Common Terms Used in Global Payroll Utilities

Field or Control	Description
Element Map	Depicts the relationships between the elements in your database. For example, if you have an earning element with a calculation rule of rate × units, where the number of units is returned by a formula, you can use the element map to see how the components and formula elements are connected to your earning element. The element map plays a critical role in packaging and moving elements and data to other databases. Because the map must be current and accurate when you create packages, the system rebuilds it when you start the process that creates rule packages. During mapping, the system validates that the defined fields exist in the records. Note: Mapping includes PIN-level records only. You must include those records that don't have a PIN number as the primary key in order to use the non-rule packager.
Focus Element	The focal point of a process or action.
Non-rule	Non-rule data includes processing results, payee data, setup definitions, and other data where PIN_NUM isn't the primary key.
Package Status	Click this link to access the Package Status page.
PIN Code (pay item name code)	The only element attribute that must be unique across databases. Like a PIN number, it's automatically assigned to every element, those delivered by PeopleSoft and those that you create. The Code consists of the element name plus the suffix ALL if the element is used by all countries, or a three-character country code if the element is used by one country—for example, BASE ALL or BASE ITA. When you move elements between databases, the system compares the elements that you're exporting with those in the target database. PIN code is one of the attributes that the system checks when comparing elements.
PIN Number (pay item name number)	This number is a pointer back to a PIN name-related data in GP_PIN and other tables. It is generated and assigned to every element, those delivered by PeopleSoft and those that you create. Global Payroll programs access and process elements by referring to their PIN numbers (PIN_NUM), not their names. PIN numbers are assigned sequentially in a given database, meaning that the same element can have different PIN numbers in different databases. So when you move elements between databases, the utilities don't rely on the PIN number to determine if the source elements that you're copying exist in the target database.
Rule	In Global Payroll a rule is an element or combination of elements used to define a business rule. For example, an earning or deduction rule or a count or rounding rule. The primary key for rule-definition tables is PIN_NUM.
Target PIN Number (target pay item name number)	The element's PIN number in the target database.
Upgrading	This process consists of copying items from a source database to a target database; comparing the copied items with items already in the target database; overlaying items in the target database or adding new items, depending on the comparison results; and deleting selected items from the target database.
Source Database	The database containing the rule or non-rule elements that you are packaging and moving into the target database.
Target Database	The database into which you are moving the packaged rule or non-rule elements from the source database.