Under development

Provide Feedback

Video

This video explains how to start a new release cycle in Simplex. - You will learn how to select and upgrade your extension's dependency version to prepare for content development.

Step by Step Instructions

1. Navigate To Manage Edition

To start a new release cycle in Simplex, navigate to the Manage Edition section to begin managing your extension's release cycle.

2. Open Current Editing Site Window

The "Manage Edition" interface shows the different phases of the release cycle - starting with the editing phase. - Steps for preparing the release and publication are grayed out. These steps will be actionable once the new editing process is complete.

3. Review Dependency Configuration

In the editing phase, first set the dependency configuration. -- The parent edition that the extension in this example depends on is the International Edition, January 2024 version.

4. Identify New Version Availability

The blue link indicates a new version is available due to one or more releases of the International Edition since the current version.

5. Start Release Cycle With New Version

Start the release cycle by clicking the link to select the new version your extension will depend on.

In this demonstration, we will select the January 2025 version.

Now - Run the dependency upgrade process to set the new version as the dependency for your extension.

The system upgrades the dependency and enters maintenance mode to apply the new version settings. This may take a bit of time.

The new version will be used to validate all artifacts and derivatives within your extension. It will also be the version used for classifying any concepts created in your extension.

Once complete, the new version, such as the January 2025 edition, is set as the dependency.

You are now ready to proceed to the content development phase, where you update all artefacts and derivatives.

For more information, see the related videos on content development and release management.

Step by Step Guide

By following these steps, you can seamlessly create subsets into your SNOMED CT extension using Simplex. Follow the steps below to set up the subset. Please note that the steps below will create the concept identifying and naming your subset, i.e. a concept of the type 'simple type reference set'.

1. Click "Artifacts"

Access the Artifacts section.

2. Click "New Artifact"

Initiate the creation of a new artifact.

3. Click here

Click here

4. Click "Subset"

Select the subset option.

5. Click "Preferred term"

Choose the Preferred term option.

6. Click "Preferred term"

Select Preferred term once more.

Enter the name of the subset. This term will be the preferred term for the concept identifying your subset.

Finalize and create the subset.

You have now created the concept used to identify and name the subset, but members have yet to be added.

Simplex Release Cycle Overview

The Simplex release cycle is organized into three sequential stages that guide an extension from active editing through to publication, see the diagram below.

1. Editing

   • This is the active development phase.

   • Key activities include:

     • Dependency configuration (linking to a parent or international edition and updating dependency versions).

     • Content development, where content managers upload and modify extension content.

     • Validation, where automated checks are run to identify issues (with the ability to rerun validation if errors occur).

     • Review, allowing users to inspect changes via a daily build and download reports (e.g., XLS).

   • Any system or validation errors must be resolved before moving forward.

2. Preparing Release

   • This stage begins once editing is complete.

   • It focuses on:

     • Release validation, ensuring the content is technically and semantically sound.
3. Release Ready for Publication

   • The final stage before completion.

   • Includes a technical review to confirm the extension meets publication requirements.

   • Once ready, the extension can be published, completing the release cycle.

1. Open your extension in Simplex.

2. From the left-hand menu, select Manage Edition.

3. The Manage Edition page displays the current release cycle, showing progress from editing through to publication and providing access to validation, review, and release actions.

Provide Feedback

The organisation publishing a SNOMED CT Edition using Simplex must offer the first line support for the release that they publish. The organisation name and a contact email must be provided during the release process to be included in the release package readme file.

The support effort can be minimized using pre-written responses and signposting to existing relevant support resources. You should expect there to be general questions about how SNOMED CT should be used in the relevant country or region and perhaps some technical questions.

The simplest way to respond to these questions is to direct people to a web page. A page should be created to provide any country or region-specific information. For more general questions people can be referred to the , which includes the starter guide and RF2 specification.

For very specific questions the publishing organisation can contact the International Implementation Support Team for assistance .

