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r12 Apps Tech RCD
r12 Apps Tech RCD
Release 12
Oracle Applications Technology
1. Disclaimer 1
2. Introduction 2
2.1. Purpose of Document 2
2.2. Reference Documents 2
3. Technology Stack 3
3.1. Overview 3
3.2. Technology Components 3
4. Look and Feel – “Swan” User Interface 5
4.1. Overview 5
4.2. Features 5
4.2.1. OAF/JTT Applications 5
4.2.2. Forms Applications 6
5. Application Object Library 7
5.1. Overview 7
5.2. Identity Management Integration 7
5.2.1. Overview 7
5.2.2. Features 7
5.2.2.1. Revised Login and Change Password Pages 7
5.2.2.2. Synchronous LDAP User Provisioning 7
5.2.2.3. User Name Enhancements 7
5.2.2.4. New Deployment Scenarios 7
5.2.2.5. On Demand User Creation 7
5.2.2.6. SSO Hint Cookie 7
5.2.2.7. Automatic Linking of User Accounts 8
5.2.2.8. Password Validation against Oracle Internet Directory 8
5.2.2.9. Mixed Case Passwords 8
5.2.2.10. Server-to-Server Authentication 8
5.3. Security 8
5.3.1. Overview 8
5.3.2. Features 8
5.3.2.1. Change Schema Passwords with Ease 8
5.3.2.2. Best Practices for Internet Exposure Certified 8
5.3.2.3. Security and Manageability Enhanced via New File System Layout 9
5.3.2.4. Updated Techstack Improves Security 9
5.4. Oracle User Management 9
5.4.1. Overview 9
5.4.2. Features 10
This document in any form, software or printed matter, contains proprietary information
that is the exclusive property of Oracle. Your access to and use of this confidential
material is subject to the terms and conditions of your Oracle Software License and
Service Agreement, which has been executed and with with you agree to comply. This
document and information contained herein may not be disclosed, copied, reproduced or
distributed to anyone outside Oracle without prior written consent of Oracle. This
document is not part of your license agreement nor can it be incorporated into any
contractual agreement with Oracle or its subsidiaries or affiliates.
This document is for informational purposes only and is intended solely to assist you in
planning for the implementation and upgrade of the product features described. It is not a
commitment to deliver any material, code, or functionality, and should not be relied upon
in making purchasing decisions. The development, release, and timing of any features or
functionality described in this document remains at the sole discretion of Oracle.
Due to the nature of the product architecture, it may not be possible to safely include all
features described in this document without risking significant destabilization of the code.
3.1. Overview
The technology stack for Release 12 takes advantage of the latest Oracle technologies for the database
and application server tiers. Oracle E-Business Suite now leverages the latest database version, Oracle
10g. On the middle tier, Release 12 uses Oracle Application Server 10g and Oracle JDeveloper 10.1.3
for Web-based Framework applications. On the client, Oracle E-Business Suite uses Version 5.0 of
the Sun Java Plug-in.
Please refer to the R12 Technology Stack Summary spreadsheet for latest availability.
110g Release1 (10.1.0.4) minimum is provided initially. The target is to upgrade to 10g Release 2 (10.2.0.x), based on
availability.
2 10g Release 2 (10.1.2 phase 1) minimum. The target is to upgrade to 10g Release 2 (10.1.2 phase 2) based on availability. The
Oracle E-Business Suite database continues to contain Oracle Discoverer EUL schemas. However, Rapid Install does not
automatically deliver and install OracleAS Discoverer 10g Release 2 (10.1.2). Customers wishing to use OracleAS Discoverer
10g Release 2 (10.1.2) must obtain Oracle Application Server 10g Release 2 (10.1.2) and install Discoverer. The
OracleMetaLink note for OracleAS Discoverer 10g Release 2 (10.1.2). certification will be updated to reflect the process and any
Oracle E-Business Suite-specific steps. Also note that Oracle Discoverer 4i is installed with Oracle9i Application Server Release
1 (1.0.2.2) and as such remains present, but not used, in the Release 12 installation.
4 Rapid Install does not automatically install or configure this component. Customers wishing to use this technology must to
obtain and install Oracle Application Server 10g. OracleMetaLink notes for the uptake of these technologies will be updated to
reflect this process and any Oracle E-Business Suite-specific steps.
5The initial version of Oracle Collaboration Suite (OCS) is 10g Release 1 (10.1.1). Oracle Product Lifecycle Management has
specified a dependency on 10g Release 2 which in turn depends on Oracle Internet Directory 10g Release 2 (10.1.2 Phase 2).
This version of Oracle Internet Directory is not available until later in the Release12 development cycle. Rapid Install does not
automatically install or configure this component. Customers wishing to use this technology must obtain and install Oracle
Application Server 10g. OracleMetaLink notes for the uptake of these technologies will be updated to reflect this process and any
Oracle E-Business Suite-specific steps.
4.1. Overview
The new “Swan” user interface (UI) greatly improves the look and feel of the Oracle E-Business
Suite, significantly enhancing usability and productivity. The “Swan” UI brings together some of the
best UI concepts from Oracle E-Business Suite, PeopleSoft, and JD Edwards applications.
