Modify Dropdown Lists

Award Management (AM) stores dropdown list values in reference data tables. To customize dropdown lists to match your organization's processes, modify the values in the AS_AM_R_DATA table.

This page describes how to add, deactivate, and create dropdown lists in Award Management. See Reference Data Tables for descriptions of the table structures.

Add dropdown values

Most dropdown values for AM are stored in the AS_AM_R_DATA table. Updating this table controls which dropdown values display to end users during the award process.

To add a value to a dropdown list:

1. Insert a new row into the AS_AM_R_DATA table.
2. Populate each column with the following information:
   • REF_LABEL: The new value to add.
   • REF_TYPE: The grouping category for the dropdown values (the dropdown list name).

   • SORT_ORDER: (Optional) A number specifying the sort order.

     Note: To implement sort order, update the queries applied to this column.

   • REF_ICON: (Optional) An icon for this entry.
   • REF_COLOR: (Optional) The icon color.
   • IS_ACTIVE: 1 (true).
   • CREATED_BY: Your Appian username.
   • CREATED_DATETIME: The current timestamp in YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM:SS format.
   • MODIFIED_BY: Your Appian username.
   • MODIFIED_DATETIME: The current timestamp in YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM:SS format.

After inserting the row, the value is available in any dropdown list that has the same REF_TYPE.

Example

The following SQL statement adds new dropdown values. Replace the values in angle brackets (< >) with your data:

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INSERT INTO AS_AM_R_DATA (REF_DATA_ID, REF_LABEL, REF_TYPE, IS_ACTIVE, CREATED_BY, CREATED_DATETIME, MODIFIED_BY, MODIFIED_DATETIME)
VALUES (null, '<New Label>', '<Type>', 1, '<Username>', CURRENT_TIMESTAMP(), '<Username>', CURRENT_TIMESTAMP());

Deactivate a dropdown value

If a value in a dropdown list is no longer needed, deactivate it by changing the IS_ACTIVE value in the AS_AM_R_DATA table from 1 (true) to 0 (false).

After the update, the value no longer displays in any dropdown list. The value continues to display for awards that are already active or historical.

Example

The following SQL statement deactivates a dropdown value. Replace <ID Being Updated> with the REF_DATA_ID value. For example, to deactivate Weeks in the following table, <ID Being Updated> is 24:

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UPDATE AS_AM_R_DATA SET IS_ACTIVE = 0 WHERE REF_DATA_ID = <ID Being Updated>;

Add a dropdown list

To add an entirely new dropdown list, create a new dropdown list type in the AS_AM_R_DATA table and a corresponding constant in the application.

1. Add a new row to the AS_AM_R_DATA table following the steps in Add dropdown values. For the REF_TYPE column, enter a name for the new dropdown list (for example, Entity Region).
2. Create a constant in the application to reference the new list. See Use a dropdown list in the application.

Use a dropdown list in the application

After adding a new dropdown list type to the AS_AM_R_DATA table, create a constant to reference it in interfaces.

1. In Appian Designer, open the AS AM Full Application.
2. Create a new constant named AS_AM_REF_TYPE_<NEW_DROPDOWN_LIST_TYPE> (for example, AS_AM_REF_TYPE_ENTITY_REGION):
   • Type: Text

   • Value: The dropdown list name exactly as it appears in the REF_TYPE column of the AS_AM_R_DATA table.

     Note: The value must match the REF_TYPE column exactly. For example, if the column value is Entity Region, the constant value must also be Entity Region.

   • Save Location: AS AM SAIL Design Objects folder.

After the constant is created, the list is ready to be used by the AS_AM_QE_getRefDataByTypes expression rule. This rule pulls all reference data onto an interface that needs a reference value. The rule accepts the refTypes parameter—an array of text values corresponding to the REF_TYPE values in the database.

Example

To pull in the Award Status and Award Type dropdown lists:

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local!refData: rule!AS_AM_QE_getRefDataByTypes(
  refTypes: {
    /* Award Status */
    cons!AS_AM_REF_TYPE_AWARD_STATUS,
    /* Award Type */
    cons!AS_AM_REF_TYPE_AWARD_TYPE
  }
)

You may pass either text values or constants of type Text with the corresponding dropdown list type.

Other reference data tables

Several other tables contain reference data that appears in lists. The values in these tables are universal and rarely require changes. If you need to modify the list of countries, states, or document templates, update the following tables:

• AS_GAM_R_COUNTRY: A list of countries.
• AS_GAM_R_STATE: A list of US states.
• AS_AM_R_DOCUMENT_TEMPLATE: A list of document templates used to create award documents.

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