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Editing a Transformation

xAssets Configuration Guide
Integration and Data Operations with Transformations

Editing a Transformation

This page explains how to open a transformation for editing and describes the Transformation Editor dialog and its tabs. Each tab controls a different aspect of the transformation's behaviour.

Prerequisites

  • Configuration-level access or membership of a user group with transformation editing permissions
  • Familiarity with the Transformation List

Opening a Transformation for Editing

There are several ways to open the Transformation Editor:

  • Click on a transformation description in the list to open it directly
  • Select a transformation and click Edit button
. Use the search box and column sort/filter to find the required transformation.
  • Select a transformation and choose "Edit Transformation" from the Transformations menu
  • Click Edit button
to open the Find dialog, then search for and select the transformation and click ![OK button](../../images/button-ok-transform.png)
  • Click Edit Last button
to reopen the last transformation you edited

The Transformation Editor

The Transformation Editor dialog displays when you open a transformation:

Transformation Editor dialog showing tabs: Data Source, Data Destination, Data Mapping, Schedule, Batch History, Menus

The editor has a header area with the transformation name, description, and layer information, followed by a set of tabs. Each tab may or may not be enabled, depending on the transformation's configuration.

Tabs

Data Source

Defines where the incoming data comes from. Options include external databases, web services, AMSX scripts, file uploads, SQL queries, xAssets queries, stored procedures, paste data, and discovery engines.

For AMSX scripts, the script itself often writes data directly to xAssets tables, so no separate data destination is needed. See Transformation Data Sources for details on each source type.

Data Destination

Defines where the processed data is written. Options include xAssets tables, external databases, temporary tables, the xAssets Import Receiver (for asset and audit imports), email merge, PDF reports, and client-side or server-side file output.

Most destinations require an Update Key Field to determine whether incoming records should be inserted or updated. See Transformation Data Destinations for details.

Data Mapping

Defines how fields from the data source are mapped to fields in the data destination. Mapping can include field renaming, lookup resolution, calculated fields, and default values. See Source to Destination Data Mapping for details.

Schedule

Determines when the transformation runs automatically. Scheduled transformations are executed by the xAssets Batch Service at the configured interval. Common schedules include daily, weekly, or at a specific time of day.

Batch History

Shows a log of previous batch executions for this transformation, including start time, end time, status, and any error messages. Use this tab to verify that a scheduled transformation ran successfully and to diagnose failures.

Shows existing menu items that run this transformation and allows you to create new ones. This is a convenient way to give users a menu item that triggers the transformation without requiring them to navigate to the transformation list.

Triggers (Conditional)

Transformations configured as database triggers display an additional Triggers tab. This tab defines which table and which save operations (insert, update, or delete) cause the transformation to run automatically. Trigger transformations execute as part of the save transaction, so they can validate data or perform follow-up actions immediately.

Warning: Trigger transformations run within the save transaction. A slow or failing trigger transformation will delay or block the user's save operation. Keep trigger logic fast and handle errors gracefully.