A SNOMED CT Edition published from Simplex contains both your created extension content and the International Edition. A new version of the SNOMED CT Edition should be published at least once a year including an up-to-date version of the International Edition. This ensures that downstream users can benefit from the latest developments in the International Edition, even if your extension content has not changed.

In addition to the above, it is good practice to provide a feedback mechanism, or a method for users to propose changes or additions to the content. This could be as simple as providing an email address for feedback or utilizing more dedicated request submission services. Establishing a clear and accessible process for feedback helps ensure the content remains relevant and meets user needs.

Step by Step Guide - Refset and Translation Tool

In this guide, you will learn how to efficiently add members to your subset using Simplex. These steps will guide you through the steps required to add the members you have specified in your subset in the Reference Set and Translation Tool.

1. Select the subset you want to add members to

From the list of created subsets, which are displayed in the list to the left of the screen, select the subset you want to add members to.

2. Select 'Refset Tool Subset' as the source

Navigate to "refsetToolSubset" section.

3. Click "Open Refset and Translation Tool"

Navigate to the right of the screen, where you see the options to select the source for your subset. Here, select "Refset Tool Subset"

4. Click "Refset"

In the Refset and Translation Tool, select the "Refset" tab.

5. Select the subset containing the members you want to export

From your list of available subsets, select the subset containing the members you want to export.

Click the download icon to initiate the export.

Start the export process by clicking "Export". - a file is now available in your downloads folder on your machine

Return to Simplex, and select the option to "Choose File." Now, select the file you just exported.

Proceed by clicking on "Upload data."

Once imported, number of imported members are shown in braces.

To view the subset and its members, click "open in browser"

Click the "Members" tab to see the members of your subset.

Note: Simplex does not support the creation of SNOMED CT subsets. Subsets should be created in a dedicated tool, such as the Reference Set and Translation Tool.

Step 1: Prepare Your Input File Simplex accepts input files in two formats: Excel files or export files from the Reference Set and Translation Tool.

By following these steps, you can seamlessly integrate subsets into your SNOMED CT extension using Simplex. Should you have any questions or encounter any issues, please refer to our documentation or reach out to our support team for assistance.

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First, create the Language Reference Set by following these steps:

This guide will walk you through creating a translation in Simplex.

Create a new artifact by clicking on "New Artifact".

Navigate to the right side of the screen to select the type

Access the translation feature by clicking on "Translation".

Select the preferred term by clicking on "Preferred term".

Enter the name you want for your language reference set

Simplex is a lightweight, web-based toolkit from SNOMED International that enables Members and Affiliates to create and manage SNOMED CT extensions quickly, easily, and at no cost.

It is designed for organizations that need a practical and affordable way to tailor SNOMED CT content, such as:

• 🌍 Translations

• 📂 Subsets

• 🔗 Simple maps

Demonstration Video

Step-by-Step Guide

1. Click "Artifacts"

Access the artifacts section.

2. Click "New Artifact"

Initiate a new artifact creation.

3. Navigate to the artifact "Type" field

Click here

4. Select "Map"

Navigate to the map option.

5. Navigate to the "Preferred term" input field

Choose the preferred term option.

6. Enter the name of your map

Enter the name for the new map.

7. Click "Create"

Finalize the creation process.

First, navigate to the extension artifacts manager area in Simplex.

Here, you'll notice that some concepts have already been added. These include the metadata concepts required to represent the extension plus any derivatives you have added. To view the concepts, and the details for managing these, click "Simple extension concepts".

Now, you see the concepts currently included in your extension to the right of the screen. Notice how you see the concepts naming and identifying the derivatives you have created. You will also find your module concept.

To create a new concept for your extension, the first thing you need to do is to download the spreadsheet with the details about the concepts in your extension. Click the download button to the right of step 1 in the process description below the concepts.

Before editing the spreadsheet you just downloaded, you need to make sure that you know the details of the parent concept of your new extension concept. Therefore, go to your extension browser. You can do this by following the link next to any of your extension concepts

The Review stage begins once validation has completed successfully. At this point, all automated checks have finished and the focus shifts to confirming and understanding the changes that have been made since the last release.

