Understanding Matrix Inputs and Outputs
This section discusses matrix inputs, outputs, and matrix evaluation rules for configurable matrices.
Matrix Inputs
Each matrix can have one or more inputs. These inputs are the search criteria against which you will evaluate a specific worker. The maximum number of inputs is 15. Each input is defined in the form of one or more source IDs.
HR contains a number of predefined source IDs as system data. You can use those to build your configurable matrices. However, you can create also additional custom source IDs.
Matrix Outputs
The outputs of a matrix are available in the form of Result IDs. You can have a maximum of 30 outputs for one matrix. The outputs are categorized into result types, based on their data format or the rules used to derive the result.
Base Compensation contains a number of predefined Result IDs as system data. These results can be used as outputs for the configurable matrices. However, you can create additional custom result IDs.
Matrix Evaluation Rules
Whenever the matrix is invoked, the system attempts to match the worker's data with keys in the matrix. The system checks all input variables against the keys defined for each input. The order of checking will be the same as the order in which the inputs were defined. At the first row where all input variables match the keys specified in the matrix, the system will return all result IDs for that row. When you are defining search keys, the system ensures that no rows are duplicated. You cannot have any blank search keys.
Using Wildcards as Search Keys
You can use wildcards when defining search keys. After you enter specific key values for one input, you can optionally add a wildcard key. If no explicit match is found against any of the other key values, then the wildcard key is considered a match. For example, assume you defined Dept ID as an input. You want to list specific non-zero rates for Dept IDs 101, 102, 103, and 104. However, for all other departments, you want a rate of 0. In this case, you would specify a total of five keys for the input, 101, 102, 103, 104, and '*' for the wildcard. Any worker not in Dept 101, 102, 103, and 104 would match the wildcard and would get a rate of 0. Using wildcards allows you to have a default rule defining what to do if the worker's data does not match any of the key values.