Delimited Metadata

The 'File Extension' property determines the suffix of the output file (such as .csv, .tsv, or .txt).

Usage

• Set to match the expectations of the receiving system or user.
• Common values include .csv for comma-separated files and .tsv for tab-separated files.

> Tip:
> Changing the extension does not affect the file's internal format—ensure the delimiter and qualifier settings match the chosen extension.

The 'Delimiter' property specifies how field values are separated in the exported text file.

Usage

• Set to a comma (,), tab (\t), pipe (|), or any other character/string required by your workflow.
• Ensure the delimiter does not conflict with field values, or use 'Delimiter Escape' to handle such cases.

Examples:

• Comma: , (CSV)
• Tab: \t (TSV)
• Pipe: |

> Note:
> Choose a delimiter that is compatible with the systems or tools that will consume the exported file.

The 'Delimiter Escape' property allows you to specify a replacement for delimiter characters found inside field values, preventing parsing errors.

Usage

• Set to a string (such as a space, underscore, or custom token) to replace delimiters within data.
• Leave blank to allow delimiters in field values, which may cause issues in some consumers.

Example:
If the delimiter is , and a field value contains a comma, set 'Delimiter Escape' to ; or another safe character.

> Tip:
> Use this property to ensure exported files are parsed correctly by downstream systems, especially when field values may contain the delimiter.

The 'Qualifier' property specifies a character (such as a double quote) to enclose field values and header names, improving compatibility with CSV and similar formats.

Usage

• Set to " for standard CSV files, or another character as required.
• Qualifiers are added around field values of type string, date/time, GUID, or URL, and around header names if 'Include Header' is enabled.

Example:
Field value: "123, Main St." (with qualifier " and delimiter ,)

> Tip:
> Use qualifiers to prevent issues when field values contain delimiters, line breaks, or special characters.

The 'Qualifier Escape' property specifies how to escape qualifier characters found inside field values.

Usage

• Set to a string (such as "" for double quotes in CSV) to ensure field values are correctly parsed.
• Required for formats where field values may contain the qualifier character.

Example:
If the qualifier is ", a value of He said "Hello" would be exported as "He said ""Hello""".

> Tip:
> Set this property to match the expectations of the target system or standard (e.g., RFC 4180 for CSV).

The 'Include Header' property controls whether the exported file begins with a row listing the names of each field.

Usage

• Enable to provide column names for easier import into spreadsheets or databases.
• Disable to export only data rows, which may be required for some automated workflows.

> Tip:
> Including a header is recommended for most scenarios, but verify the requirements of the receiving system.

The 'Include Relation' property controls whether a reference to the related exported file (such as a PDF or image) is added to the metadata output.

Usage

• Enable this option to provide downstream systems with a direct link between the metadata and the exported content file.
• The related file path is output as a key named Related_To in the key-value pairs.

> Note:
> This is useful for workflows where metadata and content files are delivered together and need to be associated.

The 'Include Parent Data' property determines whether metadata from parent Batch Folders or ancestor documents is included in the export.

What is Parent Data?

"Parent data" refers to data elements belonging to a parent Content Type in a hierarchical batch structure. This relationship is established using the 'Child Of' property on a Content Type. When a Content Type is configured as a child of another, its exported metadata can include data from its parent and ancestor folders/documents.

For example, if you have a batch structure like:

• Personnel File (parent Content Type)
  • Employee_ID (field on Personnel File)
  • Employee_Name (field on Personnel File)
  • Benefits Change Form (child Content Type, with 'Child Of' set to Personnel File)
    • Request_Date (field on Benefits Change Form)
    • Change_Reason (field on Benefits Change Form)

Enabling 'Include Parent Data' on the export format for 'Benefits Change Form' will include both its own fields and the parent Personnel File's fields (such as Employee_ID and Employee_Name) in the exported metadata.

How to Configure Parent Data

1. In your Content Type configuration, set the 'Child Of' property to establish the parent-child relationship between content types.
2. When exporting metadata, enable 'Include Parent Data' to include data from the parent and ancestor folders/documents as defined by the batch structure and content type hierarchy.

> Tip:
> Use this option for multi-level batch structures where child documents need to reference or include data from their parent folders or documents. Be aware that enabling this may introduce additional fields into the export, which should be considered for downstream integration.

The 'Use Display Names' property controls how field names are written in the key-value output.

Usage

• Enable to use user-friendly, human-readable field names as keys in the export.
• Disable to use fully-qualified field names (code paths), which may be required for integration with systems expecting exact field identifiers.

Example:

• Display Name: Invoice Number
• Fully-Qualified Name: Document.InvoiceNumber

> Tip:
> Use display names for readability and reporting; use fully-qualified names for strict system integration or when field names must be unique.