# Transaction groups, can you change the way it stores data? **URL:** \ **Category:** Ignition\ **Created:** [November 6, 2017, 9:14am UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/transaction-groups-can-you-change-the-way-it-stores-data/15893 "2017-11-06T09:14:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Esn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/91b2a8/32.png) [@Esn](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/Esn)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2017, 9:14am UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/transaction-groups-can-you-change-the-way-it-stores-data/15893/1 "2017-11-06T09:14:03Z")
Hi, I just had a talk with our data-management guy and he’s pretty dissapointed that transaction groups store data with a column for each tag instead of having a ‘Tag-ID’ column with all the tag names. Can this be changed so that the tabel layout is like that? He would like a tabel with five columns with ‘ID’, ‘Tag-ID’, ‘Value’, ‘Timestamp’, and ‘Quality’. These columns should then just be populated with all the transaction group data. Another question: Is it possible to store custom data through transaction groups? Like what if I want to store a tags EngUnit? Or EngLow and EngHigh? Can this be done? Thanks ---
**Author:** ![pturmel](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/inductiveautomation/user_avatar/forum.inductiveautomation.com/pturmel/32/3295_2.png) [@pturmel](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/pturmel)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2017, 12:45pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/transaction-groups-can-you-change-the-way-it-stores-data/15893/2 "2017-11-06T12:45:18Z")
[quote=“Esn, post:1, topic:15893”] I just had a talk with our data-management guy and he’s pretty dissapointed that transaction groups store data with a column for each tag instead of having a ‘Tag-ID’ column with all the tag names.[/quote]Heh. I consider wide rows the most important feature of transaction groups. [quote]Can this be changed so that the tabel layout is like that? He would like a tabel with five columns with ‘ID’, ‘Tag-ID’, ‘Value’, ‘Timestamp’, and ‘Quality’.These columns should then just be populated with all the transaction group data.[/quote] No, but the tables produced by the Tag Historian are set up like that. You might want to switch methods.[quote]Another question: Is it possible to store custom data through transaction groups? Like what if I want to store a tags EngUnit? Or EngLow and EngHigh? Can this be done?[/quote]Yes, just add a dot and the appropriate attribute name. ---
**Author:** ![Esn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/91b2a8/32.png) [@Esn](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/Esn)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2017, 7:41am UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/transaction-groups-can-you-change-the-way-it-stores-data/15893/3 "2017-11-07T07:41:35Z")
Hi Phil, Thank you for the quick reply. [quote]Another question: Is it possible to store custom data through transaction groups? Like what if I want to store a tags EngUnit? Or EngLow and EngHigh? Can this be done? > [@](#): > > Yes, just add a dot and the appropriate attribute name.[/quote] Could you provide a little more detail in how to configure the setup in the quote above? Thanks ---
**Author:** ![pturmel](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/inductiveautomation/user_avatar/forum.inductiveautomation.com/pturmel/32/3295_2.png) [@pturmel](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/pturmel)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2017, 12:03pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/transaction-groups-can-you-change-the-way-it-stores-data/15893/4 "2017-11-07T12:03:28Z")
> [@Esn](#): > > Could you provide a little more detail in how to configure the setup in the quote above? You can't just drag and drop. But you can start with it to get the base tag into the transaction group as an item. Then open the item details and adjust the tag to include the attribute. ---
**Author:** ![JordanCClark](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/inductiveautomation/user_avatar/forum.inductiveautomation.com/jordancclark/32/83362_2.png) [@JordanCClark](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/JordanCClark)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2017, 12:08pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/transaction-groups-can-you-change-the-way-it-stores-data/15893/5 "2017-11-07T12:08:55Z")
> [@Esn](#): > > He would like a tabel with five columns with 'ID', 'Tag-ID', 'Value', 'Timestamp', and 'Quality'.These columns should then just be populated with all the transaction group data. You should take a look at Block Transaction Groups. While is doesn't do the "Tag-ID" by name, I've gotten around it by setting up a static table with the "friendly name" and an integer containing the row-id used in the main table. A join in your query can tie it all together. Your whiny data-management guy can help with that... 😜 Sorry, couldn't resist... > [@pturmel](#): > > You can't just drag and drop. But you can start with it to get the base tag into the transaction group as an item. Then open the item details and adjust the tag to include the attribute. If you can see the attribute in the tag tree, you can drag it into the group. 😌 ---
**Author:** ![pturmel](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/inductiveautomation/user_avatar/forum.inductiveautomation.com/pturmel/32/3295_2.png) [@pturmel](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/pturmel)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2017, 12:11pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/transaction-groups-can-you-change-the-way-it-stores-data/15893/6 "2017-11-07T12:11:12Z")
> [@JordanCClark](#): > > You should take a look at Block Transaction Groups. While is doesn't do the "Tag-ID" by name, I've gotten around it by setting up a static table with the "friendly name" and an integer containing the row-id used in the main table. A join in your query can tie it all together. Your whiny data-management guy can help with that... 😜Sorry, couldn't resist... Bleghh! Like I said, wide rows are _ **feature** _. > [@JordanCClark](#): > > If you can see the attribute in the tag tree, you can drag it into the group. 😌 Sigh. Yup. ---
**Author:** ![JordanCClark](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/inductiveautomation/user_avatar/forum.inductiveautomation.com/jordancclark/32/83362_2.png) [@JordanCClark](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/JordanCClark)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2017, 12:24pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/transaction-groups-can-you-change-the-way-it-stores-data/15893/7 "2017-11-07T12:24:24Z")
> [@pturmel](#): > > Bleghh! Like I said, wide rows are feature. Heh. I didn't say I liked it. I just said it could be done. Hence, the whiny data-management guy. In my case, as an assembly plant, a part can be tested up to three times (two-retries). It makes more sense in those instances to store the raw data in a block, but it's a lot more difficult to pull it back out out into a sensible, friendly format. > [@pturmel](#): > > Sigh. Yup. It's not often I get to get to teach the master. I think that gets me up to 2% in catching up to you.