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Master Data

You need master data to configure products and production orders in manage.ID as well as to assign information to label layouts according to the current configuration.

The master data typically includes information about the product or production order, the related print layout, as well as accompanying information such as a best-before date.

You supply master data by importing files that you export from different sources into the database in manage.ID. However, you can also add master data manually into the database in Data Management.

Source Files with Product or Production Order Data

You can import external data from XML and CSV files that are located on your server. manage.ID supports CSV files with and without a header.

The following image shows an example of a CSV file with a header. The header defines the categories for the different CSV columns and makes it easier to map product or production order data to fields of the predefined label layout.

If no header information is available, the data manager manually defines the category of each column before mapping the product data to the label layout.

Label Layout

A predefined label layout represents a template for print labels. A label layout defines the position of specific product information on the printed label.

Label layouts are stored on the server and imported into manage.ID. The data manager maps product data to specific fields of the label layout or manually creates fields.

For more information, see Importing a Label Layout.

Import Task

An import task defines the import schedule, the source file, and the file handling after the import job.

Most coding scenarios require regular updates of the imported data. You can configure import tasks and their intervals in Data Integration.

Once you have imported data, you can also manage it manually in Data Management.

For more information, see Importing Master Data.

Export Task

An export task defines the export schedule as well as the properties and structure of the output file. You can configure export tasks and their intervals in Data Integration. manage.ID allows exports in CSV and XML formats. To create a valid output file, you must define templates in the preferred export format while creating the task:

  • File name: The file name followed by the preferred extension.
  • File header: The XML header and the opening tag of your root element (XML) or the header row of the CSV table (CSV).
  • Records: Data from your data sets, each wrapped by an XML element (XML) or separated by a delimiter (CSV).
  • File footer(XML only): The closing tag of your root element.

📘 Note:

To assign content from your data set to a template, click the clipboard icon next to the data set to copy it as a variable. Then, paste it into the preferred place in the template. Alternatively, you can define variables by manually typing the name of your data set into the template and wrapping it in curly brackets.

Additionally, you can use the variable {datetime} to automatically add the date and time of the export to the file name.

For more information, see Exporting Printer Log Data.

1 - Importing Master Data

Importing a data source for products or production orders into manage.ID.

Before you begin

  • You are assigned to a user group that at least has the permission Configure data integration.

About this task

In order to use information from an external database inmanage.ID, you must first define an import task.

Procedure

  1. In the side bar, select Data Integration and click Import & Export. The view Data Integration opens.
  2. To add a new task, click the add icon +. The view New Task opens.
  3. Enter a name for your task and select Import.
  4. Click next
  5. Enter further details about your file, configure actions to run in case of a successful or an unsuccessful import and set the import task to run manually or periodically. Obligatory fields are marked with an asterisk. For more information on the form fields, see Overview - Fields for Import Tasks.
  6. Click Next.
  7. Depending on the type of your file, select Product or Production Order.
  8. Drag and drop information sources to the input fields below DB Fields; or use Custom DB Fields to create a custom field.
  9. Click Submit to save the task.

Results

You have created an import task for a file. Your new import task is shown in the overview in Data Integration > Import & Export.

What to do next

  • Manage master data.
  • Define tags.

2 - Overview - Fields for Import Tasks

Overview of form fields for import tasks.

Source File Definition

The form section Import settings defines the general properties of the source file.

Format

  • Format of the source file.

Source Folder

  • Location of the source file on the server.

Encoding

  • Encoding format of the source file. UTF-8 encoding is commonly used, but some older systems still require ISO_8859_1 encoding.

Exclude header

  • Only for CSV files:Defines whether the header of the source file should be ignored.

Filters

  • Filter for source files that enables to define individual import tasks for different files within the same location.
  • Filter type * indicates that all files in the location are imported.
  • If only a specific file or a set of files with the same prefix must be imported, enter the prefix followed by an asterisk. Example: interpack*.

Separator

  • Separator used within the CSV file. Example: ;.

On Error Rules

  • Defines how to handle errors during import. Example: Unclear mapping of CSV entry due to wrong separator.
  • Option Ignore and Continue defines that the line with the error is ignored and the import continues.
  • Option Stop and Rollback defines that the import job stops. manage.ID returns an error message and the data imported during this import job is removed. The data sets that were updated are rolled back to their version before the execution of the task.

File Handling After Import

The form section After importing defines how to handle files after a successful or unsucessful import job.

Delete old data after (days)

  • Retention period for data that no longer exists in the new version of the imported file. The old data is kept in the database for the set amount of days and afterwards deleted.

Move to Source file is moved to a separate location.

Change file extension Source file is marked by a new file extension.

Delete Source file is directly deleted.

Add timestamp A timestamp is added to the source file.

Schedule

The form section Schedule defines the repetitions of an import task. manage.ID supports import tasks with regular intervals and import tasks that run on manually defined dates and times.

3 - Updating Master Data

Importing a data source for products or production orders into manage.ID.

Before you begin

  • You are assigned to a user group that at least has the permission Change production data.
  • Optional: You have imported master data.

About this task

In order to easily add, edit or remove master data,manage.ID allows you to manually manage your data set.

Procedure

  1. In the side bar, select Data Management and click Production Orders or Products. You see the table overview in the default view. You can now manage product or production order data.

  2. Open the drop-down menu and click Edit Mode.

  3. Use the editing functions to make changes in the data.

You have the following options:

  • Edit information in a table cell by double clicking on the cell.
  • Add or delete rows. When adding rows, click Save after adding each new row.
  • Add, rename or delete columns.
  1. Open the drop-down menu and click Preview Mode to deactivate the edit mode.

Results

You have manually updated master data. You see the current state of the data in Data Management > Production Orders or Data Management > Products.

What to do next

  • Import a label layout.
  • Create a coding scenario.
  • Define tags.

4 - Defining Tags

Defining a tag to assign to a label layout or a hardware device.

Before you begin

  • You are assigned to a user group that at least has the permission Change production data.

About this task

You use tags to match your label layouts and printers in a coding scenario.

Procedure

  1. In the side bar, select Documents or Hardware, and click Tags. The view Tags opens.
  2. Open the drop-down menu and click Edit Mode.
  3. Click + Add row to insert an empty input field into the table.
  4. Enter the tag name into the field.
  5. Click Save.
  6. To add more tags, repeat steps 3 to 5.
  7. Open the drop-down menu and click Preview Mode to deactivate the edit mode.

Results

You have defined tags for label layouts or hardware devices. The tags are shown in the overview in Documents > Tags as well as Hardware > Tags.

What to do next

  • Import a label layout.
  • Set up a hardware device.