Defining General Element Information

This chapter provides overviews of elements, categorization of elements, data retrieval elements, calculation elements, and organizational elements, and discusses how to:

• Define element types.

• Define entry types.

• Select entry types and display record.field combinations.

• Define industries and categories.

• Define element names.

• Update component element information.

• Define suffixes.

Understanding Elements

There are many types of elements; each has a unique purpose. Elements can be grouped into different categories, depending on how each one is used. An element can be used to retrieve data, calculate a formula, or organize the framework for a system. Some elements stand on their own, while others, called supporting elements, are building blocks for other elements.

Before defining elements, you perform some basic, one-time setup tasks—such as, defining element types and entry types—to help classify your elements so that they make the most sense for your organization.

Although each element type is unique, all element types share a common set of attributes that are defined and stored the same way. Once you’ve defined an element name, you can add information (such as rules) to the element through its component.

Understanding Categorization of Elements

Elements can fall into different categories, depending on how they’re used. This table categorizes elements by function:

Elements can also be categorized by element type: primary element, supporting element, or other type. A primary element can stand alone. A supporting element is used to create other, more complex elements. Other elements are used to represent things like eligibility criteria, accumulators, and certain types of rules.

This table categorizes elements by element type:

Understanding Data Retrieval Elements

PeopleSoft delivers some data retrieval elements; you can define others. This section discusses:

• System elements

• Arrays

• Writable arrays

• Brackets

• Rate codes

System Elements

System elements are delivered and maintained by PeopleSoft. You never have to change system elements or do anything special to define them. You cannot add system elements; however, you can rename them. Once the data in a system element is retrieved, you can use the data in any element that you create.

There are two types of system elements:

• Database system elements

  Think of database system elements as payee-related elements. They contain data that can be used frequently in a calculation, such as department ID, location, and personal data. Database system elements are resolved only when they are used in a calculation.

• System-computed elements

  System-computed elements are populated by the absence process, but are not physical database fields. They are resolved at different times, depending on their purposes. If, when, and how often a system-computed element is resolved depends on its type.

  For example, Period End Date and Period Type are resolved at the beginning of every segment calculation; daily data, which is used in absence calculations, is calculated daily. Other system-computed elements, such as those that are used with rate codes, are resolved only when a rate code element is encountered in a calculation.

See Also

Working with System Elements

Arrays

An array is a link between a field and an element. An array retrieves data that’s stored on the database tables that Absence Management does not automatically provide in system elements. You can use arrays to retrieve complex data that’s stored in any table outside Absence Management. For example, you can create an array to retrieve birthday data for a payee’s dependents from the DEPENDENT_BENEF table in PeopleSoft Enterprise Human Resources.

Arrays are temporary tables that the COBOL programs use to store data during processing. Once processing is complete, the programs write the data from the temporary arrays to the output tables.

Using an array is a two-step process:

1. Retrieve data from the database.

2. Use that data for further processing.

When defining an array, you must provide enough data to the system so that it can perform both steps.

See Also

Defining Array Elements

Arrays Used in Background Processing (Technical)

Writable Arrays

A writable array writes the values of user-defined elements into a row in a table. Writable arrays are in many ways the opposite of standard arrays.

You can use writable arrays to populate your own result tables. You use PeopleSoft Application Designer to create the result table, and then you use the writable array pages in Absence Management to define the element that populates the table during background processing.

See Also

Defining Array Elements

Brackets

You use brackets to look up and retrieve database table values. After you’ve defined a table, the system finds a corresponding row on that table and returns the value of the bracket. This value is available for use in other items such as formulas.

For example, say that your organization provides absence entitlements based on seniority. You build a bracket that lets you look up the correct entitlement amount based on a payee’s years of service.

Note. It’s important that you define all the building blocks that are associated with your lookup needs before you define your bracket.

See Also

Defining Bracket Elements

Rate Codes

You use rate codes to resolve multiple components of data. Rate codes retrieve multiple components of data from Human Resources and bring that data into Absence Management.

HR rate codes are not automatically resolved in Absence Management. To use the rate code, you set up an absence element in Absence Management and use the rate code element within the definition of that element.

Note. When you define a rate code element in Absence Management, you associate it with a predefined HR rate code. The Absence Management rate code element is automatically created only if the HR rate codes are defined when Absence Management is installed.

