About Reference Nodes

A reference node is a data node that is created by referencing another data node within the order template. The reference data node has the same data typing and structure of the node that it is referencing. However, the reference data node is a distinct instance of the data structure that it references.

Reference data nodes enable you to create information once and reuse it in multiple locations in your data model. A reference node points back to a single data node location and ensures that you can efficiently manage and update a node when it is used in multiple locations.

Note:

This feature is not available in releases prior to OSM 7.0.

For example, imagine that you create a data structure called customer that includes all of the information required for a customer profile: the data element customerName, the structure address, the element phoneNumber, and so forth. Another data structure, called devices, contains a list of devices, and each device requires the customer profile information. Rather than remodeling the customer profile data for each device, you can create a reference node to the customer structure. If the customer information changes (for example, they require a new type of address), you are not required to change the information at every instance where the customer profile information is referenced, but only once in the customer structure.

You must set up reference nodes at order creation time as part of coding the automation plug-ins that call the CreateOrderBySpecification Web service operation. For an example of how you set up reference nodes when you create an order using the CreateOrderBySpecification Web service operation, see the discussion on setting up reference nodes in OSM Developer's Guide.

You must create a reference node association in the order template. To add a reference node to an order template, see "Adding Reference Data Nodes".