Let’s take a look in the master data information set up on the fields that relates to master data hierarchy.
The Master Data Information Setup in Business Central contains a handful of fields that control how master data hierarchies behave. Three of them matter most for hierarchy: Master Data Group Top Level, Update Item Relations, and Ignore Test of Parent Group.
The Master Data Group Top Level defines the information code that acts as the placeholder for the top level of your master data. The information value on this code is what you use when you build different hierarchies.
The Update Item Relations field has three options. Set it to Never and entering the hierarchy will not prompt you to update item relations. Set it to Always and it updates automatically. Set it to Ask and you get a prompt each time you open the master data hierarchy from the menu, where you can choose to update or select No.
The Ignore Test of Parent Group field decides whether the system enforces your group structure. Turn it off and you must follow the hierarchy. Turn it on and you can build hierarchies that break the defined group structure. This is useful to know if you maintain master data relations manually.
The three hierarchy fields in the Master Data Information Setup
In the Master Data Information Setup you will find the fields that relate to the master data hierarchy. Some are straightforward, others take a bit more explanation.
The first is the Master Data Group Top Level. This is how you define the master data group. It points to the information code you use as a placeholder for the top level of master data. The information value tied to this information code is the value you use when creating different hierarchies.
How the Update Item Relations setting works
The Update Item Relations field controls whether item relations are updated when you work with the hierarchy:
- Never: When you enter the hierarchy, it does not ask to update item relations.
- Always: It updates item relations automatically.
- Ask: When you open the master data hierarchy from the menu, it asks whether you want to update item relations. You can update them, or select No. If you choose to update, it behaves as if you had set the field to Always.
What Ignore Test of Parent Group does to your hierarchy
The last hierarchy field in the Master Data Information Setup is Ignore Test of Parent Group. You can either ignore the test of the parent group or not.
Take an example from a bike shop. The master data group is structured as Gender, then Bike Type, then Gear. So in the hierarchy you have a gender (for instance Male), under that a bike type, and under that a gear.
If you do not ignore the parent group, the structure is enforced. You cannot add a Gear directly to Male, because the parent group of Gear must be Bike Type. If you try to add a Gear manually and point it to the information number of Male (for example info number 116), you get an error stating that the parent group code of the group code must be Bike Type.
If you put the check mark in the Master Data Information Setup to ignore the test, it becomes possible to build a hierarchy that does not follow the group structure. With the test ignored, you can add a Gear directly to a gender. When you refresh the hierarchy, the Gear then refers directly to Male, while the other entities under Male remain Bike Types.
When to use this setting
This is a setup you define once, and it then applies to how your hierarchy is built. Use it when you need flexibility outside the strict group structure, and leave it off when you want the parent group rules enforced.
Q&A
What does the Master Data Group Top Level field do?
It defines the information code used as a placeholder for the top level of master data. The information value tied to that code is what you use when creating different hierarchies.
What are the options for the Update Item Relations field?
There are three options. Never means it does not prompt you to update item relations. Always updates them automatically. Ask prompts you each time you open the master data hierarchy from the menu, so you can choose to update or select No.
What happens if I do not ignore the test of parent group?
The group structure is enforced. You cannot add an entity directly to a parent it does not belong under. For example, you cannot add a Gear directly to Male, because the parent group of Gear must be Bike Type. Attempting it produces an error.
How do I build a hierarchy that breaks the defined group structure?
Enable the Ignore Test of Parent Group setting in the Master Data Information Setup. With the test ignored, you can add an entity directly to a parent outside the normal structure, such as adding a Gear directly to a gender like Male.