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Glossary
of Satelite Plus Terms


- A -
Additional Operation
An operation in a style which may be optionally added to the normal sequence of operations is referred to as an Additional Operation. A typical example could be the attachment of a watch pocket on a jean where the same style is used for the jean with and without the pocket. Up to nine levels of Additional Operations may be defined in a style and different levels may be selected for each bundle released in a cut. Inventory is not tracked at stations for Additional Operations, but payment for coupons is identical to non-Additional Operations.

Average Pay Rate
This is the average value of the operator's piece-rate earnings. It can represent a per hour pay rate for earnings on-standard or straight-time, including selected bonus amounts and/or make-up pay. The average pay rate may be calculated weekly, quarterly, on-demand or weekly on a 13-week rolling historical basis. Also referred to as average, historical average, quarterly average, 13-week average, etc.

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- B -
Base Rate
This is generally the hourly rate on which the piece-rate of a particular operation is based. It may also be used as guide-lines for payment to operators doing a specific operation or who have a certain longevity with the company. For example, one base rate may be $5.00/hr, another may be $6.00/hr, etc. Most plants use a single base rate. As the base rate increases (generally annually), the "earned" value or "coupon dollars" increase, while the SAH stays constant.

Bonus
One of 3 possible additional excess pay categories that may comprise an operator's earnings. The bonus calculations are selected from a list of options and are specified for use by setting parameters 52-54. Refer to bonus descriptions.

Bulk Coupon
This is a single coupon representing bulk processing for 1 or more bundles within a cut. The quantity associated with the bulk coupon is the sum of all bundle quantities for the bundles within the bulk coupon range. The coupons for the bundles replaced by the bulk coupon will not be printed. Note also that bulk coupons are not bar codes as are normal coupons. The data representing a bulk coupon is manually input during data entry. The ability to print bulk coupons is an Satelite parameter option.

Bulk Operation
This is an operation which is performed for a range of bundles (or all bundles) within a cut at the same time. For example, belt loops may be made for all bundles of a cut at one time rather than for each individual bundle in the cut.

Bulk Rate
The rate at which a bulk operation is paid. In general it would be the sum of the piece-rates for all units completed within the range of a bulk operation.

Bundle Control File
The database file which contains a record for each bundle in the system is referred to as the Bundle Control File. The data in each record includes the cut number, style number, bundle quantity and size(s), additional and/or substitute operation indicators, bundle text and the sequence numbers indicating the locations in each section where the bundle may reside.

Bundle Control Number
A unique 7-digit number assigned to each bundle which has been released into the system. This is the main key (index) into the bundle control file for each bundle.

Bundle Operation History File
This file is used to maintain the number of the employee that performed each operation on each bundle. The history data is available for display or hard-copy reporting for any bundle until the bundle is physically deleted from the system.

Bundle Rate
The computed value of the piece-rate, SAM or SAH for the operation multiplied by the quantity in the bundle or by any other multiple that is parametrically selected. The bundle rate is printed on each coupon as long as rate printing has not been suppressed.

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- C -
Coefficients
The factors that make up the split incentive formulations for operator pay rates are referred to as the Coefficients. Each set of Coefficients corresponding to each possible split incentive calculation option are located in the text file in group "COX".

Control Coupon
Applies to batch coupons only. This coupon is the last coupon printed for each control section of a style. The information contained on the control may include the section description, text information, style number, cut number, bundle number and the size(s). Control coupons may optionally be printed for sections without operations and blank coupons may be optionally printed following each control coupon.

Control Section
A collection of operations in sequence where work cannot be accomplished at more than one operation simultaneously for a bundle. A bundle can and often will exist at more than one control section at any given time, but can never be at more than one operation within a control section. Each Control Section is identified by a number in the range 1-16 and is described by a Control Section Group Name.

Control Section Group
A grouping of section names which is used by one or more styles. These are defined in the system text file in records "Cxx000", where the "xx" represents each unique Control Section Group.

Control Section Group Name
A 28-character name assigned to a Control Section Group. It is defined in the text file in records "Cxx000", where the "xx" represents the Control Section Group.

