About code tables

Sage HRMS uses codes to provide abbreviated, standard references to specific information. These codes are stored in code tables with their associated descriptions.

Example: There is a code table for state and province abbreviations. Instead of typing the name of the state or province (such as Mississippi or British Columbia), users select the appropriate code (MS or BC) from a list of these codes.

Advantages of using code tables

Code tables provide several benefits:

• Save time. When you enter information for hundreds of employees, it is much easier and more efficient to type or select the code instead of typing the full selection. For example, you can select RFT for the employee type instead of typing Regular Full Time.
• Customize information to meet your company's needs. You can set up codes specific to your company, such as divisions, departments, and locations.
• Ensure accuracy and consistency. Without a uniform coding scheme, users could be inconsistent with their entries. For example, data entry clerks might enter the Engineering Department as ENGDEPT, ENGRDEPT, ENG, or ENGR—and Sage HRMS would interpret these as four different departments and would not be able to calculate department totals accurately. However, with a department code table, a clerk could select ENG from the list.

About creating code tables

Most code tables in Sage HRMS are two-column tables with codes in the left column and brief descriptions in the right column. Some tables are more complex (such as benefit plans) and contain information in additional columns. The instructions for copying, adding, editing, and deleting codes are identical, whether you work with two-column or multi-column tables.

The code tables that are already set up in Sage HRMS are enterprise-level code tables. You can edit these code tables to contain the codes most frequently used by the employers in your program. These codes then become the standard for your program.

When you initially set up a code table for an employer, the table area is blank—that individual employer uses the codes from the enterprise code table. As soon as you add a new code for the employer code table, the program recognizes that you are creating a code table that no longer references the enterprise code table. To add a code for a specific employer from the list of enterprise codes, we recommend that you first copy the enterprise code table to the employer code table, and then add the unique code to the employer’s code table.