Definition Groups and Permission Lists

To implement definition security, you define definition groups and then link them to permission lists that you’ve created in security.

A definition group is a collection of one or more definitions that form a logical group for security purposes. For example, you’ve created a permission list for analysts who support the PeopleSoft Payroll module, and you call it PAYROLL_DEV. The analysts are allowed to update only payroll definitions. Using Definition Security, you create a definition group containing only payroll definitions, and give it a name, such as PAYROLL_OBJ. Finally, you link PAYROLL_OBJ to PAYROLL_DEV.

You can assign multiple definition groups to a single permission list. And you can assign a single definition group to multiple permission lists.

Definition groups must be assigned to the primary permission list defined for a user profile. The primary permission list is defined on the User Profile – General page, in the Permission List section of the page in the Primary field.

You can't declare directly that a particular permission list can modify a specific definition type. You do so indirectly by creating a definition group that consists solely of the desired definition type. Also, remember that you can assign a definition to multiple groups as needed. To ensure total definition security, assign every definition to at least one definition group.

Note:

PeopleTools databases are delivered with a predefined definition group called PEOPLETOOLS that contains all the PeopleTools definitions. Until you create definition groups of your own, the PEOPLETOOLS definitions are the only definitions that you can secure.