Control Section Name
A 28-character name given to each section in a Section Control Group. The Section Names are specified in text file records "Cxx001" through "Cxx016", respectively, where the "xx" represents each unique Control Section Group. From 1 to 16 controls may exist in a Control Section Group.

Control Section Number
A two digit number in the range 01-16 that uniquely identifies each Control Section in a Control Section Group.

Coupon
A coupon represents an operation that is performed on a bundle. There is a coupon printed for each operation for all bundles within a cut (bulk operations excepted). The coupon is printed with enough bar coded information to allow the Satelite system to process the payroll and inventory movement for the bundle associated with the coupon.

Coupon Dollars
Coupon Dollars, Coupon Earnings See Earned Amount

Curve
This often represents the coefficients associated with the split incentive formula used for computing operator pay rates.

Cut
A particular grouping of bundles identified by a cut number for the convenience of contract performance measurement, cutting control, time sequencing and aging of inventory.

Cut Number
A unique 7-character identifier for each cut.

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- D -
Daily Overtime
Overtime may be paid on a daily basis for hours in excess of the shift work time or only on a weekly basis when the total hours worked for a week exceeds the total shift time for a week. Paying overtime (and double time) on a daily basis is an Satelite option.

Data Entry
This generally refers to the task of entering time and coupon data each day for piecework operators when the Satelite batch option is used. Data entry may also refer to the task of entering any data via the system terminals.

Department
See Section.

Double time Hours
These are overtime worked hours for which a double time premium is paid rather than a regular overtime premium. The definition of when overtime hours become double time hours is contained in the plant file for each installation.

Double time Premium
The amount of dollars paid for double time hours above the regular time pay for those hours.

Double time Premium Rate
This is the premium rate at which all double time hours are paid. The rate is defined in the plant file for each of 6 possible plant shifts.

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- E -
Earned Amount, Earned Dollars
Similar to SAH, earned dollars is the monetary value of each operation. The monetary value of an operation is the SAH multiplied by the operation's Base Rate (see below). Thus if an operation's SAH is 1.00 and the base rate is $5.00, the operator will have "earned" $5.00. The actual amount that an operator is paid is not necessarily the value that they earned. If they are earning at a rate below their guaranteed rate, they must be paid the guaranteed rate. If they earn more, they are generally paid the higher. However, the pay formulas get very complicated and they vary by company. This is why Leadtec, via Satelite Plus is used to compute gross pay. A standard payroll package just won't cut it.

Efficiency
This is a ratio or percent derived as a measure of operator performance. Efficiency (sometimes called Productivity) is calculated as: SAH earned / hours worked. The title heading for the Efficiency (Productivity) calculation may be set by the user in text record "PAREFF", first six characters.

Employee Number
A unique 5-digit number assigned to each employee. Also referred to as clock number.

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- F -
File Maintenance
Usually this represents manual data updates to system data files via file maintenance programs. File maintenance is done to modify data which had been automatically calculated or to add information to the system database that could not be added other than manually, e.g. adding new employees, new sections, etc.

Forced Pay
This pay is specified in data entry by an "F" followed by the total amount of money to pay for time period. It is not an hourly rate, but the full payment amount.

Forced Pay Rate
This is a specified hourly rate input during piecework data entry, such that the operator's pay for the associated time period will be the specified rate (average, guarantee, dollar amount) times the hours worked. The amount paid will not be adjusted upward to minimum if it is less than minimum, nor will it be adjusted upward if the earned coupon value, if any, is greater than the paid amount. The PAY RATE code indicating this option is an "R" after which "A"verage, "G"uarantee or any dollar rate may be specified.

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- G -
General Make-up Pay
Make-up pay to operators who are trained as opposed to trainees.

Guarantee Pay Rate
An hourly pay rate assigned to each operator such that earnings must be greater than or equal to the Guarantee Pay Rate times the number of hours worked. It is equal to either the federal minimum wage, plant minimum or any other specified value. Payment of the Guarantee Pay Rate is indicated by a "G" in the PAY RATE field in data entry. Also referred to as minimum or guarantee.

