Metadata
- 29 Jan 2025
- 5 Minutes to read
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Metadata
- Updated on 29 Jan 2025
- 5 Minutes to read
- Contributors
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- DarkLight
- PDF
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The Metadata
The metadata screen has three important elements to know:
| No | Element | Function | Image |
| 1 | Navigation tab | Custom metadata: Metadata created by a user |  Presentation of the metadata management screen
|
| Value Domain Metadata, Virtual Space: Value domain and Virtual Space Metadata | |||
| System metadata: Metadata generated automatically when a collection is created, according to the installed modules | |||
| Metadata disabled: Metadata disabled for a particular metadata scheme | |||
| 2 | "Add" button | Allows the creation of a new metadata | |
| 3 | List of metadata | Allows you to view the list of metadata in a tab, modify or delete it |
1. Creation of a new metadata
Note
As a general rule, good practice suggests that metadata should be created in the default schema and then populated in specific schemas. This prevents unnecessary duplication of metadata fields.
There are three types of data entries when creating metadata; manual metadata, copied metadata, and calculated metadata. Creation methods will vary depending on the type chosen.
1.1 Manual metadatas
In order to create a new metadata, we will have to follow the following steps:
- Click on "Administration" in the navigation menu;
- Click on "Metadata schema";
- Click on the magnifying glass to the right of the schema type name;
- Click on "Metadata" to the right of the metadata schema name;
- In the metadata window of a metadata schema, click on "Add".
After clicking on the "Add" button, a form will appear on the screen.
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Form to enter a new metadata
| List of fields present in the form | |
|---|---|
| Element | Fonction |
| Code | Allows you to set a unique value to a metadata. |
| French label | Allows you to name a metadata for the French interface. |
| English label | Allows you to name a metadata for the English interface. |
| Type of data entry | Allows you to choose whether the metadata is entered manually, copied from another reference metadata (For example, a document copies the description of its folder) or calculated. |
| Type | Allows you to define the format of the new metadata. |
| Multivalue | Allows multiple values to be associated with the metadata. |
| Entry type | Allows you to define a format type for the metadata, if applicable. |
| Input mask | Allows you to standardize the values entered in the metadata field by creating an input pattern. This mask must be composed of "A" to limit alphanumeric characters, or "9" to limit numeric characters. (Ex. 999-999-9999). |
| Maximum length | Allows you to define a maximum length of characters for the metadata. |
| Display tab | Allows you to choose in which display tab the metadata will appear. |
| Type of object | Allows "Reference" type metadata to link a metadata to a value domain. |
| Obligatory | Allows you to make it mandatory to enter the metadata in the input form. |
| Duplicable | Allows to duplicate a value inside a field when duplicating a record. |
| Activated | Allows you to enable and disable a metadata in a particular schema. |
| Searchable | Allows the search engine to index the entered values associated with the metadata field. |
| Sortable | Allows the metadata to be considered in the "Sort by" window in the search results page. |
| Advanced search | Allows you to display the metadata in the choices available in an advanced search equation. |
| Highlighting | Allows the search term to be bolded in the search results page. |
| Autocompletion | Allows the software to suggest values already entered when populating the metadata field. Works with Text, Content, Date, Date and Time, String metadata. |
| Available in search and tables | Allows to add the default metadata in the gear of the advanced search table view, in addition to adding it even if the global configuration "Allow dynamic display of metadata fields in table columns" is enabled in Steering -> Configuration -> Search. Warning! It is mandatory to "Restart and rebuild the cache" after activating this item via Control -> Update Center. |
| Unique | Allows you to prohibit the entry of a value that has already been entered in the metadata field, for a particular schema. |
| Contextual help | Allows you to add an information bubble to the metadata in the creation form. |
| Default value | Allows you to enter a default value when creating a record. |
| Display type | Allows you to orient the "Radio button" and "Boolean" metadata on a horizontal or vertical axis. |
| Value sorting | Allows you to choose whether multi-value reference metadata appears in order of entry or in alphabetical order. |
Modification
Only the code and the metadata type cannot be modified after the metadata has been created.
| Types of metadata | |
|---|---|
| Type | Fonction |
| Boolean | Allows you to create a metadata that supports the choice of a "True" or "False" value. |
| Text | Allows you to create a metadata that supports an unlimited sequence of alphanumeric characters. |
| Content | Allows you to create a metadata supporting the import of a file. |
| Date | Allows you to create a metadata that supports the manual entry of date or assist with a calendar. |
| Date & Time | Allows you to create a metadata that supports the manual entry of a date and time or assist with a calendar. |
| Reference | Allows you to create a metadata that feeds into a list of controlled vocabulary in the value domain. |
| String of characters | Allows you to create a metadata that supports a sequence of character limits. |
| Number | Allows you to create a metadata that only supports the entry of a numeric value. |
| Type of entry according to the type of metadata | ||
|---|---|---|
| Type | Choice | Function |
| Text | Text zone | Allows the entry of values with a minimalist formatting. |
| Rich text zone | Allows you to enter values with advanced text formatting options. | |
| Content | Content | Allows you to create a field to import a file. |
| Content Borrowing/Returning | Allows you to create a field for importing a file, as well as an interface for versioning it. | |
| Reference | Lookup | Allows you to create a field with the ability to view controlled vocabulary values in a highlighted window. |
| Drop down menu | Allows you to create a field with the ability to view controlled vocabulary values in a drop-down menu. | |
| Radio button | Allows you to create a field with the ability to view controlled vocabulary values as a button. | |
| String of characters | Basic field | Allows you to create a field where it is possible to enter an alphanumeric value, without supporting carriage returns. |
| URL | Allows you to create a field where the value entered will refer to a URL. | |
| Password | This field is not useful for Constellio users, only for advanced development operators. | |
1.2 Copied metadata
Copied metadata is metadata whose values come from another entity (Ex.: The code of a folder container). The goal is to pass information from one record to another, such as with the folder and the document or from the parent folder to the child folder, in order to avoid manually filling in the same information. The copied metadata is automatically populated by taking their values from a configured source.
In the metadata creation tab, the user will have the possibility to create copied metadata by selecting the reference metadata (e.g.: “Container”) and the copied metadata (e.g.: “Container code”). It is also possible to delete copied user-created metadata and modify certain attributes such as their title. For more details on this type of metadata, see the Copied Metadata documentation.
1.3 Calculated metadata
Calculated metadata allows you to calculate a value automatically from other metadata. When any of the referenced metadata is modified, the calculated metadata is automatically calculated again. For more details on this type of metadata, see the Calculated Metadata documentation.
2. Secure metadata management
Secure metadata management makes it possible to control the display of metadata according to user types. In this way, the functionality allows the addition of security by role for each metadata. For example, the document management manager could view specific metadata that would not be displayed to the user, such as the retention period.
By default, no security is applied to metadata management. The functionality therefore consists of hiding the metadata and preventing it from being used in simple or advanced search for the users concerned. This is essentially an access control on reading the metadata. For more information on secure metadata, see the Managing Secure Metadata page.
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