Clean Up Data Schema Models in Ironclad

This article will walk you through how to clean up your data schema models in Ironclad. This includes how to merge new and existing data, remove invalid data, and manage default data.

Data Usage in Ironclad Data Manager

Ironclad Data Manager offers real-time schema monitoring, ensuring your data schema aligns with your business needs. It provides analytics on data usage, giving insights into the activity of data events across the Ironclad system. These analytics also highlight which data events need prior actions to minimize data risk during changes or modifications to data schemas.

Data Usage Definitions

In Ironclad Data Manager, data usages are defined as follows:

1. Published Configurations: This usage counts the occurrences of a data property in a published workflow configuration. If data events are used in these configurations, you'll need to manually update the workflow before modifying the data schema with the Data Manager.
   
   WARNING
   Saved or unpublished workflow configurations that use this data event could be affected. However, Ironclad won't prevent you from using Data Manager features for these templates.
2. Workflows: This usage counts the occurrences of a data event used in any workflow data, regardless of the workflow stage or completion status.
   
   NOTE
   Archived and completed workflows are included in this usage measure.
3. Records: This usage counts the occurrences of a data event used in the records. This measure also includes data from archived and completed workflows if the record was created through the workflow process.

Importance of Monitoring Data Usages

Monitoring data usages is crucial for maintaining a clean and efficient data schema in Ironclad. By understanding how data events are used across the system, you can make informed decisions when modifying your data schema. Here are a few key reasons why monitoring data usages is important:

1. Reducing Data Risk: Before modifying a data schema, it's essential to understand how the changes will impact existing data and workflows. By reviewing data usages, you can identify potential risks and take necessary precautions to minimize disruption to your business processes.
2. Ensuring Data Consistency: When modifying a data schema, it's important to maintain data consistency across the system. Monitoring data usages helps you identify any inconsistencies or potential conflicts that may arise from schema changes.
3. Optimizing Performance: By identifying data events that are no longer in use or have low usage, you can optimize your data schema and improve system performance. Removing unnecessary data events can reduce clutter and streamline your data management processes.

Best Practices for Managing Data Usages

To effectively manage data usages in Ironclad Data Manager, consider the following best practices:

1. Regularly Review Data Usages: Set up a regular schedule to review data usages and identify any potential issues or opportunities for optimization.
2. Plan Schema Changes Carefully: Before modifying your data schema, carefully review the impacted data usages and plan your changes accordingly. Consider the potential impact on existing workflows, records, and published configurations.
3. Communicate with Stakeholders: When planning schema changes, communicate with relevant stakeholders, such as workflow owners and data managers, to ensure everyone is aware of the upcoming changes and can prepare accordingly.
4. Test Changes in a Non-Production Environment: Whenever possible, test schema changes in a non-production environment before implementing them in your live system. This allows you to validate the changes and identify any potential issues before they impact your business processes.

Merge or Transform Data

Ironclad's merge feature allows you to merge and transform data to correct common implementation mistakes. Use the merge feature to correct contract data schemas, both historically and for new contracts created moving forward.

Before You Begin

• Workflow configurations are not automatically updated and require manual changes before using Data Manager.
• Merging properties is a permanent action that cannot be undone. Once two contract fields are merged, the resulting data property will become permanently inaccessible.
• You can only merge two properties of the same data type (e.g., date field with another date field, text/string field with another text/string field).
• You cannot merge default properties into a custom property. However, if the data types match, you can merge a custom data property into a default property.
• When both the new and old data properties are used in the same in-progress workflow, Ironclad cannot automatically update this data using Data Manager. Once the workflow is complete, we recommend using the .csv export/import feature to update contract data. Ideally, in-progress workflows should be completed, archived, or cancelled before attempting to merge your data properties and clean up your data catalog.
• Only administrators have permission to merge data properties. If you need access, contact your Ironclad administrator. Data Manager permissions are enabled by default for Administrators in Users & Groups > Edit Group settings.
• Successful merge actions in Data Manager automatically update historical contract data and in-progress workflows.
• Due to the data risk when merging two properties together, Ironclad users are required to manually update the following areas of affected workflows and configurations:
  • Workflow configurations that use old and new properties in the merge process.
  • Dashboard saved views. Please save a new view and share with your team after making updates in Data Manager.

Merge Data Properties in Data Manager

1. In Data Manger, select and edit the old data property you want to merge into another property. Verify the data types match.

2. Click Merge. The merge configuration screen displays.

   TIP If the Merge button is not displayed on the data property or event you want to merge, you are attempting to merge a default property or field. Select another property to merge into this field to consolidate data properties.

3. Select the new property to retire, and merge the old property for moving forward.

   NOTE Data types must match. Ironclad will only provide a list of potential merge properties that meet the eligibility criteria.

   

4. Ensure any merge conflicts or workflow configuration and usages are resolved before merging two properties together.

   NOTE
   Merge activity is blocked when properties are actively used in published workflow configurations. To resolve, manually remove relevant properties from the workflow configuration and republish before merging or deleting data using Data Manager.

   
5. If you use the Salesforce integration:
   1. In Ironclad, navigate to Integrations > Salesforce and select the Record Sync tab.
   2. Select Edit for each of the Sync Configurations.
   3. Update any mapped fields that were previously associated with the retired property.

