Entities

This feature is only available in the current version of Author Studio released in the fall of 2023. If you have not updated to the newest version of the product, see our Archived Author Studio Documentation here.

Introduction to Entities 

Entities function the same way in Author Studio as they do in irAuthor, but their creation process is structured differently in Author Studio. If you are unfamiliar with the idea of entities and their purpose, read the article, Entities Overview.

Adding an entity

1. Select a rule application from the Rule Application list. Then select the Entities tab in the menu on the left side. 
   
   
   
2. If the rule application is not already checked out, you have to check it out to add a new Entity. 
   
   
   
3. Click on New Entity
   
   
   
4. The new Entity will appear in the entity list; click on the Entity to edit it.
   

Entities page

When you select Entities from the panel on the left side of the page, you will come to the Entities page. On this page, you will see a list of the Entities in this Rule Application and the Schema Diagram. The Schema Diagram is a visual representation of how the entities and fields within a Rule Application relate to each other. In the screenshot below, the Schema Diagram is expanded, if you do not see the Schema Diagram, click on the expander arrow on the right side of the Schema Diagram banner. 

Inside the Entity

Once you select an Entity from the Entities List, as shown above, you are directed inside the Entity. 

The Entity view shows information about the entity and all the fields inside the entity. You can click on the different elements of the fields to edit them. Read more about how Fields works in the article, Fields.

1. Name
Specifies the name of the entity. For entities or schemas that are based on an external source, this value may not be modified on this screen.

2. New Field 
Click here to add a new Field to the Entity.

3. Display Name
Specifies the name that will be used in the business language editor when referring to this Entity.

4. Description
Here you can write a description of the Entity. This is helpful for other users in your organization and can serve as a way to create a helpful reminder for yourself. 

5. Field list
All of the fields in the Entity are listed here and can be edited. Any part of the entity can be edited by clicking on the feature you would like to edit.

Import JSON Snippet

You can auto-populate an Entity with a JSON snippet. This functions the same way as the Import from JSON Snippet feature in irAuthor. You can upload a JSON snippet by clicking on Import JSON Snippet in the upper right corner of the Entity page. You cannot copy and paste JSON snippets in Author Studio

Deleting an entity

From the Entities menu, you will see all the entities created in your rule. 

1. Hover over the row of the Entity you would like to delete, and a trashcan icon will appear.
   
   
   
2. Select the trashcan icon to delete the Entity. 
   
   
3. You will be prompted to confirm the deletion. Click on Delete.