View Data Cookbook Terms

The Data Cookbook uses terms to organize and identify data. Terms may be:

  • Simple words or phrases that refer to an element in one of PSU's information systems.

    • Example: "Organization Code" refers directly to the data element in the Banner Finance system.

  • Complex concepts that involve logic.

    • Example: "University Studies - Capstone Courses" refers to a group of courses, but does not exist as a single data element in a database.

  • Phrases that reference a policy.

    • Example: "Post Bac Students" are specifically defined by PSU policy.

On this page

View Terms

To view terms in the Data Cookbook, you will first need to be logged in. For more information about how to log in, refer to the Data Cookbook Overview. Once you're logged in, you have the option of viewing terms that are connected to reports or searching/filtering the entire list of terms.

View Terms on a Report

  1. Go to the Data Cookbook homepage.

  2. Select the Specifications tab at the top of the page. (Note: A specification is the Data Cookbook term for a report.)

  3. Choose a specification and select the Definitions tab for that report.

  4. Select a data definition name for more information. You can also select the icon under definition Name for the status of the item if it has not yet been approved.

Data Cookbook screenshot showing Data Definitions under Definitions in the Specifics tab

Search and Filter Terms

  1. Go to the Data Cookbook homepage.

  2. Select the Definitions tab at the top of the page.

  3. Enter what you would like to search for into the Search box and select the arrow button. The search will return results based upon definition name and values with the definition content.

  4. Select your filtering options to narrow down your results. You also have the option of selecting filtering options without entering anything in the Search box, if you wish to filter the entire list.

When viewing your search or filter results, a color-coded version number will display. Only green numbers are approved and valid. Gray numbers are in draft mode.

Search results screenshot showing color coding

Further Resources

To request the addition of a term definition, email OIT-BISupport-Group@pdx.edu with the information you would like added.