The review stage is used to:

• Confirm what content has changed

• Check that changes align with the intended scope of work

• Identify unexpected or missing changes

In Simplex, the Editing cycle represents the phase in which extension content is created and prepared for release. While Simplex manages the overall lifecycle of an extension, the actual content development and editing activities take place outside of Simplex, using SNOMED International’s open authoring tools.

The Editing cycle brings together content produced by contributors and prepares it for validation and release through Simplex.

Simplex does not function as a primary authoring tool. Instead, it acts as an integration and release management platform that consumes content developed in external systems.

During the Editing cycle, content may be created and maintained using the following tools:

• Snap2SNOMED

  Used for creating and maintaining maps. Please see

Overview

Release Management in Simplex ensures that new versions of SNOMED CT Extensions or Editions are delivered in a controlled, consistent, and predictable way.

The release process involves multiple stakeholders and may include third-party contributors. Effective release management ensures that technical, content, and governance aspects of a release are considered holistically, from the end of the Editing cycle through to publication.

Scope of Release Management

In Simplex, Release Management covers all activities required to move an extension from content completion to publication, including:

• Release design and configuration

• Validation of content and dependencies

• Coordination and scheduling of release activities

• Review, approval, and publication of releases across environments

These activities ensure that releases are traceable, secure, and aligned with agreed quality standards.

The Release Manager is accountable for ensuring that all content created during the Editing cycle is ready for release in Simplex.

This role acts as the central point of coordination between contributors, validators, and stakeholders, ensuring that content is complete, validated, approved, and suitable for publication.

Key responsibilities include:

• Confirming that externally developed content is complete and correctly integrated into Simplex

• Managing dependencies and release configuration

• Running and reviewing validation checks

• Coordinating resolution of issues identified during validation or review

Validation and review are central to Release Management in Simplex.

During this phase, the Release Manager ensures that:

• Release-level validation is run and passed

• Validation findings are reviewed and resolved

• All content changes are formally reviewed and approved

• The release meets agreed technical, clinical, and governance requirements

Only once these conditions are met can the release progress toward publication.

Successful publication marks the completion of the release cycle and makes the SNOMED CT Extension available for use.

Before publishing a release, the Release Manager ensures that:

• The exact scope and content of the release are agreed and finalised

• All checks, validations, and approvals have been completed

• Communications and stakeholder expectations are managed

• The production environment is protected through formal release controls

Simplex provides structured workflows and controls to support a wide range of release scenarios, from small incremental updates to complex, multi-stakeholder releases, while maintaining consistency and quality. The effort required for Release Management, therefore, depends on factors such as:

• The scope and complexity of the release

• The volume and type of content changes

• The involvement of external contributors or third-party suppliers

Demonstration Video

Step-by-Step Instructions

This video shows how to add members to a map in Simplex

1. Introduction

In Simplex, you have created the map derivative, and you can see that no members have been added.

2. Click on the map derivative

Select the map you wish to add members to.

3. Select Snap2SNOMED Map

Notice that Simplex only supports maps created in Snap2Snomed, and you now need to follow the steps outlined.

4. First "Open Snap2Snomed"

First, open Snap2SNOMED

5. Open the map

In Snap2SNOMED, open the map containing the members you want to include in your extension.

6. Click "EXPORT"

Click Export

Select Excel as the export format.

Navigate back to Simplex

Click on 'Choose file', and select the file you just downloaded from Snap2SNOMED.

Click upload data.

After import, you may have to refresh the page, but now you will see that members have been added to your map artifact.

To view the map, click "Open in Browser"

Access the Members section.

Simplex provides a streamlined set of tools to help Members and Affiliates create and manage SNOMED CT extensions. Its features are focused on keeping the process simple, affordable, and standards-compliant, while still giving you the flexibility to tailor content to your local needs.

Extension Management

• Organize content into modules for maintenance and publication.

• Add and update subsets, translations, maps, and concepts all in one place.

• Manage your extension lifecycle from setup to release.

