Alternate Keys

Tendo is transitioning to standardized Name fields as a system field that all objects have, and that is a human-readable identity that can be used in user interfaces. This allows for a search on any object by Name and allows user interfaces to replace a record ID and link to the referenced object record.

Based on Record ID, Tendo’s internal references are used in guaranteeing referential integrity and are the basis for Lookup and Parent Reference field types that are internal references.

External references use an Alternate Key field type, of which any object could have one or more. Alternate Keys can be used to establish a relationship. An Alternate Key is a set of one or more object fields that is unique to the record. The main unique key on any object is the record ID (ID field). Each object could have up to 10 Alternate Key definitions. Each alternate key could have up to five alternate key fields. These keys are implemented in the database as unique keys and guarantee uniqueness of records within the object. Text or number field types can be used as part of the alternate key. Setting up an Alternate Key is a two-step process:

• Database unique key constraint - An administrator creates a key by first creating the Alternate key definition with one or more fields.
• Once the definition is created, the admin activates it to create the database unique key restraint.

A reference can be established using an alternate key value. 

• Keys can use only text and number fields. They are either required or not required. When not required, nulls in the field are allowed, and aren’t considered equal for uniqueness.
• Alternate keys are a data matching option for Data loader options - Create, Upsert, Update, and Delete.
• Custom Objects only support alternate keys, not identifiers. Custom reference fields to existing standard objects will support identifiers until the referenced object is switched to reference by ID.

Viewing Alternate Keys

To see alternate keys for an object, log in to Atrium and select Tools on the top left dropdown menu. Click on Data on the left navigation bar, and then on the Objects tab at the top of the page. In the list, select the object you want to see the key for, and then on the Alternate Keys tab in the object’s detail view to the right.

You can see a list of existing Alternate Keys for that object. If you can edit the Alternate Keys for that object, there will be a … dropdown menu on the right on each key’s view. Not all alternate keys are editable and if not, they don't have this dropdown menu.

For custom objects, the dropdown menu will include the options to Edit, Activate or Deactivate, and Delete the Alternate Key.

Click on the chevron to the left of a key to open it. When an alternate key accordion is expanded, a read only view of the definition displays with these fields:

• Label
• Name
• Fields - This is all the fields included in this key.
• Description
• Active - This is a boolean field that indicates whether the alternate key is active.

Creating an Alternate Key

To create a new custom alternate key, click on the + icon on the top right of the Alternate Key list view. An Add Alternate Key modal displays with these fields:

• Name - Required. Camel case, similar to field names.
• Label - Required.
• System - Optional. For integration use.
• Type - Optional. For integration use.
• Fields - Required. Select from Text or Number field types.
• Description

Fill in the fields, and click Add.

The new alternate key will appear on the list of alternate keys under the Alternate Key tab.

Activate/Deactivate Alternate Keys

Admins can turn alternate key definitions on or off. Tendo-delivered alternate keys are generally delivered in an Active state, but unused keys can be deactivated to optimize performance.

On the Alternate Keys tab for an object, click on the … dropdown menu on the right of an alternate key and choose Activate or Deactivate from the dropdown menu.

Activating creates the unique constraint on the database. Deactivating removes it.

When activating, if the preexisting data contains a duplicate for the key, an error is returned and the activation process fails.

A warning message displays when activating a key: “A database unique constraint will be created. Do you want to proceed?”

A warning message also displays when deactivating: “A database unique constraint will be removed. Do you want to proceed?”

Editing an Alternate Key

Only deactivated custom keys can be edited. To edit an alternative key, click on the … dropdown menu to the right of the menu and select Edit. This will launch the Edit Alternate Key modal.

Fill in these fields:

• Name - Required.
• Label - Required.
• System - Optional.
• Fields - Required. Select from multiple fields.
• Description

Deleting an Alternate Key

You can delete only disabled custom key definitions. Deleting removes the definition from the system. To delete an alternate key, click on the … dropdown on the right of a key and choose Delete from the dropdown menu.

A warning will appear that says, “Deleting will remove this alternative key definition from the system. Would you like to proceed?” Upon confirmation, the definition is deleted. A toast will display letting you know that the deletion has been completed.