See Also

Defining Rate Code Elements

Understanding Calculation Elements

You use calculation elements to perform calculations such as formulas, takes, and entitlements.

This section discusses:

• Variables

• Dates

• Duration

• Formulas

• Rounding rules

• Counts

• Proration rules

• Absence entitlements

• Absence takes

• Accumulators

• Generation control

Variables

You use a variable element to define and store a value such as a character, date, or number. You can also define a variable to help create generic formulas by defining the variable with a field format of an element pointer. For example, if you find that you are using the same values over and over in a calculation, define a value as a variable element and use that variable wherever it appears in your formulas and calculations.

For example, assume that on January 1, you have three formulas and two elements that use a factor of 20 in their calculations, and that this factor is scheduled to change on April 1 to a factor of 25. Without a variable element, you would have to make five effective-dated changes. However, if you define this factor as a variable element, you make just one effective-dated change. You can then use the new factor of 25 anywhere that the variable is used.

Variables are the only items that are used with arrays. When you create an array, you retrieve the values into variables.

See Also

Defining Variable Elements

Dates

Using the date element, you can calculate a date by starting with an existing date and adding to or subtracting from it to come up with a new date. For example, to determine the date for a payee’s five years of service, start with the payee’s hire date and add five years to it.

You can also parse parts of a date. For example, if you want only the year of a date to be returned, use a date element to parse out the years, months, or days of the date.

See Also

Defining Date Elements

Duration

You use a duration element to calculate the period of time between two dates. A duration is the result of subtracting one date from another and is expressed as a number. You define duration in years, months, or days.

For example, to determine a payee’s age, calculate the duration between the payee's birth date and the calendar period end date.

See Also

Defining Duration Elements

Formulas

You use a formula element to calculate any type of formula. With a formula element, you create your own unique element. You can enter sophisticated rules, mathematical formulas, and iterative calculations as formula elements.

For example, you can define a formula to calculate an employee’s vacation entitlement.

See Also

Defining Formula Elements

Rounding Rules

You use a rounding rule to apply rounding to something such as a formula or an absence element. When you perform calculations that resolve to a numerical value, you use rounding rules to round the resultant value to suit your needs. A rounding rule resolves to 1, if rounding is successful, or 0, if rounding is not successful.

For example, let’s say that you define a rounding rule that truncates resolved values to two decimal places. During a calculation, you get a resolved value of 2.833333. The rounding rule truncates the value to 2.83.

You specify whether you want to round based on a certain size, such as a number of digits or decimals, or round to an incremental value. You also select the type of rounding: Nearest, Round Up, Round Down, or Round Up if Greater Than or Equal To, Else Down.

See Also

Defining Formula Elements

Counts

Counts are a way to calculate and summarize something on a daily basis. For example, you might track the number of hours that a payee worked. A count element provides a day-by-day check of the hours worked and keeps adding to a value for a defined period of time.

Once you define the calculation rules for a count, you can associate it with a proration rule. When segmentation occurs, the count elements used in the proration rule determine the numerator and denominator to use for prorating amounts.

See Also

Defining Count Elements

Proration Rules

You can use a proration rule to prorate a value when segmentation occurs. A proration rule generally works in conjunction with segmentation.

A proration rule defines a numerator and a denominator to apply to an amount during segmentation. A proration rule defines the from and to dates for a count.

As an example, for a calculation period of June 1–30, with one segment from June 1 to June 10, you define the numerator as the time of the segmentation (June 1 to June 10) and the denominator as the time of the entire calculation period (June 1 to June 30). Therefore, you set up your formula as 10/30, and the proration rule resolves to .333.

See Also

Defining Proration Rules

Absence Entitlements

You use absence entitlement elements to track absences such as vacations or leaves of absence. There are two types of absence entitlements:

• Per frequency

  The entitlement amount is calculated, regardless of whether there is an absence.

  As an example, say that payees receive 12 days of vacation per year and that this entitlement is accumulated at 10 hours per month. This entitlement is a fixed, predetermined amount that is calculated and updated monthly, regardless of whether it is used.

• Per absence

  The entitlement amount is calculated only if there is an absence.

