Tip: Testing transforms without reloading

[Chuck Tomasi]

I learn a lot from my co-workers, and I learn a lot from our customers too. About a year ago I was on a conference call with a customer working on an import set and transform map when she showed me a time saving trick dealing with import sets.

The traditional model for a first time import goes like this:

1. Ensure you have a target (table) via System Definition> Tables & Columns
2. Upload/import your data to an import set
3. Create a transform map
4. 
   
   1. Specify target
   2. Define field mapping
   3. Write any necessary scripting to further manage the data
   
   
5. Run the transform against the import set
6. Check your results

Once you've gone through this a first time, it's likely you'll need to update your transform map and retest it, at which point the procedure now looks like:

1. Modify the transform
2. Upload/import your data to an import set
3. Run the transform
4. Check your results

The time saver comes in step 2. If you're uploading the same spreadsheet, or getting the same JDBC data over and over again, you can eliminate this step and just use the data already stored in the import set from the previous load by changing the state from Processed to Loaded. This is much faster than uploading even a small spreadsheet.

To do this, go to System Import Sets> Advanced> Import Sets. From the list view, change the state from Processed to Loaded.



Now, go back to System Import Sets> Run Transform. You will now see the same import set (e.g. ISET0010012) available to test your transform.



Select it and click the Transform button. You can reset the Import Set from processed to loaded as many times as you like to test your transform map without going through the potentially time consuming step of reloading the data from an external source each time.

Good luck!