Best Practices for Viewing User Entity Details

When creating an extract definition, you need user entity details to create data groups. You can search and view the user entity details by navigating to the search page of the View User Entity Details task from the Data Exchange work area. You can also access the User Entity Details UI when you create a data group in the Design tab of the Extract Definitions task.

View the User Entity Details

To search and view the user entity details on the User Entity Details page:

1. Click Navigator > My Client Groups > Data Exchange.
2. In the Data Exchange work area, click View User Entity Details.
3. On the User Entity Details page, enter a keyword or user entity name and its associated attributes.
4. Click Search.
5. In the Search Results section, click the user entity link to view the user entity details.

   Using the User Entity Details page, you can:

   • Review the type of user entity, for example, single row, multiple rows, historic, or effective dated.

   • View the database items available in a user entity.

   • Validate user entities for use with root data groups.

   • Review the contexts used and set by the user entity.

   • Review the SQL query the user entity uses.

   • Calculate the number of rows in a data set.

   • Verify the extracts that are using the user entity.

The following sections detail the information that you can derive on the User Entity Details page.

Review the User Entity Details

In the User Entity Information tab:

• If the value of Valid for Root Data Group is Yes, then the user entity can be used as a root data group. You can also decide if a user entity is valid for use as a root data group, if the value of Multiple Rows is Yes and Context Required is No. For example, the PER_EXT_SEC_PERSON_UE user entity can be used as a root data group, as the value of Multiple Rows is Yes and Context Required is No.
• If a user entity isn't a multiple row user entity, you must not use it as the root data group. If a multiple row user entity sets the contexts required for a single row user entity, the database item groups from the single row user entity are generally included as derived database item groups to the multiple row user entity. For example, the PER_PER_PERSON_DETAILS_UE user entity isn't a multiple row user entity.
• If a user entity is historic, it retrieves data irrespective of the effective date. For example, the PER_EXT_ASSIGNMENT_BASIC_HISTORY_UE user entity retrieves the entire historic details of an assignment.
• If a user entity isn't historic, it retrieves data as of the effective date. For example, the PER_EXT_PAY_EMPLOYEES_V2_UE user entity retrieves Person, Assignment, and Payroll details as of the effective date.

Review the SQL query

The User Entity Query tab lists the SQL query that the user entity uses to extract data. You can review the table structure and aliases which is useful for creating advanced filter criteria. If the user entity is valid as a root data group, you can calculate the rows that the SQL query will return. However, the number of rows returned is an estimate and might not match the exact number of rows the extract will return. The actual extract output depends on the filter criteria, expressions, and fast formulas used in the extract.

Review the User Entity Contexts

The Contexts Set tab lists the contexts that you need to set to use the user entity in the extract. For example, the PER_PER_PHONES_UE user entity requires the PERSON_ID context; therefore, you must set the PERSON_ID context to use this user entity. Generally, the user entities that aren't historic require the EFFECTIVE_DATE context. However, the EFFECTIVE_DATE context is set by default, so you don't have to set this context explicitly. The Contexts Set section lists the contexts that are set by the user entity. For example, the PER_EXT_SEC_PERSON_UE user entity sets the PERSON_ID, ORGANIZATION_ID, and ENTERPRISE_ID contexts that can be used by other user entities.

Verify Extracts Using the User Entity

The Extracts Using User Entity tab lists the other extracts that are using the user entity. If another extract is using the user entity, you can review the extract design to understand how the user entity is being used. You can also copy the extract design and then change it to suit your needs.