Configuring a potential match workflow

Defining a new potential match workflow task type

Before your IBM Master Data Management service can start recognizing potential match issues, you must set the conditions that trigger the workflow by defining a new potential match workflow task type.

You can only create one potential match workflow task type for each entity type in your data model.

To define a new potential match workflow task type from within the IBM Master Data Management service interface:

1. From the Master data navigation menu, click Task types to open the task types page.

2. Select Potential match tasks to show a list of all existing potential match workflow task types.

3. If you have any existing configurations, review them here. Optionally, you can select a configuration to edit.

4. Click New configuration to create a new potential match workflow task type configuration.

5. Select the entity type that this configuration applies to. Remember, you can only create one potential match workflow task type for each entity type in your data model.

6. Provide a meaningful description that explains the reason for this configuration.

7. Choose an existing workflow configuration (from across the entire platform) to associate with this potential match configuration, or click Create new workflow configuration to create one. The workflow configuration will be used to assign users and activate the workflow.

8. Optional: Add one or more rules to automatically apply searchable tags to potential match issues that meet your conditions.

   1. Click Add rule.
   2. Provide a name for the autotagging rule.
   3. Define the conditions that will trigger this autotagging rule. Click Add condition to define as many conditions as necessary.
   4. Select one or more tags that will be applied to issues that meet the conditions. To create a new tag, click Create new tag, then define the tag content and appearance and click Save when you are done. For more information about creating tags, see Managing master data tags.
   5. Click Create.

   To edit an autotagging rule, click the Edit icon . To delete an autotagging rule, click the Delete icon .

   Important: When you edit or delete a rule, your previously applied tags are not affected. Changes to rules take effect immediately, but the new rules only affect future tagging. Deleted rules do not result in deletion of the corresponding tags.

   When you are done defining autotagging rules, click Next.

9. Review your configuration details, then click Create to save this potential match workflow task type.

When you are ready to assign users and activate this workflow task type, continue to the next task, Assigning users and activating your workflow configuration.

Applying tags to existing issues based on rules

After you define one or more active autotagging rules, a message notifies you that you can apply the rules to existing potential match issues. To apply the autotagging rules, click Apply rules. The system searches all existing potential match issues, identifies those that meet your rule conditions, and adds the appropriate tags.

For information about manually applying tags to a selected set of data quality issues, see Completing data stewardship tasks.

Assigning users and activating your workflow configuration

After you have defined the entity type and workflow configuration for your potential match workflow task type, you can assign data steward users and activate the configuration by using the platform's workflow configuration tools.

Remember: If the clerical range is not enabled in the matching settings, then the potential matches workflow cannot generate any tasks. For information about enabling the clerical range and configuring matching thresholds, see Customizing and strengthening your matching algorithm.

To configure how users get assigned potential match tasks and activate the workflow:

1. From the Master data navigation menu, click Task types to open the task types page.

2. Select Potential match tasks to show a list of all existing potential match workflow task type configurations.

3. Select the existing task configuration that you want to activate, then choose Edit. Click Next to advance to the workflow configuration step.

4. Click New workflow configuration to define what users should be assigned tasks.

5. Provide a name for the workflow configuration, then click Create.

   When the configuration is created, it is inactive by default. Inactive workflow configurations capture potential match issues, but do not assign tasks to users.

   It is a good idea to monitor how the configuration performs before activating it.

6. Expand the workflow configuration, then open the workflow configuration settings. The workflow configuration page opens in the platform interface.

   1. Select the data steward users who should be assigned the tasks created by this workflow.
   2. Define how users should be notified about each type of event.
   3. Click Save to save your changes without activating the configuration or, if you are ready to activate this workflow, click Activate to save and activate the configuration.

   For more information about configuring workflows, see Managing workflow configurations for governance artifacts.

7. Close the platform browser tab and return to the IBM Master Data Management workflow configuration page, then click Refresh beside the configuration that you have activated. If you activated the workflow, the row should now show as Active. Click Next.

8. Review your configuration details, then click Create to complete this potential match workflow task type configuration.

Learn more

• Customizing and strengthening your matching algorithm
• Remediating potential matches to improve data quality
• Completing data stewardship tasks
• Monitoring workflow tasks