Gross Payroll
This refers to the payroll option that produces a gross payroll rather than a net payroll. A gross payroll includes gross dollars earned without taxes or deductions. The gross payroll function is a limited subset of the net payroll. The output of the gross payroll is usually fed into another off-site payroll system which performs all calculations necessary to produce the actual employee checks and accumulate payroll history.

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- H -
Historical Accumulator File HAF
This optional file allows the system user to store up to 15 different weekly items for each of 13 weeks on a continuous rolling basis. Users may reference this information by displaying, printing or graphing.

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- I -

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- J -
Job
A plant location which contains one or more similar machines dedicated to the same operation or group of operations. Satelite records work-in- process inventory and production at each Job. Jobs are defined in the Production/ Inventory (Job) file by a unique 3-digit number.

Job Description
A 30-character description of a Job.

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- K -

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- L -
Labor Code
A numeric code (0 thru 24) indicating on-standard labor (code=0) or one of the 24 off-standard labor categories (code=01-24). The parametric descriptions for the labor categories are coded in the system text file in records "LBR001" thru "LBR025", respectively; the text file index being one greater than the labor code value.

Lunch Time Exclusion
This amount of time represents the normal lunch period for each one of the 6 possible plant shifts. The system checks each time segment during which an operator performs on-standard and off-standard piecework. The Lunch Time Exclusion is subtracted from the time represented by the segment which starts before the midpoint of the shift lunch period and stops after the midpoint of the shift lunch period. The operator may modify the value of the Lunch Time Exclusion during data entry.

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- M -
Machine Delay Deduction
A daily exclusion of the first specified hundredths of hours of any machine delay off-standard time, where the number of hours is specified in the plant file for each shift.

Make-up Pay
The total dollar value required to raise an operator's pay from actual earnings on-standard to the operator's guaranteed pay rate. Make-up Pay is computed daily for daily operator performance reporting. It may be optionally recomputed weekly for weekly reporting and payroll.

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- N -
Net Payroll
This refers to the payroll option that produces a net payroll rather than a gross payroll. A net payroll is a complete payroll function performing all calculations necessary to produce the actual employee checks and accumulate payroll history.

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- O -
Off-Standard Earnings
A dollar pay amount equal to the amount computed as the greater of: 1) the supervisor's approved rate (i.e. average, guarantee, transfer, split incentive, etc.), or 2) the operators's minimum, multiplied by the actual time spent in the off- standard labor classification. Actual piecework earnings are used if they are greater. If a forced pay rate was specified, the off-standard earnings equal the forced rate times the number of hours, regardless of coupon earnings.

Off-Standard Time
The time a piecework operator works on an operation which is not the operator's normal operation or task. It may also be time spent on the operator's normal operation or task, but which for some reason normal production is not expected.

On-standard Time
Time spent by a piece-work operator on the operator's normal job during which normal production is expected.

Operation
A described task or group of tasks having a single coupon associated with its performance. An operation is often unique to a plant station.

Operation Long Description
A text string of up to 50 characters which describes the operation.

Operation Short Description
If the Satelite batch option is used a short operation description is printed on a coupon in 2 sets of 10 characters. The 1st 10 characters of the description is printed over the 2nd 10 characters.

Operation File
This file contains a record defining each operation in the system.

Operation Number
A unique 14-character alpha-numeric code that is assigned to each operation. Once the code is assigned, each operation is referenced by its Operation Number.

Operator Minimum
See Guarantee Pay Rate.

Operator Number
See Employee Number.

Overtime Hours
Hours worked in excess of the number of hours in a shift on a daily basis or hours worked in excess of the normal hours for a shift on a weekly basis are considered Overtime Hours. The data entry operator has control over the number of Overtime Hours entered as long as they are not greater than the total hours worked.

Overtime Premium
This is the amount of premium pay paid for the Overtime Hours worked. The premium rate is specified in the plant file for each of 6 possible shifts.

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- P -
Parameter
An entity that can be set to any of a number of values such that the operation of Satelite is altered. The capability to set system parameters allows Satelite users to enjoy a wide variety of system functions and the ability to tailor Satelite to fit unique plant configurations and requirements.

Parameter File
The file (data storage area) in which many Satelite parameters are stored.

