Editing the Table Definition
in AXIS Users Guide - Basics of Table Definition

Each dataset contains both primary and supplementary tables, which differ depending on the database type. The primary table (Policy Information or Asset Cell Assumptions, according to database type) is the table which you will spend most of your time defining and maintaining. You may also create and define one or more user defined tables in order to hold supplementary record information that is subsequently referenced or consolidated into the Primary Table.

To edit the definition of a Table, open the Field Definition Window as follows:

  1. Select View / DataLink / Table from the menubar or click on the DataLink table button in the object toolbar. 
  2. From the list of Tables shown in Table View, select a table and open the Field Definition Window for that table, in one of the following ways:

  3. (a) Left click the table to be edited to select it, click the Action button on the Action Toolbar to open the Action Menu and select Edit; or
    (b) Right click the table to be edited to both select it and open the Action Menu, and then select Edit; or
    (c) Double click the table to be edited in the Table list.

  1. Left click the table to be edited to select it, click the Action button on the Action Toolbar to open the Action Menu and select Edit; or
  2. Right click the table to be edited to both select it and open the Action Menu, and then select Edit; or
  3. Double click the table to be edited in the Table list.

The Field Definition Window is the central work area for defining your DataLink tables. Its functionality is split over several tabs in the upper left hand corner of the window. Clicking on the Help button at the bottom right corner of this Window will display detailed Help on using the Window.  Here is a brief overview of the functions that can be found within the Field Definition Window for each Tab:

The Fields Tab allows you to maintain the field list and the associated properties of each field, which define the primary processes of loading input fields from source files and mapping into calculated fields. The Field list displayed in this tab will always show the Field Name, Field ID and the field category symbol (mandatory, optional, user defined), but the remaining columns are determined by the Field list view selected from the drop-down selection field in the top right corner of the tab.  For any selected view, the field list can be resorted based on any displayed column by clicking on the column title.  The other options available in this tab are as follows:

The Properties button at the bottom of the Fields Tab window provides access to the basic field properties used to define the field using a Field definition window with three tabs.  The Properties dialogue may also be opened by double clicking on any field in the field list, or by selecting properties from the Action button menu.

The Append/Insert, Delete and Up/Dn buttons at the bottom left of the Fields allow you to add and delete fields or adjust their primary sort order.  

The Field Help button opens help for the currently selected field in the field list, provided that field is a mandatory or optional field.

The Action button opens a menu of advanced actions applicable to one or more selected fields.

The Load Table Tab allows you to define the source file association for this table, add or change a record code that determines which records will be loaded from the source file, and create or edit a formula to be executed during the table loading process.  The loading formula is executed after all the input fields have been extracted from source file record and allows you to test and change any input field value, or choose to skip the loading of this record, prior to actually storing the loaded record in the table.  Note that multiple loads of the same source record can be performed be setting the appropriate Repeat Load parameters on the Options Tab.

The Map Table Tab allows you define a formula procedure to be executed after all field level mappings have been processed.

The Options Tab allows you to specify an effective date and set various options related to the processing and storage of this table.  See "The Status Date" for more information on this topic.

The Testing Tools, that are always visible in the right hand frame of the field definition window, allow you to interactively test or define various processes associated with the definition of the table. These include initializing, loading and mapping the table, viewing the current table contents, and also scanning the associated source file in order to view and redefine the location of the specific field data for each field within the source file.

Note that all records from the Source File you selected will be used to load the current table, unless you apply some filtering method, such as by using the Record Code available on the Fields Tab. In addition, all records loaded into the Policy Information table will be exported to AXIS for calculation unless they fail the final pre-export validation tests in the calculation stage, or you have used a special option to select records for export. 

For further details on filtering see:

How to Export Selected Records to AXIS