Definitions template and option consistency issues
Troubleshooting guide for completing Definitions (B_99.01): what belongs there, how to define closed-list options, and how to fix mismatches with values used elsewhere.
What this issue group covers
This page covers common problems completing Definitions.
Definitions records your entity-internal explanations for specific closed-set indicators and options used elsewhere in the register. These issues usually appear in two ways: you do not know what belongs in Definitions, or the meanings recorded there do not match the values used in the related source fields.
Issues covered on this page
I do not know what to enter in the definitions template
What this usually means
You are trying to complete Definitions without first identifying which closed-list field and option it needs to explain. Definitions is for the listed closed-set indicators and options used in the register, not for general background notes.
What to check and how to fix it
Check whether the value you want to explain comes from one of the fields covered by Definitions.
If it does not come from a listed closed-set field, it does not belong here. Start from the source field first, then only add a Definitions entry where B_99.01 covers that field.
Check the exact source column and option label.
If you cannot point to both, the entry is too vague to complete properly. Record the source column code, the source column name, and the exact option text before writing the internal definition.
Check whether your issue relates to one of the Definitions items:
-
Type of contractual arrangement -
Sensitiveness of the data stored by the ICT third-party service provider -
Impact of discontinuing the function -
Substitutability of the ICT third-party service provider -
Possibility of reintegration of the contracted ICT service -
Impact of discontinuing the ICT services
If it does not relate to one of these, stop and verify that Definitions is the right place to record it.
Check whether your text explains what that option means inside your entity.
If the description only repeats the option label, it will not help anyone apply the option consistently. Rewrite it so the meaning is clear in practice.
Check that you create one entry for each option.
If several options are bundled into one combined note, split them before moving on. Definitions works best when each option has its own internal meaning.
Check the entry against the source field again.
If the wording would not help someone choose between the available options in that field, revise the definition before you continue.
My internal definitions do not match the values used elsewhere in the register
What this usually means
You have completed Definitions, but the internal meaning recorded there does not line up with the option selected in the related source field. In most cases, the mismatch is in the referenced source column, the option label, or the internal wording.
What to check and how to fix it
Check the source field and the Definitions entry side by side.
If the Definitions row points to the wrong source column, the meaning is attached to the wrong field. Correct the source column reference first.
Check that the option label in Definitions matches the source field exactly.
If the wording has been changed, shortened, merged, or expanded, the two records will not line up. Use the exact closed-list option from the source field.
Check whether the source field itself is using the correct allowed option.
If the selected value does not belong to that field’s closed list, fix the source field first, then review the matching Definitions entry again.
Check whether the internal definition actually describes that option.
If the wording would fit a different option better, the mismatch is in the definition. Tighten the wording so it clearly supports the selected value.
Check one option at a time.
If you try to fix several related values together, it becomes easy to carry the same mismatch across multiple entries. Finish the current option before moving to the next one.
Check the current record again before you finish.
If the source value and the Definitions entry now mean the same thing in the current reporting context, keep both. If they still do not line up, correct one of them before moving on.
What to do next
Once Definitions matches the related closed-list values, review the linked source fields one more time and confirm that the selected options still reflect the meanings you recorded.
That is usually the point where this part of the register becomes consistent enough to maintain reliably.