Merge Two Similar Properties

If you have two similar properties (not available for record types), you can migrate the old or duplicative contract data fields into one data property.

1. Navigate to Data Manager in Ironclad.
2. Locate the properties you want to merge.
3. Select the primary property you want to keep.
4. Choose the property you want to merge into the primary property.
5. Confirm the merge action.

Remove Invalid or Incorrect Data in Ironclad

Ironclad provides several methods to prevent invalid or incorrect data from appearing in your Ironclad insights and analyses. You can create a filter, hide data properties, or delete unused events and properties. This section describes each technique and the differences between them.

Create a Dashboard Filter

If you have created or loaded incorrect data and want to filter it out from Insights and saved Dashboard views, you can use Ironclad's filter feature. This allows you to remove specific data values from your views at query time. These events are not deleted, and they can be restored to your views simply by editing or removing the filter.

Manage Data Property Visibility in Ironclad

When working with data properties in Ironclad, you may encounter situations where you want to hide old, buggy, or irrelevant properties to streamline your data catalog and prevent Ironclad from collecting data on those properties. This section explains how to use the visibility setting in Data Manager to hide data properties and provides important considerations for merged data properties.

1. Navigate to Data Manager in Ironclad.
2. Locate the data property you want to hide.
3. Click on the property to edit its details.
4. Toggle the visibility setting to Off.
5. Save your changes.

Once a data property is hidden, it will no longer appear in the platform UI, including Insights, Dashboard search, and filter experiences. This helps to reduce clutter and focus on the most relevant data properties for your organization.

NOTE
This feature only applies to custom properties included in the global Data Manager. It does not apply to default, system-generated properties.

Impact of Hiding Data Properties

It's important to note that hiding a data property does not delete the stored data associated with that property. The historical data remains in the Ironclad database and can still be accessed via API or by exporting the data.

Hiding a data property only affects its visibility within the Ironclad UI and prevents the data from being show in Dashboard searches, filters and insights. If you need to completely remove a data property and its associated data, you must delete the property from Data schema manager and manually remove the values from stored data.

Merged Data Properties Considerations

When working with merged data properties, it's crucial to understand how the visibility setting affects the available data:

• If you merge two data properties and hide one of them, the data from the hidden property will still be available under the merged property.
• The visibility setting of the merged property determines whether the combined data is displayed in the UI.
• Hiding a merged property will hide all data associated with it, regardless of the visibility status of the original properties before the merge.

To ensure that your merged data properties display the expected data, review the visibility settings of both the original and merged properties before performing a merge operation.

Delete Unused Events and Properties

If you have data events or properties that are no longer needed or relevant, you can permanently delete them from Ironclad. This action is irreversible and will remove all associated data from the system.

Manage Default and System-Generated Data in Ironclad

When working with data in Ironclad, you may encounter default or system-generated data events and properties that cannot be removed or deleted. This section explains how to manage these data elements and optimize your data catalog.

Default Data Events and Properties

Default data events and properties are pre-defined, system-generated data elements that are built into Ironclad. These events and properties are essential for the core functionality of the platform and cannot be permanently deleted.

Examples of default data events and properties include:

• Agreement Date
• Workflow created
• Counterparty Address
• Contract status
• Record type

Remove Data Properties from Workflow Configurations

If you want to delete a custom data property that is currently being used in a workflow configuration, you must first remove the property from the published workflow configuration.

To remove a data property from a workflow configuration:

1. Navigate to the Workflow Designer in Ironclad.
2. Open the workflow configuration that contains the data property you want to remove.
3. Locate the step or action that uses the data property.
4. Remove the data property from the step or action.
5. Save and publish the updated workflow configuration.

Once the data property is no longer being used in any published workflow configurations, you can proceed with deleting it from your data catalog using the steps outlined in the previous section.

Clean Up Stored Data in Ironclad

After optimizing and updating your data schema in Ironclad Data Manager, it's important to focus on improving the data quality of your stored contract data. This process directly impacts historical insights and enhances the value created from your contract data.

Benefits of Cleaning Up Stored Data

Cleaning up stored data in Ironclad offers several key benefits:

1. Improved Data Quality: By updating and standardizing metadata values, you ensure that your contract data is accurate, consistent, and reliable.
2. Enhanced Insights: Clean and accurate contract data leads to more meaningful and trustworthy insights, enabling better decision-making and analysis.
3. Increased Efficiency: With clean and well-organized contract data, you can find and access the information you need more quickly and easily, saving time and effort.
4. Better Compliance: Accurate and up-to-date contract data helps you stay compliant with legal and regulatory requirements, reducing the risk of errors or oversights.

Clean Up Stored Data Tools

Ironclad provides two key features to help you improve the data quality and accuracy of existing contract data in Ironclad:

1. Bulk Metadata Value Updates: The Bulk Metadata Value Updates feature allows you to efficiently update metadata values for multiple contracts simultaneously within Ironclad. This feature is particularly useful when you need to standardize or correct metadata values across a large number of contracts.
2. CSV Import and Export (Metadata Import/Export): The CSV Import and Export feature, also known as Metadata Import/Export, allows you to manage your contract metadata using CSV (Comma-Separated Values) files. This feature is particularly helpful when you need to update a large number of metadata values or when you want to work with your contract data outside of the Ironclad platform.

Regularly cleaning up stored contract data can unlock the full potential of your contract data and drive greater value for your organization.