Evolution of Dynamic Evidence Type Metadata

As discussed previously, Dynamic Evidence Types can evolve over time. For example, a change in legislation may require that a new Evidence attribute must now be recorded, starting from a specified date. Dynamic Evidence supports this requirement by using Dynamic Evidence Type Versions to record modifications to metadata over time.

Metadata changes are made by copying the latest Active version (using the Dynamic Evidence Type Version's ' New InEdit Copy ' action) to create a new Dynamic Evidence Type Version with a status of ' InEdit '. The effective date of the new Version can be set by the administrator to the date when the new change is required to take effect as specified by the legislation. Users may edit the new ' InEdit ' Version's metadata to make the appropriate chance to the Evidence structure.

As metadata evolves, some metadata elements cannot be freely modified between Versions, and certain limitations have been put in place by the Dynamic Evidence infrastructure. These limitations are not enforced by the Dynamic Evidence Editor, but a set of validations is performed upon activation of subsequent Dynamic Evidence Type Versions. The first Dynamic Evidence Type Version for a Dynamic Evidence Type, while in an ' InEdit ' state, allows for the modification of all metadata elements.

Once activated, however, the following restrictions are applied to subsequent Dynamic Evidence Type Versions:

Parents

Once added in the initial Dynamic Evidence Type Version, Optional and/or Mandatory Parents cannot later be removed. New Mandatory and/or Optional Parents can be added in later Versions.

Attributes

Once defined in the initial Active Dynamic Evidence Type Version, the following Attribute properties cannot be changed in later Versions:

• Data Type
• Volatile
• The class of an Attribute e.g. If an Attribute is defined as a Data Attribute in the initial Version, it cannot be changed to be a Calculated Attribute in later Versions.

Finally, note that Attributes defined in the initial Version can be deleted in later Versions and re-introduced in subsequent Versions, but they can only be re-introduced with the same attribute category, data type and volatility as defined in the initial Version.

Business Start and End Date

The Evidence Business Start and End Dates can be set or left blank in the initial Version, but these cannot be changed in later Versions.

New Dynamic Evidence Type Versions

When a new Dynamic Evidence Type is created, the system automatically creates a new Version for it with blank metadata. Subsequently, the following restrictions apply:

• While the Dynamic Evidence Type has an ' InEdit ' Version, no new InEdit Versions can be added to it.
• If the Dynamic Evidence Type only has ' Active ' Versions, it is possible to create a new ' InEdit ' Version by copying the latest ' Active ' Version using its ' New InEdit Copy ' action. Metadata from the latest ' Active ' Version is copied into the new Version.
• If all ' Active ' and ' InEdit ' Versions are deleted from the Dynamic Evidence Type it is possible to create a new ' InEdit ' Version with blank metadata using the Dynamic Evidence Type 'New Version ' action.

It should be noted that the restrictions to modify Attributes, Parents and Business Start and End Dates are only applied if there is at least one ' Active ' Version in the Dynamic Evidence Type. If at any time the Dynamic Evidence Type is left with an ' InEdit ' Version only (e.g. By deletion of all ' Active ' Versions), then all such restrictions are dropped and the ' InEdit ' Version is considered as an initial Version.