Business metadata export and import

It can be a time-consuming and tedious process to update business metadata particularly when the sources contain hundreds or thousands of data elements. Qlik Catalog provides a utility that lets users manage updates to business metadata outside of the product faster and with more efficiency. To update business metadata for sources, entities, and fields, users can first either export business metadata to a CSV file from a source (source, entity, and fields) in their environment and then import modified metadata (modified with a tool like Excel) back into Qlik Catalog for a round-trip metadata update. Alternately users can upload a CSV file for a one-time update.

If you are exporting the CSV file to modify it, the structure is already defined. The CSV file should have columns detailing target Object Type (EXTERNAL for source objects, INTERNAL for discover objects), Source, Entity, and Fields along with metadata for Business Name, Business Description, Technical Description, Tag 1, Tag 2, Tag 3, Tag 4, and so on; there is no limit to the number of tags that can be applied at source, entity and field levels. Business metadata import supports overwrite of source, entity and field tags. For more information, see Overwriting tags.

For information on import of business metadata for custom fields, see Extended business metadata import support for XLS import of custom field values.

The following example demonstrates a round-trip metadata update where a user:

Exports business metadata to a CSV file
Makes changes to the metadata CSV file using a tool like Excel
Imports the modified business metadata back into Qlik Catalog

Business metadata values will be mapped to the specified object-level(s) in the spreadsheet. For example, if the source and entity names are provided in the spreadsheet in their respective columns, all of the metadata values for Business Name, Business Description, Technical Description, Tag 1, Tag 2,Tag 3, Tag 4, and so on, will be inserted at those levels. Business Name column MUST be filled in: null values are not allowed in this column.

Users should be aware that business metadata import will overwrite values in place for Business Name, Business Description, and Technical Description fields even if those cells are blank in the spreadsheet. By default, the tag fields are additive and will not overwrite tags that are in place.

Cell values in the Technical Description column behave and populate differently depending on whether they are applied at the source, entity, and field levels.
source: NOT IN USE. Cell values in a source row (a row with only a source name entry) in the Technical Description cell will be ignored.
entity: Short Name. Cell values in an entity row (a row with a source and entity name entry) in the Technical Description cell will be imported into the entity's Short Name field.
field: Technical Description. Cell values in a field row (a row with a source, entity, and field name entry) in the Technical Description cell will be imported into the field's Technical Description field.

All other business metadata is imported as expected.

Exporting business metadata

Do the following:

Go to Admin>Import / Export Metadata tab.
Select the Import / Export Metadata dropdown and select the Export button.
Click on the Please Select dropdown and select Business Metadata.
Select Next.
Select the source(s) that you want to export the business metadata file from.
Select Ok. This action downloads a business metadata file to your default downloads directory. Open the file.

exported business metadata CSV file example — Image example: Exported business metadata spreadsheet. Note the Technical Description behavior per level. Technical Description for source is not in use and Technical Description value for entity populates the Short Name field.

Sample exported CSV file
Object Type	Source	Entity	Field	Business Name	Business Description	Technical Description	Tag1	Tag2	Tag3	Tag4
EXTERNAL	employees			aaa1	bbb1		ddd1	eee1	fff1	ggg1
EXTERNAL	employees	employees_md		aaa1	bbb1	ext_entity_Short Name	ddd1	eee1	fff1	ggg1
EXTERNAL	employees	employees_md	birth_date	aaa1	bbb1	ccc1	ddd1	eee1	fff1	ggg1
EXTERNAL	employees	employees_md	emp_no	aaa1	bbb1	ccc1	ddd1	eee1	fff1	ggg1
EXTERNAL	employees	employees_md	first_name	aaa1	bbb1	ccc1	ddd1	eee1	fff1	ggg1
EXTERNAL	employees	employees_md	gender	aaa1	bbb1	ccc1	ddd1	eee1	fff1	ggg1
EXTERNAL	employees	employees_md	hire_date	aaa1	bbb1	ccc1	ddd1	eee1	fff1	ggg1
EXTERNAL	employees	employees_md	last_name	aaa1	bbb1	ccc1	ddd1	eee1	fff1	ggg1
INTERNAL	employees			aaa1	bbb1		ddd1	eee1	fff1	ggg1
INTERNAL	employees	employees_md		aaa1	bbb1	int_ent_Short Name	ddd1	eee1	fff1	ggg1
INTERNAL	employees	employees_md	birth_date	aaa1	bbb1	ccc1	ddd1	eee1	fff1	ggg1
INTERNAL	employees	employees_md	emp_no	aaa1	bbb1	ccc1	ddd1	eee1	fff1	ggg1
INTERNAL	employees	employees_md	first_name	aaa1	bbb1	ccc1	ddd1	eee1	fff1	ggg1
INTERNAL	employees	employees_md	gender	aaa1	bbb1	ccc1	ddd1	eee1	fff1	ggg1
INTERNAL	employees	employees_md	hire_date	aaa1	bbb1	ccc1	ddd1	eee1	fff1	ggg1
INTERNAL	employees	employees_md	last_name	aaa1	bbb1	ccc1	ddd1	eee1	fff1	ggg1

Details show business metadata for an entity before making changes and importing a CSV — External entity details before business metadata edits

Editing business metadata

Do the following:

Edit the CSV to modify the business metadata for import. If you are doing a one-time import of business metadata it is still recommended to export from the source first so the correct structure is in place. Save the modified CSV locally. If the business metadata values are identical for internal (discover) and external (source) objects, one row with the Object Type column value ALL is applied to both (on import only).