See Also

Understanding Absence Management

Defining Absence Entitlement Elements

Absence Takes

You use an absence-take element to define the conditions that must be met for an absence to be paid. An absence take involves defining rules for minimum and maximum absence takes. You set up absence takes to accumulate in hours, days, or other units.

For example, if your organization gives payees 12 days of vacation each year, and a payee goes on vacation for five days, the absence take for the payee is five days.

Once you’ve defined your absence take rules on the Absence Take pages, you can track absences by entering them on the Absence Event Entry page.

See Also

Understanding Absence Management

Defining Absence Take Elements

Accumulators

You use accumulator elements to store and track balances. You can store an accumulator for a designated period of time. For example, you can store absence entitlement balance data for one year. The system can create accumulators automatically (automatically generated accumulators) or you can create them manually (additional accumulators).

You can add or subtract elements with accumulator members and define begin and end dates.

There are two types of accumulators:

• Segment accumulators, which accumulate values through segment calculation.

• Balance accumulators, which accumulate values over a period of time, such as a month or a year.

You can also define the level at which you want to track a balance. For example, you can track a balance by payee record number, payee ID, department, or organization. You set up the tracking levels that work best for your organization.

See Also

Setting Up Accumulators

Automatically Generated Accumulators

Generation Control

You use a generation control element to determine whether an element should be resolved. You define parameters for an element on the Conditions page. You can define these parameters at different levels, such as HR Status, Action, Frequency, Segment Status, and Formula.

See Also

Defining Generation Control Elements

Understanding Organizational Elements

You use organizational elements to define the structure and framework for the system, such as the processing framework (process lists and sections) and organizational structure (element groups).

In the overall-processing framework, the calendar ties the element group (on the payee side) to the section and ties the process list to the process.

This section discusses:

• Element groups

• Sections

• Process lists

Element Groups

You use element groups to group elements that you associate with eligibility groups. You associate eligibility groups with paygroups and list sets.

You define element groups based on your organizational needs. For example, if your organization has a simple absence management system, you might group all entitlement elements into one element group and all take elements into another element group and use the two element group names to specify all entitlements and takes.

See Also

Defining Element Groups

Sections

Sections are groups of elements that you add to a process list. Sections tell the system what elements to resolve when processing an absence run and the sequence for resolving them. The order of sections is important because it determines the order in which your elements and calculations are processed.

There are five types of sections:

• Standard, which is used for regular processing.

• Payee, which is used to specify which elements should be processed and in what sequence, at the payee level.

• Sub-Process, which is used for segment calculations and other iterative processes.

  For example, you can create a payee section to process garnishments for a payee.

• Absence Take, which is used to process absences according to date order.

See Also

Setting Up Sections

Process Lists

You use process lists to control the order in which sections are processed during an absence run.

You can create a general or specific process list, based on your organization’s needs.

See Also

Functions of Process Lists

Understanding Process List Setup

Defining Element Types

This section provides an overview of element types and codes and discusses how to define element types.

Understanding Element Types and Codes

PeopleSoft delivers the data for the Element Types page, which is used in background processing to resolve the valid element types with the utility program. This table lists the 2-character codes and corresponding element types that PeopleSoft delivers:

You can modify the utility program, but it is recommended that you do not. Instead, create a new element type and utility program to resolve the new element type. Add the new element type and associated programs on the Elements Type page.

Note. If you know an element name, but you don’t know what type of element it is, you can find this information on the Element Name inquiry page (Set Up HRMS, Product Related, Global Payroll & Absence Mgmt, Elements, View Element Names). There is no security on the inquiry page, so users can view all elements on this page.

Page Used to Define Element Types

Defining Element Types

Access the Element Types page.

Element Type

Displays the element type value that you selected in the entry dialog box.

Resolution Information

Defining Entry Types

This section provides an overview of entry types and discusses how to define entry types and element groupings.

Understanding Entry Types

Elements can use other elements. Sometimes there are restrictions on the types of elements that you can use in certain places. To restrict the entry types that are entered into an element definition, you use the Entry Types page.

Entry types can be elements, but they don’t have to be. For example, an entry type can be an element name, an amount, or a date. You use entry types to determine what you’re going to enter initially. The information from the Entry Types page is stored for every element.

