12.1.3 - New Delivery Options

In 12.1.3, there is a new feature called 'Delivery options' for the concurrent
program submission.

The output file/report of a concurrent program can be mailed to one or more email ids thorugh this option.

But the below set up is required to make this feature work.

FND: SMTP Host - Set the SMTP Host name at the Site level.
FND: SMTP Port - Set the SMTP Port Number at the Site level.

FND_UNSUCCESSFUL_LOGINS

When ever an unsuccessful attempt was made to login to the application, a record gets inserted in to the table FND_UNSUCCESSFUL_LOGINS.

Oracle Apps - Password mandatory?

Do you think password field in AppsLocallogin.jsp is mandatory?
If you think so, it is wrong. You can enter your password in the username field itself, please give a try.
In the username field enter the username/password and click on login.

Different Stages in an Oracle Application Implementation Project.... !

A Project is not a short term activity to be completed in matter of days, it requires intensive analysis, thoughtful thinking and serious decision making in core and critical business activities. There decisions taken at every stage is critical and irreversible, there is no going back after performing final step. We have to understand how a long term project is broken up in to phases and completed smoothly. We will see what are the different stages in an Oracle Application Implementation project in real time. i have taken AIM standards as the base for further explanations.

Application Implementation Methodology has laid out various stages available in a project.

Stage 1 - Definition of Project Management
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Description
========
The success to any project is a well thought of PROJECT PLAN at the very beginning considering the requirements and available resources. A Normal Contention of many people is that Project Plan should normally stage the Start Date and End Date and the Consideration, but in real time it is actually many more that, the whole project is broken in to different phases and
for each phase a detailed plan is laid out which in turns account for the overall project plan. Project Plan must be revised whenever there is a Change in the contract or requirement of the client

Documentation to be Prepared
======================
Project Plan (Finalized or Draft)
Write up about the Client and the Consultant.


Stage 2 - Operational Analysis
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Description
========
This is the very very Critical stage of the Project. One must devote the maximum possible time to this stage. Any compromise on this stage may prove critical at later stage of the project. In this stage a Consultant, who is a total stranger to the client so far is going to make an effort to become an expert in understanding the client business every inch. Only when he masters the
clients business, he will be in a position to think beyond it and provide solutions considering the impact it can have on overall business. In this stage a consultant must carryout following activities:
-- Clearly understand the contractual obligations made between the client and the consultant with respect to the work to be performed.
-- Detailed study on the Client business and Organisation Structure
-- Capture the current business process as they are following ( Also known as AS IS documentation)
-- Collect the requirements from the client, managers, end users as to what they expect from the Oracle Product
-- Requirements with respect to Functional Side as well as Technical Side is collected
-- Document the bottlenecks faced with the existing system in place
-- Most important point is that get the document signed from the client
( Note: Normally speaking once a requirement is expressed at this stage , it will be taken care by the consultant, however in real time, requirements gathering becomes a day to day activity in many clients place, which is highly unprofessional way of working )

Documentation to be Prepared
======================

RD 10 --> Current Financial and Operating Structure
RD 20 --> Current Business Baseline
RD 50 --> Business Requirements Scenario

Stage 3 - Solution Design
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Description
========

After making serious understanding and analysis on clients current business practices and future requirements, consultant must begin the process of providing solutions to each and every aspect. If an straight forward solution is not possible , think about the possibility of workaround. Enough analysis has to be one in drafting the new business process of the client which is going to be followed here after, it is also known as To Be Process.Once the solution is decided on, the same must be communicated to the client seeking acceptance. when the client is satisfied with the solution, consultant can put an end to his research work on providing alternate solutions.

Documentation to be Prepared
======================
BP 80 --> Business Process Design ( To be process )
BR 10 --> High Level Gap Analysis
BR 30 --> Business Requirements Mapping
MD 50 --> Application Extension Functional Design
MD 70 --> Application Extension Technical Design

Stage 4 - Building Stage
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Description
========

Only at this stage the work of performing setups and access to the instance begins. Based on the Solutions and new business process ( To Be) designed at the previous stage, the consultant starts performing setting up of the Application. In case of a functional requirement, it will be setups from the front end, in case of technical requirements, sql scripts, customizations will be performed. Document all the setups that has been carried out at this stage, since it will be useful when the production Instance is configured or when there is a system crash or corruption of data or any hardware failure. After performing all required setups, the system has to be tested for its readiness to carry out operations

Documentation to be Prepared
======================

BR 100 --> Application Setup
TE 20 --> Unit Test Script
TE 40 --> System Test Script
TE 50 --> System Integration Test Script
TE 120 --> System Integration Test Plan


Stage 5 - Transition Stage
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Description
========

In this stage, client is exposed to the Applications for the first time to get the comfort level. In order to make the client to get a feel of the system, user guides, training manuals and training may be given in understanding how thier business is completly taken care by the product. Once the client is exposed to the Applications, they normally tend to show some interest in learning
new things, which can be used for testing the system. Once the client is satisfied with the Solutions and the way in which the system performs, he can express his willings to accept the system. In real time, acceptance will be taken up at two levels,
First Level - CRP - Conferance Room Piloting - Where the consultant gives a preview of the new system to the selected members of the client and get thier feedback.
Second Level - UAT - User Acceptance Testing - Here the consultant gives detailed demonstration on the new system to the users ( Super and End ), and get the acceptance from the users that the new system meet thier expectations.

Documentation to be Prepared
======================

TE 130 - User Acceptance Test Report


Stage 6 - Production Stage
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Description
========

Once CRP and UAT is approved, it is the duty of the consultant to replicate the same in a new environment which will be used solely and exclusively for the Production purposes only. After making the production server ready with all setups, it is advised to clone the production server to an development or test server, so that any value addition or future testing can be carried out
separately in future. Once the production server is ready, it is given to the client to begin thier operations, which is termed as GO LIVE . In order to assist the client in adopting to the new system, consultant will provide them with User Manuals and also a support consultant for a short period of time if needed.
Once the production server is ready and used, the implementation gets over, and the client should give it in writing that he is satisfied with the implementation taken place, which is termed as sign off ( A Big Good Bye ) !!

Documentation to be Prepared
======================

User Manuals
Client's sign off on the Acceptance Certificate

NOTE:
=====
Documentations suggested in this post is recommended when AIM is adopted. Instead of the recommended documents, users can prepare documents based on thier methodology.
Nothing stated above is mandatory, every aspect is recommendatory in nature.

Choosing a Validation Type for Your Value Set

There are several validation types that affect the way users enter and use segment or parameter values:

• None (not validated at all)

• Independent

• Dependent

• Table

• Special (advanced)

• Pair (advanced)

Attention: The Accounting Flexfield only supports Independent, Dependent, and Table validation.

You cannot change the validation type of an existing value set, since your changes affect all flexfields and report parameters that use the same value set.

None

You use a None type value set when you want to allow users to enter any value so long as that value meets the value set formatting rules. That is, the value must not exceed the maximum length you define for your value set, and it must meet any format requirements for that value set. For example, if the value set does not allow alphabetic characters, your user could not enter the value ABC, but could enter the value 456 (for a value set with maximum length of three). The values of the segment using this value set are not otherwise validated, and they do not have descriptions. Because a None value set is not validated, a segment that uses this value set does not provide a list of values for your users. A segment that uses this value set (that is, a non-validated segment) cannot use flexfield value security rules to restrict the values a user can enter.

Independent

An Independent value set provides a predefined list of values for a segment. These values can have an associated description. For example, the value 01 could have a description of "Company 01". The meaning of a value in this value set does not depend on the value of any other segment. Independent values are stored in an Oracle Application Object Library table. You define independent values using an Oracle Applications window, Segment Values.

Table

A table-validated value set provides a predefined list of values like an independent set, but its values are stored in an application table. You define which table you want to use, along with a WHERE cause to limit the values you want to use for your set. Typically, you use a table-validated set when you have a table whose values are already maintained in an application table (for example, a table of vendor names maintained by a Define Vendors form). Table validation also provides some advanced features such as allowing a segment to depend upon multiple prior segments in the same structure.

Dependent

A dependent value set is similar to an independent value set, except that the available values in the list and the meaning of a given value depend on which independent value was selected in a prior segment of the flexfield structure. You can think of a dependent value set as a collection of little value sets, with one little set for each independent value in the corresponding independent value set. You must define your independent value set before you define the dependent value set that depends on it. You define dependent values in the Segment Values windows, and your values are stored in an Oracle Application Object Library table. See: Relationship Between Independent and Dependent Values.

Special and Pair Value Sets

Special and pair value sets provide a mechanism to allow a "flexfield-within-a-flexfield". These value sets are primarily used for Standard Request Submission parameters. You do not generally use these value sets for normal flexfield segments.


Special and Pair value sets use special validation routines you define. For example, you can define validation routines to provide another flexfield as a value set for a single segment or to provide a range flexfield as a value set for a pair of segments.

Multi Org

Multi Org Concept

Introduction

Any enterprise has several organization structures. These organizations interact with each other for various purposes. While interacting with other organizations data has to be secure and should be transferred to the correct organization.

What is Multi Org

Multi Org is a feature, which helps us to classify and define various organizations in such a way that hierarchy is maintained and data is secure across organizations. It also decides how transactions flow through different organizations and how those organizations interact with each other.

Types of Organizations

The various organizations that can be defined within Oracle Applications are as follows:

Business Group. The business group represents the highest level in the organization structure, such as the consolidated enterprise, a major division, or an operation company. Oracle Apps provides with a predefined Business Group ‘Setup Business Group’. Reliance Group of Companies is an example of Business Group.

GRE/Legal Entity. The company for which we prepare tax returns. You assign tax identifiers and other legal entity information to this type of organization. If there are several subsidiary companies for which tax returns are filed, each company is a separate legal entity. Reliance Group of Companies consists of several companies like Reliance Industries ltd, Reliance Info-comm, Reliance Energy ltd etc. Each company is a separate Legal Entity.

Note: The Set of Book can contain multiple Legal Entities.

Operating Unit. Each group company will have several branch offices involved with purchasing, order management, shipping execution etc. Each such branch will be an Operating Unit.

It could be a sales office, a division, or a department. An operating unit is associated with a legal entity.

For implementing Oracle Cash Management, Order Management and Shipping Execution, Oracle Payables, Oracle Projects, Oracle Purchasing, Oracle Property Manager, Oracle Receivables and Sales and Marketing Operating Unit is required.

Information is secured by operating unit for these applications. Each user sees information only for their operating unit.

Inventory Organization. An organization for which you track inventory transactions and balances, and/or an organization that manufactures or distributes products. Inventory organization is generally assigned to a manufacturing plant. An operating unit can also be an Inventory Organization. Many branches (operating units) might be Manufacturing Plants and will be attached to an Inventory/Warehouse. Such inventory/warehouses will be Inventory Organizations.

HR Organization. HR organizations represent the basic work structure of any enterprise. They usually represent the functional management, or reporting groups that exist within a business group.

Asset Organization. An asset organization is an organization that allows you to perform asset–related activities for a specific Oracle Assets corporate depreciation book. Any organization (legal entity, operating unit, inventory organization), which has Fixed Assets can be classified as Asset Organization. For implementing Oracle Assets, this type of organization is used.

Secure Access within Multi Org

An individual Operating Unit is assigned to an individual application Responsibility. To see and work with data that is relevant to a specific Operating Unit, users choose the appropriate Responsibility after logging on to Oracle Applications.

The current Multi-Org architecture utilizes database objects like Views to build a security layer that allows you to logically partition all your application data in one database, instead of physically partitioning data with multiple instances and even multiple application installations.

In earlier versions of Oracle Applications data partitioning was done using multiple instances and therefore installation had to be done several times for various operating units.

Note: All Multi Org tables in the database will be suffixed with ‘_ALL’.

HRMS Organization Model

The business group is the largest organization unit you set up in Human Resources to represent your enterprises as an employer. After defining one or more business groups for your enterprise, you set up one or more Government Reporting Entities (GREs) within each business group. The GRE is the organization that federal, state, and local governments recognize as the employer.

Needless to say, HR does not require Operating Units, Inventory Organization and Asset Organization.

Multi Org Setup

The following are the summarized steps for implementing Multi-Org in Oracle Applications or when converting from a Non Multi-Org environment to a Multi-Org environment.

1.1 Develop an Organization Structure

1.2 Define Set of Books

1.3 Define Locations

1.4 Define Business Groups (Optional)

1.5 Define Responsibilities

1.6 Associate Responsibilities with Business Groups

1.7 Define Organizations

1.8 Define Organization Relationships

1.9 Set MO: Operating Unit Profile Option

1.10 Convert to Multi-Org Architecture

1.11 Define Inventory Organization Security

1.12 Define Inter-company Relations

Technical

How to set Org_id at back-end
We have a API to set the org_id from the backend.

begin
fnd_client_info.set_org_context();
end;

Note:- Org_id indicates the "Operating Unit" in the Business Structure.

How to I know what Org_id is set at back-end

We can use userenv function to know the Org_id set at backend.

select userenv('CLIENT_INFO') from dual;

Why we need to set org_id at back-end

We usually, set org_id at back-end. So that we can get the org_id records from the Multi Organization views.

What happens if I try to query records from Multi-Origination views without setting Org_id at back-end
It will not fetch any records. As, "where" condition fails (org_id = Userenv('CLIENT_INFO'));

Note:- If you set org_id from back-end, then you get org_id value populated by above userenv function.

Is this Multi -Org concept is same for all the Oracle Application versions

Oracle Application History

About Oracle Application :

Oracle Application Story:-

-----------------------------
This article is design to explain what's all about the Oracle Applications

Suppose you are running a small grocery shop named “XYZ Grocery”, so the typical operation as a shop owner is you basically buy groceries from some big seller and stock it in your shop. Now people come to your shop for day-to-day needs and buy stuff from your shop at a slightly higher price than what you originally bought and stocked it in your shop. Occasionally you may not be carrying items or run out of stock that people ask for so you make a note of it and promise the person to come back tomorrow and they will get their item. So far so good, now let’s name some entities before we proceed and things get complicated. The big seller from whom you buy stock is called as Vendor or Supplier (Vendors are define in the Purchasing Module), the people who come to your shop to buy things are known as customers (Customer are define in the Receivable Module), the stock in your shop is known as inventory.

So far we have identified few entities that play an active role in your day-to-day operations. As time goes by, your business expands and now you take orders over the phone and provide service to deliver the items to your customers, so you hire people to help you out in maintaining the inventory, do the delivery part and all the necessary stuff to keep the business running smoothly. The people you hire are known as Employees. Employees are define in the HRMS Module.

So in this small shop, you typically manage the bookkeeping activities by hand using a notepad or something similar. Now imagine the same setup on a larger scale where you have more than 1, 00,000 customers, have more than 1000 vendors, have more than 1000 employees and have a huge warehouse to maintain your inventory. Now, it is impossible to manage all that information using pen and paper. And if you try to do that, then your business will come to a sudden stop sign.

To facilitate big businesses, companies like Oracle Corporation have created huge software known in the category of ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) as Oracle Applications. Now coming to think of it, Oracle Application is not one huge software, instead it is a collection of software known as modules (GL, PO, AP, AR or FA etc) that are integrated and talk to each other. Now what is meant by integrated? First let us identify the modules by entities. For e.g. Purchasing and Account Payables deal with the vendors since you typically purchase from vendors and eventually have to pay the dues. Oracle Purchasing handles all the requisitions and purchase orders to the vendors whereas Oracle Accounts Payables handles all the payments to the vendors.

Similarly Oracle Inventory deals with the items you maintain in stock, warehouse etc. Dealing with customers is handled collectively with the help of Oracle Receivables and Oracle Order Management. Order Management helps you collect all the information that your customer is ordering over the phone or web store etc where as Receivables help you collect the money for the orders that are delivered to the customers.

Now who maintains the paychecks, benefits of the 1000 employees? Right! It is managed by Oracle Human Resources. So you get the idea by now that for each logical function there is a separate module that helps to execute and maintain that function.
So all the individual functions are being taken care but how do I know if I am making profit or loss? That’s where integration comes into play. There is another module known as Oracle General Ledger. This module receives information from all the different transaction modules and summarizes them in order to help you create profit and loss statements, reports for paying Taxes etc.

Just to simplify the explanation, when you pay your employees that payment is reported back to General Ledgers as cost i.e. money going out, when you purchase inventory items the information is transferred to GL as money going out, and so is the case when you pay your vendors. Similarly when you receive items in your inventory it is transferred to GL as money coming in, when your customer sends payment it is transferred to GL as money coming in, so all the different transaction modules report to GL (General Ledger) as either “money going in” or “money going out”, the net result will tell you if you are making a profit or loss.

All the equipment, shops, warehouses, computers can be termed as Assets and they are managed by Oracle Fixed Assets. Initially Oracle Applications started as bunch of modules and as time passed by they added new modules for different and new functions growing out of the need for today’s internet world.

So if you come across a module that you are trying to learn and work on, first try to understand what business need it is trying to fulfill and then try to understand what the immediate modules that it interacts with. For e.g. lets say you come across Oracle Cost Management module, you will learn that it helps to maintain the costs of items in your inventory and the immediate modules that it interacts with are Oracle Inventory (of course), Oracle Bills of Material, Order Management and so on..

I have listed few modules description:-

Oracle Purchasing handles all the requisitions and purchase orders to the vendors.

Oracle Payables handles all the payments to the vendors.

Oracle Inventory deals with the items you maintain in stock, warehouse etc.

Order Management helps you collect all the information that your customers order.

Oracle Receivables help you collect the money for the orders that are delivered to the customers.

Oracle Human Resources helps maintain the Employee information, helps run paychecks etc.

Oracle General Ledger receives information from all the different transaction modules or sub ledgers and summarizes them in order to help you create profit and loss statements, reports for paying Taxes etc. For Example: when you pay your employees in your organization then that payment is reported back to General Ledgers as cost i.e. money going out, when you purchase inventory items and the information is transferred to GL as money going out, and so is the case when you pay your vendors. Similarly when you receive items into your inventory, it is transferred to GL as money coming in, when your customer sends payment, it is transferred to GL as money coming in. so all the different transaction modules report to GL (General Ledger) as either “money going in” or “money going out”, the net result will tell you if you are making a profit or loss.

Oracle Fixed Assets All the equipment, shops, warehouses, computers can be termed as ASSETS and they are managed by Oracle Fixed Assets Module.

There are lot of modules keep adding everyday in Oracle Application. Oracle application is
acquiring other EPR software and Integrating all the software in one software. They want to name it as Oracle Fusion. But, this is not ending. This is starting point to new World of ERP.