4.2. Features
The “Swan” user interface is a subclass of Browser Look and Feel (BLAF), and replaces
the former look and feel. Oracle E-Business Suite will use only the “Swan” look and feel
for Release 12.
This new look and feel applies to the whole Oracle E-Business Suite as follows.
As the relevant changes are made in the underlying technology layer, most products will
not require any direct changes to be made. However, the changes to font size and field
spacing may require some products to make a small number of minor changes.
The changes made at the technology layer for OAF and JTT products can be summarized
as follows:
• The overall color usage has been changed to a more contemporary and compelling
color scheme, which reduces eyestrain and provides a more pleasant look and feel.
• A new login screen complements the updates to the overall look and feel.
• The base font has been changed to Tahoma 9pt to make better use of available screen
area.
• All buttons and tabs now have a gradient background, to increase their visibility on
the screen as clickable elements.
• The button text and overall shape have been modified to reduce amount of space
required for their display.
• Buttons are now standard HTML buttons instead of images, which required a display
server to be set up.
• Background colors of page elements have been modified for better visual separation
of screen elements.
• The entire icon suite has been upgraded to a more sophisticated style that integrates
visually with the overall interface design.
• Tables and other containers have been modified to read well as distinct components.
• The Navigator has been restyled to be consistent with the other UI changes.
• Page tabs have been moved to the left side of the screen for better scanning and a
clearer relationship with associated subtabs.
The Forms color scheme has been changed to be consistent with the OAF/JTT products.
Field values have been changed to normal weight, providing further consistency between
products, and reducing the visual complexity of application screens.
As noted previously for OAF/JTT products, these changes have been made in the
technology layer; no changes need to be made to individual products. No changes are
made to the position or layout of any fields within Forms.
5.1. Overview
The Oracle Application Object Library (AOL) provides Oracle E-Business Suite with a robust
infrastructure for security, application administration, and configuration.
Oracle Identity Management integration has been enhanced to improve usability and
administration.
5.2.2. Features
5.3. Security
5.3.1. Overview
The following security features are either new with Release 12 or introduced since the
release of 11.5.10.
5.3.2. Features
This feature was made available with Oracle Applications Technology 11i.ATG_PF.H
Rollup 3 and with Oracle Critical Patch Update - January 2006.
In Release 12 the base product schemas are locked except during patching.
• URL firewall: The URL firewall is a whitelist of URLs required for the certified
external product or products. Any URL not on the whitelist cannot be invoked.
• Reverse proxy: Reverse proxy can optionally be used for additional separation and
deployment in the dirty DMZ.
The best practices for external deployment can be found in OracleMetaLink note
287176.1, "Oracle E-Business Suite 11i Configuration in a DMZ".
5.3.2.3. Security and Manageability Enhanced via New File System Layout
In Release 12, the Oracle E-Business Suite files are separated into directories according
to best practice. Code trees are now free from configuration and log (output) files and can
be mounted read-only at runtime (that is, outside of patching periods).
The read-only nature of the file system makes it easier to share a code tree between
environments for development or load balancing purposes. It also facilitates compliance
checking, by showing auditors that the code can only change during maintenance
windows.
For a detailed description of this new feature, see “Read Only Shared File System
Support”.
Oracle User Management, introduced in Release 11.5.10, is a secure and scalable system
that enables organizations to define administrative functions and manage users on the
basis of specifications such as job role or geographic location.
5.4.2. Features
• Specific business events or business logic can be invoked for each registration
process, as required.
Release 12 provides a rich new set of features for functional administrators through an
HTML user interface.
5.6.2. Features
In Release 12, Multi-Org Access Control (MOAC) allows a user to access data for
different operating units (OUs) in a Multi-Org enabled instance without switching
responsibilities. In transaction entry or inquiry user interfaces, a user can either choose an
operating unit explicitly, or use another org-sensitive field to derive the operating unit
context.
The Standard Request Submission window now allows users to execute single-org and
multi-org concurrent programs. For single-org concurrent programs of MOAC-enabled
products, the OU field is displayed to the user. This field is populated with the value of
the “MO: Default Operating Unit” profile option, provided the value is valid.
At submission time, the operating unit for single-org concurrent programs of MOAC-
enabled products is captured and stored as part of the request context. At execution time,
multi-org initialization sets the CLIENT_INFO org context according to the request’s
captured context.
Additionally, users can now put a running request set on hold, and later remove the hold.
5.7.2. Features
Terminology overlays are now available for specific industries. These overlays cause
certain terms to be replaced by industry-specific terminology for that industry. As an
example, the retail market may require that the term "Building" be replaced with "Store".
Each instance of Oracle E-Business Suite can run in one industry at a time, by running an
“activator” that replaces existing seed data and activates the data in the personalization
tables.
• Oracle Forms user interfaces are modified using Forms personalizations. Because
this framework is heavily optimized, overhead running these personalizations is
minimal.
• Oracle Application Framework user interfaces are modified using the Oracle
Application Personalization Framework in the “verticalization” layer.
