Add Attribute Utility

The Add Attribute utility launches and executes through the Millennium Reporter. It uses an export worktable that is generated from the run of a set of criteria. This criteria must specify the Add Attribute Utility in the Format/Utility option text box.

The Add Attribute Utility allows you create or update data rows en masse for each constituent identified in a Generic worktable. You may choose to create independent Attribute rows or to create them as linked secondary rows to a Basic Data, Education, Employment, or Tracking row.

To use the utility, you must first create the criteria to select the constituents for whom the Attribute rows will be created or updated, or to select the specific rows to which the Attributes will be linked. If the Attributes will be linked to another row, the criteria must be defined to select the row to which it will be linked. For the run of the criteria, the Add Attribute utility should be chosen (rather than the name of a report format.) When the criteria is run, you will be prompted to create the prototype definition of the Attributes to be created. All Attributes that are created by that run of the utility will conform to the information that is entered as the prototype.

For example, you might want to segment your constituency for fundraising purposes in a way that does not easily equate to address or other data. You might then create as complex a set of selection criteria as desired to identify one of those segments and then assign each selected constituent an identifying Attribute row, using this utility. To identify a different segment, you must define a new set of criteria using a new Attribute prototype and then run the criteria. A single run of the criteria and utility will not create differing Attributes for different constituents.

Utility Classification

This utility may be used to create new data rows or to perform a mass update of existing data and therefore it is classified as an advanced User Utility.

Caution! The Update mode of this utility will overwrite existing data. If improperly used, it could damage the integrity of your data. In addition, there are many variables in the use of this utility (link, mode, reporting options) that must be grasped, in order to ensure that you will produce the desired results. This utility is simple to use, but its ramifications must be fully understood.

Running the Utility

Accessing the Utility

The use of this utility is very closely tied to the function of the Millennium Reporter. The utility cannot be accessed via in the Tools World item in the Millennium Explorer as some other utilities may be. It is only accessible via the Millennium Reporter. When a report form is accessed, the Output List box may show either the format names in a designated library, or a list of utilities that may be used with the export worktable that is generated by the run of the criteria. This output list is the means of accessing the Add Attribute Utility.

There are two general steps in running this utility. First is the construction of the report criteria and options that will select the desired constituent rows, and second is the defining of the utility options and Attribute prototype for use by the utility.

Report Criteria

Perhaps the most important aspect of using the Add Attribute utility is the definition of the criteria used to create the export worktable. For complete information, you may find it helpful to review the important concepts of criteria organization and the key table in reporting, and the layout of a generic export worktable. A description of the impact of these functions in the utility is given below.

Key Table

Criteria must be defined in accordance with the utility options you intend to use. If you plan to create independent Attributes (not linked to another data row) then the report criteria may use any data table as the key table. If you plan to create Attributes that are linked to a Basic Data, Education, Employment, or Tracking data row, then the report criteria must use the desired table as the key table. If you plan to update only the Attributes that your criteria selects, then the key table must be attribute.

Report Options Considerations

Consideration must be given to the use of the Allow Multiples reporting option in the criteria definition. The decision must be made with the understanding that the utility will attempt to create or update an Attribute for each row in the export worktable, even if they belong to the same constituent. Likewise, you must understand that linked Attributes will only be considered for possible updating if the row to which they are linked remains in the work table.

If you clear the Allow Multiples option, the utility will create or update one and only one Attribute for each constituent selected by the criteria. If a new Attribute is to be linked, it will be linked to the one data row that remains after multiples have been removed. Updates will only be performed on Attributes that are linked to the one remaining row in the work table.

Note: It is not possible to control or predict which of the selected rows will be removed from the worktable and which will be retained.

If you select the Allow Multiples option, then the utility will create an Attribute once for every row that appears in the worktable. If one constituent owns multiple rows in the worktable, that number of Attributes will be created by the utility. If they are to be linked, one will be linked to each selected row. If the Attributes are to be updated, then all that are linked to any of the selected primary rows will be examined as possible matching rows to be updated.

The Do not combine spouse name item should be selected from the Combine Name Options. This will, by default set the Remove Spouses option to No. and will insure that each spouse's data will be considered independently for the action of the utility.

To optimize the criteria run time, set the Address option radio button to None.

Output List

To the right of the Report Name text box in the report form, you will see an Output List. This list box may display the names of report formats or it may display the names of Millennium utilities. To switch from one to the other, you must use the Options, Report buttons to access that form. Then you can use the Output List radio buttons on that form to specify that you want to see the names of the utilities. When you return to the report form, you should choose the Add Attribute item from the list.

Run Options

To optimize the run time of the criteria, you should set the Format Names option to No.

It is not necessary to the action of the utility to save the Export worktable, though you may choose to do so for verification purposes, following the run of the utility.

