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<b>Linking</b> refers to the association between items for the purposes of analysis. Linking is optional, for example, when linking clearances to minefields.
{{IMSMANG}} provides the capability to assign items to locations and create links between items, a function that shows the relationships between items and processes and that enriches the data collected. Assignments and links are defined during the Data Entry Form approval process. An item is assigned to one location, which ties the item to the country structure and allows for reporting data by area. The same item can then be linked to as many other items as necessary. In this way, {{IMSMANG}} supports the idea of linking activities to land, victims to accidents or any item to any other item. When used with item subcategoriescategories, linking adds a powerful capacity to implement an information workflow and create rich and useful data for decision makers. To ensure the integrity of this data, system administrators must clearly specify the kinds of links to track in {{IMSMANG}}.
The example below shows how users can build a workflow of complex relationships among top-level items and item subcategories to model the information management process for their programmes.
The next figure shows how the Summary changes with each activity that is linked to the original landLand. The CHA Land starts its life-cycle as ''SHA'' with a status of "Openin this example." When the technical survey is linked to the landLand, it changes the landsubcategory Land classification should be updated to "Minefield." Then, linking ''CHA'' and the clearance updates the land's status to "''Worked On''." Finally, after linking the completion survey changes Completion Report the land's status should be updated to "''Closed''." The result is one land Land whose information is updated over time by the four activities three Activities linked to the land. This way to track information can be used to represent the information management process and status rules accurately for a land releaseLand Release, risk Risk management or other process model.
The {{IMSMANG}} information model is flexible enough for each programme Mine Action Programme to customise the system to support its needs. For example, programmes implementations that do not conduct education cover Education activities do not need to complete information about education Education activities, and they still retain full utility of the system. Similarly, programmes implementations that conduct victim only cover Victim tracking and education Education activities only can disregard land Land and activities Activities without any loss of utility. This flexibility, however, requires that programmes define the relevant uses of each item.
Although any item can be linked to any other item, not all relationships necessarily make sense for every programmeimplementation. The diagrams below describe some of the more common logical relationships among items and can serve as the basis for an information model when implementing {{IMSMANG}}.
The rationale for each relationship or link should also be documented so the meaning is understood. For example, an activity Activity may be conducted on a land Land and an accident Accident may be a result of a hazardous land or produce a victim. These relationships are used when entering data to ensure that the links between items are available for searching and reporting, like when searching for all land that have clearances linked to them.
{{Document|<b>Document the following business rules about assigning and linking:</b>
* which items will have links between them, for example, victims will always be linked to accidents
* rationale or logical meaning of the relationships between items, for example, a link between a clearance Clearance and a minefield Land means that the clearance Clearance was conducted on the minefieldthat Land* what effects linking has on the items, for example, a link between a clearance Clearance and land Land may indicate that the land status should change from "''Open" '' to "''Worked on"''
}}
===The Workbench===__NOEDITSECTION__
Items, Data Entry Forms, Summaries, assigning and linking come together at the Workbench. The Workbench is a holding area where users enter data into Data Entry Forms and reconcile each item in the Data Entry Form either as a new item or as an update to an existing item. Users have the ability to assign Data Entry Form items to locations Locations and to link items to other items (like linking a technical survey Technical Survey to an existing CHA). They then save the reports in the Workbench pending the appropriate quality checks and approvals.
Until a Data Entry Form is approved, it exists only in the Workbench and does not update any Summaries. The report can still be modified or deleted. When a Data Entry Form is approved, however, it becomes part of the Summaries and cannot will be deletedvisible on the map.