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Txture Excel (XLSX) Data source

As an alternative to manual modeling or if pre-processing of data needs to happen outside of the Txture platform the Txture Excel data source can be used. It allows the collection of assets, links and property values in a spreadsheet based approach.

The data source manages

  • those parts of the Structure that should be made available for data entry as well as
  • a single or multiple uploaded Excel files that conform to the Structure and contain the information to be imported.

The process of using this data sources involves (I.) configuring and downloading the Excel template based on the parts of the Structure in scope, (II.) sending out the Excel templates and filling in the information and finally (III.) uploading filled-in Excel template files and importing its information to the Txture Repository.

I. Configure and Download a Txture Excel Template

  1. Select the Txture Excel Template data source in Admin / Data Sources.
  2. Give the Txture Excel Template data source a meaningful name
  3. Configure which assets, links and contained properties should be part of the generated Excel template. The checkbox menu contains all asset-types, link-types and properties (for both assets and links - if available) of your Structure. Please note that the selections influence each other: e.g. a specific property will only be accessible in the Excel if a containing asset or link type is present, or a link type can only be described if both related asset types are checked.

  1. Save your settings. After saving the action button for generating and downloading the Txture Excel template will get enabled. Furthermore Excel files can get uploaded in the dedicated section.
  2. Choose the action button to download an Excel template that corresponds to the Structure configuration in the data sources.

Warning:

You may change the Structure configuration in the data source at anytime. A newly downloaded Txture Excel template will reflect those changes. Bear in mind that when uploading an outdated Excel file, only the currently active configuration of the Structure in the data source will be taken into consideration. This may potentially lead to either missing data (if e.g. a property has not been part in the former template file) or ignored data (if e.g. a property has been un-checked in the configuration, although data for this property is present in the given Excel file).

Info:

Depending on your Structure configuration, persons or users in the shape of Stakeholder assets might be part of your Excel sheet. If this is the case, please note that actual user accounts will only be imported if there is at least an email address provided. The email address reflects a username during login and hence is required for a valid user account. Additionally, note that stakeholder assets that should be linked to other imported assets must be referenced by their email address.

II. Collecting Data with the Excel Template The Excel templates you generated contains a number of sheets (tabs in the Excel file). Each sheet corresponds to an asset type that has been checked in the Structure configuration in the data source. Each sheet contains in its columns from left to right all properties and then all links.

If you have properties on links as well, you are still going to define links themselves within the asset Excel sheets. But for all properties of the link an additional sheet will be part of the Excel template. An example of such a sheet is "Business Process uses Application" where some criticality of an application towards a business process can be described as a link property.

Info:

In the Excel sheet of an asset type you can only describe outgoing links to other assets. E.g. a database instance that runs on a virtual server will have the "runs on" link only in the sheet for Database assets.

Each Excel template contains some guidance and a table of contents in its first tab "Introduction".

Consider the following general best practices to make the Excel template work as expected:

  • Strictly adhere to the guidelines shown in the "Introduction" sheet.
  • Do not manipulate the auto-generated file, its columns/row layout or its pre-filled content except for the data entry cells.
  • Pay attention to the expected cell value format. Multi-valued properties are expressed by comma-separated values in a single cell. It is better not to enter values than to enter incorrectly formatted values.
  • The expected unit/scaling of values is either encoded in the description, property name or property type cells in a column. E.g. "RAM size in MiB" means just that; no automatic conversion of values will take place.
  • Certain properties are bound to the Txture Cloud Knowledge Base and technology catalog. E.g. properties to express operating systems, database engines or general technologies trigger a lookup and (fuzzy) matching while importing. If you have the chance you can lookup the technologies upfront by accessing the Taxonomy. If anybody without access to the Taxonomy fills out the Excel sheets, they can still attempt to use the values for technologies they have. Since Txture importers apply fuzzy name and keyword matching as well as name aliases in order to normalize the technologies during import.
  • You can use as many applications and assets you like in a single shared Excel template, but you can also have a single (or a few) application(s) in multiple Excel template files. This strongly depends on how stakeholders are involved to fill in the information.

III. Upload and Import Data from Excel Template Files

  1. After data collection, the Excel template file can be uploaded again to import data into Txture. For this return to data source and choose "Select or drop a file as attachment" and select your file to start the upload process.
  2. Optionally upload another file. All files uploaded to the data source will be considered during import.

Info:

If data in an Excel sheet is changing and the Txture Repository needs an update, you need to upload the file with the same name. Only the newest version of the file will be kept and imported. Txture importers will then efficiently synchronize the changes to the Repository.

  1. Go to the Importer section in the admin area and create a new importer. Select your Excel template data source. Choose "Auto configure"
  2. Select "Auto configured" and create your importers. A group name can be provided for better managing importers, as a group.
  3. You can run each of the individual importers by using the "Run now" button. Alternatively you can go to Task Scheduling, create a new scheduling group and search for individual importers or the entire group. Schedule it "once" and add the planned execution time of the importer.