Valid Sets of Values

A valid set is a discrete list of values that can be assigned to a particular attribute. A valid set provides the permitted values that a user can select when specifying an attribute for an item, request, baseline, design part, or user. Valid sets ensure that users only enter valid combinations of data into attributes.

A simple valid set contains a single column that lists all of the acceptable values for one attribute. For example, a valid set for the attribute Urgency could contain values High, Medium, and Low. A more complicated valid set could consist of up to eight columns, which can limit the combinations of values for up to eight different attributes. When the user completes a field belonging to the valid set Dimensions restricts the permissible values for the other fields in that valid set accordingly.

Example: Multi-Column Valid Set

Stephanie, the administrator, creates a valid set called CUSTOMER_NAME that contains the following columns and rows:

CUST_SITE | CUST_NAME | CUST_CONTACT
Azur SA | Marie Sancerre | 10 46 92 21 56
High Tech Inc | Jane Doe | 810 544 6771
Technik AG | Klaus Schmidt | 89 5904 7112
Widgets Ltd 2 | Joe White | 01279 999001
Widgets Ltd 2 | Fred Gray | 01279 999001

Stephanie then assigns the first column of the valid set to the attribute CUST_SITE, the second column to CUST_NAME, and the third to CUST_CONTACT.

Will, a developer, selects the Widgets Ltd 2 value for CUST_SITE, and then chooses between the permitted values, Joe White and Fred Gray, for CUST_NAME. Sarah, another developer, selects High Tech Inc for CUST_SITE and the values for the other attributes are filled in automatically.

NOTE The order in which the fields are evaluated is determined by the setting of the DM_SMART_ATTR_VALIDATION symbol in the dm.cfg file. If this option is set, the evaluation of fields in the valid set only takes place from left to right, so that values to the left of a field are not restricted by what is entered, only values to the right. See the Administration Guide for more details on the DM_SMART_ATTR_VALIDATION symbol.