QAD 2017 Enterprise Edition > User Guides > System Administration > Domain Constants > Using Generalized Codes
  
Using Generalized Codes
When you install a new QAD database, a number of system and reference fields accept any kind of data, as long as it does not exceed the field length. You can customize the user interface by adding generalized codes and lookups.
Before implementing a module or particular functional area, the implementation team should determine which fields should have generalized codes and lookups.
Generalized codes are domain specific since these codes may vary widely based on the type and location of the business operation. For example, customer types, sales distribution channels, and buyer/planner codes could differ between a domain representing a business in England and one in Germany.
Important: Some programs that update system-wide data such as User Maintenance (36.3.1) reference generalized codes. These generalized codes must exist in all domains or you may encounter errors editing a user record depending on what your current working domain is.
When using generalized codes, you can control four different conditions:
• What the acceptable values in a field are. Define these values in Generalized Codes Maintenance (36.2.13).
• Whether a list of acceptable values displays in a lookup browse on the field. Specify this in Drill-Down/Lookup Maintenance (36.4.8.1).
• Whether the codes you have created are the only acceptable codes (that is, whether the list is validated). This may require you to add a validation expression to the data dictionary. See Adding Validation.
• Which users have permission to add, delete, and change generalized codes. If you decide to use generalized codes groups, you can set permissions to edit generalized codes at a more granular level. See Generalized Codes Groups.