7. DEFINING PARAMETERS › 7.2 Complex Level Parameters › 7.2.2 VAX Account Code Structure (DEXACCT)
7.2.2 VAX Account Code Structure (DEXACCT)
In CA MICS, data about VAX/VMS activity is stored by account
numbers in the following files:
In the VAX/VMS Accounting Information Area files:
o VMS ACCOUNTING Process Term File (DEAPRC)
o VMS ACCOUNTING Image Term File (DEAIMG)
o VMS ACCOUNTING Initialization File (DEAINT)
o VMS ACCOUNTING LOGIN Failed File (DEA_LF)
o VMS ACCOUNTING Print Queued File (DEAPRQ)
In the VMS System Usage Information Area file:
o VMS Disk Usage File (DESDKU)
The parameters you specify in
sharedprefix.MICS.PARMS(DEXACCT) define the number of account
code fields that will be carried in the files listed above
within the CA MICS database, the length of each field, and
the SAS long names that are associated with each field. Note
that once you have defined these fields, you must provide a
routine that assigns them values (see Sections 7.2.3 and
7.2.4).
PREPARATION
Each installation has its own method for associating VAX/VMS
work with the responsible projects or departments. Prior to
defining the account code parameters required by CA MICS in
this area, you should investigate your installation's
accounting standards to:
o Identify the coding system (e.g., cost center coding
system identifying the division, department, project, and
employee).
o Identify how the codes are specified.
o Identify if and how the codes are verified to ensure that
they correspond to a valid definition. We recommend that
account code validation be performed in all cases and
that unidentified or invalid account codes be assigned to
a special installation overhead account code (see
Sections 7.2.3 and 7.2.4). This approach provides two
benefits. It filters out invalid codes from inclusion in
the database and, therefore, requires less DASD space to
hold the data in the files containing account code
elements. Also, it makes it easy to see how much of this
unidentifiable activity is taking place.
Once you have determined the accounting structure, consider
the following when determining the number of account fields
(CA MICS supports from one to nine) required to meet your
installation's reporting and analysis needs:
o Account fields are part of the file keys for the files
that support them. As such, at least one record is
generated for each combination of values. (More than one
record may be generated because other fields also make up
the file keys.) The trade-off you must make is between
keeping a fine level of detail via the account code
fields and, therefore, having a large database, and
keeping a small level of detail and perhaps not meeting
your reporting or analysis requirements.
o If you anticipate needing to expand the account code
structure in the future, establish an extra account code
now to eliminate the need to retrofit the database to add
the new account code.
VAX/VMS account code fields names are in the form "DEXACTn",
where 'n' is the sequential number of the account code
field. If three fields are defined, they will be DEXACT1,
DEXACT2, and DEXACT3 (in your accounting structure, these
might identify division, department, and project,
respectively). The sequential number is called the account
code field "level" number. There is a maximum of nine
levels. A sample VAX/VMS account code structure is provided
in sharedprefix.MICS.PARMS(DEXACCT).
Figure 7-1 provides a worksheet for collecting the data.
Once you have completed this form, code the contents of
sharedprefix.MICS.PARMS(DEXACCT) as follows:
o A separate statement is coded for each account code
level.
o Blank statements are permitted. Comments are coded by
beginning the statement with an '*'.
o Account levels are provided in order, starting with "1".
o Up to nine levels are permitted with no gaps between the
numbers permitted.
o The statement format is freeform but positional. All
parameters are required. The form of each statement is
as follows:
n m 'SAS long name to be assigned to DEXACTn'
The parameters to be coded are:
ACCOUNT LEVEL n
The level of importance of each element is specified
with level 1 being the most important (major field)
and the highest level number being the least important
(minor field). From one to nine levels can be
specified.
FIELD LENGTH m
The length of the specified element. The length may
be in the range from 1 to 30.
ACCOUNT CODE LEVEL DESCRIPTION
The title that describes the account code field. The
length of the title is limited to 40 characters.
A sample DEXACCT member with three levels is illustrated
below:
1 3 'DIVISION'
2 6 'UIC GROUP'
3 12 'USER NAME'
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| INSTALLATION PREPARATION WORKSHEET: VAX/VMS Account Code Level Definition|
| |
| PARMS Library Member is DEXACCT |
| Reference Sections: 7.2.2 |
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| |
| ACCOUNT FIELD |
| CODE LEVEL LENGTH ACCOUNT CODE LEVEL DESCRIPTION |
| (1-9) |
| |
| _ __ '________________________________________' |
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| _ __ '________________________________________' |
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| _ __ '________________________________________' |
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| _ __ '________________________________________' |
| |
| _ __ '________________________________________' |
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| _ __ '________________________________________' |
| |
| _ __ '________________________________________' |
| |
| _ __ '________________________________________' |
| |
| _ __ '________________________________________' |
| |
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+--------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| ....5...10...15...20...25...30...35...40...45...50...55...60...65...70.. |
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------+