• Set up translation sets

• Import existing translations into Simplex.

• Publish SNOMED CT translations

• Support local adoption by making SNOMED CT available in your preferred language.

• Generate subsets from files that are not ready for publication.

• Convert these into reference set files compatible with SNOMED CT.

• Manage subsets directly within your extension for easier distribution.

• Build simple maps between SNOMED CT and other code systems.

• Add, update, and manage map members.

• Ensure consistent and interoperable mapping across systems.

• Create new concepts with minimal modeling.

• Add concepts to your extension without the overhead of full concept authoring tools.

• Keep your extension lightweight while addressing local terminology gaps.

• Services to help validate and review extension content.

• Ensure your release meets SNOMED CT standards.

• Package and release your extension as a SNOMED CT Edition.

• Publish updates that include both your extension content and the latest International Edition.

Overview

Validation is a key step in the Editing Cycle in Simplex. Its purpose is to ensure that all content incorporated into the extension forms a technically valid SNOMED CT Edition package before release preparation can begin.

Simplex runs the full set of SNOMED CT validations provided by SNOMED International. These validations are applied after content from multiple external authoring tools has been compiled into a release structure within Simplex.

Validation helps identify issues early, ensures consistency across content types, and protects the quality of the final release.

Video

Running Validation

Validation is initiated directly from the Editing stage.

To run validation:

1. Navigate to Manage Edition.

2. In the Editing stage, locate the Validation box.

3. Click Run validation.

Once started, Simplex executes the full validation suite against the current state of the compiled extension content.

The Editing cycle cannot progress until validation has completed and all blocking issues have been resolved.

Simplex applies the standard SNOMED CT validation rules, also applied for the International Edition of SNOMED CT: This includes checks that:

• Assert referential integrity between components (for example, ensuring references point to valid concepts)

• Validate terms and descriptions, including:

  • Detection of duplicate terms within a hierarchy

  • Identification of invalid characters or formatting issues

Some validation rules also assert Machine Readable Concept Model (MRCM) constraints. While Simplex does not support stated modelling directly, these rules are still be included as part of the standard validation set and applied where relevant.

Once validation completes, the results are displayed in the right-hand panel of the screen.

Validation issues are categorised as:

• Errors

  Issues that prevent the release from progressing. All errors must be fixed before release preparation can be completed.

• Warnings

  Issues that do not necessarily block the release but should be addressed to improve content quality.

A summary count of errors and warnings is shown at the top of the results panel.

The validation results panel provides a detailed, actionable view of identified issues.

For each issue, Simplex displays:

• The component identifier (for example, a Concept ID)

• The assertion text, which is a human-readable explanation of the issue

• Links that allow the user to explore the affected component in context

Users can click on component IDs to open the Simplex Browser, making it easier to understand where and why the issue occurs.

A help link titled “How to fix these errors and warnings?” is available to provide additional guidance on interpreting and resolving validation findings.

Simplex acts as a validation and coordination platform; it does not directly edit content.

All validation issues must be fixed in the original authoring tool where the content was created, for example:

• Subset issues are fixed in the Refset and Translation Tool Editor

• Mapping issues are fixed in Snap2SNOMED

• Translation issues are fixed in the SNOMED CT Translation Tool

• Concept or spreadsheet-based content is corrected at source

Simplex clearly identifies which components are affected, helping contributors locate and correct issues efficiently.

After issues have been fixed in the source tools:

1. Updated content must be re-imported into Simplex.

2. Validation must be run again from the Editing stage.

This cycle continues until all errors are resolved and the content meets the required quality threshold.

Validation results can be downloaded directly from the results panel.

Downloaded reports can be shared with:

• Content editors

• Subject matter experts

• External contributors

This supports collaborative issue resolution and ensures that all stakeholders have clear visibility of required fixes.

The Validation step in the Editing Cycle is considered complete when:

• Validation has run successfully

• All errors have been resolved

• Any remaining warnings have been reviewed and addressed where appropriate.

Once validation is complete, the extension is ready to progress to release preparation.