Information Matrix

As a Business Manager
I want to open the Information Matrix and see all colour, material, and size specifications for a filtered set of items side by side
So that I can quickly review completeness and consistency without opening each item card individually

Setup:

1. Open the Item List and choose Master Data Information → Information Matrix.
2. In the Import Lines dialog (Shift+Ctrl+I), add a filter row: Field Name = Item Category Code, Field Filter = OUTDOOR.
3. The matrix opens showing all outdoor items with their specification columns visible.
4. Scroll across the columns to review the values for each item.

As a Business Manager
I want to update the Material specification for several items at once by editing cells directly in the matrix
So that I can correct a batch of specifications without opening each item individually

Setup:

1. Open the Information Matrix with the relevant items loaded.
2. Find the Material column. Click a cell to activate it.
3. Select the correct Information Value from the lookup, or type it if free-value entry is enabled.
4. The change is saved immediately when you leave the cell.
5. Repeat for each item that needs updating.

As a Business Manager
I want to clear the Season specification from all items in a product line because it is no longer relevant
So that the attribute no longer appears on documents or in searches for those items

Setup:

1. Load the relevant items into the Information Matrix.
2. Find the Season column. For each item that has a value, clear the cell.
3. When a cell is cleared, the underlying Information Entry record is deleted.

Note: Clearing a cell only deletes the entry if the code has Delete Zero Values enabled, or if the cell is an Information Value type. For Value-type columns, behaviour depends on the code's Validation Datatype and Delete Zero Values setting.

As a IT Manager
I want to create a matrix template for the purchasing team that shows Item No., Description, Vendor Item No., and the Certification and Weight specifications
So that purchasing staff have a focused view with only the columns they need

Setup:

1. Open Information Matrix Setup and create a new template with a code (e.g. PURCH-ITEMS) and set Table to Item.
2. Define each column in order:
   • Column 1: Data Type = Table, Table Field = No.
   • Column 2: Data Type = Table, Table Field = Description
   • Column 3: Data Type = Master Data Information, Information Code = VENDOR-ITEM-NO
   • Column 4: Data Type = Master Data Information, Information Code = CERTIFICATION
   • Column 5: Data Type = Master Data Information, Information Code = WEIGHT
3. Assign the template to purchasing users via the Information Matrix User Setup.
4. Purchasing staff now see this column layout when they open the matrix.

As a Business Manager
I want to load only items with Material = "Stainless Steel" into the matrix
So that I can review and update other specifications for just that subset of items

Setup:

1. Open the Information Matrix for items.
2. Choose Import Lines (Shift+Ctrl+I).
3. In the dialog, add a filter row: select an Information Code or table field that identifies items with the desired material. For example, if Material is a table field, set Field Name = Material and Field Filter = STAINLESS-STEEL. If it is a specification, use Import from Specifications instead with a filter on that Information Code.
4. Confirm. Only matching records are loaded into the matrix.

As a Sales Manager
I want to switch to a sales-focused matrix template that shows pricing and colour specifications instead of the purchasing template
So that the matrix shows the columns most relevant to my work

Setup:

1. Open the Information Matrix.
2. The Batch Name or template selector at the top of the page allows you to select a different template.
3. Select the sales-focused template. The matrix reloads with the new column configuration.

Note: Template selection is per-user — switching templates only affects your own view.

As a Business Manager
I want to select a group of items on the Item List using standard BC filters and open the matrix for just those items
So that I can edit specifications for a specific filtered set without re-applying the filter inside the matrix

Setup:

1. On the Item List, apply a filter (e.g. Item Category Code = FURNITURE) or select items and use Mark Master Data → Add Mark.
2. Choose Master Data Information → Information Matrix.
3. Use Import Lines (Shift+Ctrl+I) and filter by the same criteria to load the filtered items into the matrix.

As a Business Manager
I want to export the current Information Matrix view to Excel so I can share it with a colleague who does not have Business Central access
So that specifications can be reviewed and annotated outside the system

Setup:

1. Load the relevant records into the Information Matrix.
2. Use the Export to Excel action available on the matrix page or template.
3. The current grid is exported to an Excel file with the same column layout.

Note: The exported file can be reimported via the Import Worksheet if corrections are needed in bulk.

As a Purchasing Agent
I want to open the matrix after a batch import of new items and fill in their specifications in bulk
So that all specification fields are populated before the items are released for use

Setup:

1. After the import, open the Information Matrix and use Import Lines (Shift+Ctrl+I) to load the new items — filter by a field that identifies the newly created records (e.g. Creation Date = today).
2. Work through the specification columns row by row, selecting values for each new item.
3. Changes are saved immediately as each cell is confirmed.

