Item Specifications

Enter a text string used to identify the data item. The text string can be up to 32 characters long. Blanks and the characters %, &, and + are not allowed. The field cannot be changed after you save the data item.

Enter a code that identifies and defines a unit of information. It is an alphanumeric code up to eight characters long that does not allow blanks or special characters such as %, &, or +. You create new data dictionary items using system codes 55-59. You cannot change the alias.

Within the data dictionary, all data items are referenced by this four-byte data name. As they are used in database tables, a two-character prefix is added to create unique data names in each table specification (DDS).

Enter a code that indicates the type of data item. The code is validated against UDC H95/DG. Items in glossary groups C, D, K, or S can be included in database tables. Items in other glossary groups (for example, error messages) cannot be added to a table.

For data items in glossary group S (Secondary-Dates, Arrays, Etc.), enter the parent data item for each secondary data item.

Enter a case-sensitive description for the data item. The system uses this name to search for similar data items. To enter an alpha description, follow these conventions:

Dates: Begin all date fields with the word Date.
Amounts: Begin all amount fields with the word Amount.
Units: Begin all unit, quantity, and volume fields with the word Units.
Name: Begin all 30-byte description fields with the word Name.
Prompt: Begin any Y/N prompting field with the word Prompt.
Address Number: Begin all address numbers (employee, customer, owner) with the words Address Number.

Select a product code from the 55-59 client reserved range.Business partners should use product codes in the following ranges:

L00 through L99
M00 through M99
P00 through P99

Select a product code that indicates where the reporting data resides.

Enter an identifier of the style or classification of data, such as numeric, alphabetic, and date. Do not change the data item data type if it is used within an existing application. Data types include these:

Character: A single letter, always the size of one.
Date: A date.
Integer: An integer.
Character (Blob): An item that can be translated from EBCDIC (8-bit character code commonly used on IBM mainframes) to ASCII (7-bit character code).
Binary (Blob): An item that cannot be translated, appears in machine code, and is found as an executable file under Win.help.
Binary: An option that represents two choices.
It is usually a combination of the digits 1 and 0 to represent on and off or true and false.
String: An item that is always the same size or length.
Variable String: An item of variable size.
JDE UTime: An item that enables business processes to span several time zones by coordinating workstations to Universal Coordinated Time.
Identifier (ID): An item that is used within the program logic for controls.
An ID is used to write a C program and reference third-party software that returns a pointer. An API then saves the pointer that references the ID. The parameter that the system passes to the C program is the ID.
Numeric: A long integer.

Enter a value that indicates the field size of the data item.

All amount fields should be entered as 15 bytes, 0 decimals, and the data item type should be P (packed).

Enter a value that indicates number of stored positions to the right of the decimal of the data item.

Enter a code that defines the data item class. The class defines the essential attributes and characteristics of a data item and is informational only.

Item classes are used to group data dictionary items together. For example, the item class QTYINV is used to group quantity fields. This allows for all of the fields within the item class to have the same decimal precision.

Enter a value that designates the number of decimals in the currency, amount, or quantity fields the system displays. For example, U.S. Dollars would be two decimals, Japanese Yen would be no decimals, and Cameroon Francs would be three decimals.

Enter a code that defines the type of graphical user control that is associated with the data item. For example, a data item can appear as a push button, check box, and so on.

Control type is used by Form Design Aid (FDA) to automatically add the correct control to a form for a specific data item. For example, if a data item will normally be used as a check box, then the Data Dictionary control type should be a check box. When you use Quick Form, the data item will appear as a check box control instead of a generic edit on the form.

You can override this setting in FDA; however, you should anticipate how it will most commonly be used to reduce the need for overrides.

Enter a value that indicates the number of array elements to create, which in turn will create child items (one child per array element).

Item occurrences enables you to create an item as a child of another item. The data dictionary verifies that attributes are consistent between the parent and the child. If you change the parent item, the changes are duplicated in the child items. The data item names use the parent data item name and a number, such as a parent item ABC and child items ABC1, ABC2, and so on.

The array data item names are restricted to certain lengths depending on the number of array elements:

3 bytes - 1 to 9 elements
2 bytes - 10 to 99 elements
1 byte - 100 to 999 elements

The row description identifies fields on forms and reports. This description is for the base language only, unless you update the description for another language. It should be less than 35 characters. Use abbreviations whenever possible. Common abbreviations are:

U/M: Units of measure
YTD: Year-to-date
MTD: Month-to-date
PYE: Prior year end
QTY: Quantity
G/L: General ledger
A/P: Accounts payable
DEPR: Depreciation

Enter text to display on the first line of descriptions that are used in column headings on a report or form. This description is for the base language only, unless you update the description for another language.

This description should be no larger than the data item size, if possible. If the column heading is only one line, it should be placed in this column. Use the second line of the Column Title when one row is insufficient.

Set this flag to indicate whether the data item will accept lowercase text. If the value of this field is a Y, the user cannot enter lowercase characters into a control based on this data item.

Set this flag to indicate whether the field can be used in setting up row security.

You can create protected data names by using $xxx and @xxx, where you define xxx.

The alias cannot be changed.

Set this flag to indicate whether blank values can be written to the database. Select this option to allow blank entry under these conditions:

If the field is edited against a user defined code (UDC) table, a blank value will be allowed regardless of whether a blank value is valid for the table.
If the field is specified to be a mandatory entry, a blank value will be allowed as a valid entry.

Set this flag to indicate whether this column should be automatically included in all database fetches to tables that contain this item. This option should only be selected for items that are essential for certain database trigger processes or security validation.

Enter a value that identifies data items that are applicable to one of the development platforms only. Valid values are:

1 – The system only.

2 – AS/400 only.

Blank – data item is valid for both platforms.

The system makes this flag available for entry if the data item is of type numeric. When you select this option, the data item is marked Not to total. When this item is used in a report, the item property Suppress At Total is marked.