Common table data analysis involves gathering information about the abbreviations used for specific data elements in each sending system, such as system codes and codes for certain attributes of the objects in your database. For example, if you are indexing person objects, there might be processing codes for genders, such as F for female, M for male, and so on. The processing codes and their descriptions are stored in a set of database tables known as common maintenance tables. The wizard creates a script to help you load the processing codes into the database.
When an enterprise object appears on the MIDM, the master index application translates the processing codes defined in the common tables into their descriptions so the user is not required to decipher each code. The data elements stored in the common maintenance tables are also used to populate the drop-down lists that appear for certain fields in the MIDM. Users can select from these options to populate the associated fields.