values for the rule’s parameters.

The following example illustrates how to use a rule to reference a table. 

NOTE: This is a basic example of one rule and is not meant to be comprehensive. A user can create any rule or view that works with the table’s data.

The rule Material above Minimum Stock by Color of Interest validates that the stock level of a material for a particular color is greater than the minimum stock level. If the stock level is less than the Minimum Stock, the validation fails. These failed records display on a report that is sent to users through the ISA.

Using a page created in the platform and accessible in IS Data Construct, users can add more parameters for the rule (i.e., additional colors and minimum stock levels for that color).

To create the rule:

  1. Add an Information Steward Connection to the configuration database (i.e., dspMonitor_Config) in the CMC.

    NOTE: The Connection’s Purpose should be set to For data profiling.

  2. Create a table in the configuration database using SQL.

    Here is the table definition for this rule.

  3. Add the table to the project in IS where the rule will be created.

  4. Add a rule in the IS project with the following parameters.

  5. Create the rule in IS that uses the proper look up for the table passing in the parameters.

  6. Create a page in the platform.

Below is the horizontal view in SQL for the page.

Once the user saves a new record on the Safety Stock by Color page, the rule must be run again in IS.

For the new rule to be visible in ISA the tables must be refreshed in Collect to bring in the rule metadata.

NOTE: The Collect process does not need to be executed when a rule is run as the failed data is directly accessible to the ISA.

Add the rule to a project distribution so that users can receive reports based on the data that failed the rules (i.e., materials with a color that has fallen below the count for minimum safety stock). Refer to Add Rules to a Project Distribution for more information.