Chapter 11. Multi Value Fields

Multi value fields are widely used in Siebel CRM applications and enable end users to view and edit data relationships such as one-to-many (1:M) or many-to-many (M:M). Developers must be aware of the technical intricacies of multi value fields in order to configure them efficiently.

In this chapter we will learn the following:

• Understanding Multi Value Fields

• Creating many-to-many (M:M) relationships

• Creating multi value links

• Creating multi value fields

• Creating multi value group (MVG) Applets

Understanding multi value fields

As discussed in previous chapters, links connect a parent and a child business component in a 1:M or M:M relationship. The usual way to display data in such relationships to the end user is a view with one applet per business component, displaying the parent record on top and the list of child records below. These views are also called detail views.

The following screenshot shows the Opportunity Detail - Contacts View as an example of a detail view:

The view displays one opportunity record on top using a form applet and a list of contact persons associated to the opportunity using a list applet.

When we examine this example further we find the following considerations:

• A separate view means additional effort with regard to the administration of access control and responsibilities

• End users may only be interested in the information displayed by the form applet but the database has been instructed to fetch the contact data as well, which can impact performance when...

Creating multi value fields using the MVG wizard

Siebel Tools provides a MVG wizard to facilitate the process of creating multi value fields and multi value links. The following procedure describes how to use the MVG wizard to create a series of new multi value fields for the preceding case study example:

1. 1. Check out or lock the Account business component if necessary.

2. 2. Click the New button in the Siebel Tools toolbar.

3. 3. In the New Object Wizards dialog, double-click the MVG wizard.

4. 4. In the Multi Value Group dialog provide the following values:

   • Project: Account (the project that contains the master business component)

   • Master business component: Account

5. 5. Click Next.

6. 6. Provide the following values in the dialog:

   • Detail business component: Note

   • Name for the multi value link: AHA Note

7. 7. Click Next.

8. 8. In the Direct Links dialog, select the Account/Note link.

9. 9. Click Next.

10. 10. In the Primary ID Field dialog, provide the following values:

    • Primary ID Field: AHA Primary Note Id

    • Auto Primary: Default

    • Use...

Case study example: Creating multi value group (MVG) and association list applets

The process of implementing multi value fields requires the creation (or reuse) of multi value group (MVG) applets and, in the case of M:M relationships, association list applets. Both applet types are specialized list applets that include extra controls to provide a higher level of usability to the end user.

Because of the fact that the MVG applet wizard provided by Siebel Tools produces only a half-done artifact, it is recommendable to copy an existing MVG applet and modify the copy.

The following procedure describes how to create a new MVG applet for the previous case study example by copying an existing MVG applet:

1. 1. Navigate to the Industry Mvg Applet.

2. 2. Use the Ctrl+B keyboard shortcut to copy the Industry Mvg Applet.

3. 3. Modify the copy as follows:

   • Name: AHA Notes Mvg Applet

   • Project: AHA User Interface

   • Business Component: Note

   • Title: Public Notes

   • Associate Applet: (empty)

   • Comments: Created for AHA prototype; Copy...

Summary

This chapter introduced us to the concepts behind multi value fields in Siebel CRM. Multi value fields allow us to create links between parent and child business components and provide a high level of usability to the end user by means of MVG and association list applets.

The chapter also provided a full case study example that demonstrated how to create a new M:M relationship between two business components and how to create the necessary repository object definitions in the data layer, business layer, and user interface.

In the next chapter, we will learn how to configure data security with Siebel access control.