Configure Merge Actions for Individual Fields

Use the mApp Action context menu in the Business Object Editor within a mApp Solution to configure merge actions for individual Business Object Fields. You can also use the Field Properties window to configure merge actions for individual Fields, as well as for Field properties.

Good to know:

  • You can only configure separate merge actions for individual Business Object Fields and Field properties if the Business Object is set to Merge in the Business Object Properties window (mApp page). If the Business Object is set to any other option, or if Include in mApp is cleared, then you cannot configure separate merge actions for individual Field properties.

To configure merge actions for individual Business Object Fields:

  1. Add a Business Object to a mApp Solution using the Add Business Object to mApp Wizard.
  2. In the Object Manager within the mApp Editor, click the Business Object from the Object tree, and then click the Edit Business Object task in the Structure area.

    Tip: You can also click the Business Object button Business Object Button on the mApp Editor toolbar to open the Business Object Editor.

    The Business Object Editor opens, displaying the list of Fields with a mApp Solution Action column to show which Fields you selected to overwrite and which ones you selected not to overwrite (blank in the mApp Solution Action column) in the Add Business Object to mApp Wizard. If you set the Business Object to Merge in the Business Object Properties window, then the selections made in the Defaults section (Default Behavior for Fields drop-down) are also reflected in the mApp Solution Action column.

    Object Manager Field List

  3. Configure separate merge actions for individual Fields (using the mApp Solution Action context menu):
    1. Select a Field, right-click in the mApp Action column, and then hover over mApp Action to open a context menu.

      Note: The mApp Action context menu is only available if the Business Object was set to Merge.

    2. Select a merge action for the Field from the context menu:
      • Make no changes to Field: Select this option to leave the existing definition in the target system unchanged (the mApp Solution definition is not imported into the target system when the mApp Solution is applied).
      • Import Field if not already there: Select this option to import the Field if it does not already exist in the target system. If it already exists, the Field will not be imported when the mApp Solution is applied.
      • Overwrite Field: Select this option to have the mApp Solution definition overwrite the existing definition in the target system.
      • Conditionally merge Field properties: This option is grayed out on the context menu because merging a Field requires selecting separate merge actions for individual Field property merge areas. This is done using the Field Properties window (see step 5).
      • Remove Field from target system: Select this option to have the Field removed from the target system.
      • Field is reference-only: Select this option to include the Field in the mApp Solution for informational purposes only (the definition is not imported into the target system when the mApp Solution is applied). You should rarely (if ever) need to do this manually, as the system automatically adds definitions as necessary for reference only.

      The selected action shows in the mApp Solution status column (blank if you selected Make no changes to Field).

  4. Configure separate merge actions for individual Fields (using the Field Properties window):
    1. Select a Field in the Business Object Editor, and then click the Field Properties button.
    2. Click the mApps page.

      Field Properties Editor mApp Solutions Page

    3. Define general mApp Solution properties for the Field:
      • Include in mApp Solution: Select this check box to include the Field in the mApp Solution. Clear this check box to leave the existing definition in the target system unchanged (the Field is not imported into the target system when the mApp Solution is applied).

        Note: This check box is automatically selected if some or all of the Fields were set to overwrite when the Business Object was added to the mApp Solution (using the Add Business Object to mApp Wizard), or if you selected anything besides Make no changes to Field in the mApp Action context menu.

      • References: Click this button to open the References window and view all of the other definitions being used by the Field.
    4. Define options (merge actions) for how the definition will be merged into a target system:

      Note: These options are only available if Include in mApp is selected.

      • Import to target system: Select this radio button to import the definition into a target system. Then, select a merge action based on whether or not the definition is already present in the target system:

        If already present: In the drop-down, select a merge action to define how the definition is imported if it already exists in a target system:

        • Overwrite: Select this option to have the mApp Solution definition overwrite the existing definition in the target system.
        • Don't Import: Select this option to leave the existing definition in the target system unchanged (the mApp Solution definition is not imported into the target system when the mApp Solution is applied).
        • Merge: Select this option to define separate merge actions for each individual area of a definition.

        If not present: In the drop-down, select a merge action to define whether the definition is imported if it does not currently exist in the target system:

        • Import: Select this option to import the mApp Solution definition into the target system if does not already exist.
        • Don't Import: Select this option to skip importing the mApp Solution definition into the target system if it does not already exist (the mApp Solution definition will not be added to the target system).
      • Remove from Target System: Select this radio button to remove the definition from a target system.
      • For Reference Only: Select this radio button to include the definition in the mApp Solution for informational purposes only (the definition is not imported into the target system when the mApp Solution is applied).
      • Import/Remove Based on Condition: Select this check box to import or remove the definition based on a condition. Then, click the Ellipses button Ellipses Button to open the mApp Solution Conditions window and define mApp Solution conditions.

        Note: The action you selected from the mApp Action context menu is automatically selected.

  5. Configure separate merge actions for individual Field property merge areas:
    1. In the Options area of the Field Properties window, click the Import to Target System radio button.
    2. Select Merge as the merge action for the Field (from the If Already Present drop-down).

      Field Properties Merge Areas

    3. Define individual merge actions for each merge area:

      In the Merge Areas Grid: For each merge area, select a merge action in the Merge Action column drop-downs:

      • Overwrite: Select this option to have the merge area overwritten in the target system when the mApp Solution is applied.
      • Do Not Overwrite: Select this option to leave the merge area unchanged in the target system when the mApp Solution is applied.

        Tip: Click the Uncheck All button Uncheck All Button to set all merge areas to Do Not Overwrite. Click the Select All button Multiple Selection Question Button to set all merge areas to Overwrite.

      On the remaining pages of the properties window: Click the mApp button mApp Solution Merge Actions next to each of the merge areas to define merge actions for individual properties:

      1. Define merge actions for general Field properties.
      2. Define merge actions for Field process and procedure help properties.
      3. Define merge actions for Field behavior properties.
      4. Define merge actions for Field validation/auto-population properties.
      5. Define merge actions for Field advanced properties.

    4. Select OK.

      The selections you made in the Options area are reflected in the Business Object Editor Grid.

  6. Prepare the mApp Solution for Distribution (File>Prepare mApp for distribution), or save the mApp Solution (File>Save mApp to Disk) to continue making other changes.