In this article, we look at using central tables. Central tables are tables containing specific information. These are managed in the Admin Centre and can be used in one or more projects.
Here are some advantages of using central tables:
- you only need to manage certain information in one place, namely the Admin Centre;
- users do not have to enter certain information themselves, but simply choose from offered list options; the central tables. This makes linking data to processes and process steps very easy;
- the quality of the data used increases, because they always have to select from a pre-set table and thus always use the correct names for certain things. This also benefits reporting across processes by creating consistency.
How do you create a central table and how can you use this information in the Modeler?
Within the ‘Tables’ section of the Admin Centre, the table types ‘Documents’ and ‘Roles’ are available by default. You cannot change the properties of these table types, but you can create central tables for them.
We explain below how to create a central table for roles.
Perform the following steps:
- On the left-hand side, click ‘Tables’.
- In the ‘Table types’ box, click ‘Roles’.
- In the ‘Tables’ box, click the ‘New table’ button.
- Give the table a name and press <Akkoord>.
- The first line of the table (still empty) appears at the bottom of the screen (see below):
- Enter the first role name. When leaving the field, for example by pressing <Tab> on the keyboard, you will see a next line of the table is created.
- Repeat the above until the table is filled.
Now we want to use this role table in the Modeler. This is done as follows:
- Start Modeler and open a project in which you want to use the role table.
- On the ‘Tables’ tab, click the ‘Retrieve table’ button.
- Select the table (or tables) you want to link to the project and press <Agree>.
In the ‘Project’ window, you will now see that the role table has been added to the ‘Roles’ folder within the ‘Tables’ folder. Roles that are defined centrally, i.e. are in a table, have an icon of a person with a table in front of the name (as shown below).
Local roles, i.e. roles created within the project and only available within that project, only have a big person image in front of the name (as shown below).
Creating a central table for documents works in the same way as described above for roles. A linked document table is naturally displayed in the ‘Documents’ folder within the ‘Tables’ folder in the ‘Project’ window.