Data import
Data import is supported by both Ewida Standard and Ewida Audit. The range of available sources depends on the type of object being imported. In practice, this means that different options are available when importing hosts, and different ones when importing users or inventory objects.
To open the import window, use the Import option in the main menu of the selected object type. The program supports, among others, the following data sources:
- Active Directory,
- CSV file,
- audit from Ewida Audit,
- inventory from Ewida Standard.
This solution makes it possible to populate the database gradually with data from different sources, without having to create everything manually from scratch.
Importing from CSV and other sources
When importing from a CSV file, it is worth checking the expected data structure first. The Column mapping schema button is used for this purpose. It shows which column names in the file correspond to specific object properties in the program.
For example, the entry Comment > Notes means that to import data into the Notes field, the CSV file must contain a Comment column with the appropriate values. There is no need to create every possible column. In practice, you only need to prepare the ones that actually carry data for import.
After selecting the import source and configuring the connection details, use the Download objects button. The program then connects to the data source and fills the list on the right side of the window. When importing from Ewida Standard or Ewida Audit, you can additionally decide whether related objects should also be imported, for example licenses together with purchase documents.
The result list skips objects that already exist in the current database. If some items should not be imported, they can be removed from the list with the DELETE key or with the Remove button.
Exporting audit data to inventory
Ewida Audit makes it possible to export audit results to the inventory database maintained in Ewida Standard. This is an important function because it allows technical audit data to be used as a starting point for further inventory work.
After export, the data can be developed further in Ewida Standard, where broader options are available for working with objects, costs, dates, repairs, upgrades, maintenance, and documents. In practice, this means that an audit can become a source of input data for further long-term inventory work in a Windows desktop application.
The most important benefits of this model include, among others:
- expanding inventory with additional object types, not only IT-related ones,
- tracking repairs, services, maintenance, and upgrades,
- analyzing costs, dates, and change history,
- sharing data in network-based work by multiple users.
Export wizard and relationship schema
Exporting data from audit to inventory is based on a relationship schema. It is saved in an XML file and is responsible for linking objects between audit and inventory. The schema determines which elements from the audit should correspond to specific objects in the Ewida Standard database.
The export wizard is started with the option:
Main menu > Audit > Export to inventory
Three basic operations are available here:
- New schema — creates a new export schema with automatic object matching,
- Edit schema — opens the window for manual editing of relationships,
- Refresh schema — updates the schema after changes in the audit, inventory, or after a completed export.
It is worth refreshing the schema after every change in the source or target data. This ensures that the export mechanism works on current relationships between objects.
Export settings and process simulation
Export settings make it possible to define in detail how data should be transferred. You can specify the inventory source, exclusions for exported objects, and indicate which properties of computers, devices, and software should be included in the process.
After moving to the next step of the wizard, the Export log is available, along with two important buttons:
- Run simulation,
- Start process.
Run simulation launches the full export procedure but stops it before writing data to inventory. This lets you check which objects would be exported, which properties are included, and whether the schema works as expected.
Start process launches the actual export using the relationship schema and all user settings. If the target source is a Microsoft SQL database, the export works with transaction protection. In the case of a file-based database, remember that Ewida Standard must be closed during export.
Editing the export schema
The relationship schema window can be opened with the New or Edit button. It is best to begin detailed editing by selecting the computer being exported from the audit. After selecting it, you can indicate the target set in inventory — either one that already exists in the Ewida Standard database or a new object that should be created.
After linking the computer to a set, you can move on to more detailed configuration of device and software export. This makes it possible to adjust export behavior to the actual structure of the company’s data and avoid accidentally creating unnecessary duplicates or incorrect relationships.
After editing is complete, the program verifies the schema before saving it. This makes it possible to catch configuration issues in the process earlier.
Details of object relationships
The relationship details window shows — depending on the type of data — a list of devices or software assigned to the selected computer in the audit. Here, the user can decide which elements should be skipped during export and which should be linked to specific objects in inventory.
Unwanted elements can be skipped manually by unchecking items on the list or by using filters that will also exclude specific objects in future runs of the schema. This is a practical solution when certain categories of devices or software components should not be transferred to inventory.
Each object from the audit can be linked here to its corresponding object in inventory using the Target object (inventory) field. This makes the export more precise than simple automatic matching.
Object identification
To ensure that objects can be recognized correctly during export, it is worth checking their Identifying value in the Object properties window, in the Audit data group. This is the information that helps the schema match elements from the audit more accurately to their counterparts in inventory.
Identifying values are configured when building WMI and Registry scanning models, in the Identifying property field. They are then passed to objects in inventory and used during automatic matching.
In practice, well-configured object identification makes regular data export between Ewida Audit and Ewida Standard much easier, especially when the process is performed repeatedly and covers a larger number of computers and infrastructure elements.