4. CUSTOMIZATION › 4.3 Specifying Rates › 4.3.1 Defining the Rate Table › 4.3.1.4 Specifying Algorithms

4.3.1.4 Specifying Algorithms

You must specify which charging elements (such as CPU time or
print lines) you want to charge for and the rates at which
they will be billed.  Since charging elements are identified
by computation codes, an algorithm consists of a list of
computation codes with their associated rates.  Since
different rates and/or computation codes may be required to
account for different situations (such as mainframe
processors, application subsystems, and cost centers), you
may specify as many algorithms as you need for each journal
file.

Each algorithm is specified by listing its computation codes
and their associated rates.  These lists are identified and
referred to by a unique user-defined algorithm identifier.
Each algorithm can specify the computation codes and rates
for only a single file.

You can specify the date at which the rate associated with a
computation code is effective.  If a different effective date
is used for each specification, each computation code can be
specified twice in the algorithm.

Normally, each charging element in an algorithm is associated
with a single computation code and rate.  In some cases,
however, the rate or computation code to be used is a
function of the specific value of a control variable.  This
is the basis of transaction accounting in which the value of
the Application Unit (APU) variable (such as the IMSAPU
variable for IMS transaction charging) determines the rate.
The APU variable is, in this case, the control variable.
Another example is special forms charging, when the
computation code and rate charged for print lines varies
depending on the form number.  In this case, form number is
the control variable.

CA MICS Accounting and Chargeback Option supports control
variable charging to handle such situations.  Additional
specifications are required to define the control variable
and the rates and/or computation codes to be associated with
the charging element in these cases.

As discussed above, there are two methods to specify the
computation code and rate to be used to charge a charging
element:

o A direct assignment of one computation code and rate
  to a particular charging element.

o An assignment of different computation codes and/or
  rates to a particular charging element based on the
  value contained in a control variable.

Resource accounting algorithms can use both the direct
assignment and control variable methods.  All transaction
accounting algorithms use only the control variable method.
Both Direct Assignment and Control Variable Algorithm
Worksheets are provided in the sections that follow to allow
you to address each case.

The standard journal files are predesignated by CA MICS as
either resource accounting or transaction accounting journal
files.  The transaction accounting journal files are:

 CA MICS Product                    Journal Files
 ---------------------------        -------------
 Analyzer Option for CICS           ACTJCA
 Analyzer Option for IMS            ACTJIA
 Analyzer Option for CA IDMS        ACTJSA
 Analyzer for TSO                   ACTJTC and ACTJTI

The following sections provide algorithm specification
worksheets and examples:

 1 - Algorithm Specification Worksheets
 2 - Algorithm Specification Examples