Inactivating reference codes

AD
DM

To manage the unused reference codes in your Network instance, you can inactivate the codes for the reference type. This includes any code that you've added to your instance as well as Veeva OpenData codes for countries that you don't subscribe to.

When codes are inactivated, they cannot be used because they will not be available in your Network instance.

Prerequisites

Before inactivating reference codes, ensure no records use those codes and any reference aliases are updated.

Report on codes in use - Query your Network instance to ensure that no records are using the codes.

If reporting is not enabled in your instance, consider exporting a target subscription that exports all of the records.

Note: Some records might be missing from the report results if you do not have visibility to records through your DVP, including HCP opted-out records and candidate records.
Veeva CRM and Vault CRM integrations - Ensure that all Veeva CRM or Vault CRM mappings have been reviewed. Do not inactivate a code if it is included in the mappings.

Reassign reference aliases - Ensure that when a code is inactivated, that it is not needed by any of your incoming sources or your data in Network.

Reference codes can be mapped to your source and target systems using reference aliases A mapping between a Network reference code and the reference code of an external system.. When a code is inactivated, a warning message displays to remind you to update any reference aliases for the codes that you are inactivating.

If the reference aliases are not updated to point to an active code in that reference type, records will fail upon load because they point to an inactive reference code within Network.

Example

The Unknown (U) code is inactivated for the HCPGender reference type.

The following reference alias is defined for a data source:

Network code	Network name	Source Alias
U	Unknown	3

Result: An incoming record from the source system that uses 3 will fail during the data load. The value 3must be mapped to an active Network code.

For information, see Reference aliases.

Supported reference types

Only inactivate codes for reference types for which you are loading data.

Reference types not supported

Restricted reference types

Restricted reference types

Some reference types are required for Network features; many are used for address cleansing.

These reference types are considered restricted because codes should not inactivated. Their use might not be apparent but they can be integral to how your data is processed.

Example

If the MERGED_INTO code for the RecordState reference type is inactivated, no records can be merged.

The merge instruction will fail, job errors will exist in the administrator inbox, and the records will not merge. This is because the losing record in a merge is assigned the MERGED_INTO code for the record state.

Important: Unless a reference type is read-only, you are not prevented from editing it. Review the lists below. If the reference type is listed, do not inactivate any codes.

Read-only reference types

Codes cannot be added or inactivated for read-only reference types.

The Import button on the Reference Codes page is dimmed to prevent users from editing the codes.

Restricted Common Data Architecture (CDA) reference types

All restricted CDA reference type are read-only.

Reference Type	Field	Object
AddressCountryCDA	country_cda__v	HCP, HCO, Address
AddressStateCDA	state_cda__v	HCP, HCO, Address
AdopterTypeCDA	adopter_type_cda__v	HCP
AgeRangeCDA	age_range_cda__v	HCP
HCPSpecialtyCDA	all_spec_cda__v	HCP
HCPSpecialtyGroupCDA	all_spec_group_cda__v	HCP
LanguageCDA	language_cda__v	HCP
LevelCDA	level_cda__v	HCP
StatusCDA	status_cda__v	HCP, HCO, Address

For more information, see Reference types for CDA fields.

Veeva OpenData considerations

Inactive codes in your Network instance

If you inactivate reference codes in your Network instance and then subscribe to Veeva OpenData in that country, all codes used by Veeva OpenData in that country are activated again when the subscription runs.

Inactive codes in the Veeva OpenData instance

Veeva OpenData can inactivate codes in their Network instance when those codes are no longer used in a country.

These codes are not inactivated in your Network instance because you might be using the code for a non-OpenData record in that country.

Learn about changes to reference codes

Veeva Network Data Governance - For each release, this document lists codes that are added and removed by Veeva OpenData.

If you are not subscribed to OpenData for a country, you can reference this document to manually inactivate the reference codes in your Network instance.
OpenData Communications - Subscribe to receive notifications from the OpenData team about information and upcoming activities.
Veeva Connect - Subscribe to the OpenData communities to learn about release highlights and upcoming changes.

Submitting DCRs to OpenData

Veeva OpenData doesn't automatically reject DCRs that use inactive or custom reference codes. Instead, OpenData Data Stewards can manually update these requests with the active codes for that specific country.

Stewarding considerations

When Data Stewards are working on records that have an inactive reference code, an error about the code is displays only if the Data Steward uses that field. Otherwise, the inactive code can remain in use by that record. This ensures that no processes fail when Data Stewards are working with records that have inactive codes.

Considerations for profile validation rules

When Administrators are working with validation rules, the availability of reference codes is determined by their Active status and the Countries selected for that specific rule.

For more details, see Creating and testing profile validation rules.