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Infor LN and Baan Terminology and Concepts Reference

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.

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Term	Area	Meaning	Where you meet it
BSE	Platform	The Baan Software Environment: the installation directory and runtime where LN software, dictionaries and tools live	Environment variable and install path, used by administrators
bshell	Platform	The LN runtime process that runs sessions and connects clients to the application and database	Server processes, troubleshooting
Porting set	Platform	The platform specific runtime layer that lets the same application code run on a given operating system and database	Support cases, upgrades
Session	Application	A program with a code and a form that users run, such as a maintenance, print or processing session	Menus, authorizations, support cases
Session code	Application	Identifier made of package, module, number and type, for example tdsls4100m000	Support cases, documentation
Package	Application	A top-level grouping of software by functional area, identified by two letters	Session and table codes
Module	Application	A subdivision of a package, identified by three letters	Session and table codes
Table	Data	A database table defined in the LN data dictionary with fields, indexes and a domain for each field	Reporting, data migration
Field	Data	A column in a table, linked to a domain that defines type, length and allowed values	Data dictionary, SQL columns
Domain	Data	A reusable definition of a data type, length and constraints such as enumerated values	Fields, forms, reports
Data dictionary	Tools	The repository that holds definitions of tables, fields, domains and relations	Developers, data analysis
Enumerate	Data	A domain with a fixed set of values, stored as numbers and displayed as text	SQL reports show numbers, not text
VRC	Customization	Version, Release and Customer: the layered structure that lets customer specific objects override standard ones	Customization, upgrades
Standard VRC	Customization	The VRC layer that holds delivered software objects from the vendor	Upgrade impact analysis
Customer VRC	Customization	A VRC layer that holds a customer's own or modified objects stacked on standard	Customization inventory
4GL	Development	The high-level event driven scripting language used to build sessions, forms and reports in Baan and LN	Customization, scripts
3GL	Development	The procedural programming level of the Baan and LN language, used for libraries and functions	Libraries, DLLs
DAL	Development	Data Access Layer: business logic attached to a table, enforcing rules whichever session writes the data	Validation, customization
DLL (library)	Development	A function library of shared code that sessions and other libraries can call	Shared logic
Form	Development	The screen definition of a session, with fields, tabs and commands	User interface
Report	Development	The layout definition for printed or exported output of a print session	Documents, labels
Menu	Application	A structure of sessions and submenus that users navigate to start work	User setup, authorization
Company	Organization	A numbered data set in the database, with its own tables and master data	Table names, multi-site setups
Enterprise unit	Organization	An organizational unit used in logistics to group planning and execution within a company	Planning and multi-site design
Financial company	Organization	A company that holds financial transactions and the chart of accounts	Finance setup, consolidation
Job management	Operations	The facility for scheduling sessions to run in the background at set times	Batch processing
Exchange scheme	Integration	A definition that maps file or table fields to LN tables for import and export of data	Migration, file interfaces
ION	Integration	Infor's integration platform that moves business documents between LN and other applications	Integration projects
BOD	Integration	Business Object Document: a standard XML message used by ION to carry business data	Integration design
Authorization	Security	The rights that let a user run sessions, modify records or access tools	Access reviews

Definitions are simplified for orientation. LN terminology can differ slightly by version, so check your product documentation for exact behavior.

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How to use the reference

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

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.

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

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

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.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does VRC mean in Baan and LN?

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?

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?

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?

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.

If you are working through an LN upgrade or Baan migration and need an inventory of customizations by VRC, we can help produce one.

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