Understanding Automatic Matching and Merging Using Prior Match Results

After you have accepted and applied matches in a request and the request has been completed and closed, the status of those matches is retained for the node type and data source.

When you bring in nodes with the same name for the same node type from the same data source, the nodes that were previously accepted as matches are merged automatically with the existing target nodes as part of request processing during the following operations:

• For registered data sources:
  • Creating request items from viewpoint compare
  • Copying nodes across viewpoints
  • Consolidating requests
  • Generating subscription request items
• For unregistered data sources:
  • Request file upload
  • Loading a viewpoint in merge mode

See Reviewing Match Results and Applying Changes.

Note:

Automatic matching and merging takes place only after the request with the applied matches has been completed and closed. If you have an open request with accepted matches and a second request is submitted with the same node name, node type, and data source, that request items in the second request will not be automatically matched and merged because the first request hasn't been completed and closed.

Automatic Matching and Merging Process

Automatic matching and merging follows this general process:

1. The system checks the node type and data source in the request item to see if there is a prior applied match result.
2. During request processing, request items are created:
   • If a match is found: A request item is created to update the existing matched node instead of adding a new node. The name of the node in the request item comes from the existing matched node, and the merged data source and node columns are populated.
   • If a match is not found: A request item is created to add the new node. The name of the node in the request item comes from the load file.

Caution:

For subscriptions, request actions that take place in a registered data source are automatically synchronized to target viewpoints. That means that if you delete a source node that was previously merged into a target node, the subscription engine will automatically match and merge the request action and the Delete action will be applied to the target node.

To avoid inadvertently deleting nodes in your target viewpoints, consider excluding Deletes (and Removes, if necessary) in the Included Actions filter in your subscription. See Filtering by Actions.