• Changes are not applied to seeded menus or to applications written on the JTT
technology stack.
Following are the new features for the Oracle Application Framework. The service
interface, service tester, ”Swan” user interface changes, and uptake of Oracle JDeveloper
10g Release 3 (10.1.3) are new for Release 12. All other features first appeared in a patch
to Release 11.5.10, and are now included in the base version of Release 12.
6.1.2. Features
• Field masking, so that variable data such as the current date does not cause a test
failure
• Pipelining, where the output of one test is used as the input of a subsequent test
• Flexfield definitions on the page, and whether they use unsupported features
specific to the Oracle Forms stack
• A new UI for personalizing configurable pages separates layout and content into
two separate tabs. This greatly simplifies the personalization experience for
configurable pages such as the Sales Dashboard.
Oracle Workflow delivers a complete business process management system that supports
business process definition, business process automation, and business process
integration. Oracle Workflow enables modeling, automation, and continuous
improvement of business processes, routing information of any type according to user
defined business rules.
7.1.2. Features
• Worklist Flexfield Rules: Setup page for creating rules to populate the worklist
flexfield columns
• Worklist Flexfield Rules Simulation: Test page used to show the net effect of
multiple worklist flexfield rules on the Worklist
• Event and subscription caching at the PL/SQL layer: When a business event is raised,
the Event Dispatcher queries a cache before running SQL on database tables to
identify the corresponding event subscriptions in order to reduce SQL executions.
This feature provides performance gains for event subscriptions processed within a
single session, such as batch programs or high volume data entry scenarios.
• PL/SQL rule function optimization: PL/SQL packages are generated for all registered
rule functions during installation. BES calls a generated PL/SQL package statically
by passing the function name to be executed. This feature eliminates the overhead of
the dynamic SQL used to call rule functions prior to Release 12.
• Declarative event subscription error handling: You can choose between the following
“On Error” conditions when defining new subscriptions:
o Stop and Rollback: Stop processing any further subscriptions and roll back
those that have already been executed.
o Skip to Next: Roll back only the errored subscription and then
continue processing subsequent subscriptions.
Following are the integration features that are new in Release 12.
7.2.2. Features
This complete, online catalog allows users to discover and deploy the appropriate
business service interface for integration with any system, application, or business
partner. The Integration Repository includes pages for searching and viewing all
available integration points with just a Web browser.
• Web services
• XML messages
• EDI transactions
• PL/SQL procedures
• Java APIs
• Open interface tables
• Database views
• Concurrent programs
• Service beans
• Service Data Objects
OracleAS Adapter for Oracle Applications exposes the following technology interfaces:
• APIs: Enable data to be insert into and updated in Oracle E-Business Suite.
• Business events: The Business Event System plays a key role in making any
Oracle E-Business Suite instance open and easy to integrate with other
application systems. Oracle E-Business Suite now has more than 900 integration
points exposed as business events.
8.1. Oracle Applications Manager and Grid Control Plug-in for Oracle E-
Business Suite
8.1.1. Overview
Oracle Applications Manager and the Grid Control Plug-in for Oracle E-Business Suite
offer an integrated set of features for Oracle E-Business Suite system management. The
Grid Control Plug-in for Oracle E-Business Suite extends Oracle Enterprise Manager to
provide central monitoring and cloning automation for Oracle E-Business Suite. The
plug-in also links Grid Control with Oracle Applications Manager. Built directly into
Oracle E-Business Suite, Oracle Applications Manager provides a broad array of features
to facilitate system management and maintenance.
The Grid Control Plug-in for Oracle E-Business Suite requires Oracle Enterprise
Manager Grid Control 10g Release 2 (10.2).
Application system alerts are exposed as business events. Summary and context
information for each alert is available as the business event payload in XML form. This
information can be retrieved via standard business event integration mechanisms.
Following are the features that are new with Release 12.
8.1.2. Features
8.1.2.1.2. Security
An updated suite of diagnostic reports is now available within the Security dashboard.
These reports check the Oracle E-Business Suite system configuration against Oracle’s
best practices and detect possible security violations. These reports provide diagnostic
information related to possible security issues such as:
• Dictionary attacks
• Duplicate logins
• Direct access to unauthorized functions
• WTI failures
8.1.2.1.3. Diagnostics
Oracle Applications Manager now allows administrators to schedule and run Diagnostics
tests as batch programs. The Diagnostics dashboard provides new graphical views of
• Analysis of patch changes to customized files that are registered with the system.
• The ability for users to create a list of patches for analysis as a single set.
• The ability to identify and to merge multiple language patches that are applicable
to that system.
• Impact analysis now highlights patches that include branched files to help
System Administrators identify files from a particular branch that are being
overwritten by the same file in another branch or in the mainline.
The Grid Control plug-in now provides a tighter integration with Oracle Applications
Manager. Several Grid Control features link directly to OAM features such as concurrent
manager administration, workflow administration, Forms monitoring, configuration
management and patch management.
Registration of Oracle E-Business Suite systems with Grid Control is greatly simplified
in this release. For Oracle E-Business Suite systems that use AutoConfig, Grid Control
now has the ability to automatically discover much of the information required to register
those systems.
The Grid Control plug-in now provides service and system topology views for Oracle E-
Business Suite. These views enable administrators to perform root cause analysis of
system alerts.
The Grid Control plug-in now allows Oracle E-Business Suite systems to be cloned via
the Grid Control provisioning framework. A step-by-step interview guides administrators
though the cloning process. Grid Control automates the creation of clone systems and
The plug-in provides administrators with the ability to collect, compare and search Oracle
E-Business Suite configuration data. The following configuration data are collected from
the application system and automatically uploaded to the Oracle Enterprise Manager
repository:
• Application system summary
• Patches applied
• Application context files and key configuration files
• Technology stack inventory
• Concurrent processing configuration
• Workflow configuration
• User activity
• Custom configuration
Administrators can compare snapshots of configuration information across multiple
Oracle E-Business Suite systems.
Following are the features that are new with Release 12.
9.1.2. Features
9.1.2.2. Multiple Domain Support for Database and Middle Tier in Rapid Install
Rapid Install supports deploying the database node and the middle tier node into different
domains. This enhancement provides the ability to have more than one domain for an
Oracle E-Business Suite installation.
Oracle XML Publisher is a new Java-based product available within the technology stack
of Oracle E-Business Suite. Utilizing a set of familiar desktop tools such as Adobe
Acrobat and Microsoft Word, users can create and maintain their own report formats
based on development delivered XML data extracts. Oracle XML Publisher then converts
these documents to the XSL-FO format. Users can also obtain third party provided PDF
forms, such as government tax forms, and merge XML data generated from Oracle E-
Business Suite to fill the forms with the required data.
Note that the features listed in this document were introduced in the mid-cycle Oracle
XML Publisher releases since Oracle E-Business Suite Release 11.5.10. Customers who
have taken the Oracle XML Publisher releases (through Release 5.6.1) will already have
been able to take advantage of these features.
10.1.2. Features
Oracle XML Publisher introduces rich and powerful features in Release 12. Advances in
functionality and usability are made across all aspects of the product.
• The RTF template is enhanced to be richer and more robust in layout options and
data manipulation.
• A fast and scalable data engine now provides the ability to generate the XML
data for your reports.
• Desktop tools are available to plug in to Microsoft Word to automate the RTF
template design process and provide advanced preview capabilities.
• Extract boilerplate text into an XLIFF translation file and test translations
The Template Viewer is a Java application that facilitates the rapid development of
templates by providing advanced preview capabilities.
You can now upload fonts through the administration interface to make them available to
Oracle XML Publisher at runtime. You can also create font mappings to map fonts used
in your template to other fonts to be published in PDF output. The mapping can be
defined at the site level, the template level, or the data definition level.
This feature allows you to map a number format mask to a specific currency so that your
reports can display multiple currencies with their own corresponding formatting.
• Drawing/shape support: Users can now use Microsoft Word’s native support for
predefined drawing objects and custom drawings. In addition, they can manipulate
shapes by stretching, compressing, skewing, and repeating them in the final output
based on XML data or parameters. This behavior can also be applied to composite
shapes in the template.
• SVG image support: Users can now embed SVG images directly in the template.
• SVG chart output support: Charts generated in the template are now converted to the
SVG format. This conversion improves both the chart image and supporting labels
for the chart.
• Hyperlink support for shapes: You can add a hyperlink to a shape to enable users to
click the image in the document and link to an internal or external destination. The
link can be static or dynamically determined at runtime.
• If construct: Rather than requiring the normal xsl:if statement, Oracle XML Publisher
now supports the more familiar “if … then … else” construct.
• Fixed-row enumeration: Users can now specify a fixed number of rows for a table
regardless of the amount of data coming into the template at runtime.
• Parameters: You can now declare parameters in your template and pass values at
runtime.
This release provides better support for batch processing based on RTF templates by
providing support for the following new features:
• Restart page numbering for section breaks: For example, if generating invoices for
multiple customers, you can now restart the page numbering for each new invoice.
You can now use the Oracle number and date format masks to control the display of
numbers and dates. The Oracle masks ensure that at runtime the appropriate locale-
specific formatting is used. The Microsoft native formatting masks are also supported.
Oracle XML Publisher can now generate the bookmark links that display in the PDF
navigation pane. These links can either be static bookmarks or dynamic and based on the
incoming data stream.
• Odd and even header and footer support: You can now define different headers and
footers for odd and even pages in your output.
• Last-page-only content support: You can specify the layout and content of the last
page of the report. This feature is useful for documents such as checks, invoices or
purchase orders in which content such as the check or a summary must appear in a
specific place only on the last page.
You can now choose to truncate data in a table cell that is too big for the cell. Previously
all data was wrapped.
You can now define the page number from which you want the first page of a report to
begin.
You can now include a check box in your template that you define to display as checked
or unchecked based on a value from the incoming data.
