Source_values longer than 50 characters

CDM Builders
1

Hi,

I’m mapping data where we have source codes longer than 50 characters and therefore upload to the database fails as DDLs set the length to 50. Is there another table that I should be adding source values and including a key in the core tables to link to or how should we manage this?

Thanks for the help

2

There’s nothing in the OMOP standard. You could add a table with a 1:1 relationship, although it’s usually better to just add an additional column. Less work involved all round.

The SOURCE_VALUE type fields are only there for reference anyway (to provide provenance) so a couple of options would be to 1) add an additional field to the end as large as you need for the full source code, and truncate the standard SOURCE_VALUE field, or 2) just make the SOURCE_VALUE field large enough for your values. In case 2, you’d have to remember to truncate the field if you ever share your data with an OMOP network.

2 Likes
3

Thanks Roger for the quick response, yes I think the additional field and truncate the source value will be the better of the options

4

Roger has it right, you can increase the size of the columns as needed.