Getting Started with Global Technology

This chapter provides an overview of PeopleTools Global Technology and discusses how to implement PeopleTools in a multilanguage, global environment.

PeopleTools Global Technology Overview

PeopleSoft applications are functionally equipped for implementation in global enterprises. However, country-specific application business logic is not enough to make an application global-ready. The technology behind the applications, PeopleTools, provides the core global functionality that is common to all PeopleSoft application products, including support for multiple languages in a single database, data display formats that use the standards that users expect with their language and country, and multiple time zone support. PeopleTools is designed so that a single implementation can serve users in different regions: users can share the same data while operating in different languages and applying different date, time, and numeric formatting conventions.

This PeopleBook covers many aspects of global technology implementation of interest to a variety of users:

Administrators responsible for installing and maintaining the PeopleSoft database and applications.
Developers designing new PeopleTools and PeopleSoft application objects.
Translators translating PeopleTools and PeopleSoft application objects into new languages.
End users setting up their user preferences or working with multiple languages.

PeopleTools global technology implementation can be divided into four main task areas:

Installation-level globalization tasks.

These tasks include selecting and setting up character sets and sort orders, installing PeopleSoft-delivered translations, and setting up currency and time zone options.

Many installation-level globalization tasks are required in a multinational implementation, even if you use only English-language data.
Post-installation globalization setup tasks.

These tasks include a variety of setup tasks, some of them optional, that can be performed by administrators, developers, and end users.
PeopleSoft application translations.

The PeopleSoft application delivers non-English translations in a number of languages, which enables users to process data in multiple languages from a single database. The PeopleSoft application also provides tools that enable users to modify delivered translations to suit local needs.

You may also need to translate applications or application objects into languages that are not supplied by the PeopleSoft application, or you may need to translate your customizations. PeopleTools provides translation tools and recommendations for successful translations.
Global application object development.

Development for global applications requires special tools and special considerations. This book describes the PeopleTools that developers need and the practices that developers should follow to develop successful global, translatable applications.

PeopleTools Global Technology Implementation

Before using PeopleSoft applications in a multinational, multilanguage environment, you may need to perform some globalizing implementation tasks in addition to your standard PeopleSoft installation and implementation tasks.

Installation-Level Globalization Setup and Maintenance Tasks

Most installation tasks for a global implementation are covered in your PeopleSoft installation guide, but some global-only tasks are covered in this PeopleBook and are listed here. These tasks are performed primarily by system and database administrators. You can also perform some of these tasks after installation, if needed.

Step	Reference
Review the character set requirements for your database, application servers, and client workstations, and select an appropriate character set for your database.	See Selecting and Configuring Character Sets and Language Input and Output.
If required, convert your existing non-Unicode database to Unicode.	See Selecting and Configuring Character Sets and Language Input and Output. See also the special Unicode database conversion documentation available on PeopleSoft Customer Connection.
Set the database sort order. Most database systems require that you select a sort order when you create the database. Note. You should also set the PeopleTools in-memory sort options during installation, although you can change these after installation.	See Sorting in PeopleTools.
Install the PeopleSoft-delivered translations that you have licensed, using the PeopleSoft Global Multi-Language CD-ROM. Note. If you are installing a new PeopleSoft database, we recommend that you install these translations at the same time that you install the English-language database. However, you may also install translations to existing PeopleSoft databases at any time.	See Installing PeopleSoft-Provided Translations. Note. Multilanguage installation steps are covered in the PeopleSoft installation guide for your database platform. The PeopleTools Global Technology PeopleBook covers only installation steps for adding or upgrading additional licensed languages to an existing PeopleSoft database.
If the PeopleSoft database base language (language in which data is stored in the PeopleSoft core tables) is not to be English, swap the base language.	See Using Related Language Tables.
Set up time zones and generate query offsets. Note. You can also maintain some time zone settings after installation.	See Setting and Maintaining Time Zones.
If you plan to use currency conversion, set system-wide multicurrency options and resize currency fields, if necessary. Note. You can set currency settings at installation time or later.	See Using System-Wide Multicurrency Settings. See Resizing Currency Fields by Using the International Field Size Utility.
If you are running a Unicode database, convert any COBOL programs to a Unicode environment by running the COBOL conversion utility.	See Running COBOL in a Unicode Environment.

