Data Dictionary
The purpose of the Data dictionary is to:
- Allow the names of all the fields used in RefTracker (and consequently the labels by which they are identified throughout the product) to be changed. – Allow fields to be Disabled when not required by your library, or made Optional or Mandatory for completion. Changing the enabled status of a field in the Data Dictionary changes how data is collected for that field. If the field is Disabled, data is not collected for it.
If it is set to Optional data will only be collected for it if the staff member of client using it enters a specific value for it.
If it is set to Required, data must be entered for this field wherever it is used.
Required (on open) ensures that data will be provided for this field when a request form is initially used to create the request.
Required (for close) allows a Request form to be submitted without data in this field, but ensures that data is provided in the field before the request can be closed. It is used for collecting data that might not be available initially, but is required before the request can be considered complete. - Allow the order in which fields are displayed to be determined –for example the sort order for the Question data tables determine the order in which fields are displayed in the Details tab of the Summary screen, and extracted by the Statistical reporting Data extract reports.
- To provide information to programmers wanting to adjust email templates, call Request forms with predefined information using the parameter string, use the optional Dynamic Lookups module to interface a Request form with another system, or do ad hoc reporting directly on an in-house RefTracker system using an SQL compliant report writer.
The tables are grouped into those that effect the collection of question data – full questions and DeskStats (Questions tables), and those affecting other areas (System tables). The groups are accessed by choosing them from the “Select table group” drop down in the top right of the screen.