Exercise : Create a new Datastore Parameter

In this exercise you will learn how to create a new Datastore Parameter. The new parameter to be created lists:

• Hotel Name

• Hotel Description

• Nr of Stars

• Daily Rate

With this exercise you will learn the following competences:

• Understand the structure of a datastore parameter

• set the attributes

• maintain the data inside the datastore

• Export and import a parameter

Access the DataStore

To create a new form, go to the Admin menu (/common/admin/admin.aspx) and look for DataStore:

Create a new Parameter

Click on + Add New Parameter.

Create your Parameter and give it the name 'Test Hotels', complete the Category with 'Test parameter', enter a description if you want. Select as type 'Manual parameter'.

Set the Fields

A datastore Parameter holds data in columns, so we need to define the different columns or fields first. Go to the tab 'Fields' and select + Add New Field.

Create the 4 following fields:

• Hotel Name (Text Field (1 row))

• Hotel Description (Text Area (5 rows))

• Nr of Stars (Numeric)

• Daily Rate (Numeric)

The structure is now created, we can start adding data.

Enter data into your Parameter

Go to the tab 'Entries' and you will see an empty list. this is normal, as we have not yet entered any data into our new Parameter, we only set the structure.

Click on + Add New Entry. A popup will appear.

This popup shows the 4 fields we just created.

Enter some values using the popup. Click Save and add another one when you are ready to enter the next entry.

Export the data into Excel

You can easily extract the data to Excel. Click on the tab 'Export'. Click on the link click here. An Excel sheet will be crreated. Download the excel sheet and add a few more hotel into it. Leave the field 'Data_ID' empty. Edit some of the existing entries. Save the Excel sheet.

Import data using Excel

Open the tab 'Import'. Select the first option 'Add new, replace existing and delete missing'. Now, click the button Select and upload Excel file. Navigate to your edited Excel sheet on your machine in the popup. The import will start directly and notify you of any errors.