Reference Identifier
Axon requires a reference identifier to uniquely identify the object when you update an existing item.
A reference identifier provides context and understanding that some of the Axon users or contributors need and adds value to the source system. For example, Axon data quality rules must use the reference familiar to DQ experts who manage daily DQ activities in different systems. The reference identifier is the technical key that facilitates any future request to build technical connections between client systems and Axon. If the facet is hierarchical, you can use the parent object as the reference.
When you perform a bulk upload to update the existing items, you can specify the reference identifier in the template. For each object, there is a primary identifier and secondary identifier. The primary reference identifiers identify each row in a bulk update file with a record in the database. Usually, a primary identifier is the primary key. For example, when you update the People object, the People ID field is an identifier that Axon uses to update the records in the People object. When you update the Glossary object, the Glossary ID field is the primary identifier.
If you do not provide the primary reference identifier in the template file, then Axon uses another column or combination of two columns as a secondary identifier. For example, if you do not specify the People ID field in the People template, Axon uses the Email ID column as the secondary identifier. In the Glossary template, the combination of Glossary Name and Parent Glossary Name fields act as a secondary identifier.
If both the identifiers are present in the template file, then the primary identifier takes priority over the secondary identifier. If both the identifiers are missing in the template file, then the bulk upload job generates an exception.
You can use the following methods to reference the object that you want to update:
- Advanced
- Use the Reference ID of the object that you can find in the Unison search as a hidden column. When you fill the Reference ID column in the template, you can update all the values of the reference object including the Object Name and Object Parent Name. For example, the advanced update reference for the Data Set object is Reference Number.
- User-Friendly
- If you do not want to update the details for an object, such as Object Name and Object Parent Name, you can provide the Object Name as a reference and leave the Reference ID field blank. In such cases, you can update the Object details, such as Description and Status, but you cannot update the Object Primary Name or parent references. For example, the user-friendly reference for the Data Set object are Data Set Name and System Name.