Record design

Because of the unique nature of Model 204 Records (see Record architecture), the translation of a logical design into Model 204 records often includes data

For example, if you consider a billing system, where you might consider having separate records for an invoice, and then additional records for each of the invoice lines, for a Model 204 perspective it is more likely that you would have a single record where the invoice lines simply repeat (either as a set of fields, or as a formal Repeating Field Group (RFG).

There are a number of reasons why this approach suits Model 204:

• Because a single read of the record makes all of the information available (think of the data as being pre-joined) performance should be better
• the factors usually causing the records to be defined piecemeal, notably having issues with variably occurring data, do not exist in Model 204.

It is recommended that