COBOL Program Naming Conventions

All Payroll for North America COBOL programs have eight-character names that begin with PS (for PeopleSoft). In general, the five letters following the prefix are an abbreviated form of the program's functional name. These abbreviations are typically formed by removing the vowels, as described below:

COBOL Prefixes

PSP = COBOL source (P stands for Program).

PSC = Regular COBOL Copy code.

Table Access Program Names

After PSP or PSC come three letters identifying the table, and then TB (for table):

PSP ERN TB = Earnings table manager (looks up and loads earnings types)

Input Program Names

After PSP or PSC comes one letter identifying the program, and then ARRY (for array):

PSC E ARRY = Earnings Array Input Program (loads the earnings array)

Utility Program Names

After PSP or PSC comes five letters that abbreviate the function of the program:

PSP DTWRK = Date manipulation routine

PSP ANNLZ = Annualizes/deannualizes amounts

Processing Program Names

Processing programs typically end in -CALC, with one letter identifying the type of calculation:

PSP E CALC = Earnings Calculator

PSP D CALC = Deduction Calculator

PSP T CALC = U.S. Tax Calculator (PeopleSoft-maintained)

PSP X CALC = Canadian Tax Calculator (PeopleSoft-maintained)

Output Program Names

Output programs have descriptive names such as the following:

PSP CB UPD = Maintains check balance table (UPDates Check Balances)

PSP DB UPD = Maintains deduction balance table (UPDates Deduction Balances)

PSP C UPDT = Maintains current pay result table (UPDaTes earnings data)

PSP T UPDT = Maintains current pay result table (UPDaTes Tax data)

PSP X UPDT = Maintains current pay result table (UPDaTes Canadian Tax data)