Parameter File Maintenance
This is the function that allows system users to optionally set and reset the many Satelite system parameters. This function controls the operator selections to insure correctness and functional compatibility.

Pay Factor
A factor optionally entered by the data entry operator using the batch data entry option to act as a multiplier to the existing piecerate. It may be used as a multiplier to the existing SAH/SAM if desired.

Pay Rate
A per hour pay amount in dollars and cents. The Pay Rate may be input directly during data entry or may be automatically calculated by the system according to preset rules and formulas.

Piecerate
The dollar value placed on each unit of work performed on a given operation.

Plant
The physical entity which is the largest unit the Satelite system deals with at any one time. This could be an entire factory or a production line, depending on their size and characteristics.

Plant Minimum Pay Rate
The established minimum pay rate per hour for a plant.

Plant Name
A unique 30-character description for each plant.

Premium Time
Worked time which exceeds the specified normal shift time in a day or week. Premium time is paid as overtime or double time.

Premium Time Pay
An incremental pay value for Premium Time arrived at by multiplying the input Premium Time Pay Factor by the actual average earnings for the time period. Premium Time Pay is computed daily if the daily overtime option is set and recomputed on a weekly basis for reporting and payroll.

Premium Time Pay Factor
The factor which is multiplied by the operator's earnings to determine the Premium Time Pay. The Premium Time Pay Factor is either the Overtime Premium Rate or the Double time Premium Rate, respectively. Each of these rates is set in the plant file for each of the possible plant shifts.

Productivity
See Efficiency.

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- Q -

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- R -
Realtime
In Satelite Plus terminology "realtime" refers to the processing and response that occurs when an operator scans a bundle coupon, or any other type of card like their employee id, job card, supervisor card, etc. at one of the Satelite Plus realtime terminals. All necessary processing for that transaction occurs immediately upon receipt by the host system, hence the term "realtime". The operator receives a response back from the host as soon as the host is finished processing the entered transaction, generally within a second or two, depending on the current processing load on the host computer.

Realtime Terminal
The Satelite Plus realtime terminals are used by each sewing operator to clock in and out, scan

bundle coupons, change jobs, request pay and performance information, clock off-standard, and as a "coaching device" to pace themselves and improve their performance. These terminals can also be configured as hourly time clocks (HTC's) to capture time and attendance data for hourly employees, or as Statistical Quality Control (SQC) data entry terminals to capture quality data from inspection operations.

The Satelite Plus realtime terminal provides a completely interactive dialogue between the operator and the system. Prompts and error messages are provided in clear language (based on each operator's preferred language) and can be modified by the customer.

The terminal consists of a 2-line by 16-character alphanumeric liquid crystal display and a 16-key keypad to respond to system prompts, input low volume data, or input data if a barcode coupon becomes lost or unreadable. An integrated barcode slot reader is used for most data entry, e.g. bundle scans, clock-in, clock-out, and job changes.

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- S -
SAH or SAM
See Standard Allowed Hours.

Section Accumulator File
This file contains a single record for each section in the system. All piecework information processed for each employee within a section is accumulated into the associated section accumulator file record. The data is then used to produce the section performance analysis report, various budget reports and others.

Section Charged
The section against which the cost of labor is charged and accumulated.

Section Credited
The section to which the value of production is credited and accumulated.

Section Number
A unique 3-character code assigned to each section. This code is used as an index into the Section Accumulator file.

Sequence
The order in which a style is processed through each of the plant stations. Each Sequence represents an operation performed in a style.

Sequence Number
A unique 3-digit number associated with the prescribed Sequence of operations for a style. The Sequence Number is used by Satelite to track inventory on the plant floor and to provide information regarding the operation referenced by the Sequence Number of a Style.

Size
A 5-character field which may be used to identify the size of the garment in each bundle (e.g. 42LRG). A bundle may optionally include a single size or multiple sizes up to 5. However, most Satelite functions do not recognize multi-size bundles.

Skill Center
See Job.

Split Incentive
A pay rate calculation that may be specified during data entry which computes a pay rate by the sum of the following optional parts:

(1st factor x Guarantee Pay Rate) +
(2nd factor x Average Pay Rate) +
(3rd factor x Plant Minimum Pay Rate) +
(4th factor x Employee's Base Rate) +
(5th factor x Coupon Value) +
(6th factor x Job Base Rate).