Developers, including Oracle development teams, use the ADI SDK to create desktop
application front-ends to their products. This technology provides you the ability to use
desktop applications with which end users are already familiar, like Microsoft Excel,
Microsoft Word, or Microsoft Project, , to download, model, modify, and upload Oracle
E-Business Suite data. These activities can conform to applications business rules and
standards. End users require only a browser and the desktop application.
The principal focus for this release is to build new features that support the creation of the
General Ledger - Budgets, Fixed Assets - Mass Additions and Fixed Assets - Physical
Inventory solutions. The creation of these solutions is part of the project to migrate the
existing functionality in client/server ADI to the Web. The features required to create
these solutions are multiple concurrent program submission, document parameter
creation, parameter validation, duplicate row management, generated value support for
lines region, filters, flexfields as parameters, read-only regions, content download support
for multiple sheets, line totals, extensible viewer menus, password as content parameter,
graph, additional content download, and conditionally required field validation.
Other features are also included in this release to improve client environment support,
including Netscape support;, usability, including performance, flexfield formatting, and
BLAF; administration, including integrator control settings, layout definition
enhancements, and central logging; and data handling, including variable data type
support.
Existing solutions built using the ADI SDK were taken into consideration during the
design of these features. Developers uptaking this release do need to take any actions to
have their solutions continue to operate after applying this release. In some cases
enhancements automatically become available, Filters, for example, become available for
the end user after the release is applied. This will be noted on a feature-by-feature basis
below.
Support for document generation by users who use the Netscape Web browser on
Microsoft Windows is added in this release.
Support for document generation on Apple Macintosh (using either the Internet Explorer
or Netscape Web browser) is generally available in this release.
The implementation of Netscape support slightly changes the page flow the user sees
after clicking the create document button in the Create Document Page Flow.
Netscape support is available to all solutions and customers in this release. No action is
required to enable this feature.
Some solutions require the ability to call more than one post-processing program to
complete the upload. To complete the Fixed Assets - Physical Inventory solution upload,
the end user now has the option of running two concurrent programs. The first compares
the inventory data with the actual data; the second prepares a report on the results of the
comparison.
Developers implementing this feature define the metadata for calling and controlling the
post-processing programs following a similar process to the existing definition of a single
program. Control of the programs includes the definition of parent-child dependencies
and providing end users control over which programs they want to run in the Upload
form. The feature is designed as a new import type, so existing import implementations
are not affected by this new function.
The Create Document Page Flow is now enhanced for additional questions to be asked
based on end user selections at runtime. The Fixed Assets - Create Assets solution
implements this feature to have the user select which corporate depreciation book is to be
used. Without this input, the sheet cannot be generated because the Accounting Flexfield
Chart of Accounts is defined in the corporate depreciation book. With this feature
defined, after selecting the Fixed Assets - Create Assets solution on the Integrator page
and clicking Next, the user is asked to supply the value for the corporate depreciation
book before moving on to selecting a layout. The value entered can also be used in
functions outside the creation process, such as upload.
Developers can implement this feature for their Integrator, Viewer or seeded layouts in
the same way they define the parameters for their content, that is, by assigning a list of
Parameter validation is enhanced to provide the same level of list of values and validation
support as is available for the interface columns. Visual representation may be different.
You can also now define two parameters as a range. This functionality improves the end
user experience. All parameters can now be validated so that errors entered can be caught
and dealt with at the time, rather than waiting for the desktop document to generate to
discover that an invalid value was entered. For example, an invalid content parameter
may cause no data to be downloaded.
Developers can implement this feature through the already provided mechanism for
defining parameter lists. No changes are made to the existing mechanisms for lists of
values or validation, so existing parameter definitions are not impacted.
11.1.2.5. Performance
This release includes the following enhancements: a cancel button in the download data
flow to allow users to cancel the download process, several minor performance
improvements such as compression of data to reduce the network overhead, and
collection of performance-related statistics to assist in identifying bottleneck areas.
All these performance improvements are enabled for all solutions and customers. No
action is required to take advantage of these features.
This functionality is available by default to any solution that has implemented flexfields.
The enhancement to the flexfield form is controlled by the definition of the flexfield
value sets. A system administrator is responsible for overriding the right-justify and zero
pad setting, using a flow in self-service. When enabled, the setting automatically zero
pads the values in the spreadsheet and in the flexfield form. When disabled, which is the
default behavior, the setting is based on the value set definition.
Developers activate this feature by defining the columns in an interface that make up the
logical key that are used to detect a duplicate row. This logical unique key does not
necessarily map to a database unique index, but it may include a database unique index.
Resolution actions are also defined in metadata. These actions can include whether to
overwrite or update column values in the current row, fail the current row, or fail the
entire upload. The end user can be presented with these options in the upload form for
selection at runtime where required.
Existing solutions that upload to a table interface continue to function as usual, because
the absence of a logical unique key prevents duplicate row management from being
applied to such solutions.
The General Ledger - Budgets, Fixed Assets - Mass Additions and Fixed Assets -
Physical Inventory solutions use duplicate row management.
Developers encountering this need in their solutions can define columns whose values
can be derived from a database sequence, serialized list or Java code. This functionality is
enabled through an extension of the existing method used to define default value
generation. The column selected to use this method of value generation must not be
displayed in the document. If a developer defines the column to generate a new value for
each row, and also to be displayed, the column is not displayed in the document.
Saved documents that are in use and that have a column that is redefined to use this
feature continue to work in this release. The server-side code does not override any
values uploaded from the saved sheet, but if no value is uploaded, then a value will be
generated.
The Fixed Assets - Physical Inventory solution uses this feature to generate a unique
sequence ID for one of the columns in the upload to its interface table.
To implement this feature, developers write Java code to support the logic that detects
and handles a column that may need to change its data type during upload.
11.1.2.10. Filters
Microsoft Excel provides filtering technology as part of its standard feature set. This
functionality could formerly be implemented on worksheets only by experienced Excel
users. This feature provides this functionality to all end users, turning the filter
functionality on for the lines region of the document. The feature is accessed through the
Oracle menu, providing an end user with the ability to turn filtering on, reset the filter
criteria, and turn filtering off.
This feature is enabled automatically for all solutions that create documents in Microsoft
Excel. Developers can disable the feature by setting a flag against the Integrator
definition. You can also disable the functionality through the layout definition.
Developers define a parameter as a key flexfield using metadata, assigning attributes that
provide the information for retrieving the correct flexfield structure.
This new type of parameter is initially required for the Content parameter list in the
General Ledger - Budgets and General Ledger - Daily Rates solutions.
In Release11.5.10 the number of solutions being shipped increased to over 100, creating
an impressive list to choose from on the Integrator page of the Create Document Page
Flow. Optionally, parameters can be included to specify which integrators should be
displayed. Release 11.5.10 also introduced the association of form functions with
solutions by the developer. Using this known relationship, the list of solutions displayed
on the Integrator page is now determined by whether the form function is present in the
current responsibility.
Some solutions need to be accessed only through their product’s existing flows, which
perform additional processing before passing parameters to the Create Document Page
Flow. Attempts to use the solution directly through the Create Document Page Flow
instead of the product flow result in an incomplete document. The ability to show or hide
solutions prevents such solutions from being displayed in the Create Document Page
Flow. Solutions are displayed by default but can be hidden by a flag set against the
Integrator.
Oracle Project Accounting implements budgeting functionality in which all the data can
be generated into one worksheet, or with the data grouped into separate worksheets by
category, such as department. Developers can define the categories in metadata or give
end users the option of entering their own categories on the Content Parameters page.
Downloading data to multiple sheets is also designed to facilitate comparing data sets. In
the General Ledger - Budget solution, the download can bring down budget data for
editing and actuals data for comparison. A parameter selected by the end user at runtime
determines whether to download the actuals data as well. The Java content constructs the
download document with the flags to indicate where a new sheet is to be started.
The download functionality is enhanced to detect when the worksheet can no longer hold
any more rows, create another sheet, and continue downloading the data into that sheet.
Microsoft Excel worksheets have a maximum row limit of 65,536 rows. Although this
limit is large, the data stored in Oracle E-Business Suite tables may exceed it. Oracle’s
own production instance contains over a million General Ledger Accounting Key
11.1.2.15. Formulas
Using existing functionality, a developer can flag columns in metadata so that when the
document is generated a formula is placed into a total line at the bottom of the lines
region to sum all of the values in the column. Some solutions need to provide users with a
total column to display the sum of values in a row.
Using the default value in the layout definition page to generate formulas into the sheet,
is problematic because the values may not handle the inclusion of a new column into the
sheet.
In this release, developers and end users continue to use default values to define their
formulas. Developers now also have the option of defining the default value against the
interface column so that the formula applies to all layouts that include that column. A
new default value type identifies when the entered default value is a formula. The entered
formulas reference the columns by their interface column names rather than the Microsoft
Excel cell references; the columns are converted into the correct references at sheet
creation time, when the actual column location is known. Any valid Microsoft Excel
formula can be used in the default value.
Oracle General Ledger and Oracle Project Accounting are introducing solutions using the
formulas feature.
Developers build the VBA code using the existing libraries provided by the platform or
by uploading code that has been built on the desktop. Note that code built using the
libraries can have any message or UI values automatically translated, while uploaded
code cannot. After the code is built and uploaded, it is associated with a solution, and a
menu item can be defined to call the code.
The General Ledger - Budgets solution implements this functionality, providing end
users with the budget notes and insert new account features.
The menu definition functionality can also be used for calling form functions, URLs, or
servlets, allowing end users to continue their workflow without having to return to the
self-service window. The functionality is defined by the developer using metadata, and
provides the option of displaying the page either in an embedded form within the desktop
application or in a browser window.
To enable this feature, a developer builds Java code that performs the validation check,
and then associates this Java code with the password parameter in the parameter list.
Failure to enter the correct value prevents the user from moving past that page. Metadata
defined for the parameter prevents the value entered from being displayed or saved.
The General Ledger - Budget solution, which is being migrated from client/server ADI to
Oracle Web ADI, implements this enhancement. The budgeting function within Oracle
General Ledger provides for budget data to be secured by a password protecting a budget
organization.
11.1.2.18. Graph
Existing Oracle Web ADI functionality lets users graph data in an Excel spreadsheet
through the Chart Wizard function. Depending on the data range being graphed, these
graphs may require additional formatting to be presentable to others not familiar with the
data. For example, depending on the range of data selected, correct labels may need to be
added to make the graph meaningful.
This feature uses the information defined for the solution to correctly format the chart.
When graph support is used in conjunction with the “Content Download Support for
Multiple Sheets” feature, two sets of data can be automatically generated into the same
graph. The General Ledger - Budgets solution provides end users the ability to graph the
budgets and actuals data downloaded into separate worksheets in the same graph. This
process is time -consuming when performed manually, but can be quickly performed
using Oracle Web ADI.
Developers enable graphs for a solution and define the properties of the graph using
metadata such as titles, axes names, and labels. The creation of a graph is initiated by an
end user. After an Excel worksheet is created for a graph-enabled solution, the option to
create a graph appears in the Oracle menu. When a user selects this menu option a default
graph is generated in a separate worksheet. Another menu option allows the properties of
the graph, such as the chart type, to be modified where required.
Layouts can also be defined to create the graphs automatically when a document is
created. A layout includes the definition to create the graph, as well as some basic
properties of the graph, such as the chart type.
• Define the width for fields that are placed in the lines region, or hide a column by
setting its width to zero.
• Display the header level fields in multiple columns to reduce the number of rows
used by the header.
The documents created by Oracle Web ADI use a style definition to control which colors,
fonts, and other formatting are applied to the spreadsheet. The Oracle style is based on
the BLAF standard and has been defined using metadata so that the style can be changed
without changing the code. This enhancement enables specific styles to be designed for
Oracle Web ADI documents, with the style being chosen when generating a document.
The system administrator can set a default style for all documents being defined; when a
layout is defined a style can be assigned to the layout; and users can also select a style in
the Create Document Page Flow. To define a style, a sample layout is generated into
Excel. The designer can then use the standard formatting tools in Excel to format the
different regions. When the style is complete, the designer performs an upload from the
Oracle menu to upload not data from the sheet but the formatting information. This data
is then processed and stored in the database as metadata.
This feature provides a Java extensible interface to support this requirement. To enable
calling Java code, an integrator developer defines metadata that directs Oracle Web ADI
to the correct class at runtime.
Integrator developers can enable this feature when associating the columns that contain
the value and ID. Additional behavior can be mandated based on other metadata settings
made as part of the solution requirements.
Context-based layout management provides developers with the option of creating a Java
plug-in that can review the columns assigned to the current layout and remove columns
that break any of the product’s business rules. The plug-in has access to the session and
consequently can base its processing logic on any information that can be derived from
that access. After the review is completed, the layout is created in the spreadsheet.
11.2. Solutions
11.2.1. Overview
Solutions define the integration between a desktop application and an Oracle E-Business
Suite product. They are built using the ADI SDK then shipped independently of Oracle
Web ADI, either in their own patch or as part of a wider product release. In the Release
11.5.10, the following products released solutions: Oracle Financials Intelligence, Funds
& Budgets, Oracle Engineering Online, Oracle General Ledger, Oracle Human
Resources, Oracle Internal Controls Manager, Oracle International Public Sector
Financials, Oracle Sales Offline, Oracle Projects, Oracle Public Sector HR, Oracle Sales
Compensation, Oracle Student Systems, and Oracle Training Administration.
11.2.2. Features
The focus of this release is to move away from the existing client/server-based definition,
submission and publishing model to a Web-based model. No client-side Oracle software
is required for working with a report; only the client-side application used to view the
report, such as Microsoft Excel or Adobe Acrobat Reader, needs to be available.
The move to the Web requires a change in how reports are stored and when they are
formatted for presentation to the end user. All reports run for Oracle Report Manager
deliver their output in XML format. This output is stored in the repository until an end
user makes a request to view the report. Only at this point is the presentation formatting
applied. This change allows the formatting to be updated, which formerly would have
required the report to be rerun and published, because the formatted report, not the raw
report, was stored in the database.
The move to the new architecture also allows the existing Oracle Report Manager
solution to remain unchanged. This new release of Oracle Report Manager can be
installed on a site without risk of losing reports published under previous releases.
Migration tools assist a site to move the existing reports into the new repository as a post-
installation activity.
12.1.2. Features
Large production environments have the requirement to submit multiple reports. To meet
this need, support is available for the submission of report sets (financial statements) and
Report output from the menu entries continues to support HTML and Excel output, and
now also includes Adobe Acrobat. The display page by default displays HTML output,
with the option to choose one of the other types.
To improve the end user experience, this feature provides the means to create and modify
templates for financial reports in Microsoft Excel. Templates by default work like the
cell-level formatting themes, which require templates built for each financial report. To
assist in this process, the page flow for creating a template asks for a report name and
generates all the elements into a worksheet for further editing.
Templates are being adopted across Oracle E-Business Suite. Oracle XML Publisher
provides a central template management feature for storing and administering templates.
Oracle XML Publisher also provides tools and instructions for creating templates for
other report types.
The repository management feature can be used to create a logical hierarchy for
simplifying the administration of published reports. A folder hierarchy can be developed,
and reports can be moved, re-ordered, merged, or deleted as required.
The repository is designed to store all instances of the same report under one node in the
hierarchy. Variations in the report are recognized through a time frame or an expansion
value. Users view the report from a form function linked to the report node. Where
several reports are published to the same the node, time frame or expansion value
combinations can be selected to let users view the report for a specific point in time and
expansion value without leaving the page.
For each report in the repository, you can modify the default template, security level, and
availability or create a new menu item.
Administration of the repository includes removing reports from repository after they are
no longer relevant in the day-to-day operation of the organization. Some reports cannot
be deleted but may require archiving to meet organizational policy or legislative
12.1.2.5. Migration
Previous releases of Oracle Report Manager stored reports in tables shared by other
products in Oracle E-Business Suite. This release provides instead a set of dedicated
tables for storing and administering reports. A migration path is provided for customers
who have published reports using previous releases. You can run the migration as a post-
installation option after you are satisfied with the installation of the new version.
Repository management tools are also provided to merge old reports with new, and to
assign reports in the repository to form functions that were defined using a prior release.
12.1.3. Terminology
Term Definition
Expansion A value assigned to the report to differentiate one variation of a report with one
value set of parameters to another variation of the same report with a different set of
parameters.
A financial statement when run with a content set that contains page expands
automatically splits the report output and assigns an expansion value to each
report.
An end user can assign an expansion value to a standard or variable report during
the submission, publish, and present page flow.
After expansion values are assigned, they can be used to secure a report through
the User to Value Security feature.
Expanded A report that has expansion values assigned, so that one report actually represents
report multiple variations of the same report. When viewed an expanded report includes
an Expansion Values list that allows the end user to select a different variation of
the same report to view.
Oracle iSetup is a web-based tool that supports data management for applications by
enabling migration and monitoring of data throughout the application lifecycle. By
automating migration and reporting of setup data, Oracle iSetup allows Oracle E-
Business Suite to be implemented faster than ever before, and with lower risk. It also
makes it easy to manage data on an ongoing basis.
13.1.2. Features
Users can now view a report on setup data that does not have any BC4J wrappers.
These objects include many AOL objects, which use FNDLOAD utilities.
In Release 11.5.10, users could report on setup data only for a single instance. Now,
users can compare setup data between snapshot files. These snapshot files can be data
from a single instance across time, or from two different instances.
Users can now download a report in PDF, RTF, and Excel formats. The user must
specify the format at the time of report generation.
Oracle iSetup enables reporting on a need basis. You can selectively choose objects
for reporting while creating a standard or comparison report. This feature enables
better performance for report generation.
Oracle iSetup now has a new online view for a generated report that allows searching
of records based on certain attributes of the record. This feature is available for both
standard and comparison reports.
13.1.2.5. Upload
An Oracle iSetup extract can also be uploaded to an Oracle iSetup instance from your
desktop or local file system. The extract you upload can be stored in an external
repository or downloaded from another instance. After being uploaded successfully, the
extract can be used for reporting or the load process.
13.1.2.6. UI Changes
The UI for Oracle iSetup has been changed to:
13.1.3. Terminology
Term Definition
Selection Sets A selection set is a logical grouping of setup objects. These sets are
offered as templates to the user to help migrate data.
Oracle Tutor consists of two stand alone Windows applications: Tutor Author and Tutor
Publisher, as well as a repository of model process documents and applications
courseware related to Oracle’s E-Business Suite. Oracle Tutor is not dependent on the
standard E-Business Suite 11i technology stack because it is Windows and Microsoft
Office based.
Tutor Author requires Microsoft Word for its foundation. Author enables you to use
Microsoft Word to edit and create process documentation and courseware easily and
efficiently. It enforces the Tutor documentation standard, and it allows you to flowchart
procedures and creates HTML versions of the Tutor documents. Tutor Author also helps
you convert an an Oracle E-Business Suite online help file to Word for easy editing, and
then reconverts it to the required HTML standard for uploading back into online help. If
the Oracle Tutor documents will be uploaded into Oracle Applications online help, then
the Oracle Applications online help must be available, as well as the Help Utility and
Help Builder in the Self-Service Applications.
After a document has been edited or created with Tutor Author, it becomes a part of the
Tutor model document repository. Tutor Publisher indexes the Tutor documents and
allows you to create many different views of these documents – from desk manuals to
owner manuals to student guides. If the Tutor document repository will be stored in
Collaboration Suite, Oracle Drive should be installed on the system where the Publisher
Program is used.
The Tutor model documents are complete process documents written according to
generally accepted business practices in Microsoft Word. When a procedure task
references Oracle E-Business Suite, the navigation path and the appropriate online help
file are referenced. The model documents consist of procedures, instructions, and
reference documents, all tightly integrated to create a complete set of process
documentation for the core Oracle E-Business Suite applications.
14.1.2. Features