For example, let’s say that you have an entitlement (ENTITLEMENT1) with a calculation rule that is defined as ENTITLEMENT1 = Amount. Because it’s defined as an amount, entry types for ENTITLEMENT1 can include numeric variables, numeric formulas, and numeric values, but you cannot enter a date in the amount field.

You use the Entry Types page mainly to associate a corresponding prompt view to use if the entry type is selected online. For each entry type that’s defined, you associate a prompt view with it. For some entry types, you also associate additional, special prompts to be used for security and override areas (related to the Override fields on the Element Name page). Entry type prompts are closely related to entry types. Use an entry type prompt to indicate the entry types for a field in the application. The entry type prompts are then used and attached through Absence Management so that only those entry types are available. Based on the entry type that you selected, you go to the prompt views that are indicated for that entry type to get a list of elements to select from.

See Also

Functions of Process Lists

Page Used to Define Entry Types

Defining Entry Types and Element Groupings

Access the Entry Types page.

Value Type	Select the type of field that appears on a page when an entry construct is used. Values are: Character, Date, Element Name, Integer, Not Applicable, and Numeric. If you select Element Name, you can enter information into the Prompt Views for Element Security and Overrides group box. For all other values, this group box is unavailable for entry.
Prompt View Name	Displays the value that appears in the Valid Entry Type field on the Entry Type Prompts page. Instead of hard-coding the values in the view text, the system controls the prompt by defining the values on the Entry Types page.

Prompt Views for Element Security and Overrides

Selecting Entry Types and Displaying Record.Field Combinations

This section provides an overview of prompt views and discusses how to:

• Define entry types for prompt views.

• Display record.field combinations.

Understanding Prompt Views

Prompt views are associated with an entry type to determine the list of valid values available in a field. Usually, before you select an actual element, you are prompted to select the entry type itself. This entry type is used to define what type of element is going to be used or whether a character, numeric, date, and so on is to be used. Based on the entry type that you select, you can prompt correctly on the next field.

For example, when you select a calculation rule on the Earnings Calculation page, the corresponding entry type fields appear on the page. If the calculation rule is Amount, you see two fields next to the Amount label: the first is the entry type and the second is the actual selection. The Entry Type field might display values of Numeric, Accumulator, Bracket, Deduction, Earning, Formula, Payee Level, Rate Code, and Variable, all of which are entry types. For example, if you select Variable, when you press the tab key to move out of the field and you prompt against the second field, only the variables appear as valid values. (If you had selected Bracket, only brackets would appear as valid values.)

For the example of an earnings definition, if the calculation rule is Amount, an entry prompt ID, GP_ENT_AMT_VW, is defined. For this entry prompt ID, we have indicated (by selecting the Valid Entry Type check boxes) that the following entry types are valid: Numeric, Accumulator, Bracket, Deduction, Earning, Formula, Payee Level, Rate Code, and Variable. These are the valid entry types that appear when you prompt on the Earnings Calculation page for the Amount Entry Type field.

Pages Used to Select Entry Types and Display Record.Field Combinations

Defining Entry Types for Prompt Views

Access the Entry Type Prompts page.

You use the Entry Type Prompts page to define which entry types are valid for a specific prompt view. You select which Entry Types are valid and entered wherever this entry prompt ID is used.

Calendar, Payee, Pay Entity, Positive Input, Pay Group, Via Element, and Element Definition are related to the Override Levels check boxes on the Element Name page. You enter overrides at various levels to control additional security within prompt views. For example, if you are on the Pay Entity page, the system looks for the Pay Entity prompt view first instead of the prompt view name. So, all eight prompt views (including Prompt View Name and the seven prompt views found in the Prompt Views for Element Security/Override group box) have the same purpose, but they are coded a little differently. The prompt views in the Prompt Views for Element Security/Override group box also look at the security check boxes on the Element Name page. You select entry types for the entry prompt ID that you want to look at on the Entry Type Prompts page. You use entry type prompt IDs to create and maintain valid entry type prompt views. Entry types are not hard-coded in the prompt views.

Common Page Information

Calendar/Via Element Tab

Select the Calendar/Via Element tab.

This tab pertains to calendar and via element overrides.