The factors are stored in text file records "COXxxx", where "xxx" uniquely identifies a set of split incentive factors or coefficients.

Split Incentive Coefficients
The set of factors used in calculation of Split Incentive.

Standard Allowed Hours or Minutes (SAH or SAM)
This is the amount of time allowed to perform a given task (e.g., a sewing operation) as determined by engineering. Standard Allowed Hours SAH is the time expressed in hours and Standard Allowed Minutes SAM is the time expressed in minutes. If the SAH or SAM per unit for an operation is divided into the total hours or minutes for a shift, respectively, the number of units considered to be the standard level of production at 100% efficiency will result. Operator efficiency is measured by the following formula: Efficiency = SAH earned / actual time spent.

Operators "earn" SAH's based on the value of an operation. For example, if an operation's engineered value is 1.00 SAH, it should take an operator working at 100% efficiency to complete the job in 1.00 hour. If the operator completes the job in 0.75 hours the operator earns the 1.00 SAH for 0.75 hours of clock time. This would result in an efficiency of 1.00/0.75 or 133%. Conversely, if the operator completed the job in 1.25 hours they would have earned the 1.00 SAH for an efficiency of 1.00/1.25 or 80%.

The only time the SAH value for an operation changes is when the operation parameters are changed, i.e., re-engineered because of a workplace or method change. Formulas for paying operators, i.e., computing gross pay, are often based on efficiency, SAH, earnings, amongst other parameters.

Standard Bundle Quantity
A quantity from 1-999 which is specified for each style as the expected bundle quantity for engineering purposes. A unique bundle quantity is usually input at the time a Bundle Control Number is assigned.

Start/Stop Time Grace Period Exclusion
A particular time period allowance specified for each shift which is applied before the shift start time and after the shift stop time. If a task's actual start time is within the excluded period before the shift start, the actual start time is reset to the shift start time. If a task's stop time is within the excluded period after the shift stop time, the actual stop time is reset to the shift stop time. Hence, actual task start/stop times within these grace periods are reset to the shift's start/stop times.

Style
A particular type of garment which is unique by the operations performed, rates paid for the operations or any other quality which requires a unique representation of the production operations. A Style forms the basis by which Satelite tracks inventory, computes operator pay and prints coupons. All Styles reside in the system style file where manual maintenance operations allow styles to be added, modified, displayed, listed and deleted.

Style Description
The 30-character description of a Style.

Style File
The system database file in which all styles are maintained. All information regarding a style is located in this file.

Style Number
A unique 13-character code that serves to identify each style within the system.

Substitute Operation
An operation within a style that may be used as a substitute for the main style operation. For example, two different pocket stitching operations may be defined in a style. The one may be substituted for the other for any bundles within a released cut. As many as nine levels of Substitute Operations may be specified for a style.

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- T -
Text File
This file contains all text strings used by the the system to convert various codes into alpha descriptions for display and report purposes. The file also contains much of the parametric data (not stored in the Parameter File) that is necessary to control many of Satelite's optional functions. Most of the data is static in nature, i.e. it contains little information which is calculated. Information is added to the file, modified and deleted via manual operator file maintenance operations using the Text File Maintenance function and other manual maintenance functions.

Training Make-up Pay
The make-up pay for operators who are designated as "trainees" as opposed to "trained".

Transfer Rate
A split incentive pay rate automatically computed during data entry when the data entry operator specifies a "T" for the pay rate code. The split incentive coefficients used for the Transfer Rate formulation of pay is taken from text record "COXT ".

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- U -

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- V -

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- W -
Wage Accrual File WAF
The WAF file is the main data storage file for each piecework employee's accumulated payroll and production information. Information is stored for each day for as may weeks as the user specifies. Payroll and all operator performance statistics are taken from the data maintained in this file.

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- X -

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- Y -

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- Z -

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Copyright (c) 2002, Leadtec Systems
A division of Computer Generated Solutions, Inc. ®
Date Modified: 03/28/02