Overview
Code Items are the values displayed in a drop-down menu you see in Paradigm User Interface – fields which would require you to choose from the list. These items will change as your business or institution will also undergo some changes in the future. Paradigm offers a solution to address this concern and lets you edit the Code Items to meet your requirements. This knowledge article will give you a detailed workflow on how you can search, add, and edit Code Items.
Complexity: MEDIUM
Key Terms and Concepts
NOTE: Some of these items are reportable HEIMS fields and have responses that are predetermined by HEIMS reporting. Please consult the HEIMS website to ensure that your institution is compliant before adding or removing any options.
Select from below the term/concept that you would want to know more in relation to Code Types:
WHAT IS A Code Type?
In Paradigm user interface perspective, we refer the Code Type as the heading of a field which has dropdown menus. In the example below, “Funding Type” is the Code Type.
WHAT ARE Code Items?
Refer to the items under the Code Type. In the example above, the Code Items under the Code Type Id “Funding Type” are “UPFRONT FEES”, “FEE-HELP”, “HECS-HELP”, and “OSS-HELP”.
REQUIRED INFO System Required Fields
Requirements | Required Fields |
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System |
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Operationally Viable |
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CODE ITEM DETAILS FORM Code Item Fields
This is an example of the information within the Contact mode drop box or code item. Each item, for this example, has six parts:
Field Name | Brief Overview | Sample Data |
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Code Id | NOTE: This value should have no spaces and be fewer than 20 characters in length. Replace spaces with underscores. The code used in the backend of the system for the response. |
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Code Type Id | Each code item is assigned a type ID that is used to group code items that should appear in the same drop-down menu within the user interface. |
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Code | NOTE: We recommend making the CODE the same as the value of CODE ID. This is the value that will be saved in the database. |
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Order | This is the order that the items will appear in the drop box once added to the system. The number allocated to each option needs to be 2 or 3 digits to ensure that the options appear in the required order. Prefix a number 0 to any number below 10, or to any single digit number. |
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Visible | The visibility of an option to be able to make available or not an option within the drop box. Hiding an option doesn't remove or re-code it from historical records in the system (for these records it will still be visible), it will just remove it from being used in the future. |
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Description | BE ADVISED: The description is designed to be for the end users and should be more "user-friendly”, descriptions that users could easily relate depending on the type of options you wanted them to choose. This is the value that will be seen by users in the drop-down menu, displayed on the user interface. |
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Implications
NOTE: Some of these items are reportable HEIMS fields and have responses that are predetermined options within HEIMS (HEPCAT / TCSI) reporting. Please consult the HEIMS website to ensure that your institution is compliant before adding or removing any options.
INFO: Code items may be retired by setting the visible field to "hidden". Setting a code to hidden will prevent it from appearing in the appropriate drop-down menu. Note that historical records will still retain the old code item, meaning that retiring old codes will not have an adverse impact upon historical data.
Workflow
STEP 1 Choose your action with a Code Item:
A. Search a Code Item
INFO: If you know the exact Code Type Id or a keyword of the code that you want to search, you can do so by typing in the Code Type Id field and click the SEARCH CODE TYPES button after. However, if you want to search for all the Code Items [to be displayed], follow the instructions below.
1, 2, 3 Choose the System menu > Search Code Type > Click the SEARCH CODE TYPES button.
4 A list of all Code Types will be displayed under the SEARCH CODE TYPE Form. You can filter your search by typing a keyword of the Code Id that you want to search in the Filter Box.
5 If you already found the Code Type Id that you are looking for after typing a keyword in the Filter Box, click the 📝 EDIT button on the right to see the Code Items associated to it.
NOTE: If there is only one result of the Code Type that you are trying to search, it will automatically open a form section below, displaying all the code items associated with the Code Type, no need to look for the 📝 EDIT button.
6 After clicking the 📝 EDIT button [or after a result has been displayed], an ITEMS ASSOCIATED WITH CODE TYPE Form will appear below the CODE TYPE DETAILS Form which has a list of all the Code Items (both visible and hidden) under the type that you’ve searched.
INFO: In the example above, a list of all Code Items is displayed under the Code Type Id: CONTACT_MODE.
