Master Data

Master Data is typically data that does not change often and is referred to in filling out and completing forms. For e.g. an inspection form will require details of the Equipment being inspected or maintained. The equipment information need not be entered by the user as this may lead to erroneous data capture but can be selected from a list that is displayed in the form. Note that Master Data can only be used in Select (Drop Down) controls. Additionally custom actions can be initiated when a particular item is chosen in the list.

Master Data is also maintained in the forms system. However, in most cases, the data is not “owned” by the system but is only a replica of data from another system. For e.g. customers running SAP might have all their equipment maintained in SAP. A microservice in the Forms platform can be used to pull the Equipment Master Data and update the Forms database or alternatively the Master Data Forms REST API can be used to push data to the system from SAP. In cases where the data is more or less static and not voluminous (for e.g. the different plants that are to be inspected) the data can also be maintained manually in the Forms Master Data database.

Design Master Data Entities

In the Turbo Apps Builder, Master Data entities are also created by designing them similar to forms. For e.g. to define an Equipment to use in forms, you can design a Master Data form with an Equipment Number and Equipment Name fields.

This approach of designing Master Data entities using the same Forms designer, provides maximum flexibility for usage in forms. Data models in backend systems such as SAP can be complicated and hierarchical. Forms require simple, flat structures. The flat structures with limited fields can be designed in the Turbo Apps Builder and data populated so that the forms can leverage them.

Key Field

Master Data entities need Key Field to be identified during design. Add a textfield to the mster data design and select the Unique property in the the Validation tab to indicate a Key Field.

One Unique Field Only

Remember to set Unique for only any one textfield in the Master Data design

Create

To create a Master Data entity, click on the Add (+) button at the bottom of the screen. Enter the Master Data details required and add. Once added, the entity can then be designed. The process is identical to designing Forms. Remember to keep the Master Data entity as simple as possible and restrict the fields required.

Delete

If a Master Data entity is not required any longer, you can delete it.

Forms need to be redesigned

Be careful when doing this as Forms using this will stop working. You will need to ensure that the forms do not refer to this Master Data any longer.

Maintaining Master Data

Master Data can be maintained in many ways, The mechanism chosen depends on where the Master Data resides.

Maintain In-Forms Database

In cases where the data is more or less static and not voluminous the data can also be maintained manually in the Forms Master Data database. Administrators can view, add and update Master Data directly in the Turbo Apps Builder. Select the entry to view or update and the Master Data entry form is displayed to maintain. You can also click on the Add (+) icon to add Master Data records directly.

Integrate data from other systems using Flows

In most cases, the data is not “owned” by the Forms App but is only a replica of data from another system. A flow can be designed to pull the Master Data and update the Forms database (stage) for further distribution to the Forms users. Alternatively flows can bypass caching and directly send data to the users device when requested. While this ensures that there is no staging/caching of data, each time the application requires data it needs to be downloaded from the external system and can provide to be a time consuming and expensive operation.

!!! information “Data updates” If Master Data is fetched from an external system, updating it directly may cause your changes to be lost.

---

Add Master Data to Forms

Master Data that is defined can be used in Forms. Note that only Select fields support Master Data to be displayed and selected.

Set Properties

• To add Master Data to a Form, drag and drop a Select or a Select Barcode (Select dropdown that allows to also scan a barcode) component.
• Advanced properties for the component are now displayed. Navigate to the Data tab and change the Data Source Type to Master Data.
• Enable Lazy Load Data if you expect to have a lot of entries in the master data
• Set the Masterdata List to the name of the Master Data entity
• In the LabelProperty choose the field from the Masterdata that will be displayed to the user
• Set the Value Property to the value that needs to stored when the form is saved
• You can also optionally set a Limit to the number of entries to display.

Lazy Loading & Limit

If Lazy Load is enabled, then Limit number of entries will be displayed and when the user scrolls the rest of the entries will be lazy loaded. If Lazy Loading is disabled and Limit is set then only Limit entries will ever be displayed.

• Any changes made to Master Data will be pushed to mobile devices so that users can work with the new / modified Master Data. Users can also download it on demand from the app.