Relational Field Dependencies Tutorial

Prerequisites:

  • This tutorial assumes you are familiar with basic application tasks, such as adding tables, and with checking in, publishing, and deploying process apps. You should also understand how to add items to auxiliary tables using the Manage Data feature.
  • You must use SBM Composer to set up the dependency. To complete this tutorial, you must have privileges to deploy to a running environment.

The following example explains how to configure field dependencies that tailor the value list for a Single Relational field added to a primary table. You can reproduce this example for other field dependencies as needed.

In this example, you will create two auxiliary tables: a Products table and a Versions table. You will then establish a relationship between the two tables that allows specific version records in the Versions table to be available for each product in the Products table. For example, if Version 1 and Version 2 only apply to Product A, those versions are the only available values when Product A is selected from the Products field.

To set up this Relational field dependency:

  1. In SBM Composer, create two auxiliary tables: a Products table and a Versions table. For this example, the Products table is the independent field table and the Versions table is the dependent field table.
  2. Add a Single Relational field of the independent field type to the dependent field table. For this example, add a Single Relational field to the Versions table, and select Products from the Table list located on the Options tab.
  3. Open the application's primary table, and then add a Single Relational field that will serve as the independent field. For this example, name the field Products, and then select "Products" from the Table list on the Options tab for the Single Relational field.
  4. In the same table, add another Single Relational field that will serve as the dependent field. For this example, name the field Versions, and then select "Versions" from the Table list on the Options tab for the Single Relational field.
  5. Select the Single Relational field that serves as the independent field. For this example, select the Products field.
  6. Select the Dependencies tab, and then select the Versions table from the dependent fields list.
  7. Click the Edit Value Restrictions link, and then select the workflow for which you will restrict dependent field values.
  8. Verify that the Products field is selected in the left pane, and then select the Versions field in the middle pane.
  9. Select the Products field from the right pane.
  10. Grant privileges to the Products and Versions tables. You can do this in SBM Composer by granting role privileges for each table, or you can assign user or group privileges to the table in Application Administrator after you deploy the process app. For this tutorial, users should be able to submit, view, and update items in both tables.
  11. Save, check in, publish, and deploy your changes.
  12. Log in to SBM Work Center as a user who has privileges to manage the Products and Versions tables.
  13. To open the Manage Data feature, click the user icon in the upper right corner, and then select Manage Data.
  14. Populate the Products table with items. For this example, add "Product A" and "Product B" items.
  15. Populate the Versions table with the following items. When you add these items, select the listed value from the Products field:
    • Version 1 – Product A

    • Version 2 – Product A

    • Version 3 – Product B

    • Version 4 – Product B

    • Version 5 – Product B

  16. Open the Submit form for a project used by the workflow in which you created the dependencies.
  17. Click the Find button for the Products field. Notice that "Product A" and "Product B" are available as selections.
  18. Select "Product A." Notice that for the Versions field, "Version 1" and "Version 2" are available.
  19. Select "Product B" from the Products field. Notice that "Version 3," "Version 4," and "Version 5" are available as selections in the Versions field.