Element
An element defines the maximum number of characters and the data type for an attribute value. An element is assigned to every attribute and the element must exist before you can define an attribute that uses that element.
An element can be Lawson-defined or user-defined. You can define the these types of elements:
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Alpha type (up to 32 characters)
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Numeric type (up to 18 characters)
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Date type (eight characters)
Note: Lawson-defined elements are pre-loaded, along with Lawson-defined attributes, using Attribute, Element Load (MX100).
Lawson-defined attributes have a one-to-one correspondence with Lawson-defined elements. For example, the Company attribute is associated with an element called Company. This table shows additional examples of Lawson-defined attributes and corresponding Lawson-defined elements:
| Attribute | Element | Type | Size |
|---|---|---|---|
| Activity | Activity | Alpha | 15 |
| Level Depth | Level Depth | Numeric | 1 |
| Variable Level 1 Value | Level Detail | Numeric | 15 |
You can also create user-defined elements within the data type and size restrictions listed above. User-defined elements are more generic than Lawson-defined elements, and can be associated with more than one attribute. This table shows examples of user-defined attributes and user-defined elements:
| Attribute | Element | Type | Size |
|---|---|---|---|
| Project Manager | Alpha 15 | Alpha | 15 |
| Store Square Footage | Numeric 6 | Numeric | 6 |
| Date Opened | Date | Date | 8 |
| Region | Alpha 15 | Alpha | 15 |
You can also associate a Lawson-defined element with a user-defined attribute. For example, you can use the Activity element (Lawson-defined, Alpha15) with the user-defined Project Manager or Region attributes.
| Attribute | Element | Type | Size |
|---|---|---|---|
| Activity | Activity | Alpha | 15 |
| Level Depth | Level Depth | Numeric | 1 |
| Variable Level 1 Value | Level Detail | Numeric | 15 |
The relationship between transaction attributes and elements is unique.