Comment Security

Access to comments for static and transactional data can be restricted using security parameters in the System Parameter file (File 248). As the comment editor programs are invoked, the programs check for system parameter records.  These parameter records determine if the user has access to the comment that they are attempting to view, edit. or create.  If no parameter record exists, that applies to the operator, the operator has full access to the comment.  If a parameter record exists that applies to the operator and it is set to “V”, the operator has view only access to the comment and cannot edit it.  If a parameter record exists and it is set to “N” the operator is not allowed to access the comment record at all. 

The system parameters that are used to control comment access are formatted as follows in the System Parameter file.

CODE            INFO             User

CCXX####    N or V           Group, branch or user

Where:

CC indicates Comment Control record – this applies to all comment sources.

XX indicates the comment source that the record applies to (the source field in the comment indicates what type of data the comment is associated with).

##### indicates the comment line numbers that the record applies to.

Options for the line numbering or #### section of the parameter records include

•      A specific line number greater than 999 – Comments with line numbers above 999 are used for a static data records such as customers, vendors, or inventory items, or for other special processing situations (additional information comments, etc.)   These comments are normally created using the automatic standard comment creation options described earlier in this document.  By specifying or defining the line number to be used for a particular type of customer or inventory note and then creating the appropriate security parameter records, you could block access to a specific types of  comments such as information about collections activity, credit line information, etc.

•      No line number – If no line number is specified in a  comment security parameter, the parameter applies to all comments with the specified source and a line number of 0.  These comments are his option would be used to restrict access to header comments for transactional data (line 0 is used for header comments for items like journal entries, sales orders, invoices, etc.

•      Line “1999” – this option blocks access to all comments for the defined source with line numbers of 1-999.  This option is used to block access to a particular source in transactional data (i.e. all sales order comments).  Comments with line numbers higher than 1000 are blocked using the first option (a specific line number) as these line numbers are reserved for special processing situations by the comment system.

The flexible format of the control records allows you to set security for a specific comment source and line number combination,,  a specific comment source and a line of 0 (a specific type of transaction comment attached to header record), or a specific comment source and a line of 09999 (all comments of a specific source regardless of line number).

Examples:

•      A Control record format of CCTX1000 would block all Customer comments with a line number of 1000 (this would be useful if you created standard comments for all customers and used comments with a line number of 1000 to store sensitive customer information such as collection notes or credit information).  You could set up control records to allow accounts receivable and collection personnel full access to these comments and to block other operators from either updating or viewing the notes.

•      A control record format of CCSO could be used to secure all sales order header comments.

•      A control record format of CCSO1999 could be used to secure all sales order line item comments with line numbers of 1-999

When implementing comment security for static data items, it is strongly recommended that you automatically create the comment records for the static data records.  Automatic creation of standard comments ensures that each type of comment is created with the same line number.  This allows the security to be set up easily for these comment types.   .

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Comment Printing