Generalized Codes
Posted on: February 13, 2024 | By: Meaghan Andrews | QAD Business Process
QAD’s Adaptive ERP has functionality to define a list of values for specific fields. This functionality is known as Generalized Codes. Generalized Codes allow the user to specify a certain database field and then assign a list of valid values that can be used for that field.
Although not all fields allow for this functionality, most key reportable master data fields do. For example, the Item Master field known as Item Type (pt_part_type) does not predefine or require specific values with the initial provisioning of QAD. However, the user can define values for the Item Type field based on how they would like to report and use the field.
Since the Item Type field is used in many reports and functions, the user team can define how it can be best defined to support its specific business requirements.
In more recent version of the software, a Group field has been added to the Generalized Codes functionality. If you implement Generalized Code Groups in QAD, role members can assign a new code to any field belonging to a Group they have access to. If a role member tries to assign a code to a field the role has no access to, an error message is displayed.
Before this functionality was enabled, any user with menu level access to Generalized Codes could update, add, or delete any Generalized Codes value.
With Generalized Codes Groups, you can extend security access to Generalized Codes beyond the system level down to the job functional level. This enables you to limit the Generalized Codes fields that a user can edit. An administrator can move fields from one group to another provided the administrator has access to both groups. If a user with that role is not associated with a generalized code group and attempts to add or modify a code associated with that group, an error message is displayed.
Below we show an example of how Generalized Code Groups are defined and applied. The first screen shot shows an example of a new Group called “Planning” that we can use to group Generalized Codes fields maintained by the Planning team.
Now that the Group is defined, we can link it to a field such as the Item Type (pt_part_type) in the function shown below:
Finally, in Role Permissions Maintenance, the new group will appear in the “secured items not on menu” section for a given Role Name. The Role “PurchaseMatlPlanner” is shown below as an example. Check that for the role, and make sure Generalized Code Groups is checked along with the new Group code, as highlighted in the example below (Note that this functionality is only available in the .Net version of QAD currently and not in the newer AUX interface):
Next Steps
If you are interested in learning more about Generalized Code Groups, contact us here to find out how we can help you grow your business. You can also email us at info@loganconsulting.com or call (312) 345-8817.