Configure a data capture template for application costs

In order to specify the details of cost objects for the data import, one or more cost-based data capture templates can be configured for the class BudgetValue . The Data Capture Template - Cost editor allows you to specify the capture of request, current, or budget cost types in one or more currencies for the class Application.

Data capture templates can be specified to allow users to potentially create new cost objects, modify data for existing cost objects, or specify that no changes shall be made to a cost object. A row will be added for each cost object that is exported to the XLSX file. Information about whether a definition is mandatory or not as well as hints specified to help users to define the properties for objects will be displayed in an additional Help tab in the XLSX file. When importing the XLSX file, the entire row will be imported in the Alfabet database, whereby each owner object/cost type/annual bucket is imported as one record. For example, if four annual buckets are specified for an owner object and cost type, then four records will be added to the Alfabet database. Any previously existing records for the same combination of owner, cost type, and annual bucket will be removed.

Please consider the following regarding the configuration:

• The cost definition type ( Request, Current, or Budget values) must be specified to export existing cost information to the XLSX file. The respective value can be modified as need and then re-imported to the Alfabet database. However, it is also possible to specify a cost definition type for the export and a different cost definition type for the import to the Alfabet database. This allows you to use existing values for one cost definition type as a basis for new values for a different cost definition type. For example, you could configure that the existing Request values that have been defined for applications are exported to the XLSX file. Using the arithmetic operations available in the XLSX file, you could calculate 80% of the exported Request values to capture new values that could then be imported for the cost definition type Budget. In this way, you can easily and efficiently specify new budget values without needing to manually enter them in the user interface.
• Data may be captured for yearly buckets. The yearly buckets may be found via a configured report or specified as a time period.
• Data capture templates can specify that users may change the owning object or cost type of a record. In this case, a drop-down list would be displayed for the cells in the Owner column of the XLSX file allowing the owner object to be changed for a respective record and/or in the CostType column of the XLSX file allowing the cost type to be changed for a respective record. The objects found for the drop-down list can be limited via either a configured report or a stereotype definition.

To create a data capture template for application costs:

1. Go to Data Import > Data Capture Templates.
2. Click New > Create New Data Capture Template.
3. In the Stereotype Selector, select Cost-Based Data Capture Template. The Data Capture Template - Cost editor opens.
4. In the Basic Data tab, specify basic information about the cost-based data capture template. Define the following fields as needed:
   • Name: (Mandatory) Provide a meaningful name for the data capture template.
   • File Name Base: Provide a string that will be used as the first part of the file name of the file that is generated based on the data capture template. The string will be appended with a GUID to assure that the file name is unique.
   • Release Status: Select a predefined release status for the data capture template.
   • Class: (Mandatory) The class BudgetValue is displayed per default in the field.
   • Description: Enter a meaningful description that will clarify the purpose of the data capture template.
   • Dataset Provider: Specify the method to export the object data to the XLSX file. The objects will be displayed as records in the Export tab in the XLSX file. You can do one of the following:
     • Select All Records to populate the XLSX file with all relevant objects of the class.
     • Select No Records to generate an XLSX that has no instance data exported. The XLSX file will contain columns as defined in the data capture template but no records that have been exported from the Alfabet database. Exporting a file without instance data might be used, for example, if only new objects shall be created via the XLSX file. In this case, you must ensure that Create is selected in the Permitted Operations field.
     • Select a configured report to populate the XLSX file with objects found by the report query.
   • Sample Record Provider: Sample data may be exported to the XLSX file to provide examples of existing data for users to understand how to create new data in the XLSX file. The sample data is exported to a Sample Data tab in the XLSX file where users can experiment with the data. The sample data will not be reimported to Alfabet and therefore the Alfabet database will not be impacted by changes made to the sample data. Configured reports for which the Category attribute has been set to ADIF will be listed in the Sample Record Provider field. Select a configured report to populate a set of sample data in the XLSX file.
   • Max. Number of Rows: Enter the maximum number of records that may be imported via the XLSX file. The number of valid records starting with the first valid record in the XLSX file will be imported.
   • Status Report Scope: Specify which type of records shall be displayed in the status report (XLSX file) that provides information about the results of the import. The following is possible:
     • Total Records: Select if all processed and discarded records shall be included in the status report. The discarded records displayed in the status report can be corrected and reimported to the Alfabet database.
     • Processed Records: Select if only records that were successfully imported shall be included in the status report.
     • Discarded Records: Select if only records that failed the validation process and were discarded during the import shall be included in the status report. The discarded records displayed in the status report can be corrected and reimported to the Alfabet database.
   • Currency: (Mandatory) Select one or more currencies that have been configured by your enterprise. If multiple currencies have been configured for the data capture template, a Currency column will be added to the XLSX file. The value shall be captured in the currency specified in the data capture template for each relevant annual cost bucket column. Please note the following:
     • The values as defined in the XLSX file will be imported to the Alfabet database. The currency of the imported values will be converted at runtime based on the exchange rate configured in the Currency Exchange Rates view when the relevant cost view is loaded in the Alfabet user interface.
     • The currencies specified for a cost type in the data capture template may differ from the currency specified for the cost type for an application defined in the Operational Expenses Page View, where the user can specify the currency per cost type in the Maintenance Costs editor. Please be aware that the cost displayed in the Operational Expenses Page View may therefore visualize numerical values that differ from those specified in the XLSX file due to the incongruity of the currency value selected in the data capture template vs. the Maintenance Costs editor.
   • Cost Definition Type: (Mandatory) Specify the cost definition type ( Request, Current, or Budget values) that shall be imported via the data capture template. Only one cost definition type may be imported per data capture template. The cost definition type represents the property MonetaryID in the class BudgetValue.