Post-Installation Globalization Setup

After installing the PeopleSoft database, there are setup tasks that administrators, developers, or end users may need or want to perform to complete their global implementation. Most of the tasks in this list are optional, and depend on your organization's particular needs.

Note. Some tasks listed previously in the Installation-Level Globalization Setup and Maintenance Tasks section can also be performed after installation.

Step	Reference
Set up language preferences for PeopleSoft Pure Internet Architecture display, your browser, and Microsoft Windows-based PeopleTools. Note. This setup is for language preferences only. Language preferences do not affect locale-specific formatting (such as number separators or date format).	See Setting Up Language Preferences in the PeopleSoft Pure Internet Architecture. See Applying Browser Language Preferences. See Setting Up Language Preferences for Microsoft Windows-Based PeopleTools.
Set up PeopleSoft Pure Internet Architecture locale-based formatting, such as date format and number separators. You can set up locale-based formatting defaults at three levels: user, locale, and system-wide. The user-defined defaults override the locale-specific defaults, which override the system-wide defaults. User-defined defaults can be set up by end users. Locale-specific and system-wide defaults should be performed by a systems administrator or similar role. This task is necessary only if you need to override the delivered formatting.	See Setting Up Locale-Based Formatting for the PeopleSoft Pure Internet Architecture.
Enable multilanguage data entry for users who will enter data in multiple languages during a single session. This task can be performed by end users or administrators.	See Editing Data in Multiple Languages.
If you use Microsoft Excel 97, select language-sensitive preferences for downloads from PeopleSoft application pages and queries to Microsoft Excel.	See International Versions of Microsoft Excel.

Translation Tasks

To modify PeopleSoft-delivered terminology in any delivered language, including English, perform the following task:

Step	Reference
Modify PeopleSoft-delivered terminology and translations to meet local requirements.	See Modifying Terminology.

If you have developed new application objects, or if you need to translate PeopleSoft-delivered PeopleTools and application objects into languages that the PeopleSoft application does not deliver, you may need to perform the following tasks:

Step	Reference
Define any languages you need that are not delivered by the PeopleSoft application.	See Adding New Languages.
Translate PeopleTools objects into non-delivered languages or modify PeopleSoft-delivered translations of PeopleTools objects.	See Translating PeopleTools.
Translate PeopleSoft application definitions into non-delivered languages (or modify delivered PeopleSoft translations) using the Translation Designer feature, Translation pages, and PeopleSoft Application Designer.	See Translating Application Definitions.

Global Application Development Tasks

If you are developing new application objects for use in a global implementation, you may need to perform the following tasks.

Step	Reference
Control time zone display.	See Setting and Maintaining Time Zones.
Validate field lengths for the character sets you will use.	See Understanding Character Sets. See Validating Field Length.
Design appropriate field formats for character sets you will use.	See Handling International Characters in PeopleTools.
Set up currency amount and currency control fields.	See Controlling Currency Display Format.
Use appropriate sorts in the objects that you develop.	See Sorting in PeopleTools.
Design reports and configure reporting tools for global requirements.	See Using Global Reporting and Data Analysis Tools. See also discussions of language- and locale-specific formatting considerations in the relevant reporting tools PeopleBooks.
Create related language tables and views for any language-sensitive tables and views that you create or modify.	See Using Related Language Tables.

PeopleSoft also provide a discussion of best practices for developing easily translatable applications.

See Developing Global Applications.

PeopleTools delivers a number of globalization-related PeopleCode functions.

See PeopleCode Built-in Functions.

Other Sources of Information

In the implementation planning phase, take advantage of all PeopleSoft sources of information, including the installation and upgrade guides, release notes, red papers, updates and fixes posted to PeopleSoft Customer Connection, PeopleSoft curriculum guides, and other PeopleBooks.