1. Get Started

Screenshot of Signal workspace

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A multisource signal configuration pulls the results of multiple different underlying signal configurations (e.g., from different data sets) into a single side-by-side configuration. With this feature, you can:

  • Align data and results for multiple safety datasets in one view on the Signal Review page.
  • Use existing view capabilities, display scores and case counts, and enable drilling down to details from all sources of a product-event combination.
  • Define alerting logic across sources.

A multisource signal configuration extends an existing configuration for interactive signal management (ISM).

1a. Multisource signal configuration properties


Venn diagram

When creating a multisource signal configuration, you assign one interactive signal configuration to be the lead configuration and add up to two secondary configurations.

The lead configuration is linked with the multisource signal configuration and shares some features with the secondary configurations. Other features are independent. When a feature is shared, edits made in the secondary signal configurations are automatically made in the lead configuration and vice versa.

The following features are shared between the lead configuration and the multisource signal configuration:

  • Topic workflow configurations and topic product field assignments.
  • Products and product properties.
  • Reference data (TME, DME, Listed, Reviewers, Custom Terms).

These features are copied from the lead configuration but are independent:

  • Active alert types.
  • Signal views.

1b. Match products across configurations


Lead & Secondary configurations

Each signal configuration has a Product Name field and a Product Term field. The Product Name field is used to join the product-event rows from the different configurations. This name represents the common name of the product across configurations. The product term is used when referencing data from the data mining runs.

Before creating the multisource signal configuration, review the product names in the lead and secondary configurations. Follow the steps below if you need to rename product names. Once product names match, refresh each configuration to complete the renaming operation.

Steps to rename a product

Rename a product or product term
  1. In the left navigation pane, select Signal Review Signal Review icon.
  2. (Optional) From the Products By drop-down list, select a product grouping, then select a card to filter the Products table.
  3. Select the product's Row Action menu Row Action menu icon, three vertical dots and select Rename.
  4. Enter a value in the New product name field.
  5. Select Save.

2. Define

When setting up your multisource signal configuration, you assign one interactive signal configuration to be the lead configuration with up to two secondary configurations. Your multisource signal configuration displays only the products from the lead with data from the secondary configurations that apply to those products.

When choosing the lead configuration, select the interactive signal configuration that contains all the monitored products you wish to include in your multisource signal configuration. Adding a secondary configuration combines results from the secondary data set that match those products.

2a. Identify the lead and secondary configurations


Secondary configurations

Identify the signal configurations that you want to combine into one multisource signal configuration.


Lead configuration

When selecting the lead configuration, consider the following:

  • The lead configuration must be an interactive signal configuration that has been refreshed.
  • Monitored products, topic workflow configurations, topic product field assignments, products and product properties, and reference data are shared between the lead configuration and the multisource signal configuration and continue to be used for tracking all monitored products for the multisource signal configuration.
  • The product names used for monitored products in the lead configuration must also be used in the secondary configurations.
  • After the creation of a multisource signal configuration, the lead configuration cannot be changed.

Secondary configurations

You can select up to two existing configurations as secondary configurations. When selecting the secondary configurations, consider the following:

  • The secondary configurations can be a scripted or interactive signal configuration that has been refreshed.
  • The products in the secondary configurations to be monitored in the multisource signal configuration have product names that match the product names in the lead configuration. If necessary, use the Rename feature to align the products.
  • For each secondary configuration, specify a label. The multisource signal configuration uses this label to identify information coming from the secondary configuration.

2b. Complete this checklist


Consider the following for each signal configuration before creating your multisource signal configuration:

  • All lead and secondary configurations have been refreshed and there are no pending changes.
  • All products to be monitored by the multisource signal configuration are listed in the lead configuration.
  • Product names align in the lead configuration and secondary configurations.
  • The lead configuration’s Topic workflow selections are as desired.

2c. Create a multisource signal configuration


Users who have Manage Signal Configurations user permission can access the Manage Signal Configurations page. To create a new multisource signal configuration, select the Add Multisource Signal Configuration link at the top of the page.

After you save the new multisource signal configuration, the Submit Refresh page appears for you to run an initial refresh of the multisource signal configuration. This initial refresh, without alert calculations, sets up the multisource signal configuration’s underlying signal summary table. With this table set up, you can construct views and alert types that include the multisource signal configurations.

The new multisource signal configuration appears on the Manage Signal Configuration page with Type Multisource.

