Records

The records feature provides a set of no-code or low-code features to define record structures, and store and access the data, including visual query creation with sorting, filtering, joining, and transformation.

Records provide a set of management tools to create and manage records, their schema and data. Records are sets of data and their defined object structures as well as table-based methods to interact with the data. Records are accessible throughout the platform as resources for related activities regarding Apps, Forms, Workflows, Reports, and APIs.

Records Management

Records management is accessed from the PMG Portal by using the CTRL-/ quick find and searching for 'Records', or by going to Administration, Records.

Records can be created manually, by describing the record structure, or by importing a spreadsheet with the structure and data.

To create a new record collection, choose "Add" from the main records screen. A prompt will then display to allow the following choices.

Create Empty Collection - Define a new collection

Create Collection With Data - Create a new collection using existing data from a spreadsheet

Create Record View - Define a joined view of record collections

Note: Records stored in collections each have an internal ID, reserved as a unique identifier. This ID is available for use as needed, or may be ignored. The path for the internal ID is _id.$oid

When viewing a Record Collection, the following options are available for Records.

Designing Records

The Design tab allows you to specify the structure of the records in the collection along with an optional table mapping which represents a table structure for the underlying record object.

If you have already added or changed records manually from the Data tab, you can use the "Rebuild Mapping From Data" option which will reset the current Record Structure and Table Mapping and generate a new record structure and mapping which represents the current data available.

To define a record structure, or its schema, manually, use the tree view provided. Clicking "+" will allow you to add either a new field or property, including its name and type, or you can choose the entry to be an Object, which may also contain any number of nested properties and objects.

Table Mapping provides a method to interact with the underlying data as a table, or two dimensional view of the record collection. Each entry in the table mapping represents the distinct path to each "leaf node" in the record structure. Defaults are provided and may be changed for the mapped nodes. Each table mapping entry can have a custom name, and may also be hidden from the table view.

Designing Views

To join record collections together, click "Add", then select "Create Record View" and provide a name for the new view. From the "Design" tab, specify the base record collection for the view. Specify any custom names and hidden options for the view using the Table Mapping feature.

To add a record collection to the view, select "Add Join" and from the Join Options dialog presented, configure the following.

"From ...", select the link property name from the base record which will match with the the added record collection selected property

"To", select the record collection to join

"On...", select the property of the joined collection to use in the view

"Join Mode", select how the data from the record collections will be joined together. Inner will only include records which have a match in the base property and joined record property. Left Outer will include all records found in both collections and will use blank values for missing properties.

Data - The Data tab provides an interface to directly edit record documents. This will be read only, display for views.

Table Preview - The Table Preview tab provides a user interface to view and edit records in a table interface. Table columns are based on the definition provided from the Design tab. This will be read only, display for views.

Import/Export - The Import/Export tab provides the following methods to import or export records. This will be export only for views.

Data Migration - Provides an export file of all the data and related structure definitions.

Data Export - Provides options to download the data as CSV or Excel format.

Data Import - Provides for uploading data into the selected record set. On import the option is available to rebuild the structure and table mapping based on the uploaded data.

Indexes - Provides for manual configuration of indexes for the record data, which can be used for performance of sorting and searching operations. To set an index, specify the underlying field, the sort order, whether the field is unique, and a name to refer to the index.

Permission - Provides for setting security for and groups to the record collection. These users are allowed to manage the record collection.