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The Data Dictionary is organized hierarchically into data files, data records, data items, and data types. The organization of the Data Dictionary is described below.

 Data File

Each data file has been assigned a specific file name and contains one or more records. File names are used by the Visual Integrator module to access the actual data files used by other modules. A file name consists of a two-letter application code, followed by a period and a name containing up to seven characters. Examples of file names and their descriptions are listed below.

File	Description
AP_Vendor	Accounts Payable Vendor Master File
AP_InvoiceHeader	Accounts Payable Invoice Data Entry Header File
AR_Customer	Accounts Receivable Customer Master file
AR_RepetitiveInvoiceHeader	Accounts Receivable Repetitive Invoice Header File

 

The Data Dictionary files are used to identify which application files will be updated with the data imported from an external file. Because the files from which data will be imported are external to the system, their file names are not contained in the Data Dictionary.

 

 Data Record

The information contained in the data file is organized into data records. Each record contains information specific to a particular entry in the file (for example, a particular customer or salesperson). The Visual Integrator module allows you to evaluate the information in specific records to determine whether these records should be included in or excluded from the import or export process.

Some data files consist of several types of records used to store different information (for example, comment records, or miscellaneous charge records). It is important for the Visual Integrator module to be able to identify the record type when importing records from an external file.

 

 Data Item

A data record consists of one or more data items. Each data item is a single piece of information (for example, customer name, phone number, or year-to-date sales). A data item uses a name containing up to 15 characters. Each data item is further defined by type, length, and relationship to other data files.

When defining an import job, you must specify which data items will be imported and where each data item is contained in the external file. These specifications allow you to import any file type, as long as data for each selected data item is contained in the file.

 

 Data Type

Each data item is classified into a specific data type. Each data type defines the nature of the data contained by the particular item. The following data types are used by the Visual Integrator module.

 

 Account

Data items of this type consist of account number information. You can specify an import mask to indicate the number of significant characters to be imported and any separator characters to be processed.

 

 Date

Data items of this type consist of date information. You must specify one of the 17 predefined formats that exactly represent the format of the date-type fields in the import file. Dates can be used in calculations.

 

 Numeric

Data items of this type consist of numeric information. Only numeric data items can be used for calculations. You can also use numeric items to add to or subtract from existing values in the data field. Dates can also be used in calculations.

 

 Phone

Data items of this type consist of phone number information. Phone numbers can be stored in one of four formats.

• AAA XXXNNNN

• AAA-XXX-NNNN

• (AAA) XXX-NNNN

• XXX-NNNN

 

 String

Data items of this type consist of information using any alphanumeric characters. This field has a specified length. The Visual Integrator module allows the entire field, or any portion of it, to be imported.

 

 Yes/No

Data items of this type consist of either the letter "Y" or the letter "

 

 Zero-Filled

Data items of this type consist only of numeric characters. This field has a specified length. Zero-filled field types cannot be used for calculations.

 

For more information, see:

About the Data Dictionary

Data Dictionary Relationships

Data File Structure