Creating a Search Definition for External Data

Use the External Definition page to create a new search definition for external data and to view a list of existing search definitions for external data. You could create a search definition for each functional area, for example, recruiting, job data, and so on.

Access the External Definition page by selecting PeopleTools, and then Search Framework, and then Deploy External Source Defns, and then External Data Source Setup, and from the left panel, choose External Data Search Defns and select the Add Definition or plus button.

Alternatively, you may select PeopleTools, and then Search Framework, and then Deploy External Source Defns, and then External Data Search Defns.

To create a new definition, select the Add Definition or plus button that displays the External Definition page.

This example illustrates the fields and controls on the External Definition page. You can find definitions for the fields and controls later on this page.

Field or Control	Description
Definition	Specify a name for the search definition.
Description	Enter a description.

Attributes

You use the Attributes section to specify the attributes which are available in the external data and are functionally relevant in the external data index. Attributes are fields that form a part of each document in the index of external data. You decide which attributes you want based on the functional information that you require in the index. These attributes can be obtained either from the external data or from PeopleSoft mapping to existing PeopleSoft fields.

Field or Control	Description
Target Attribute	Enter an attribute that is available in the external data that you want to include in the index.
Type	Choose a type for each attribute. The selected type is defined in the search engine as part of the index mapping.
Attribute Description	Enter a description for an attribute.

PeopleSoft Data Mapping

This section enables you to map some of the defined attributes with existing PeopleSoft fields. The purpose of PeopleSoft mapping is to provide fixed values per data source for each document indexed from a data source. The PeopleSoft mapping also helps to group all the documents for each data source with a specific attribute value stored in PeopleSoft.

Field or Control	Description
Search Definition	Choose a search definition that has the attribute that you want to map with the external data.
Search Attribute	Choose the attribute that you want to map.

Security

Field or Control	Description
No Security	Select to define no security restriction for a search definition's data. Anyone with access to the application can view the data for a search definition set to No Security. That is, the data is public to all users.
Source Level Security	Select to allow or restrict access to the entire search definition as per the specified user or role. That is, only specified users and roles are able to view data for that search definition. Specify values for the following fields: Type - Select user or role, that is, set the scope of the intended access restriction. Name - Choose a role or user name. Privilege - Select Deny or Allow, that is, set the restriction or access privilege. For more information on source level security, see Setting Source Level Security.
Component Level	Select to associate component level security with the external data search definition, that is, users who have access to a component can view the data of the external data search definition. Specify values for the following fields: Market - Select a Market for the component. Component Name - Choose a component to associate with the external data search definition. Search Criteria - Enter any additional custom search criteria to be added automatically to the search engine search query. The search criteria should take the form ATTRIBUTENAME:VALUE and can use keywords and brackets. For example: PTSF_SBO_NAME:EP_AP_VENDOR & (-STATUS:PND) For more information on search criteria, refer to Mapping Components to Search Definitions.

Field or Control

Description

No Security

Select to define no security restriction for a search definition's data. Anyone with access to the application can view the data for a search definition set to No Security. That is, the data is public to all users.

Source Level Security

Select to allow or restrict access to the entire search definition as per the specified user or role. That is, only specified users and roles are able to view data for that search definition.

Specify values for the following fields:

Type - Select user or role, that is, set the scope of the intended access restriction.
Name - Choose a role or user name.
Privilege - Select Deny or Allow, that is, set the restriction or access privilege.

For more information on source level security, see Setting Source Level Security.

Component Level

Select to associate component level security with the external data search definition, that is, users who have access to a component can view the data of the external data search definition.

Specify values for the following fields:

Market - Select a Market for the component.
Component Name - Choose a component to associate with the external data search definition.
Search Criteria - Enter any additional custom search criteria to be added automatically to the search engine search query. The search criteria should take the form ATTRIBUTENAME:VALUE and can use keywords and brackets. For example: PTSF_SBO_NAME:EP_AP_VENDOR & (-STATUS:PND)

For more information on search criteria, refer to Mapping Components to Search Definitions.