Starting from Data

As a first excercise in developing workbooks, we will reproduce some of the workbooks from tha last chapter, starting with the deal valuation.

Importing Message Types

We will start by using exsisting data in the Data Lake and connecting to it by importing the type as a map.

Open a new blank workbook and open the Launch Pad
- if you cannot see the Launch Pad press CTRL + SHIFT + E to open it.
Navigate to Tutorial > 01. Welcome > 2. Deal Data Entry.xlsx
Double-click message 123 to bring up the Import Message Dialog

Now there are three didderent ways you can import a Message Type:

Map Only will only create a map for this type, any connections to cells need to be created manually.
Message will create a map and create connections in the workbook in the order the data is layed out in the message.
Original will open the orignal workbook to map cells as they are in there.

Map Only

Leave the setting to Map Only and click Import.

You will now see the Maps & Messages pane appear with a new map Deal.

The orange back color means the properties are not connected.

Drag the connections onto workbook cells:
- Id to cell B3
- Period to cell C3
- Cashflow to cell D3

tip

If you want to connect an array as a column hold down the CTRL key. This only works for arrays, single properties and 2D ranges are not affected.

If you want to insert a value between two other cells and create space for it, hold down the SHIFT key

If you want to insert an array as a column, hold down CTRL + SHIFT

Your workbook should now look like this:

Double-click message 234 to see the numbers change to verify the corect cells are connected.

This is how you can create connections as 'Map Only' by dragging individual properties to their intended location. This gives complete control over how connections are created and is useful when only a few properties of the message are going to be used.

Keep the workbook open for the next step

Message Layout

Message Layout will automatically loop over the properties in the message and create connections for them. This is useful when you want to import every property in a message.

Navigate to Tutorial > 01. Welcome > 3. Interest Rates Data Entry.xlsx
Double-click EUR, 2020_12_24 to bring up the Import MessageType dialog
Select Message and click Import

Your workbook should now look like this:

The new import is done straight against the left margin and the data above, let's create some space:

Select range A5:K8 and move it one cell down and to the right (select the cells and then drag them there)

Double-click other deals to verify the data is still put in the correct cells.

That's how you can import Message formats automatically. This especially saves time when messages contain a lot of fields. You connect all the cells in one go and then drag them to their final location.

Original Layout

The third way to import a message is to put all the cells in the same location as they were in the original sheet.

Note: To be able to do this you need to have read access to the workbook that produced the message

Create a new empty Workbook (with CTRL + N)
Navigate to Tutorial > 01. Welcome > 2. Deal Data Entry.xlsx (only navigate to it by selecting it, do not open it)
Double-click deal 123 and select the third option Original and click Import.

Your screen should now look like this.

Notice how all the cells are in the same position as they were in the Deal Data Entry workbook. This way of importing data is useful when workbooks have an intricate layout in the original that you want to copy to the new sheet.

Mulitple Maps of the same type

In chapter Using Excel connect an example was given with multiple maps of the same type. When there is already a map with that type, double-clicking will only load the message. To import a second or subsequent map of the same type, either:

Right-click on the message and select Import Message Type to bring up the Import Dialog again

Alternatively you can also create a copy of an existing map and move that.

Map settings when importing

Map Default Location

When a map is imported from a particular message, the default location for that map will be set to the location of that message. As other instances of this type of message are likely to be stored in the same location this helps users find them with little effort.

Map Direction

When a map is created from importing a message, the map direction will be set to Input (to the sheet). This means data can be loaded into the sheet, but not saved from. This is to guide data in a certain direction in workflows and prevent accidental overwriting of data.