MediaBeacon Custom Field Configuration

Transferring custom fields to MediaBeacon

Note: MediaBeacon field configuration is an advanced configuration and will be performed by a system administrator.

Similar to ATTL, all custom fields which are visible to the ATMB task will attempt to be transferred. If the fields exist within MediaBeacon and have been configured properly, then the values will be transferred.

Attribute values within MediaBeacon are managed separately from BLUE. In most cases, if the value doesn’t exist in MediaBeacon when the file is transferred, it will be added.

Setting up MediaBeacon and Custom Fields

Custom fields are mapped using the “Field ID” in BLUE and the “Internal Name” in MediaBeacon, which uses a string match on custom field names. The custom fields must be set up in MediaBeacon order to map them and transfer custom field values using the Auto Transfer to MediaBeacon task.

Supported Custom Field Types 

The following custom field types are supported:

Creating Value Lists in MediaBeacon

The first step in creating fields which BLUE may access is to create the value lists. You will need to create dictionaries for all the MediaBeacon field Types that have the Suggest Dictionary type validator (see the above table). Setting up a dictionary will allow you to select values from a value list within MediaBeacon.

About Suggest Dictionary fields

FAQ: I’m setting up the custom fields in MediaBeacon. Why do most convert into “Suggest Dictionary”?

A Suggest Dictionary field in MediaBeacon is one in which values are selected from a list, but new values can also be added as entered. While there is a “Force Dictionary” field, this would require extra configuration (i.e. whenever a new value is entered into a BLUE custom field, like a new country, it would also have to be added verbatim to the corresponding MediaBeacon field).

This extra setup would mean more maintenance and does not grant more benefit. Considering that even with this integration, BLUE will remain the single source of truth for these files and metadata, metadata which is already being checked in BLUE when entered.

Therefore, the field setup in MediaBeacon can be more flexible (i.e, set up as “Suggest Dictionary”), allowing for values to be entered as needed.

Creating the Dictionaries

Create dictionaries for all the MediaBeacon field Types that have the Suggest Dictionary type validator.

1. 1. Navigate to MediaBeacon as a root user (admin).
   2. Choose Manage > Dictionaries.

For each dictionary:

1. 1. Click on the ‘Create new dictionary’ + sign (top right). The Create New Dictionary dialog opens.
   2. In the Create New Dictionary dialog, enter the Dictionary Name and Dictionary Description.  
      
   3. Leave the other settings with their default values.
   4. Click Create. The dictionary will show up in the list of dictionaries on the left.
   5. With the dictionary selected (left), add values to the dictionary using the ‘Add new word’ field top right.  

The next step in setting up custom fields is to create the fields in MediaBeacon.

Creating the Custom Fields in MediaBeacon

1. 1. In MediaBeacon, choose Manage > System.
   2. Choose Navigate > Fields.                                    
   3. Choose Create > Field.  The Create New Field dialog opens.             

For each field, fill in the following information, then click Create:

• • Schema: Set this value to http://www.bluesoftware.com/customfields/1.0
    • This is the data scheme which BLUE will be expecting all fields to map to.
    • The default will be http://www.bluesoftware.com/customfields/1.0 but this can be changed via configuration.
  • Internal Name: This is the MediaBeacon internal field name.
    • The MediaBeacon ‘Internal Name’ must match the BLUE ‘Field ID’ in order for the values to transfer successfully, as shown in the following screenshots:                                              

• • Display Name: This is the name displayed in MediaBeacon. Best practice is that the display names in MediaBeacon and BLUE should be similar, however, they may be different.
  • Type Validator: This field is used to ensure the value entered is an available value (i.e. if it’s date, then it must be entered in date format).
    • This is the type in the MediaBeacon Type Validator column in the above table, for example ‘Suggest Dictionary’.
  • Dictionary: This is the value list from which values can be selected.
    • If the type is “Suggest Dictionary”, select the dictionary name you created.
  • UI Element: This indicates what kind of field will show up (ie. String).
    • Select the corresponding MediaBeacon ‘UI Element’ from the above table.
  • Leave all other settings with their default values.

Note: For more details on these fields and other field configurations, please consult your MediaBeacon contact.

Setting up the URL field

• • In addition to transferring custom field data to MediaBeacon,  a specific “url” field can be transferred.
  • This “url” field will contain a link which take the user back to the BLUE sub-process in which the file was approved.                           

Create the URL field:

• • You will need to create a new field which will display this link. Create a new field with an internal name “url” as shown:

Setting up a Metaform

• • Creating a field in MediaBeacon does not allow automatic association to files pushed from BLUE. Similar to BLUE types, fields must be associated with a metaform in order to appear on files. 

Different from BLUE:

• • You may associate multiple metaforms to a single file, with group rights defining who is able to see metadata.

Note: For more information, please consult your MediaBeacon associate.

1. 1. BLUE Metadata – this will comprise the custom fields to be transferred from BLUE to MediaBeacon.
   2. BLUE Details – this will be for the URL allowing users to navigate back to BLUE from the transferred file.

Why two metaforms? Can’t we just use one?

• • The reason for two separate metaforms is that there will be multiple types of files being sent from BLUE to MediaBeacon (i.e. artwork files, marketing collateral, and logos).
  • Upon transfer, all metaforms which contain values will be automatically attached to new files. So if every metaform representing a BLUE type has the “BLUE URL” field, every type will be associated upon transfer.

Create the Metaforms:

1. 1. In MediaBeacon, choose Navigate > Metaforms.    
   2. Choose Create > Metaform.                                                                          
   3. In the Create New Metaform dialog, you will need to create a Metaform for each type of file. Fill in the following Metaform fields and then click Create.  
      • Name: Give the Metaform a Name (internal name) and a Display Name.
      • Fields: Associate the custom fields which should be associated with this type of file. Use the Add button to add fields to the form. Here is a Metaform for one type of file with the fields associated with it.                                                                    
   4.  Create another Metaform for the url and associate it with just the url field.                                                                                                                                                                                                         

Note: Any metaform which has a field populated through this transfer will be applied to the file, so please consult your MediaBeacon associate for proper metaform configuration.

Making the Metaforms Visible to Groups

Now that you’ve created the metaforms, you need to give access to certain groups so they can see them on the file in MediaBeacon. The Metaforms that are visible on a file in MediaBeacon is based on what Metaforms the group is allowed to see. 

Give the Group rights to the Metaforms:

1. 1. In MediaBeacon, choose Navigate > Groups.
   2. Double click on the Group to which the user belongs. The Edit Group dialog opens. 
   3. Under ACLs, expand the ACL (access control list) for the group.
   4. Under Visible Metaforms, add the new Metaforms (i.e. BLUE Artwork File and BLUE File Details).
   5. Click Update Group.