UDCs, UDC Types, and Category Codes

A UDC is one value in a set of values that you have assigned as valid for a field. A UDC is made up of two parts. The first part is the code, which consists of the characters that you enter in a field. The second part is the description, which is text that describes what the code means. For example, on the Work With Addresses form, you can enter A in the Search Type field to designate an Applicant; this code becomes part of the data stored with the record.

A UDC type is the complete set of UDCs that are allowed as values for a field. A UDC type is made up of a code type, which is its two-character name, and a description. Examples of UDC types are ST - Search Type and UM - Unit of Measure. UDC types are sometimes referred to as UDC lists.

Each UDC type is associated with a EnterpriseOne product code. You can identify any set of UDCs by its product code and its code type. For example, the Address Book (product code 01) list of search types (code type ST) is referred to as UDC 01/ST.

Throughout the system, you will see references to category codes. Category codes are UDC types that EnterpriseOne provides for you to customize according to your needs. You can change the code type and the description, and you can redefine the UDCs as appropriate for your purposes. For example, you might see a UDC type called Category Code 01. You can change its description and define the UDCs within it to suit your business needs.