The prompt view name and the prompt views that appear on the Calendar/Via Element, Pay Entity/Pay Group, Positive Input/Payee, and Element Definition tabs are related displays, based on information that you entered on the Entry Types page (for each defined entry type). When you use these online, you are first prompted to select an entry type, and then (based on the entry type that you selected) you enter the second field.

For example, if you select an entry type of Variable for the Earnings Amount field, when you press tab to move out of that field and prompt on the next field, the system locates the prompt view name. The system uses that as the prompt for the next field; therefore, only variables appear.

The functionality of the prompts that are defined on these tabs is similar to the prompt view names. The difference is that the Override check boxes on the Element Name page (Pay Calendar, Pay Entity, Pay Group, Payee, Positive Input, Element Definition, and Via Element) are used to control where in the system you can override the element. You notice that on these tabs, you can define separate prompt views for each entry type. These views are defined just to take the Override check boxes on the Element Name page into consideration.

So, based on where you are in the system, you use either the prompt view name or the correct override prompt view name to prompt for valid values in the second field.

Pay Entity/Pay Group Tab

Select the Pay Entity/Pay Group tab.

This tab pertains to pay entity and paygroup overrides.

Positive Input/Payee Tab

Select the Positive Input/Payee tab.

This tab pertains to positive input and payee overrides.

Element Definition Tab

Select the Element Definition tab.

This tab pertains to element definition overrides.

Defining Industries and Categories

This section provides an overview of industries and categories and lists the pages used to define industries and categories.

See Also

Defining Element Names

Restricting User Access

Understanding Industries and Categories

Industries and categories are ways to further classify elements. You create codes for the industries and categories that are applicable to your organization. For each code, you specify if it is applicable to all countries or a specific country.

You can view all industry and category codes through the Industry/Region Types and Category Types pages. Your security level, as defined on the User Rules Profile page, determines the countries for which you can add industries and categories.

You associate an industry and category with an element by selecting from prompt tables on the Element Name page. The country for which an element is defined determines the available industry and category codes.

Note. You cannot change or delete existing industry codes or categories because they are also entered in the GP_PIN table. Updating the Industry/Region Types or the Category Types page does not update the GP_PIN table.

Pages Used to Define Industries and Categories

Defining Element Names

This section provides overviews of element names, PIN codes and PINs, and the process of selecting definition as of dates, and discusses how to:

• Define element names.

• Add user-defined fields to element definitions.

• Enter and view element comments.

• Select forecasting options.

Understanding Element Names

Although each element type has a unique purpose, all element types share a common set of attributes that are defined and stored on the first page of each element component. The object name of this page is always GP_PIN and it appears as the first page for all element definitions. In this chapter, this page is called the Element Name page, although it is often labeled to identify the element type that is being created—for example, Earnings Name. Once you define an element name, you can enter additional information that is specific to the element type.

Understanding PIN Codes and Element Name Numbers

When you create an element name, the system assigns the element a PIN code and a Element Name number. The PIN code and the element name must be unique. As you create new elements, the system checks to see whether the PIN code is the same as the element name—that is, whether this unique set of identifiers already exists. You can rename an element name, but the PIN code is a constant.

Element Name numbers:

• Enable the system to track the element and its name wherever it’s used, regardless of its name.

  You can change an element name without affecting the system.

• Point to the data and the element name on the Element Name page.

• Are significant only within a database and can be different for the same element names across databases.

• Act as keys to the GP_PIN table and the value that is stored in other tables to represent an element.

• Are assigned sequentially.

• Are used only for batch-processing considerations.

See Also

Understanding the Absence Management Utilities

Understanding the Process of Selecting Definition As Of Dates

Elements can have many effective-dated rows. The definition as of date that you assign to an element on the Element Name page tells the system which effective-dated definition to retrieve for the element during processing.

You can select one of these dates: Calendar Period Begin Date, Calendar Period End Date, Payment Date, Process Begin Date, and Process End Date.

Note. You can override the process begin date and process end date for a payee and calendar group by using the Payee Calendar Groups page.

Example 1

Assume that an element has the following effective-dated rows (definitions) and values:

January 1, 1990 = 100

January 1, 2000 = 125

January 31, 2000 = 150

February 1, 2000 = 175

The January and February calendars have the following dates:

When you process the January calendar, the system retrieves the definition of the element based on the element’s definition as of date:

Example 2

Process Begin Date and Process End Date can be especially useful for issuing advance payments. They refer to the begin date and end date of the calendar period in which the element is actually processed.

