PeopleSoft Set Control Field Concept and Tableset Sharing

In PeopleSoft we have various control tables (DEPT_TBL, LOCATION, JOBCODE_TBL, SAL_ADMIN_PLAN etc…) and these control tables contain control data in the form of Data Sets or Record Sets. With the organizations having many companies and business units under their umbrella it becomes mandatory to enforce restricted access to these data sets. Hence, there must be a mechanism to control the access to these Data Sets and that mechanism is called Tableset Control.

To understand the concept of Tableset Control, first we need to understand its elements:

· SetID

· Data Set or Record Set

· Set Control Field

· Record Group

Let’s now understand each one these elements.

SetID in PeopleSoft

A SetID is a key field used to identify set of records (Data Sets) in control tables. Below is a snapshot of department control table DEPT_TBL.

In the example shown above, there are four data sets (Record Sets) grouped by the keys in the department table - SHARE, X00, Y00, Z00.

Data Set or Record Set in PeopleSoft

As shown above, its set of rows grouped and identified by SetID in control tables.

Set Control Field in PeopleSoft

It’s already been explained in the section PeopleSoft Set Control Field

Record Group in PeopleSoft

Its nothing but a collection of similar records which share same characteristics (Navigation: Main > Peopletools > Utilities > Administration > Record Groups)

This visual tells us how these elements are related to each other

Controlling access to Data Sets in control tables during online transaction in PeopleSoft PIA

In our everyday job, we do online PeopleSoft transactions we see this happening but most of us don’t happen to realize. For example, when we create a new position or do any transaction in the component “Add/Update Position Info” (Navigation: Main > Organizational Development > Position Management > Add/Update Position Info), If we click on department table prompt, it lists a set of department IDs grouped by a particular SetID.

Did you notice anything above? Well, let me tell you that when we click on department prompt button, A Data set keyed by Set ID “SHARE” is displayed.

Please also see
How the FTE is Calculated in PeopleSoft
Understanding Componenet Interface in PeopleSoft
How the Various Date Fields on Employement Data Page are Updated
'Override Position Data' and 'Use Position Data' Option in Job Data Page
PeopleSoft Set Control Field
Peoplesoft Row Level Security Search Records
SQL Query for Max Effective (MAX (EFFDT) dated row from JOB table
SQL Query to find all the Direct Reports for a Manager
Hiring a Person in PeopleSoft
How to find the List of Users Assigned to a Role
Business Unit, Company and Regulatory Region in PeopleSoft
Process Security in PeopleSoft

How did it happen?

Well, this is where “Set Control Field” comes in picture. But just knowing this is not enough to understand the concept hence, we will dig a little bit more to get a clear picture as how the Set Control Field is doing all this.

As mentioned already, the prompt for Department field in above page looks into the table DEPT_TBL when we click on it. Let’s open the record properties of Department table.

As you can see, the set control field for DEPT_TBL is “BUSINESS_UNIT” which means whenever we click on prompt button which in turn refers to the DEPT_TBL, the rows displayed in prompt page will be based on Business Unit (Set Control Field) selected in current session which is “SHARE” in our case. However, if we change the business unit to something else (for example – “XYZ01”) the prompt will display a different data set (set of rows) accordingly, see below:

Well, to show you what all happens when we click on prompt button I will not explain it by writing entire thing instead, I have created a picture which shows it all: