Business Term Synonyms
As a content manager, add words that are synonymous with the current business term when you create or edit the business term. If you edit an existing business term and change the name, you can choose to save the previous name as a synonym.
A Glossary consumer can search for the synonym of a business term. The Analyst tool shows the business term in the search result because the synonym is linked to the business term. Synonyms can be active or inactive to indicate validity. Glossary consumers see the status of the synonym to verify if the synonym is in use.
You must provide a name, context, and retirement date for the synonym. The Analyst tool automatically records the date when you create the synonym. After the retirement date, the Analyst tool changes the status of the synonym to inactive.
Example 2. Example
Consider that you are the data steward of the Human Resources department of an organization that has been through an acquisition. The organization that acquired your organization doesn't use the term "Costs to Company." The business term "Cost to Company" must be changed to "Total Compensation." In the Human Resources glossary, you rename the business term "Cost to Company" to "Total Compensation." You add the word "Cost to Company" as a synonym to indicate to employees that both "Cost to Company" and "Total Compensation" have the same definition. You provide a duration of six months after which the term "Cost to Company" is no longer used.
After the six-month duration, the Analyst tool changes the status of the synonym "Cost to Company" to inactive. Glossary consumers see that the synonym is not valid anymore. Users can still search for "Cost to Company" and the Analyst tool returns the business term "Total Compensation" in the search results.
Adding a Synonym to a Business Term
Add a synonym to a business term when you define or edit the business term in the Glossary workspace.
1. To add a synonym to a new business term, from the New menu, select Business Term.
The business term opens in Glossary workspace.
2. Optionally, to add a synonym to an existing business term, open the business term from the Library workspace and click Edit.
The business term opens in edit mode in the Glossary workspace.
3. In the Synonyms property, from the Actions menu, click Add.
The Add Synonym dialog box opens.
4. Configure the Name, Context, and Retirement Date properties.
5. Click OK to add the synonym.
The Analyst tool adds the synonym to the business term. The status of the synonym is Active until the retirement date.
Changing the Status of a Synonym
You can change the status of a synonym to indicate the validity of the synonym. Edit a business term to change an active synonym to inactive or to change an inactive synonym to active.
1. Open the business term from the Library workspace and click Edit.
The business term opens in edit mode in the Glossary workspace.
2. In the General section, select the check box next to the synonym that you want to make active or inactive.
3. Choose to change the status of the asset.
- - To change the status of an inactive synonym, from the Actions menu next to the synonym, select Change Status to Active.
- - To change the status of an active synonym, from the Actions menu next to the synonym, select Change Status to Inactive.
4. To change the status of the synonym, set the Retirement Date.
- - To change the status of an active synonym, set the Retirement Date to today's date.
- - To change the status of an inactive synonym, set the Retirement Date to a date in the future.
5. Click OK.