# Infor LN and Baan Terminology and Concepts Reference > Source: https://netray.co/tools/infor-ln-terminology-and-concepts-reference > Publisher: Netray (netray.co), AI and integration engineering for ERP and manufacturing systems. > Section: Free Tools ## Short answer A searchable glossary of Baan and Infor LN concepts for people joining a team or reading old documentation. ## Category infor-ln ## Erp Infor LN ## Audience - New LN user - LN developer - ERP consultant ## Tool **Kind:** worksheet **Mode:** reference **Columns:** #### Term **Key:** term **Type:** text #### Area **Key:** area **Type:** text #### Meaning **Key:** meaning **Type:** text #### Where you meet it **Key:** note **Type:** text **Rows:** #### BSE **Area:** Platform **Meaning:** The Baan Software Environment: the installation directory and runtime where LN software, dictionaries and tools live **Note:** Environment variable and install path, used by administrators #### bshell **Area:** Platform **Meaning:** The LN runtime process that runs sessions and connects clients to the application and database **Note:** Server processes, troubleshooting #### Porting set **Area:** Platform **Meaning:** The platform specific runtime layer that lets the same application code run on a given operating system and database **Note:** Support cases, upgrades #### Session **Area:** Application **Meaning:** A program with a code and a form that users run, such as a maintenance, print or processing session **Note:** Menus, authorizations, support cases #### Session code **Area:** Application **Meaning:** Identifier made of package, module, number and type, for example tdsls4100m000 **Note:** Support cases, documentation #### Package **Area:** Application **Meaning:** A top-level grouping of software by functional area, identified by two letters **Note:** Session and table codes #### Module **Area:** Application **Meaning:** A subdivision of a package, identified by three letters **Note:** Session and table codes #### Table **Area:** Data **Meaning:** A database table defined in the LN data dictionary with fields, indexes and a domain for each field **Note:** Reporting, data migration #### Field **Area:** Data **Meaning:** A column in a table, linked to a domain that defines type, length and allowed values **Note:** Data dictionary, SQL columns #### Domain **Area:** Data **Meaning:** A reusable definition of a data type, length and constraints such as enumerated values **Note:** Fields, forms, reports #### Data dictionary **Area:** Tools **Meaning:** The repository that holds definitions of tables, fields, domains and relations **Note:** Developers, data analysis #### Enumerate **Area:** Data **Meaning:** A domain with a fixed set of values, stored as numbers and displayed as text **Note:** SQL reports show numbers, not text #### VRC **Area:** Customization **Meaning:** Version, Release and Customer: the layered structure that lets customer specific objects override standard ones **Note:** Customization, upgrades #### Standard VRC **Area:** Customization **Meaning:** The VRC layer that holds delivered software objects from the vendor **Note:** Upgrade impact analysis #### Customer VRC **Area:** Customization **Meaning:** A VRC layer that holds a customer's own or modified objects stacked on standard **Note:** Customization inventory #### 4GL **Area:** Development **Meaning:** The high-level event driven scripting language used to build sessions, forms and reports in Baan and LN **Note:** Customization, scripts #### 3GL **Area:** Development **Meaning:** The procedural programming level of the Baan and LN language, used for libraries and functions **Note:** Libraries, DLLs #### DAL **Area:** Development **Meaning:** Data Access Layer: business logic attached to a table, enforcing rules whichever session writes the data **Note:** Validation, customization #### DLL (library) **Area:** Development **Meaning:** A function library of shared code that sessions and other libraries can call **Note:** Shared logic #### Form **Area:** Development **Meaning:** The screen definition of a session, with fields, tabs and commands **Note:** User interface #### Report **Area:** Development **Meaning:** The layout definition for printed or exported output of a print session **Note:** Documents, labels #### Menu **Area:** Application **Meaning:** A structure of sessions and submenus that users navigate to start work **Note:** User setup, authorization #### Company **Area:** Organization **Meaning:** A numbered data set in the database, with its own tables and master data **Note:** Table names, multi-site setups #### Enterprise unit **Area:** Organization **Meaning:** An organizational unit used