Issue

When authoring records in a fuzzy-matched entity, users may update one or more reference attributes through a form or stepper.


After submitting the changes:

  • The updated reference values are correctly stored in the authoring tables.
  • The Golden Record continues to display the previous reference value.
  • The updated relationship does not propagate to GD as expected.


Cause

The issue is specific to fuzzy references.

A fuzzy reference is not represented by a single field. Internally, xDM manages multiple values:

  • The reference itself (F_)
  • The Source ID (FS_)
  • The Publisher ID (FP_)

During authoring, users typically modify only the displayed reference value (F_).

However, the associated technical fields (FS_ and FP_) may still contain values inherited from the previous state of the record.

As a result:

  • The certification process still relies on the existing technical identifiers.
  • The fuzzy reference is not fully recalculated.
  • The update is not propagated to the Golden Record.

This behavior is not related to:

  • The action itself
  • FDN display configuration
  • Validation rules

It is caused by incomplete updates of the fuzzy reference technical fields during authoring.


Solution

To ensure that fuzzy reference updates are propagated correctly, the technical identifiers associated with the fuzzy reference must be cleared before certification.


The recommended approach is to create an enricher that:

  • Sets the fuzzy reference Source ID (FS_) to NULL
  • Sets the fuzzy reference Publisher ID (FP_) to NULL

This forces xDM to recompute the fuzzy reference using the user-selected value.


Step 1 - Create an Enricher

Create an enricher that nullifies the technical fields associated with the fuzzy references users are allowed to modify.

For each fuzzy reference:

  • FS_<Reference> = NULL
  • FP_<Reference> = NULL

Configure the enricher with: Scope = None

> This ensures it only executes when explicitly triggered during authoring.


Step 2 - Trigger the Enricher During Authoring

In the form or stepper used for authoring:

  • Open the form settings.
  • Configure the enricher to execute on form open.

This ensures the technical reference identifiers are cleared before the user submits the record.


Step 3 - Deploy and Test

After deploying:

  • Open the authoring form.
  • Modify a fuzzy reference.
  • Submit the record.
  • Verify that the updated reference propagates correctly to GD.


Important Considerations

Which References Should Be Included?

Include all fuzzy references that users are allowed to modify through authoring.

If several references can be edited, they can all be handled by the same enricher.


Should Publisher ID Always Be Cleared?

Even if the Publisher ID appears unchanged in the current implementation, clearing both Source ID and Publisher ID is recommended.

This provides a safer and more future-proof configuration.


Does This Affect Record Creation?

If the same form or stepper is used for both creation and update scenarios:

  • Test the implementation thoroughly.
  • In most cases, clearing the technical identifiers remains safe because xDM will rebuild the fuzzy reference during certification.