Manage Items and Item Attributes

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Last updated: Sept 18, 2023 by Pamela Totas (Deactivated)
6 min read

In the Metadata Manager, items contain the actual metadata. You can view, edit, add, or delete items and item attributes in the Item Detail window. The item attributes provide descriptive information about an item. You can also manage items via the Collector Engine and the CSV Loader utility. See the Load Metadata with the Collector Engine and Load Metadata with the CSV Loader sections.

View Items

To view all available items for a type:

  1. From any Metadata Manager window, click Types in the navigation path, or click the Types bottom tab to display types in the workspace.

  2. Double click a row to select a specific type for which you wish to display item details.
    You see the item list for the type you selected.

  3. To return to the Types window, click the Types bottom tab.

Edit an Item

To edit an item in the Item Detail window:

  1. From any Metadata Manager window, click Types in the navigation path, or click the Types bottom tab to display types in the workspace.

  2. Double click a row to select a specific type for which you wish to display item details.
    You see the item list for the type you selected.

  3. Double click a specific item, click Metadata, click the Items drop down and select Edit.
    You see the Item Detail window for the item you selected with the Attributes view as the default.

  4. Review the information in the Attributes tab and make the appropriate changes.

  5. Click the Parents & Children tab, review the information, and make the appropriate changes.

  6. To add an item as a parent or child of the item you selected:
    –  Click the Parents & Children tab.
    –  Click the Types bottom tab and double click the appropriate type.
    –  Click to select an item from the list and drag and drop it into the Parents or Children area of the Parents & Children tab.
    –  To remove the parent or child relationship, click the parent or child item, right click and select Remove.

  7. Click the Mapping tab, review the information, and make the appropriate changes.

  8. Click Save to save your changes.

  9. To navigate back to the item list, click the Items bottom tab.

Edit an Item Attribute

To edit an item attribute:

  1. From any Metadata Manager window, click Types in the navigation path, or click the Types bottom tab to display types in the workspace.

  2. Click a row to select a specific type for which you wish to edit item attributes.

  3. Click Metadata, click the Types drop down and select Edit.
    You see the Editing Type window.

  4. In the Editing Type window, in the Item Attributes right pane, click to select an existing attribute.
    You see the Edit Attribute dialog box.

  5. If you have administrator privileges, you can configure the attribute as follows:
    –  Add a drop down list of values by checking the Use List of values check box. Click the green plus sign to add values and click the white and green check mark to save the list of values.
    –  Check the Extensible by User check box to allow the user to add to the list of values.
    –  Check the Extensible by Collector check box to allow the Collector Engine to add to the list of values.
    –  Click the white and green check mark to save your changes.

  6. If you have administrator privileges, you can set the following options for all item attributes:
    –  Locked. Allows you to prevent overlays of the attribute values. If this option is not selected, the attribute is available for editing.
    –  Readonly. Allows you to specify the attribute as not available for editing.
    –  Is Category. Allows you to display the attribute as a category in the left navigation.
    –  Show in Items screen. Allows you to display the attribute as a column in the Items window.

  7. If you have administrator privileges, you can also track user names and the date/time of when each attribute was updated by selecting the Show in Items screen option for the MDC Update User and MDC Update Datetime attributes.
    NOTE: The MDC Update User and MDC Update Datetime attributes allow you to track changes to item attributes. As columns in the Items window, these attributes show the user ID and date/time of the last editing action performed across all attributes of the item. You can view the user ID and date/time of the last editing action performed on a specific item attribute by hovering over an attribute in the Items window. You see the Attribute pop up box with the MDC Update User and MDC Update Datetime information for that specific attribute.

  8. Click Save to save your changes in the Editing Type window.

Add an Item Attribute

To add an item attribute:

  1. From any Metadata Manager window, click Types in the navigation path, or click the Types bottom tab to display types in the workspace.

  2. Click a row to select a specific type for which you wish to edit item attributes.

  3. Click Metadata, click the Types drop down and select Edit.
    You see the Editing Type window.

  4. In the Editing Type window, in the Item Attributes right pane, click the green plus sign above the Name column.
    You see the Edit Attribute dialog box.

  5. Enter the name of the new attribute.

  6. If you have administrator privileges, you can configure the attribute as follows:
    –  Add a drop down list of values by checking the Use List of values check box. Click the green plus sign to add values and click the white and green check mark to save the list of values.
    –  Check the Extensible by User check box to allow the user to add to the list of values.
    –  Check the Extensible by Collector check box to allow the Collector Engine to add to the list of values.
    –  Click the white and green check mark to save your changes.

  7. If you have administrator privileges, you can set the following options for all item attributes:
    –  Locked. Allows you to prevent overlays of the attribute values. If this option is not selected, the attribute is available for editing.
    –  Readonly. Allows you to specify the attribute as not available for editing.
    –  Is Category. Allows you to display the attribute as a category in the left navigation.
    –  Show in Items screen. Allows you to display the attribute as a column in the Items window.

  8. If you have administrator privileges, you can also track user names and the date/time of when each attribute was updated by selecting the Show in Items screen option for the MDC Update User and MDC Update Datetime attributes.
    NOTE: The MDC Update User and MDC Update Datetime attributes allow you to track changes to item attributes. As columns in the Items window, these attributes show the user ID and date/time of the last editing action performed across all attributes of the item. You can view the user ID and date/time of the last editing action performed on a specific item attribute by hovering over an attribute in the Items window. You see the Attribute pop up box with the MDC Update User and MDC Update Datetime information for that specific attribute.

  9. Click Save to save your changes in the Editing Type window.

Add an Item

To add an item to an existing type:

  1. From any Metadata Manager window, click Types in the navigation path, or click the Types bottom tab to display types in the workspace.

  2. Double click a row to select a specific type for which you wish to add an item.
    You see the item list for the type you selected.

  3. Click Metadata, click the Items drop down and select Create.
    You see the Item Detail window.

  4. Enter the Item ID and the Item Name.

  5. Click Save.
    You see the item you just entered in the Item window.

Delete an Item

To delete an item:

  1. From any Metadata Manager window, click Types in the navigation path, or click the Types bottom tab to display types in the workspace.

  2. Double click a row to select a specific type for which you wish to add an item.
    You see the item list for the type you selected.

  3. Before you select an item for deletion, you can run a usage search on the item. To run a usage search on a specific item, right click the item row and click Run a Usage Search for this Item. See the Run Usage Searches section.

  4. Select an item that you wish to delete, and click Metadata, click the Items drop down and select Delete. To select several rows, press and hold the CTRL key.
    You see a confirmation message asking if you wish to delete this item.

  5. Click Yes to delete the item.