Viewing and Understanding the Import Cache

Viewing and Understanding the Import Cache

Viewing the import cache is a powerful diagnostic technique that gives you a snapshot of your data at a critical point in the import process. The cache itself is a temporary storage area where the system holds your data after reading the source file and applying any transformations, but before it attempts to match the data to people and records.

Inspecting this cached data is the best way to:
  1. Verify that your source file was read correctly.
  2. Confirm that your data transformation produced the expected output.
  3. Troubleshoot issues with mismatched rows or incorrect data.

How to Access the Import Cache

You can view the cached data for any import configuration that has been saved and has processed a file.
  1. Navigate to the Import Module.
  2. From the list on the left, click on the Import Configuration you want to inspect. This will load its main settings page.
  3. In the action bar at the top of the page, click the View Cached Data button.
A popup will appear, displaying the cached data in a table.

Understanding the Cache View

The "View Cached Data" popup displays your processed data in a searchable table format.
  1. The Columns in the cache table correspond directly to the header attributes in your final processed data.
    1. For a simple CSV import, these will match the column headers in your source file.
    2. If you used a Data Transformation, these will match the header attributes you defined in your Target XML.
  2. The Rows represent the individual records the system is ready to import.
  3. Filtering and Navigation: You can use the ADD FILTER button to search for specific values within the cache, which is useful for very large files. You can also navigate through pages of data using the controls at the bottom.
This view shows you the exact data—the precise values and column headers—that the import engine will use for the matching and mapping steps.

Important Notes

  1. Auditing: For security and compliance, every time a user views the cached data, that action is logged for auditing purposes.
  2. Viewing Repeater Data: Currently, tab characters used as separators for repeater data will appear as spaces in the cache view. This can make it difficult to visually confirm the structure of repeater columns.

Using the Cache for Troubleshooting

The cache is your primary tool for diagnosing problems when an import doesn't behave as expected.

Scenario 1: High "Unmatched" Count

If the Recent Activity log shows a high number of unmatched rows, open the cache. Use the filter to search for a specific person's ID from the source file. You can then verify the exact value the system processed and compare it to the ID in your main application to find discrepancies.

Scenario 2: Data is Incorrect on the Form

If a field on a form is being populated with the wrong information, the cache can tell you why.
  1. If the data in the cache is correct, the problem is likely in your form mapping (i.e., the Expression on the form field is pointing to the wrong column).
  2. If the data in the cache is incorrect, the problem is in your source file or your Data Transformation.

Scenario 3: A Field is Not Populating

If a form field is remaining blank after an import, check the cache. Verify that the column you are trying to map from exists in the cache and that its header is spelled exactly as you have it in your mapping Expression.

Next Steps

If you've reviewed the cache and are still encountering issues, the next step is to check the detailed error logs.


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