Add the multisource signal configuration

Identify the lead and secondary configurations when you add the signal configuration
  1. Navigate to Settings.
  2. Click Manage Signal Configurations.
  3. Click the Add Multisource Signal Configuration link.
  4. Enter a name and a description for the multisource configuration.
  5. Select a lead configuration.
  6. Select the secondary configurations, entering short labels for each.
  7. Click Save
    8. .
  8. Click Submit to start the initial refresh.
Calculated alerts are not included on the saved signal configuration

After saving, the Refresh Signal Management page appears, with the warning message, Alerts will not be calculated.

2d. Create views and update alert types for a multisource signal configuration


Edit the alert types

To create or modify an alert type, first create views that reflect the columns and rows desired for the new alert type. Once the views are created on the Signal Review page, open the Manage Signal Configurations page and import the newly created views.

The steps below illustrate starting with an existing alert type (Fatal) and modifying the alert type’s view and condition to use the lead and secondary configurations.

In the example, Argus is the lead configuration. Vigibase is the secondary configuration with label VB.

Create views
Enable the display of SQL Where clauses for your user account

Enable the display of SQL Where clauses for your user account

  1. Make sure you enable the display of SQL Where clauses for your user account.
  2. In the top right of the Manage Signal Configurations page, click the user icon and select Preferences.
  3. Under the header Preferences for Viewing Signals, select Allow SQL Where Clause on the Signal Review page.

Add an alert

Select Add Tab to add an alert
  1. Go to the Signal Review page and select a product to display the Product-Event Combinations page.
  2. Click the Add Tab icon (+) and select Product Alerts. If necessary, select a review period, then select an alert view similar to one to be added, such as Fatal alert.

A tab for the Fatal alert is added to the Product -Event Combinations table.

The new alert column has been added

(Optional) Include columns from the secondary configuration

Add coumns for the secondary configuration
  1. With the added tab selected, select Columns from the table header menu.
  2. Include columns from the secondary configuration. For example. You can add VB Fatal Nsince 2022Q4, VB Fatal N 2023Q1, VB Fatal EB05 2023Q1, and VB All N 2023Q1.
  3. Enhance the SQL Where clause logic to include secondary configurations. Use Show Columns to find the correct column. For example, the SQL Where clause may state: Include any row that has a fatal value in the lead or secondary configurations: (FATALNEW_N_PRIOR1 > 0) or (S$1_FATALNEW_N_PRIOR13 > 0).
  4. When the SQL Where clause is complete, select Ok.

Save the view

Save the new view
  1. Inspect the rows and columns, making sure this view is what is wanted for your alert type. Use the Columns option to make any changes.
  2. Select Save As View in the column header menu.

  3. On the Save As View page, select Replace existing or save it as a new view. Then select OK.
    4. Replace a view or add a new view
  4. Select OK to confirm replacing the existing view.
  5. If review periods are enabled for your signal configuration, repeat the steps for creating a new view for each review period.

Edit the alert type and import the new views
Edit an alert type

  1. From the Settings menu, select Manage Signal Configurations and then select Edit Alert Types for the configuration.
  2. Edit the Fatal alert type and then select Save.
  3. Note the review period for the first row in the table.

  4. Open the action menu for this first row and select Import from View. Select the newly created view.
    5. Import the new view

  5. If review periods are enabled, be sure to select the view that corresponds to the row’s review period.
  6. Repeat these steps for each review period listed in the table.
  7. Click Save.

  8. On the Edit Alert Types page, review the Active in next refresh column. Enter Yes to include this alert type in the next refresh.
    9. Include the new alert type in the next refresh

    Oracle Empirica Signal imports the view and populates the Condition, Selected Columns, and Sorted by columns.

3. Refresh

A multisource signal configuration refresh combines the underlying configurations using the data from the lead and secondary configuration refreshes.

Existing data mining runs are referenced from the underlying configurations to provide access to the underlying data.

View the refresh details

The refresh combines signal summary tables from the underlying configurations using the lead configuration- multisource signal configuration shared monitored products.

  • The refresh combines signal summary tables from the underlying configurations using the lead configuration- multisource signal configuration shared monitored products.
  • Product-event combinations are joined using the product name.
  • Product-event combination columns for the secondary configurations are added using a configured label as a prefix.
  • Alert columns are added to the multisource signal configuration’s Signal Summary table.