Utility Options and Prototype

When the report criteria and reporting options are set and run, the system will automatically produce a Utility form, prior to sending the report to the Queue. This form is used to define the prototype of the Attribute row you want to create for the constituents identified in the worktable and also to set the utility options. The form will show a modified version of the Insert form for the Attribute table and will also allow you to set your preferred options for the run. The resulting data rows will be created or updated with the User ID and user group of the person running the report.

Attribute Prototype

The utility form will show list boxes for the Attribute Type, Descriptor 1, Descriptor 2, Source, and Comment columns. It will show a text box for the Position field and a calendar and text boxes for the Start Date and Stop Date. You will use standard data entry techniques to fill in as many of those fields as you want for the new Attribute rows.

Caution! While it is perfectly acceptable to leave fields blank in the utility prototype, you must do so with the following understanding. If the utility is run in one of the Update modes and an existing Attribute of the same Type is found, fields that are blank in the utility prototype will be updated to 'blank' in the existing Attribute that is being updated.

Utility Options

Link

• If you set the option to No and you are using an Insert mode, the utility will create new Attribute rows as independent rows, belonging to the constituents identified in the worktable. You may use any data table as the key table in the selection criteria.
• If you set the option to No and you are using an Update mode, the utility will examine only independent Attribute rows belonging to the constituents identified in the worktable, as it attempts to match an existing Attribute to update. You may use any data table as the key table in the selection criteria.
• If you set the option to Yes and you are using an Insert mode, the utility will create new Attribute rows as linked rows, belonging to the exact data rows identified in the worktable by the key table and timekey field.
• If you set the option to Yes and you are using an Update mode, the utility will examine only linked Attribute rows belonging to the primary data rows identified in the worktable by the keytableno and timekey field, as it attempts to match an existing Attribute to update.

Mode

• The Mode option allows you to specify the manner in which the Attribute information is integrated into the existing database rows.
• If you choose Insert Only, the utility will create a new Attribute row for each constituent identified in the worktable.
• If you choose Insert/Update, then the utility will examine all Attribute rows belonging to each constituent identified in the worktable, and attempt to locate an existing Attribute of the same Attribute Type and the same Link option you have activated in the prototype you defined. If one is found, the data in the existing row is updated with the data in the prototype. If none is found, the utility will create a new one according to the prototype definition.
• If you choose Update Only, then the utility will examine all Attribute rows belonging to each constituent identified in the worktable, and attempt to locate an existing one of the same Attribute Type and the same Link option that you have activated in the utility, belonging to the constituent identified in the worktable. If one is found, it will be updated with the data in the prototype definition, but if none is found, no new one is created.
• If you choose Update Selected, then the system will update only those Attribute data rows that are identified in the worktable as the selected Attributes.

Using the Add Attribute Utility

The following instructions assume that you are familiar with the use of the Millennium Reporter. For more information about any procedure described in the following steps, use the hyperlinks to read more on that subject.

1. Access a Report Form by using Millennium Explorer Reporting>New Criteria>Custom or by using Reporting>New Criteria and then selecting a format from one of the report library templates.
2. Once the Report Form loads, access the Report Options form by using Options>Report. Set the Output List option to Utility. Set the Address option to None. Click OK to return to the Report Form.
3. Choose Add Attribute Utility from the Report Form Formats/Utilities list.
4. Select the Combine Name Options, Duplication Options and Deceased Options in accordance your intentions for the creation of the Attributes.

5. Define the set of criteria that will select the desired constituents.

   Note:

   To create independent Attribute rows, you may use any data table as the key table and any set of statements that you want.

   To create linked Attribute rows, you must use the data table to which the Attributes will be linked as the key table. The criteria must be constructed using statements that will select the exact data rows to which the Attribute will be linked.

6. When the criteria is defined and the options are set as desired, click File>Run. You will be prompted to Save your criteria.

7. Once your criteria is saved, the Run Options form will display. Select your desired reporting queue and set the other run options as you want. Click OK.

   Note: Set the Format Names option to No to improve performance.

8. On the Add Attribute utility option form, use standard data entry techniques to enter the prototype information. The data that you enter for these fields will be used for every Attribute row that is created or updated. You may leave data fields blank if you want, but if the utility is to update existing rows, the Attribute Type box must contain a value (for matching).
9. If the utility will be creating or update linked Attribute rows, set the Link Attributes option to Yes. If the utility will be creating or updating stand-alone Attribute rows, set the Link Attributes option to No.
10. If the utility will be inserting new Attribute rows, set the Mode option to Insert Only. If the utility will be updating existing Attribute rows and but inserting new ones when a matching row to update is not found, set the Mode option to Insert/Update. If the utility will be updating existing Attribute rows only, set the Mode option to Update Only. If the utility will be updating only those Attribute rows that are selected by the criteria, then set the Mode option to Update Selected.
11. Click OK to run of the report and launch the utility. A message that the report has been successfully added to the Queue should display.

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