Internal Tags: Configuring New Tags for Data Entry

Brian Holt2 min read
Data AcquisitionOther ManufacturerTutorial / How-to
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Why Data Entry Cannot Start With a Missing Tag

The Data Entry tool requires the target tag to exist before you assign it. The available workflows therefore create or populate the tag first, then attach Data Entry. The evidence supports three approaches: import through a CSV Collector, seed the tag through the writer API, or use a temporary calculation to output the required tag name.

Select a Tag-Creation Method

Method Required input Result
CSV Collector A CSV file containing tag names plus an initial value and timestamp The collector consumes the file and introduces the tags for later Data Entry assignment.
Writer API A write request sent manually, such as through Postman, while creating a new Dataset After the first successful write, the tags exist and can be assigned to Data Entry.
Temporary calculation A calculation configured to output the required tag name The output provides a tag that can subsequently be updated with Data Entry.

Choose the CSV Collector when several tag definitions are already available as rows. Choose the writer API when you can seed a new Dataset programmatically. The temporary-calculation route is suitable when the platform can generate the required tag through a calculation, but the evidence does not define the calculation syntax or persistence behavior; verify tag availability before removing the calculation.

Create and Verify the Tags

  1. Define each required tag name. For the CSV route, also provide its initial value and timestamp.
  2. Run the selected creation path: consume the CSV with the CSV Collector, issue the writer API request while creating the new Dataset, or execute the temporary calculation that outputs the tag name.
  3. Confirm that the collector completed, the API write succeeded, or the calculated output is visible. Do not treat an attempted write as successful tag creation.
  4. Locate the newly created tag in the target Dataset and assign Data Entry to it.
  5. Submit a Data Entry update and confirm that the intended tag receives the value.

The key acceptance condition is not merely that the request or calculation ran; the tag must be present and selectable for Data Entry. With the API workflow, the first successful write is the stated point at which the tag exists.

FAQ

How do I create an internal tag for Data Entry?

Seed the tag through a CSV Collector, a successful writer API call to a new Dataset, or a temporary calculation that outputs the required tag name. After the tag exists, assign Data Entry to it.

What fields are required in the CSV for creating Data Entry tags?

The CSV must contain the tag names and an initial value and timestamp for each tag consumed by the CSV Collector.

When can I assign Data Entry after using the writer API?

Assign Data Entry after the first API write call succeeds and the resulting tag is visible in the new Dataset.

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