Publishing Records in the Queue

What is publishing?

Publishing is the process of applying collected data to your repository. AssetTrack is designed to allow asset managers to review all collected data before it is applied to the repository. Once the data is reviewed and accepted, the asset manager then "publishes" the data where it is sent either to the built-in AssetTrack database, or an external integrated system such as CA's Unicenter Asset Portfolio Management.

Publishing data from the queue

To publish data from the queue:

1. Open the folder in the queue containing the data you wish to review and publish.
   
   
2. Check out the rows you wish to review and publish. You cannot publish rows that are not checked out to you.
   
   
3. Edit the records as needed. You will need to clear all "Error" level messages in a record before you attempt to publish that record. See Editing Records in the Queue for detailed information about editing workspace data and clearing warnings.
   
   
4. When ready to publish, use your mouse to select the rows you wish to publish, and then press the Publish Selected button.
   
   

If the records publish successfully, the records will be removed from your workspace. If any errors occur, an error icon will be displayed next to the record.  See Understanding Validation Messages in the Queue for detailed information on understanding and working with validation messages.

Where Does the Data Go?

When published, the selected rows will be sent to the "handlers" attached to the particular form used to collect the data. Out of the box, each form has an "AssetTrack Handler" attached, which will attempt to write the published data to the AssetTrack database. Other handlers can be attached, such as those built for an external repository.

Ensuring data is published in the correct order

Since AssetTrack enqueues data uploaded by multiple users, there can be more than record for a single asset in the queue at one time. In this event, AssetTrack will put a warning on the record indicating that an older record for the same asset exists in the queue.

Finding and publishing older related records

To properly update your repository, you want to publish records in order. If you see the older data warning, follow these instructions to see a list of other queue records for the same asset, with the ability to open those records and publish them in order:

1. Right click on the record in the queue for which you want to view related data.
    
2. Select "View Related Data" 
   
   
   
   
3. A related data window will pop up. The related data panel will list all records that have come into AssetTrack for the same asset record. This includes records that have already been published, as well as records that are still in the queue. You can dock this window within the console wherever you want. In the related data panel that appears, click on the first enqueued record to open that record in the queue. 
   
   In the figure below, the second (gray) record is the one that we selected in the queue to view related data. 
   
   
   
   
4. When you click on the Folder column for a record in the related data panel, the folder containing the row is opened, and the record in that folder is highlighted. You can then check out the record and immediately publish it or make edits. 
   
   
   
   
5. As you publish records, the related data window will be updated. Published records will be shown as published and grayed out.