in logistics to group planning and execution within a company **Note:** Planning and multi-site design #### Financial company **Area:** Organization **Meaning:** A company that holds financial transactions and the chart of accounts **Note:** Finance setup, consolidation #### Job management **Area:** Operations **Meaning:** The facility for scheduling sessions to run in the background at set times **Note:** Batch processing #### Exchange scheme **Area:** Integration **Meaning:** A definition that maps file or table fields to LN tables for import and export of data **Note:** Migration, file interfaces #### ION **Area:** Integration **Meaning:** Infor's integration platform that moves business documents between LN and other applications **Note:** Integration projects #### BOD **Area:** Integration **Meaning:** Business Object Document: a standard XML message used by ION to carry business data **Note:** Integration design #### Authorization **Area:** Security **Meaning:** The rights that let a user run sessions, modify records or access tools **Note:** Access reviews **Notes:** Definitions are simplified for orientation. LN terminology can differ slightly by version, so check your product documentation for exact behavior. ## Content **Intro:** Baan and Infor LN carry decades of vocabulary. This reference explains the terms that appear in support cases, upgrade plans and old documents, in plain words. **Sections:** #### How to use the reference **Body:** Search by term, area or any word in the meaning. The table is read-only and exports to Excel or PDF, so you can hand it to a new colleague or drop it into onboarding material. Use the Where you meet it column to see why the term matters in practice, for example the VRC concept matters most when planning an upgrade. #### The concepts that matter most **Body:** Four ideas explain most LN conversations. First, the naming system: package, module and number appear in session and table codes. Second, the data dictionary and domains, which define fields and why enumerated values appear as numbers in SQL. Third, VRC layers, which separate standard software from customer changes. Fourth, DAL, which keeps business rules with the data rather than with the screen. **Bullets:** - Codes: package, module, number, type - Dictionary: tables, fields, domains, enumerates - VRC: standard layer plus customer layers - DAL: rules enforced on every write #### Terms that cause confusion **Body:** Company and enterprise unit are different things: a company is a data set with its own tables, while an enterprise unit is an organizational grouping for planning inside it. Financial company and logistic company roles also differ, and mixing them up leads to wrong setups. Treat the labels carefully when reading older Baan documents, because the same word did not always mean the same thing across versions. #### Using it with migration and upgrade work **Body:** In a migration from Baan IV or Baan 5, VRC inventory, 4GL scripts and exchange schemes are the three areas that drive effort. Use the glossary to align the business team and the technical team on the same words before estimating. Misunderstandings of terms such as company, enterprise unit and DAL are a frequent source of scope surprises. **Cta:** If you are working through an LN upgrade or Baan migration and need an inventory of customizations by VRC, we can help produce one. **Faq:** #### What does VRC mean in Baan and LN? **Answer:** VRC stands for Version, Release and Customer. It is a layered structure in which delivered standard objects sit in one layer and customer specific objects sit in additional layers that override them without changing the standard. #### What is a porting set? **Answer:** The porting set is the platform specific runtime layer that lets the application run on a particular operating system and database. Support cases and upgrades often ask for its version. #### What is DAL and why does it matter? **Answer:** Data Access Layer holds business rules attached to a table so they apply no matter which session, import or integration writes the data. Customizations placed there are therefore powerful and need careful testing. #### Why do SQL reports show numbers for statuses? **Answer:** Statuses are usually enumerated domains stored as numbers, with the text defined in the data dictionary. A report must translate the number using the domain definition. ## Search terms infor ln glossary, baan terminology, baan vrc meaning, baan bshell meaning, infor ln porting set, infor ln dal meaning, baan 4gl meaning, infor ln terms --- Talk to an engineer: https://netray.co/contact?intent=erp_ai | Machine catalog: https://netray.co/agent/catalog.json