The Active Application Dictionary (AD) is the repository for the business logic metadata. It contains the entity definitions (type, validation, etc.), their display mode (labels in windows and reports, display sequence and relative position of the fields), and the display rules. Having the business logics stored in the AD, the application can be customized by creating, modifying or erasing the business logics in the AD without the need for programming. Once saved, the changes are immediately available in the transaction engine and to the users.
The dictionary can be extended to user level and may include information and rules specific to the user. This allows the authorized users to add new tables, windows or fields. All the newly added elements are automatically available to be listed or reported by using the standard reporting functionality existing throughout the entire application.
By storing the business logic separate from the SocrateCloud executables, the customizations are kept along the time without being influenced by the upgrades to new versions of the program. Unlike traditional ERP systems that recommend the user to adapt the business processes to the program's settings, SocrateCloud encourages the customization of the application so it can meet the needs of your own business. As the business environment changes, SocrateCloud can be adapted corresponding to the change needs - quickly and easily.
The Application Dictionary also manages the security rules and the access control.
The Application Dictionary is made up of 7 entities:
The functional algorithms that establish the data interchange between the database and the users and the way this exchange takes place are also defined in the Application Dictionary: