1. A method for execution by a dispersed storage (DS) processing unit, the method comprises: receiving a data segment of a plurality of data segments of a data object for dispersed storage, wherein the data object has an associated user identification (ID) of a user; obtaining a codec flag based on the associated user ID, wherein the codec flag includes a current state field and a codec stack field, in which the current state field is initialized in a null state and in which the codec stack field contains numerical values in execution order to access respective numerical entries in a data manipulation table where the numerical entries correspond to different codec functions for use in manipulating the data segment, and wherein the codec functions listed in the data manipulation table include one or more versions of a data integrity function, one or more versions of a compression function, and one or more versions of an encryption function; manipulating the data segment using selected codec functions by selecting a first numerical value of the numerical values contained in the codec stack field in the execution order and placing the first numerical value in the current state field to perform a first codec function corresponding to a respective numerical entry in the data manipulation table and further manipulating the data segment by selecting subsequent numerical value or values contained in the codec stack field, one at a time in the execution order, for placing into the current state field to perform a respective codec function, until codec functions indicated in the codec stack field are completed to generate a manipulated data; encoding the manipulated data using an error coding dispersal storage function to generate a plurality of encoded data slices for storage, wherein a read threshold number of encoded data slices of the plurality of encoded data slices are needed to recover the manipulated data, where the read threshold number of encoded data slices is less than a number corresponding to the plurality of encoded data slices; and outputting the plurality of encoded data slices and the codec stack field of the codec flag to a plurality of DS storage units for storage therein.