Import Repair 2.0

What it is and why it exists

Importing requirements from Excel or CSV is fast, but the result is often a flat module: all artifacts at the same level, with the original chapter hierarchy lost. Usually the hierarchy still exists in the data, as a level number or an outline number (1, 1.2, 1.2.3) in one of the imported attributes.

Restructuring hundreds of artifacts by hand means moving them one by one. Import Repair 2.0, SmarterProcess's new version of IBM's Import Repair sample, reads the levels, checks them and rebuilds the hierarchy automatically, without changing the order of the document.

Problems it solves

• Flat modules after imports from Excel, CSV or other tools.
• Hours of manual moving of artifacts to rebuild chapters.
• Inconsistent level data that breaks a structure without anyone noticing.
• Uncertainty about what a restructuring will actually change.

Benefits

• The document structure back in minutes, in the original order.
• Checks first: missing values, invalid levels and skipped levels are listed, each with a link to the artifact.
• Preview of every move (level now and after) before anything changes.
• Only what is wrong moves; artifacts already in the right place stay untouched, so it can safely be run again.
• Change report of every move.

How to use

1. Open the imported module.
2. In Module, enter the name of the attribute that holds the level and click Check levels (N).
3. Fix any problems the widget lists, then check again.
4. Review the table of planned moves, click Move artifacts (N) and confirm.
5. Follow the progress in Execution Status and download the change report at the end.

Good to know

• Levels can be whole numbers (1, 2, 3) or outline numbers (1, 1.2, 1.2.3); the widget detects which one is used.
• If the module was changed by someone else after the check, nothing is moved and the widget asks you to check again.
• If a move fails, the run stops so that no artifact ends up in the wrong place; fix the cause and run it again to continue.