business metadata CSV file example modified for import — Image example: Modified business metadata spreadsheet

Sample import CSV file
Object Type	Source	Entity	Field	Business Name	Business Description	Technical Description	Tag1	Tag2	Tag3	Tag4
EXTERNAL	employees			ext_BizName_source	ext_BizDesc_source		ext_tag1_source	ext_tag2_source	ext_tag3_source	ext_tag4_source
EXTERNAL	employees	employees_md		ext_BizName_entity	ext_BizDesc_entity	ext_TechDesc_entity_Short Name	ext_tag1_entity	ext_tag2_entity	ext_tag3_entity	ext_tag4_entity
EXTERNAL	employees	employees_md	birth_date	ext_BizName_field1	ext_BizDesc_field1	ext_TechDesc_field1	ext_tag1_field1	ext_tag2_field1	ext_tag3_field1	ext_tag4_field1
EXTERNAL	employees	employees_md	emp_no	ext_BizName_field2	ext_BizDesc_field2	ext_TechDesc_field2	ext_tag1_field2	ext_tag2_field2	ext_tag3_field2	ext_tag4_field2
EXTERNAL	employees	employees_md	first_name	ext_BizName_field3	ext_BizDesc_field3	ext_TechDesc_field3	ext_tag1_field3	ext_tag2_field3	ext_tag3_field3	ext_tag4_field3
EXTERNAL	employees	employees_md	gender	ext_BizName_field4	ext_BizDesc_field4	ext_TechDesc_field4	ext_tag1_field4	ext_tag2_field4	ext_tag3_field4	ext_tag4_field4
EXTERNAL	employees	employees_md	hire_date	ext_BizName_field5	ext_BizDesc_field5	ext_TechDesc_field5	ext_tag1_field5	ext_tag2_field5	ext_tag3_field5	ext_tag4_field5
EXTERNAL	employees	employees_md	last_name	ext_BizName_field6	ext_BizDesc_field6	ext_TechDesc_field6	ext_tag1_field6	ext_tag2_field6	ext_tag3_field6	ext_tag4_field6
INTERNAL	employees			int_BizName_source	int_BizDesc_source		int_tag1_source	int_tag2_source	int_tag3_source	int_tag4_source
INTERNAL	employees	employees_md		int_BizName_entity	int_BizDesc_entity	int_TechDesc_entity_Short Name	int_tag1_entity	int_tag2_entity	int_tag3_entity	int_tag4_entity
INTERNAL	employees	employees_md	birth_date	int_BizName_field1	int_BizDesc_field1	int_TechDesc_field1	int_tag1_field1	int_tag2_field1	int_tag3_field1	int_tag4_field1
INTERNAL	employees	employees_md	emp_no	int_BizName_field2	int_BizDesc_field2	int_TechDesc_field2	int_tag1_field2	int_tag2_field2	int_tag3_field2	int_tag4_field2
INTERNAL	employees	employees_md	first_name	int_BizName_field3	int_BizDesc_field3	int_TechDesc_field3	int_tag1_field3	int_tag2_field3	int_tag3_field3	int_tag4_field3
INTERNAL	employees	employees_md	gender	int_BizName_field4	int_BizDesc_field4	int_TechDesc_field4	int_tag1_field4	int_tag2_field4	int_tag3_field4	int_tag4_field4
INTERNAL	employees	employees_md	hire_date	int_BizName_field5	int_BizDesc_field5	int_TechDesc_field5	int_tag1_field5	int_tag2_field5	int_tag3_field5	int_tag4_field5
INTERNAL	employees	employees_md	last_name	int_BizName_field6	int_BizDesc_field6	int_TechDesc_field6	int_tag1_field6	int_tag2_field6	int_tag3_field6	int_tag4_field6

Importing business metadata

Do the following:

Go to Admin>Import / Export Metadata tab.
Select the Import / Export Metadatadropdown and select the Import button.
Click on the Please Select dropdown and select Business Metadata.
Choose File: Navigate to and select the modified business metadata CSV file.
Select Finish.

Business metadata import is a two-pass process. Two import jobs will be created and run each time import is initiated. One job imports INTERNAL (discover) and ALL (both) rows to create internal sources; the other job imports EXTERNAL (source) and ALL (both) rows. The delivery time is the same for the two IMPORT jobs.

Details show business metadata for an entity after making changes to a CSV that has been exported from Qlik Catalog and then imported — External entity details after business metadata edits

Overwriting tags

Source, entity, and field tags can be overwritten for an entire metadata import or on a row-by-row basis. If either the Overwrite Tags global checkbox is checked or a row in the spreadsheet is set to true or TRUE in an Overwrite Tags column, then the tag values entered in the cells (Tag 1, Tag 2, etc.) at field, entity, or source level will overwrite the tags in place or populate new tags for the object if there were previously no tags. If no tags are supplied in the sheet and either the global checkbox is checked or the Overwrite Tags column value is true, any previously defined tag set is cleared.

The Overwrite Tags column is optional and can be inserted between Technical Description and Tag 1 columns. When the Overwrite Tags column is present, the true or TRUE value can be entered in as many or few cells in the column as needed—all rows, none, just one row, or any combination.

Buisness metadata import showing global checkbox for tag overwrite — Global checkbox for Overwrite Tags

Overwrite Tags column, enter TRUE to overwrite tags for that object — CSV example: Overwrite Tags column

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