B. Add a Code Item
1 Follow the same instructions [as] above on how to “A. Search for a Code Item”, to search for the Code Type where you want to add your new Code Item.
2 Once you’ve found the Code Type and its associated Code Items, click the ADD NEW CODE ITEM button.
3 A CODE ITEM DETAILS Form will appear below, with all the fields that you need to fill out to add successfully your new Code Item. Refer to the guide below in filling out this form. For more details on the definition of each field, refer to the Key Terms and Concepts section at the top of this page.
A Code Id – Refer to your institution’s naming convention for your Code Items. The best way to check on the format is to check the previous Code Items on the list and follow the same format. Suggested format should be, as in the sample form above, ITEM_CODE_ID_TITLE. Use underscore in place of spaces.
INFO: In the sample form above, the Course Id is set to “PERTITLE_MISC”. Note that it’s the same format as the number [23 result PERTITLE_MX] of the Code Items above.
B Code Type Id – This is the Code Type Id where your newly created Code Item will belong. In the example above, it will be under the Person Title field.
C Code – Copy the Code Id to this field.
NOTE: We recommend making the Code field the same as the value of the Code Id field.
D Order – Enter a number here – a numerical value which will determine the order this option will appear in the drop down box.
NOTE: Prefix any single digit number with a zero. Any order number entered below 10 should start with a zero. e.g. 01, 02, 03, etc.
INFO: In the example above, it is being set to 24 as the user would just want to add the newly created title at the end of the list which currently has 23 titles already.
E Visible – Select a visibility option. Visible will make the option available as soon as it has been saved as a code item, hidden will save it for a later time.
F Description – Enter in a description. This is the text to be displayed on the user screen, this field/data and can have a bit more detail.
NOTE: Some of these items are reportable HEIMS fields and have responses that are predetermined options within HEIMS (HEPCAT / TCSI) reporting. Please consult the HEIMS website to ensure that your institution is compliant before adding or removing any options.
4 Click the SAVE CODE ITEM button, to add the new Item Code.
C. Edit a Code Item
1 Follow the same instructions as above on how to “A. Search for a Code Item”, to search for the Code Type where you want to edit your new Code Item.
2 Once you’ve found the Code Type and its associated Code Items, click the 📝 EDIT button on the right of the Code Item that you want to edit.
3 A CODE ITEM DETAILS Form will appear below, with all the fields that you can edit for that Code Item. Refer to the guide below in editing this form. For more details on the definition of each field, refer to the Key Terms and Concepts section [above] of this page.
NOTE: Code items can be edited but not deleted. The order, visibility and the description can each be edited.
A Order – Edit the number here if you want to change the order of the Code Item. The numerical value you’ve entered will determine the order this option will appear in the drop down box.
NOTE: Prefix any single digit number with a zero. Any order number entered below 10 should start with a zero. e.g. 01, 02, 03, etc. In the example above, it is being set to 04.
B Visible – Edit the visibility depending on how you want this Code Item to be seen in the system. Visible will make the option available as soon as it has been saved as a code item, hidden will save it for a later time.
C Description – Edit the description field if you want a new display option for the user to see under this Code Type. This is the text to be displayed on the user screen, this field/data and can have a bit more detail. You can also edit the Code Id and the Code fields above if you are editing the description – to match your new description, just follow the same format.
4 Click the SAVE CODE ITEM button, to apply changes.
D. Hide a Code Item
1 Follow the same instructions as above on how to “A. Search for a Code Item”, to search for the Code Item that you want to hide.
2 Once you’ve found the Code Type and the Code Item under it that you want to hide, click the 📝 EDIT button on the right.
3 A CODE ITEM DETAILS Form will appear below. Look for the Visible field. Select the “Hidden” option in the drop down list to hide the Item Code.
4 Click the SAVE CODE ITEM button to apply the change.
INFO: In the example above, the Code Item “Flexible Learning” will no longer be shown in the drop down list of the Contact Mode Code Type Id field.
Video
HOW TO Edit / Add New Code Items
Related Pages
Related Questions or Issues 
Overview | Assumptions | Key Terms and Concepts | Implications | Workflow | Video | Related Pages | Related Questions or Issues