19 Understanding Supplemental Data

This chapter contains the following topics:

19.1 Supplemental Data

You use supplemental data to track and store information that is not included in the standard master tables in JD Edwards EnterpriseOne software.

Using supplemental data, you define categories and further define information that you want to track for each category. Assume that you want to track the delivery methods for your customers. Delivery method is not a field in any of the master tables. Using supplemental data, you could define a category called Delivery Methods and then define the different delivery methods that you use.

JD Edwards EnterpriseOne software provides one supplemental database for each of these systems:

  • JD Edwards EnterpriseOne Address Book

  • JD Edwards EnterpriseOne General Accounting

  • JD Edwards EnterpriseOne Job Cost

  • JD Edwards EnterpriseOne Fixed Assets

  • JD Edwards EnterpriseOne Human Capital Management

  • JD Edwards EnterpriseOne Payroll

  • JD Edwards EnterpriseOne Equipment/Plant Management

  • JD Edwards EnterpriseOne Work Orders

  • JD Edwards EnterpriseOne Inventory Management

You can set up databases in addition to those provided by JD Edwards EnterpriseOne software. For each supplemental database, you can create one or more data types to organize your information. After you set up your database and data types, you can enter and use supplemental data.

Information for supplemental database codes is stored in these tables:

  • Supplemental Database Setup (F00090)

  • Supplemental Database Data Types (F00091)

  • Supplemental Data (F00092)

19.2 Supplemental Data Type Formats

The type of information that you want to track determines the format in which you display supplemental data. These formats are available:

Format Usage
Narrative Use the narrative format to enter free-form text, such as:

  • General remarks

  • Notes

  • Memos

  • Descriptions

  • Employee performance appraisals

  • Applicant interview notes

  • Job descriptions

  • Legal descriptions

The system stores narrative text as generic text attachments.
Message Use the message format to enter narrative information about the data type. This format is similar to the narrative format.
Code Use the code format to customize the form on which you enter supplemental data. For each data type that uses the code format, you can customize column headings that appear on the data entry form. For example, you can use the code format to customize column headings for:

  • Language skills

  • Training completed

  • Employee appraisal details

  • Description of incident

  • Cost of damage

You can attach a UDC table to each supplemental data type that uses the code format. You can use existing UDC tables or create new ones. When you create new tables, you must use system codes ranging from 55 to 59, inclusive, to protect the table from being overwritten during the reinstall process.

To enter text, you can add an attachment to data types that use the code format.
Program The program format enables you to access a specific program and version number from the Supplemental Data program (P00092). Instead of customizing menus, you can set up supplemental data types that use program formats to access the forms that you use most often. You can then access the forms from a single menu selection, which saves time and streamlines data entry tasks.

19.3 Example: Supplemental Data for a Construction Company

Assume that you work for a construction company and the company wants to use supplemental data to track the progress of each job (or business unit). Specifically, your company wants to track this information for each job:

  • Legal description

  • General remarks

  • Ground conditions

  • Precipitation

  • Wind conditions

  • Daily job logs

  • Incident log

This example illustrates the information that you want to track for business unit 5001:

Figure 19-1 Supplemental data for business unit 5001

Description of Figure 19-1 follows
Description of ''Figure 19-1 Supplemental data for business unit 5001''

19.3.1 Data Types

You must set up data types for the legal description, general remarks, ground conditions, and so on.

19.3.1.1 Data Types with a Narrative Format

You set up data types for:

  • Legal description. This data type contains a legal description of the job site.

  • General remarks. This data type describes the delays related to the ground conditions.

The data types for legal description and general remarks contain free-form text and, therefore, use the narrative format.

19.3.1.2 Data Types with a Code Format

You also set up data types for:

  • Ground conditions

  • Precipitation

  • Wind conditions

  • Daily job logs

  • Incident log

These data types use the code format, which enables you to customize the entry form on which you enter data. With the code format, you can track additional information such as categories, dates, and amounts.

To track detailed information for ground conditions for a job, you set up these categories:

  • Dry

  • Mud

  • Frost greater than 20 inches