Purge Parameters
This function is used to define the parameters linked to the purging and archiving functions.
The SAFE X3 software is able to manage, by means of the archiving / purging functions, the transfer to archives or the purging of entries that no longer change, and are considered sufficiently old that they are not frequently consulted.
Only data considered as closed (i.e. that will not change any more) can be purged or archived.
The archiving is carried out by transfer of data from a folder table to a table with the same structure (with two additional fields, CREHISDAT and CREHISUSR, which is used to know the dates and operators that archived the data). This table is defined in a dedicated folder, which uses the current folder as a 'mother' folder, and whose creation is automatically carried out upon first archiving.
The interest in this method lies in the fact that the standard inquiry functions for the archived data operate by simple connection to this folder, in the same way that they operate for the current folder.
When connected to the archive file, it will only be possible to view the archived data separately, not simultaneously with non-archived data of the same type. However, if an archive table refers to common data (that willl not be archived by definition) or to data for which no archive table has been defined, the inquiry can zoom to the non-archived data.
The Purging rule setup is used to define the 'shelf life' from which the movements can be purged or archived, following coherence rules by table group defined elsewhere.
According to the concerned business module, the processing can also take into account the value of certain parameters. Their list is given in a separate document.
If the user wants to view specific movements, some of which are located in the live folder and others in the archive folder, union-type SQL queries will have to be defined in both tables concerned, via specific SQL queries or views, for example.
Prerequisites
It is necessary that the archiving folder associated with the current folder has been created previously.
Screen management
Entry screen
Presentation
On starting this function, a grid is displayed containing the archiving and purging parameters associated with a group of tables identified by a code (for example, ASUPER for certain supervisor tables). At the application level, a group of tables is defined by a dedicated function in development. A group of tables contains the tables linked to each other in a coherent fashion, and therefore the purging or archiving only has a global sense (for example, tables with data organized in a header and in lines ought to be in the same group).
A group of characteristics parameters for the archiving and purging tables is associated with each group of tables.
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Fields
The following fields are present on this tab :
Grid
| This code identifies a purging formula. |
| Enter the description of the relevant record. This long description is used as a title in screens and reports. |
| If this indicator is set to Yes, the purging function creates an archive table if it does not already exist, and transfers to it the data to be archived. |
| This field expressed in days, corresponds to the duration from which an item of data can be archived. |
| This frequency, expressed in days, makes it possible to only start the archive processing on a group where the last archiving operation was before this time period. |
| Last date on which an archiving actually took place. |
| If this indicator is set to Yes, the purging function deletes all the data that can be purged when it is started. |
| This field expressed in days, corresponds to the duration from which an item of data can be purged. |
| This frequency, expressed in days, makes it possible to only start the purge processing on a group where the last purging operation was before this time period. |
| Last date on which a purging actually took place |
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Other conditions
It is important to note the following points :
- If the data is not archived, but purged, the shelf life of a closed item of information is limited in time to the days given in the frequency between purges. For example, an item of closed data with a shelf life of 100 days will be purged at the start of the purging processing 100 days after the reference date.
- If the data is not archived, then purged, the shelf life of the closed item of information, is limited to the sum of the time in given days in the time before archiving, then the time before purging. For example, an item of closed data with a shelf life of 100 days in archive and 200 days for purging will be archived at the start of the purging processing 100 days after the reference date. Then it stays for a minimum of 200 days in the archive table before being purged (thus the data has a real shelf life of 300 days minimum).
The maximum duration before purging or archiving can be entered in 4 digits, this corresponds to 27 years (it is also possible to declare No to the archiving and purging).