As a Business Manager
I want to load all items in a specific item category into the matrix
So that I can review and edit their specifications as a group

Setup:

1. Open the Information Matrix.
2. Choose Import Lines (Shift+Ctrl+I).
3. In the filter dialog, add a row: select Field Name = Item Category Code and enter the category in Field Filter.
4. You can add multiple filter rows to further narrow the selection.
5. Confirm. All matching records are added as rows in the matrix.

Note: Import Lines filters on standard BC table fields — not specification values. To load records based on their specification values, use Import from Specifications or Import from Specification Search instead.

As a Business Manager
I want to assign sequential item numbers to the Vendor Item No. column for all items in the matrix
So that each item gets a unique, automatically incremented reference number without manual entry

Setup:

1. Ensure an Add Number Setup record exists with the number series you want to use (configured in the Add Number Setup list, accessible from the Master Data Information navigation).
2. Load the relevant items into the Information Matrix.
3. Choose Add Number Serie to Lines.
4. In the dialog, find the column you want to populate (e.g. Vendor Item No.) and use the lookup to select the Add Number Setup code.
5. Confirm. The series is applied row by row — each row gets the next incremented value from the number setup.

Note: The number series increments in the order the rows appear in the matrix. If you want a specific sort order, set the Special Sorting Field before running this action.

As a Business Manager
I want to refresh the Information Matrix to reflect specification changes made by another user or from a different page
So that the values I see in the matrix are current

Setup:

1. Press F9 or choose Refresh Matrix from the action bar.
2. The matrix rebuilds: it re-applies the template column configuration, recalculates column visibility, and reloads the current rows with their latest specification values.

Note: Refresh Matrix does not re-run the Import Lines filter — it refreshes the data for the rows already loaded. If you want to load new records that were created since you opened the matrix, run Import Lines again.

As a Business Manager
I want to run a Specification Search and load the matching items directly into the Information Matrix
So that I can edit specifications for a criteria-based set of items without manually filtering the matrix

Setup:

1. Open the Information Matrix.
2. Choose Import from Specification Search (Ctrl+S).
3. The Specification Search page opens. Enter criteria and choose Search Match.
4. Confirm. The matching records are added to the matrix. Existing matrix rows are not duplicated.

As a Business Manager
I want to load all items that have a specific Information Code assigned into the matrix
So that I can review and edit that code's values across all relevant items at once

Setup:

1. Open the Information Matrix.
2. Choose Import from Specifications (Shift+Ctrl+F).
3. The report request page opens. Set filters on the Information Entry table (e.g. filter by Information Code = MATERIAL) and run the report.
4. All matching records are added to the matrix rows.

As a Business Manager
I want to set the Season specification to "AW25" for all 150 items currently loaded in the matrix
So that I do not have to click each cell individually

Setup:

1. Load the relevant items into the Information Matrix.
2. Choose Add Values to Lines (Shift+Ctrl+L).
3. In the dialog, select the Season column and enter AW25.
4. Confirm. The value is written to all rows for that column, overwriting any existing value.

Note: You are asked to confirm before the overwrite is applied. This action cannot be undone from within the matrix.

As a Business Manager
I want to clear the Season specification from all items currently in the matrix
So that I can remove an obsolete attribute from a large set of items in one operation

Setup:

1. Load the relevant items into the Information Matrix.
2. Choose Bulk delete values.
3. In the dialog, select the Season column (set it to true).
4. Confirm. The specification entry is deleted for every row that has a value in that column.

As a Business Manager
I want to see the change history for a specific item's specifications while working in the matrix
So that I can investigate a data quality issue without navigating away to the item card

Setup:

1. In the Information Matrix, select the row for the item you want to investigate.
2. Choose Archived Entries (Shift+Ctrl+A).
3. The archive entries page opens filtered to that record, showing all logged changes.

As a Business Manager
I want to open the full Information Setup page for a specific item from within the matrix
So that I can see all specifications — not just the columns visible in the current template — without closing the matrix

Setup:

1. In the Information Matrix, select the row for the item.
2. Choose Master Data Information → Specifications (Shift+Ctrl+S).
3. The Information Setup page opens for that item. Close it to return to the matrix.

As a Business Manager
I want to sort the matrix rows by the Weight specification value so that heavier items appear at the top
So that I can quickly identify items that exceed a weight threshold

Setup:

1. Open the Information Matrix.
2. In the Special Sorting Field header selector, use the lookup to select the WEIGHT Information Code.
3. The matrix re-sorts rows by the numeric value of the Weight specification.

Note: Only Information Codes with Validation Datatype set to Decimal, Integer, Boolean, Date, or DateTime are available in the Special Sorting Field lookup.