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Data Policy Basics

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In this lesson, you will learn:

  • What a data policy is
  • Where data policies are enforced
  • How to create one with data policy rules

1 Data doesn’t only come from forms

A UI policy protects the form. But data also comes in through imports, web services, email, and list editing. A UI policy can’t see any of those. 🚪

SNWR needs every incident to have a Caller, no matter how it’s created. That’s a data policy.

Key term: Data policy

A rule that makes fields mandatory or read only on the server. It checks data from every source before it’s saved.

Data from four sources, a form, an import set, a web service call, and list editing, all pass through a data policy on the server before reaching the Incident table. The rule is Caller is mandatory. A record with a caller is saved. A record without a caller is rejected with an error.
Figure 1. Every door leads through the data policy.

2 Key fields on a data policy

Field What it does
Table and Conditions Which records it checks, and when
Apply to import sets Checks data loaded with import sets
Apply to SOAP Checks data coming in through SOAP web services
Use as UI Policy on client Also acts like a UI policy on forms, so users see the rule right away
Reverse if false and Inherit Same idea as on UI policies

3 Data policy rules

The what goes in the Data Policy Rules related list. Each rule has a Field name, plus Mandatory and Read only (True / False / Leave alone).

📝 Note: There’s no Visible option. Hiding a field only makes sense on a form, and data policies care about the data.

⭐ Remember: Data policy = server-side, all sources, mandatory or read only. Found in System Policy > Rules > Data Policies.

4 Let’s try it: every incident needs a caller

  1. Go to System Policy > Rules > Data Policies and click New.
  2. Table: Incident. Short description: Caller is always required. Leave Conditions empty.
  3. Check Apply to import sets and Use as UI Policy on client. Save.
  4. In Data Policy Rules, click New. Field name: Caller. Mandatory: True. Submit.
  5. In an incident list, find one with a caller. Double-click the Caller cell and clear it. Can you save it?

5 Quick recap

  • A data policy makes fields mandatory or read only on the server
  • It checks data from forms, imports, web services, and list edits
  • Rules go in the Data Policy Rules related list
  • No Visible option, because data policies are about data

6 Check yourself

Think of your answer first. Then tap to check.

1 Where do data policies run: client or server? Show answer

Server.

2 Can a data policy hide a field? Show answer

No. It can only set mandatory and read only.

3 Which checkbox makes a data policy also work like a UI policy on forms? Show answer

Use as UI Policy on client.

Nice work! You finished this lesson. 🎉

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