The basic purpose of a lookup feature is to access a source of data, and use filters and conditions to retrieve one or more records.
The Data Source Configuration is the center of the lookup feature, defining the source and how the data is organized. Features that need to retrieve the data connect to the Data Source Configuration.
The Data Source Configuration can be set for the following sources:
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Data Table |
Data is stored within purpose-built tables. Currently this is achieved using the Data Tables feature, which allows data to be uploaded using Excel files, and organized by effective date and culture. |
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Grid |
Data is collected in dynamic grids within the workflow. This may be default data, user-provided data, or calculated values. All data from a single grid becomes available for lookups. |
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Web Service |
This option uses a web service to request data from a system. This may be an internal request to retrieve Bridge data, or may access external systems such as Insurity resources. In the future, this may allow access to public and paid services offered by other companies. |
The Data Source Configuration can be accessed through the following methods:
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Combo Box Fields |
These are specialized drop-down fields that can be included in the user workflow. The user can enter text to search for specific data, which is then displayed in a table that expands down from the field. The user then selects one record. |
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Selecting a record within a combo box can automatically populate other fields, and can even trigger searches in other combo box fields (known as Cascading). |
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Calculated Fields |
A new function is currently in development that will allow a calculated field to retrieve data from a data source. Details will be added when they become available. |
The next sections provide step-by-step instructions for building an advanced lookup.