Specifications Search
What Does It Do?
The Metadata tool can quickly return any SDTM domain from the CDISC documentation in seconds, no static metadata repository (MDR) required.
What Do You Need?
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Any version of the CDISC Implementation Guide.
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A blank or custom Microsoft Excel file.
Guide
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Open Microsoft Excel.
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Navigate to the Metadata ribbon.
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​Locate the Specifications section of the ribbon.
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Click the Search button in the Specifications section.
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A prompt will appear.
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Select SDTM from the Category then select the applicable CDISC versions, including the implementation guide version, model version and controlled terminology version.
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*TIP* select the latest versions.
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Click OK to continue, and a domain name prompt will appear.
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The user can now input a single domain or multiple domains, separate each domain with a single space.
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Once at least one domain has been entered, click OK will continue the process.
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Note, for example purposes, AE, DM and DS were input (i.e., AE DM DS).
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IMPORTANT: Unlike the specification creation process, this search process is independent of any workbook used in the background, and therefore will ignore any worksheets present in your workbook, i.e., if the DM worksheet exists in the open workbook, it has no impact on the search process.
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After some time a new prompt will appear, showing the variable level information applicable to the domain or domains input.
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IMPORTANT: if a domain was input but did not exist within the CDISC SDTM implementation guide, a prompt will appear informing the user.
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The user can choose to manually copy the tables, in full or in part.
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Alternatively the user can Export the contents directly into an Excel workbook, like so.
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To export the variable level information to an existing Excel template, follow these steps.
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Click the Export button under the variable level table.
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A prompt will appear.
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If the process was run using a blank workbook, uncheck the Use Template option.
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However, if the process was run using a template workbook, the Use Template option can be selected, and a Template Worksheet can be selected from the drop-down list, e.g., the worksheet named VLM.XX.
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IMPORTANT: By default, when multiple domains were selected, each domain will be exported to their own worksheet, if the user wishes to export all domains to a single worksheet, uncheck the Split Domains option.
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The Worksheet Prefix text will be added to each worksheet name added to the workbook.
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Click to OK to begin the export process.
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The chosen domains have been successfully exported onto their own worksheets.
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The process can be re-run again if required with no impact to previously exported domains.