For example, suppose that in January you want to issue an advance payment to a payee who will be on vacation in February. To make the advance payment, you process the February calendar in January; however, you want the system to use the definition of the element as of January—the actual processing period.

This table shows which definition of the element the system retrieves, based on your choice of definition as of date:

See Also

Entering Calendar Override Instructions for a Payee

Pages Used to Define Element Names

Defining Element Names

Access the Element Name page.

Note. The preceding example is a generic representation of the page that you use to create all element types. After you create an element on the Element Name page, you continue the process of defining each element in its appropriate component, as described elsewhere in this PeopleBook.

See Understanding the Process of Selecting Definition As Of Dates.

Element Use

In this group box, you define several security-related options.

See Stamping and Packaging Elements by Version.

Override Levels

In this group box, you enable security-related override levels for the selected element. That is, you define when users can override the element’s value, or, in some cases, exclude the element from processing. For example, if you select Pay Calendar, you can use the Calendar - Excluded Elements page to tell the system not to process this element for any payee associated with a particular calendar. If you select Pay Calendar for a bracket, date, duration, formula, or variable element, you can use the Calendar - Overrides page to have the system use an override value for the element when the system processes a particular calendar.

See Setting Up Overrides.

Results

In this group box, you specify when to store the resolved value of the element in the result tables. The options vary by element type.

Select these options with caution to avoid creating large tables that are difficult to manage. Consider storing only the values that you need for reporting and auditing purposes or for retroactivity or other situations where you need to refer to the prior value of an element.

Resolution Parameters

The fields in this group box apply only to earning and deduction elements.

See Naming an Earnings Element.

Version Information

Additional Elements

See Also

Stamping and Packaging Elements by Version

Adding User-Defined Fields to Element Definitions

Access the Element Name - Custom Fields page.

Use the fields on this page in any way that you want. For example, you can use the fields to classify elements or to indicate a sorting order for reports. The data that you enter is stored by system elements.

Entering and Viewing Element Comments

Access the Comments page.

For each system-computed system element that is delivered by PeopleSoft, you can view detailed comments including a general description, when the system element is available, and where it is used. This is useful information when you want to learn about what a specific system element does.

For elements that you define, you can use the Comments page to view or enter your own notes or details about an element.

Selecting Forecasting Options

Access the Element Name - Forecasting page.

Updating Component Element Information

This section discusses how to update component element information.

Page Used to Update Component Element Information

Updating Component Element Information

Access the Components page.

On this page, only the Description field, the Via Elements check box, the Custom Fields link, and the Comments link are available for entry or selection.

All other fields are updated when the parent element value changes. (A parent element is an earnings element, a deduction element, or an absence entitlement element.) These fields display the values that were entered for the parent element when it was created.

Override Levels

See Also

Adding User-Defined Fields to Element Definitions

Understanding Overrides

Defining Suffixes

This section provides an overview of suffixes and discusses how to define suffixes for absence entitlements:

Understanding Suffixes

When you create certain absence elements suffixes are added for the components and for the system-generated accumulators of those elements. Accumulators are generated by the system to keep track of balances for an element.

You define suffixes that are appended to component names to make each element name unique so that it can be easily referenced. The system uses the suffixes when creating element components.

PeopleSoft delivers suffixes, but you can also create your own suffixes. Suffixes are defined by country, so you can define element components in your native language.

The system determines the suffix names to use, based on the country that is identified in the Used By/Country fields on the Element Name page. If an element is defined as All Countries in the Used By/Country fields, the system determines the correct suffix by identifying the entry on the Suffix page that has the Default Country check box selected.

Note. When you create an element, the system creates only the suffixes and components that are needed. For example, if you create an earnings element and define it as EARNINGS1 = Unit x Rate, the system creates suffixes only for the unit and the rate.

Pages Used to Define Suffixes

Defining Suffixes for Absence Entitlements

Access the Absence Entitlements page.

Component Suffixes and Accumulator Suffixes

See Also

Defining Rules for Auto Generated Accumulators