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The utilities have been built as a parameter
based system in PeopleTools and COBOL for maximum flexibility
with customizations and upgrades (including PeopleSoft 8).
Delivered objects have been left untouched. Using
import/export scripts to move parameter data, the utilities
can exist in a stand-alone environment.
Major functionality is described below
Complete Parameter
Hierarchy
Parameter Navigation
Enhancements
Identify and Delete
Unused Parameters
Identify
Parameterization Errors
Parameter
Documentation Enhancements
Complete Parameter
Hierarchy
PeopleSoft Pension Administration is a
parameterized pension calculation and administration system.
In order to implement the product, business rules are entered
into numerous panels in the system, each representing a
specific set of instructions for a small unit of work. Each of
these sets of instructions, or parameters, is identified with
a name and description. These parameters can then be
referenced by other parameters for the application of
progressively more complex plan rules. Parameters make up the
building blocks of a complete plan implementation.
The term, parameter, is used here to
represent any of the specific instruction sets used in the
application, such as Function Results, Definitions, Options,
Methods, and Aliases. It is also used to represent certain
employee data elements that are reference by the parameter
panels, such as Action, Action Reason, Earning Code, Deduction
Code, and Special Accumulators. In fact, there are over 50
types of parameters applicable to the Pension Administration
product.
The cornerstone of the PensionSmart suite of
utilities is a process that investigates every parameter and
builds a complete hierarchy of parameters used by each benefit
plan. PeopleSoft Tree Manager is used to visually represent
this hierarchy.
The Expand All menu option makes it easy to
open all tree nodes. Tree Manager also provides search
functionality.
Tree Manager can generate printed output.
This organized data is used in all the other
delivered utility functionality. For example, all the
references to a particular parameter can be identified.
Parameters are designed to be reusable and the utility suite
includes functionality to identify where a parameter is used,
much like the find object references in PeopleTools.
Parameter Navigation
Enhancements
Selecting a Tree Manager Node brings up the
parameter instance panel.
Alternative Tree Manager Settings allow you
to browse parameter details in the same window.
Navigation is enhanced with buttons that
jump to related panels. The details for a particular parameter
can be investigated by clicking the
 button next to the
parameter name.
To display the specific panel where this
parameter is being used in this instance, clicking the
button next to the
used by parameter name.
To display all the parameter references for
this parameter, clicking the
 button next to the
references count.
Identify and
Delete Unused Parameters
As you might imagine, once you have
determined which parameters are used, you can also determine
which parameters are not used. The unused parameter panel
displays all parameters that are not used by a plan included
in the order plans panel. This panel also allows you to mark
parameters for deletion, since it would only be safe to delete
parameters that are not used. Delivered parameters cannot be
deleted.
Unused parameters should be deleted to
improve the performance of both the program and the
programmer.
The actual deletion of the parameters is
handled through a process.
Identify
Parameterization Errors
Additional test can be performed to identify
parameterization errors even before the periodic process or
calculation processes are executed. For example, errors in
function result dependencies, custom statement assignments,
and broken parameter links can be identified. See also COBOL
Array Analysis Tools.
Parameter
Documentation Enhancements
Additional panels will be added to capture
parameter specific information, such as requirements
descriptions, design information, and modification tracking.
Specification reports will be constructed to exhibit this
additional information along with parameter details. The scope
of a report can be defined to include all parameter
dependencies for a particular benefit plan, function result,
or individual parameter.
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