Entering metadata using schema lookups

Metadata information can be automatically populated into many metadata fields based on a single metadata “look up” value that comes from a database such as an accounting database or an ERP system.

If the administrator has configured the schema to use database lookups, you will see a Lookup button in the Metadata pane. Clicking this button after entering or selecting the value from the configured database drop down list metadata field retrieves any mapped values from the database into the remaining metadata field values of the schema. This can reduce the amount of time it takes to index a document with metadata.

If there are any blank required fields after the lookup is performed, you will need to enter those manually. The values of any read-only or automatically tagged fields are not affected by the database lookup. The key field for the lookup cannot be a field that allows for multiple selections. The lookup does not work with either a table or custom query if there is more than one value selected in the drop-down list.

Lookups can be done on one or many documents at once. For example, if you are adding or modifying five documents with the same project number, the lookup can be completed on all five documents at a time. The schema lookup is done on the key field so it is possible that there could be more than one schema in the selected documents which means there could be more than one schema lookup definition. The following rules determine what happens when the user clicks the Lookup button and there is more than one schema:

• If only one schema has a lookup defined, that definition is used.
• If more than one schema has a lookup defined, a drop-down list shows the schemas that have a lookup definition where the lookup by is one of the common fields. By default, the first schema in the list is selected.

If the selected lookup definition includes destination fields that are not among the common fields, these will be ignored (not filled by the lookup).

For the custom query cases where there can be multiple lookup by fields, the rule is the same, but only if all lookup by fields are not displayed for all schema lookups. If the selected schema lookup uses a custom query with multiple lookup-by fields and one or more of the fields is not displayed, there is a warning message: "There are lookup-by fields defined that are not displayed for one or more of the selected documents: <field-name-list>. Not displayed fields will use a blank value in the lookup."

If a lookup is completed and it modifies one or more fields that are not displayed, a warning message is displayed: "The lookup will change fields that are not displayed for one or more of the selected documents: <field-name-list>.

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Up to five lookup fields can be configured for the metadata fields. For example, a customer is classifying construction documents for a property. Construction is related to a lease and can include one or more jobs. The customer would like the document to have the lease id, lease name, job id, and job name metadata information populated. When the lease id and the job id is selected from the drop-down list in the metadata pane and the Lookup button is pressed, then the system retrieves both the lease and job names.

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Read how to configure the database lookup on a schema.

To enter metadata using schema lookups

1. In the metadata pane, select the document schema that is configured for lookups.

2. Enter or select the value for the metadata fields that are configured to do the lookups. There can be up to five database drop-down lists configured in a schema.

3. If more than one document is highlighted in the Inbox or folder, select the schema name from the Lookup using drop down list. If more than one schema has a lookup defined, the drop-down shows the schemas that have a lookup definition where the lookup by is one of the common fields. By default, the first schema in the list will be selected.

4. Click Lookup. All of the metadata fields that are configured will pull in the values from the database.

• If the selected schema lookup uses a custom query with multiple lookup-by fields and one or more of the fields is not displayed, there is a warning message: "There are lookup-by fields defined that are not displayed for one or more of the selected documents: <field-name-list>. Not displayed fields will use a blank value in the lookup."

• If a lookup is completed and it modifies one or more fields that are not displayed, a warning message is displayed: "The lookup will change fields that are not displayed for one or more of the selected documents: <field-name-list>.

• If you enter a value in the wrong metadata field, you will receive an error message “Missing value for <metadata field name>”.

• If editing multiple documents with multiple schemas with hidden fields, this fails for integer parameters. The message, “There are lookup-by fields defined that are not displayed for one or more of the selected documents: <field-name-list>. Not displayed fields will pass a null value to the custom SQL query" displays if this scenario occurs.

5. Enter values in any other required metadata fields or modify any of the values that were retrieved.

6. Click Add or Save.