# RM Mappings - DV\_CODED\_TEXT preferred\_term missing

**URL:** <https://discourse.openehr.org/t/rm-mappings-dv-coded-text-preferred-term-missing/11780>\
**Category:** ITS\
**Tags:** ehrbase\
**Created:** [25 February 2026 07:30 UTC](https://discourse.openehr.org/t/rm-mappings-dv-coded-text-preferred-term-missing/11780 "2026-02-25T07:30:34Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 9\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![jbuch](https://discourse.openehr.org/user_avatar/discourse.openehr.org/jbuch/32/4645_2.png) [@jbuch](https://discourse.openehr.org/u/jbuch)\
**Post date:** [25 February 2026 07:30 UTC](https://discourse.openehr.org/t/rm-mappings-dv-coded-text-preferred-term-missing/11780/1 "2026-02-25T07:30:34Z")

</div>

When trying to POST a FLAT Composition on EHRBase, I noticed that I wasn’t able to save a DV\_CODED\_TEXT with a preferred\_term, and neither is it retained after saving it using a RAW/JSON Composition and then loaded in FLAT Format.  
I checked the spec ( [Simplified Formats for openEHR Data](https://specifications.openehr.org/releases/ITS-REST/development/simplified_formats.html#DV_CODED_TEXT) ) and I noticed that it seems to be implemented partially (within /\_language → CODE\_PHRASE), but not directly within DV\_CODED\_TEXT. I feel that it should be assigned as:  
Flat Path = |preferred\_term  
RM Path = defining\_code.preferred\_term

It seems to work as I describe in Better’s FLAT format.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![ian.mcnicoll](https://discourse.openehr.org/user_avatar/discourse.openehr.org/ian.mcnicoll/32/4430_2.png) [@ian.mcnicoll](https://discourse.openehr.org/u/ian.mcnicoll)\
**Post date:** [25 February 2026 09:54 UTC](https://discourse.openehr.org/t/rm-mappings-dv-coded-text-preferred-term-missing/11780/2 "2026-02-25T09:54:59Z")

</div>

Is it being saved in Canonical format or is this just a Canonical\<\>Flat issue.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![jbuch](https://discourse.openehr.org/user_avatar/discourse.openehr.org/jbuch/32/4645_2.png) [@jbuch](https://discourse.openehr.org/u/jbuch)\
**Post date:** [25 February 2026 12:12 UTC](https://discourse.openehr.org/t/rm-mappings-dv-coded-text-preferred-term-missing/11780/3 "2026-02-25T12:12:05Z")

</div>

It is saved, so it’s just a Canonical\<\>Flat issue.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![sebastian.iancu](https://discourse.openehr.org/user_avatar/discourse.openehr.org/sebastian.iancu/32/31_2.png) [@sebastian.iancu](https://discourse.openehr.org/u/sebastian.iancu)\
**Post date:** [4 March 2026 09:21 UTC](https://discourse.openehr.org/t/rm-mappings-dv-coded-text-preferred-term-missing/11780/4 "2026-03-04T09:21:40Z")

</div>

Hi,

Thanks for investigating this issue.  
We will discuss how to fix this in the specification in the REST API Working Group.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![jbuch](https://discourse.openehr.org/user_avatar/discourse.openehr.org/jbuch/32/4645_2.png) [@jbuch](https://discourse.openehr.org/u/jbuch)\
**Post date:** [4 March 2026 09:47 UTC](https://discourse.openehr.org/t/rm-mappings-dv-coded-text-preferred-term-missing/11780/5 "2026-03-04T09:47:36Z")

</div>

Thank you Sebastian! Going forward, is there a better way to report small issues like this one?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![sebastian.iancu](https://discourse.openehr.org/user_avatar/discourse.openehr.org/sebastian.iancu/32/31_2.png) [@sebastian.iancu](https://discourse.openehr.org/u/sebastian.iancu)\
**Post date:** [4 March 2026 09:57 UTC](https://discourse.openehr.org/t/rm-mappings-dv-coded-text-preferred-term-missing/11780/6 "2026-03-04T09:57:26Z")

</div>

If the problem is the specifications, the formally this is the place: [Jira](https://openehr.atlassian.net/jira/software/c/projects/SPECPR/issues?jql=project%20%3D%20SPECPR%20ORDER%20BY%20created%20DESC). But if that is too complicated then a discussion here like this is also good - then one of us will make a formal SPECPR ticket, and solved it in the right SPECxx project - see on the middle of this page: [openEHR - Change Process](https://specifications.openehr.org/governance/change_process) for more official stuff.

If the problem is the vendor implementation, then I guess posting here on discourse is also a good way to start a conversation, but ultimately the vendor may have a different process (github issue, support ticket, etc)

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![ian.mcnicoll](https://discourse.openehr.org/user_avatar/discourse.openehr.org/ian.mcnicoll/32/4430_2.png) [@ian.mcnicoll](https://discourse.openehr.org/u/ian.mcnicoll)\
**Post date:** [4 March 2026 10:46 UTC](https://discourse.openehr.org/t/rm-mappings-dv-coded-text-preferred-term-missing/11780/7 "2026-03-04T10:46:26Z")

</div>

I think I found the issue in the SDT specs. PreferredTerm has been added to the SDT representation of CODE\_PHRASE and is suuported by ehrbase but not to DV\_CODEDTEXT.

So we need to update SDT spec and submit a cr to ehrbase

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![birger.haarbrandt](https://discourse.openehr.org/user_avatar/discourse.openehr.org/birger.haarbrandt/32/24_2.png) [@birger.haarbrandt](https://discourse.openehr.org/u/birger.haarbrandt)\
**Post date:** [4 March 2026 13:42 UTC](https://discourse.openehr.org/t/rm-mappings-dv-coded-text-preferred-term-missing/11780/8 "2026-03-04T13:42:34Z")

</div>

@vidi42 could you create an issue?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![sebastian.iancu](https://discourse.openehr.org/user_avatar/discourse.openehr.org/sebastian.iancu/32/31_2.png) [@sebastian.iancu](https://discourse.openehr.org/u/sebastian.iancu)\
**Post date:** [28 April 2026 11:22 UTC](https://discourse.openehr.org/t/rm-mappings-dv-coded-text-preferred-term-missing/11780/9 "2026-04-28T11:22:19Z")

</div>

I added this to the list of feedback changes on SPECITS-94 (for specification of Simplified Formats).