Specifications

Chapter 2. System Training

38 Dim11

File Structure

Data files contain a variety of information depending on the file: customers,

vendors, invoices, payments, inventory items, journal entries, and so forth. A

basic understanding of simple file structure is useful as you learn the Dimensions

system. The following terms are used when dealing with files.

File

A file is a subdivision of the user group used to organize a specific kind of data. It

is like a file folder in the file drawer.

Each file has a unique

filename, which

corresponds to the type

of data it is storing. It

comes after the

drive:user group and is

preceded by a colon.

For example:

5:1:CM1.D Customer Master File

5:1:CM3.D Customer Transaction File

5:1:IM1.D Inventory Static File

5:1:SM0.D Sales Master File

Files contain records, one record for each entry in the file.

Record

A record is an entry in a file. This is like one piece of paper in the file folder. For

example, the Customer

Master File contains

one record for each

customer.

Each record contains

fields of specific infor-

mation.

Inventory Static File

Customer Transaction File

Customer Master File

CM1.D

Customer Master File