     The value Commited is written to the MonetaryID column in the BudgetValue database table for the Budget cost definition type.

   • Export Cost Definition Type: If necessary, specify a different cost definition type ( Request, Current, or Budget values) to be exported than the one that shall be imported. In this case, for example, Request values could be exported to a data capture template and used as a base to capture Current values. Using functions and operations in the XLSX file, the user could efficiently modify the exported Request values in order to define and import Current values.
   • Annual Cost Buckets Provider: Specify a configured report that returns the yearly cost buckets that shall be added as rows in the Name column of the Class Properties tab. Alternatively, a start date and end date can be specified respectively in the Annual Cost Buckets Start Date and Annual Cost Buckets End Date fields. Unnecessary years can be excluded from the export in the Class Properties tab.
   • Annual Cost Buckets Start Date: Specify the start date for the yearly cost buckets listed in the Name column of the Class Properties tab.
   • Annual Cost Buckets End Date: Specify the end date for the yearly cost buckets listed in the Name column of the Class Properties tab.
   • Permitted Operations: (Mandatory) Specify the operations that shall be permissible in the XLSX file. Each row in the Operations column will have a drop-down list that allows the user to specify which operation shall be applied to the record. The follow operations are permissible:
     • Create: Allows a new cost object to be created. Users must define the new object in an empty row in the XLSX file and define the relevant columns as needed.
     • Update: Allows one or more properties, role types, indicator types, or lifecycle phases to be modified for the cost object.
     • No Change: Allows no modification to be made to the cost object. Please note that if No Change is not selected, users must modify the record in some way.
5. The Class Properties tab displays a row for each property found by the configured report for the class BudgetValue as well as any annual buckets that have been specified in the Basic Data tab. The relevant owner object class ( Application ) must be specified for which the cost information shall be captured. The owner objects are found via the specified configured report. All relevant annual cost buckets found via the annual cost bucket specification in the Basic Data tab will be displayed as a row in the dataset in the Class Properties tab. Users can specify if a bucket shall be included in the data capture template and whether capturing data for the annual cost bucket is mandatory.

   The following is possible:

   • Drag the horizontal scrollbar at the bottom of the dataset in order to view all columns in the Class Properties tab.
   • Define the following columns in the Class Properties tab:
     • Name: Displays Owner , MonetaryType , Currency (if more than one currency was selected), and the specified annual bucket (year).
     • Caption: If necessary, change the caption that shall be displayed as the column header in the XLSX file.
     • Mandatory: Set a checkmark to specify that the property is mandatory and must be defined in the XLSX file in order for the record to be imported to the Alfabet database. Any object class property that is specified as mandatory in the class model will automatically have the checkmark set in the Mandatory column. This can be changed, as needed. If the property is set as mandatory, the checkmark in the Include column will also be set. The Mandatory column in the Help tab of the XLSX file will be set to True for a mandatory property.
     • Property: Displays the name of the property targeted by the record.
     • Include: Set a checkmark to specify that the property shall be included in the XLSX file. A mandatory property must be included in the XLSX file.

       To set the checkmark in the Include column for all properties, select the Select All button above the dataset. To clear the checkmark in the Include column for all properties, select the Exclude All button above the dataset.

     • Property Type: Displays the property type of the property.
     • Property Details: Select that architecture class (Application , Deployment , or ICTObject) for which the cost information shall be captured. If you need to capture cost information for multiple architecture classes, then a data capture template must be created for each class.
     • Reference Class Filter Type: For the property Owner: If a drop-down list shall be displayed for the cells in the Owner column of the XLSX file allowing the owner object to be changed for a respective record, select one of the options described below. For the property MonetaryID: If a drop-down list shall be displayed for the cells in the CostType column of the XLSX file allowing the cost type to be changed for a respective record, select one of the following options:
       • If no value is defined in the Reference Class Filter Type attribute, the drop-down list will not be available for the respective cells and users will not be able to change the respective cell value.
       • Select All to export all objects of the class specified in the Property Details column.
       • Select Stereotype to export all objects of the object class stereotype that you will specify in the Reference Class Stereotype column.
       • Select Report to specify all objects found by the configured report that you will specify in the Reference Class Filter column.
     • Reference Class Filter: If you have selected Report in the Reference Class Filter Type column, select the configured report that shall find the objects targeted by the reference.
     • Reference Class Stereotype: For properties of type Reference or ReferenceArray: If you have selected Stereotype in the Reference Class Filter Type column, select the object class stereotype of the objects targeted by the reference. The objects based on the specified stereotype will be sorted lexicographically and can be selected in a drop-down list in the XLSX file.
     • Editor Hint: Enter text to assist the user in defining the property in the XLSX file. If no hint is defined, the value specified for the Hint attribute of the property in the class model will be displayed. The hints will be available in the Help tab of the XLSX file.
6. The Import/Export Asynchronously tab allows the asynchronous import and export of data via data capture templates to be specified for the import/export of large sets of data. If asynchronous execution is activated, it will be implemented when the following actions are triggered:
   • Create MS Excel File from Data Capture Template
   • Download Data Capture Template
   • Import MS Excel File for Data Capture Template

   To activate asynchronous import and export for a data capture template, select the Import/Export Asynchronously checkbox. In the dataset, select the folder in the Internal Document Selector that the export file shall be created in. If the Import/Export Asynchronously checkbox is selected, the event feedback message will be displayed to the user triggering the import or export of the data capture template.

7. Click the OK button to save the data capture template configuration and close the editor.