Lookup Specification

Lookup Specifications define a lookup operation that queries an external data source to validate and/or populate field values in Grooper.

Remarks

Lookups enable integration with external data sources such as databases, web services, or custom providers.

Overview

• Used to validate or populate Data Fields by querying external sources.
• Configured on Data Model, Data Section, or Data Table objects.
• Supports a variety of trigger modes, error handling, and population strategies.

Configuration

1. Scope
   Attach the lookup to a Data Model, Data Section, or Data Table. The scope determines which fields are available as criteria and targets.

2. Criteria Fields
   Specify which fields (and/or variables) are used as input for the lookup query.

3. Target Fields
   Define which fields will be populated or validated by the lookup results.

4. Trigger Mode
   Control when the lookup executes (automatically, conditionally, manually, or via a custom expression).

5. Population and Error Handling
   Configure how results are applied, and what happens if no results or multiple results are returned.

6. Implementation
   Derive from this class to implement the actual query logic in GetLookupResults.

Supported Scenarios

• Field Validation: Ensure field values match authoritative data.
• Auto-Population: Fill in additional fields based on lookup results.
• Reference Data: Retrieve and enforce valid value lists.

Execution Flow

1. Lookup is triggered based on the configured mode.
2. Criteria values are collected from the current data context.
3. GetLookupResults is called to perform the external query.
4. Results are applied to target fields according to the population and error handling settings.

Error Handling

• If no results are returned, or if multiple results are found, behavior is controlled by MissDisposition and ConflictDisposition.
• Errors during lookup execution are logged and can set error status on affected fields.

Best Practices

• Use lookups to enforce data integrity and reduce manual entry.
• Carefully select trigger modes to balance automation and user control.
• Review and test error handling to ensure a smooth user experience.
• For custom data sources, derive from LookupSpecification and implement GetLookupResults.

Properties

Derived Types

There are 5 implementations of Lookup Specification.

Used By

Data LookupData ModelData SectionData Table