System builds

The system builds page allows you to:

  • Define systems: Specifying the table(s) to include in the system, together with the relationships between them.

    Note: The preview allows; up to 10 tables to be added, using joins or transactional relationships only - it is not yet possible to specify a lookup relationship.

  • Deploy systems: After a successful system build you can then manually deploy.

Defining a system

This is the system builds page.

To define a system:

  1. Click + New System.

  2. Enter a System Definition Name, then click Create.

  3. Click + Add Table.

  4. Choose which table to include, then click it to add it to the diagram. If there are many tables then you can use the Search Table option.

  5. Your chosen table appears in the diagram.

  6. Click the + button to add another table.

  7. Choose a second table in the same way. A Relationship Properties side panel opens. A warning displays on any table where a relationship is missing.

  8. Choose a column from both tables to use for the relationship, then click Apply.

  9. Keep adding tables in the same manner. Sibling tables can be added by clicking the + button in the appropriate place. e.g. in the following example, Line Items was added first, then Returns, clicking the + button beneath Orders.

  10. Optionally, you can delete or replace tables by clicking the Options button. These actions invalidate any relationships that you have already established.

  11. When you are happy with your changes, click Save System. You are taken back to the System Builds page.

Building a system

Once you have defined a system, you can then build it.

There are two ways to initiate a build:

  • Using the Build button that becomes available when you have defined a system.

  • From the Build System option from the menu button.

Clicking either option redirects you to the Build Progress page.

Build progress displays in the central window and automatically refreshes.

When the build is complete, a green success message appears together with further options to View Build Summary or Deploy System.

Build summary

The Build Summary page allows you to review the results of a system build to check it has built as intended.

The page consists of two areas. The left side shows a list of the tables in the system. You can expand each table using the arrows to examine the variables in that table. Each variable has a status flag to show whether any issues have been detected. A preview of the source data is shown on the right side of the page.

In the above image we can see:

  • The total number of records loaded

  • The total number of variables loaded

  • The total number of tables in the design

  • The Orders table has been expanded and there are no issues with any of the variables, displayed as Successful

Filtering

You can apply filters to limit the view to warnings only.

For every variable, we detect and warn if:

  • The data type chosen hasn’t been assigned

  • There are any unclassified records

  • There are any missing records

You can access statistics for each variable with the Options button.

If you need to make changes, then you can do this in two ways:

  • Edit each individual variable through the Variable Settings option shown above

  • Edit the table via the Edit Table Definition button

Note: When you make amendments, you must rebuild and deploy the system before these changes are visible outside of the data build pages.

Deploying a system

When you have built a system, you can then deploy it.

To deploy a system:

  1. Find your system either from a successful Build Progress page (see above) or from the System Builds page.

    The last build time is displayed and if there has been an issue, this is shown too.

    Further options are available from the menu button.

  2. Click Deploy System to initiate the deployment process.

    You are automatically redirected to the deployment progress page.

    This page updates automatically. You can filter the messages shown in the same way as the build progress page.

    • While the deployment is in progress:

    • When the deployment has succeeded:

  1. When the deployment has completed successfully, a View System button appears. You can use this to access the system. You can now use this system for dashboarding, analysis and campaigning in Orbit.

Review your system definition/build

Returning to the System Builds page now displays the last deployment time in addition to the last build time.