If the refresh does not include alert calculations, then on the Signal Review page:

  • The Product table’s alert columns are available but initial values are null.
  • Tracked alert counts are displayed as 0/0 if there were no unreviewed alerts prior to the refresh, or - #/0 if there were unreviewed alerts prior to the refresh. Informational alert counts are displayed as 0. On the Product-Event Combinations page tabs, alerts are available, but no rows are displayed.
  • Tabs can be added and new views can be created.

If the refresh does include alert calculations, then the Signal Review Products page displays counts and the alert tabs on the Product-Event Combinations page and includes rows satisfying the alert tabs' conditions.

3a. When to refresh


Consider refreshing lead, secondary, and multisource signal configurations when:

  • A monitored product has been added, edited, renamed, or deleted.
  • Listed, targeted, or managed events or custom terms have been changed.
  • The multisource signal configuration alert types have changed.
  • Secondary configurations have changed.

    • Configuration Jan Feb March
    Lead      
    Secondary          
    MSC      

    When a lead or secondary configuration is refreshed, the multisource signal configuration does not pick up that data until the multisource signal configuration is refreshed. Therefore, it is important to consider a refresh schedule based on the periodicity of each configuration.

    Example: A multisource signal configuration has a lead configuration based on Argus data and one secondary configuration based on Vigibase data.

    New Argus data comes in on a set schedule and the signal configuration is refreshed at the end of each month. New Vigibase data is released on a quarterly schedule. The signal configuration is refreshed when new data is available, typically at the end of March, June, September, and December.

3b. Steps to refresh a multisource signal configuration


You refresh a multisource signal configuration the same way as interactive signal management configurations, from the Manage Signal Configurations page.


View the refresh details
  1. Select View Refresh Details from the multisource signal configuration’s Row Action menu. Review information such as the underlying configuration’s refresh information, Calculate alert flag status and the activated alert types carefully.
  2. Select Refresh from the multisource signal configuration’s Row Action menu.

    3. The Refresh Signal Management page appears with a table that lists the lead configuration in the first row followed by each secondary configuration.

    • Information provided in the table is informational only.
    • If any one of the signal configurations has never been refreshed successfully, then you cannot submit a refresh for the multisource signal configuration.
    • If any of the signal configurations are Pending or Error Occurred and a refresh for the multisource signal configuration is submitted, then the last successful refresh for that signal configuration is used.

  3. Submit the refresh.
  4. Select Close.

4. Maintain

Maintenance tasks include:

  • Changing editable multiple signal configuration fields.
  • Modifying secondary configurations.
  • Validating a multisource signal configuration.
  • Deleting a multisource signal configuration.

4a. Edit a multisource signal configuration


Edit the multisource signal configuration

On the Manage Signal Configurations page, select a configuration and choose Edit. When you save your edits, validation occurs. Error messages may appear and must be corrected.

The following fields are displayed, but are not editable:

  • Lead configuration
  • Topic workflow configuration
  • Topic product field
  • Disable private comment

The following fields are editable, and changes take effect immediately:

  • Name
  • Description
  • Disable default view
  • Default signal view
  • Suppress alert calculations in next refresh flag

Secondary configuration names and labels can be changed. However, changing these fields requires extra steps and a refresh.

  • Secondary Configuration Name
  • Secondary Configuration Label

4b. Modify secondary configurations


Reassigning secondary configurations changes the structure of the underlying multisource signal configuration tables. The following steps are suggested.

Add a secondary multisource signal configuration
  1. Unpublish the multisource signal configuration from any login groups.
  2. Edit the secondary configurations. You can edit the labels, remove a secondary configuration, and add a secondary configuration.
  3. Keep Suppress alert calculations in next refresh selected.
  4. Run Refresh.
  5. Review your views and alert types and modify them to reference the new secondary configuration.
  6. Refresh the multisource signal configuration with Suppress Alerts unselected.
  7. Republish the multisource signal configuration.

4c. Validate a multisource signal configuration


Validate the multisource signal configuration

On the Manage Signal Configurations page, select a configuration and choose Validate. Validation checks that:

  • Alert Type conditions reference valid columns.
  • Alert Type views reference valid columns.
  • Configuration views reference valid columns.

4d. Delete a multisource signal configuration


You can delete a multisource signal configuration from the Manage Signal Configurations page by selecting it and choosing Delete. Deletion is prevented under the following conditions:

  • The multisource signal configuration is being refreshed.
  • The multisource signal configuration has tracked alerts.

green checkmark Your multisource configuration is now ready!

Find out more about Empirica Signal

Get more information

See the Empirica Signal documentation library on the Oracle Help Center.

Other resources

Watch short training videos on the Oracle Help Center.

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