Create reference codes

Reference tables contain reference codes that relate to them.

Reference codes:

  • Limit the values users can select in a field. For example, if you want users to select only Parent/Guardian or Neighbor at the Contact Type field, create those codes.
  • Help standardize your data. For instance, your Bus Numbers reference table might contain codes B02, B03, B04, etc. These pre-set choices prevent users from entering Bus 2, B3, or #4.

It is recommended that the root organization owns all reference tables. However, intermediate organizations and schools can create their own reference codes for the tables.

For instance, if the root organization owns a reference table called Schedule Teams, one school might create codes like Blue, Red, and Green, while another school could have Bears, Beavers, and Bobcats. Users in each school could use a filter to view all team codes or only those codes owned by their school.

Note: Users need the appropriate security privileges to create and manage reference codes. See your Aspen system administrator for more information.

To create reference codes:

  1. Log on to the District, Intermediate Organization, School, Health, or Special Education view and click the Admin tab. Or, log on to the Build view and click the Global tab.
  2. Do one of the following:
    • In the District, Intermediate Organization, Health, or Special Education view: Click the Data Dictionary side-tab, then Reference. The Reference Tables page appears.
    • In the School or Build view: Click the Reference side-tab. The Reference Tables page appears.
  1. Select the checkbox next to the desired reference table.
  2. On the Reference side-tab, click Codes. Any existing codes for that table appear.
    Note: To modify existing codes on the list, click Modify List on the Options menu. Then, click Edit icon. in the column header. Make any changes. When you click Edit icon., the system displays how many values it updated.
  1. Select Options > Add. The New Reference Code page appears.
  2. Use the table to complete the fields on the General sub-tab:
  3. Field Description

    Code

    Type a code.

    Description

    Type a description of the code.

    Local code

    Type a local code used for reporting purposes.

    State code

    Type a state code used for reporting purposes.

    Federal code

    Type a federal code used for reporting purposes.

    Dependent Code

    Type the OIDClosed object identifier of the field dependent on this code.

    System code

    If the reference table is school-owned, the School Name field appears. Select the school that uses this code. The code is only available to users accessing that school.

    Disabled

    Select this checkbox to disable this code.

    Note: If you select a code that you created as a category, all codes within that category are automatically disabled as well.

    Sequence number

    If you selected the Sequence order checkbox on the reference table details page, type a value here to determine where this code appears in pick lists and drop-downs.

    Is a category?

    Select this checkbox if you want this code to be a category containing subcodes you define within it.

    Example: You create the Health Visit Complaint code of Headache and enable this field. Then, when users click Search icon. at the Complaint field, they can click the folder Folder icon. next to Headache to select one of the subcodes you created within that category, such as sinus, stress, or eye strain headache:
    Note:  If you delete a category, the system does not automatically delete the codes within that category. It then lists them outside the category as single codes.

    Category

    Use this drop-down to select the category you want this code to be part of. If this code is not part of a category, leave the field blank.

    Example: If you create the Health Visit Complaint code of Sinus Headache, you could select the Headache category here.

    Template Context

    This field is used wherever Aspen has dynamic templates, such as in Health and Conduct.
  1. Click Save.

  2. After you create a reference code on the General sub-tab, you can click the other sub-tabs to do the following:

    Hidden by

    Hide a reference code from one or more schools or intermediate organizations.

    Record Level Security

    		 Restrict user roles from using or viewing a record, based on a field associated with a reference table.

    Code Dependencies

    Define reference-based field requirements from the reference code.

    Translate

    Set the translation for the reference codes.