Weighted Calculator

By default, the weighted calculator implements the weighted strategy defined above. Use the WeightedCalculator section to define conditions and weights that determine the best information with which to populate the SBR. The weighted calculator selects a single value for the SBR from a set of system fields. The selection process is based on the different qualities defined for each field.

The weighted calculator defines two sets of rules. The default rules apply to all fields in a record except those fields for which rules are specifically defined. The candidate rules only apply to those fields for which they are specifically defined. If you modify the default rules, the changes will apply to all fields except the fields for which candidate rules are defined.

You can define several strategies to help the weighted calculator determine the best information to populate into each field of the SBR. Each of these strategies is defined by a quality, a preference, and a utility. The quality defines the type of weighted calculation to perform, the preference indicates the source being rated, and the utility indicates the reliability. You can define multiple strategies for each field, and a linear summation on the utility score of each strategy determines the best value to populate in the SBR field.

The weighted calculator strategies include:

• SourceSystem

• SystemAgreement

• MostRecentModified

Weighted Calculator SourceSystem Strategy

This strategy indicates the best source system for a field, and is used when the quality of the field in question depends on its origin. For example, to indicate that the data from SystemA for a specific field is of a higher quality than SystemB, define a SourceSystem quality for “SystemA” and one for “SystemB”. Then assign SystemA a higher utility value (85.0, for example) and SystemB a lower utility value (30.0, for example). This indicates that SystemA is a more reliable source for the field. If both SystemA and SystemB contain the specified field, the value from SystemA is populated into the SBR. If the field is empty in SystemA but the field in SystemB contains a value, then the value from SystemB is used.

Weighted Calculator SystemAgreement Strategy

This strategy prorates the utility score based on the number of systems whose values for the specified field are in agreement. For example, if the first name field for SystemA is “John”, for SystemB is “John”, and for SystemC is “Jon”, SystemA and SystemB together receive two-thirds of the utility score, while SystemC only receives one-third. The value populated into the SBR is “John”. You do not need to define a preference for the SystemAgreement strategy, but you must define source systems.

Weighted Calculator MostRecentModified Strategy

This strategy ranks the field values from the source systems in descending order according to the time that the object was last modified. The value populated in the SBR comes from the most recently modified object. You do not need to define a preference for the MostRecentModified strategy, but you must define a utility.