Interview Q&A -5: Form Personalization & Customization

Q. Have you heard about Zoom function in Oracle Apps Forms?
Yes. It is CUSTOM.ZOOM_AVAILABLE function

Q. What is the use?
Generally the function CUSTOM.ZOOM_AVAILABLE was used for navigation from a block to another and it by default returns BOOLEAN value; False. It was used in earlier time in Oracle Apps. Now we are using Open_Form, Call_Form etc.
Ex: If Zoom is available for this block, then return TRUE; otherwise FALSE.Always test for the form and block name. Refer to the SYSTEM variables for form name and block name in your code and branch accordingly. The module name of your form must match the form file name.

By default this routine must return FALSE.
The following example enables Zooms in the following places:

Form: FNDSCAUS, Block USER and

Form: FNDCPMCP, Block PROCESS

FUNCTION zoom_available RETURN BOOLEAN IS

form_name  VARCHAR2(30)  := NAME_IN(‘system.current_form’);

block_name VARCHAR2(30)  := NAME_IN(‘system.cursor_block’);

BEGIN

IF (form_name = ’FNDSCAUS’ AND block_name = ’USER’) OR

       (form_name = ’FNDCPMCP’ AND block_name = ’PROCESS’)

THEN

    RETURN TRUE;

ELSE

    RETURN FALSE;

END IF;

                    END zoom_available;

Q. What is the sequence of Trigger firing in Form?
                     a) Pre-Form

b) Pre-Block

c) Pre-Record

d) Pre-Text-Item

e) When-New-Form-Instance

f) When-New-Block-Instance

g) When-New-Record-Instance

                     h) When-New-Item-Instance

i) Post-Text-Item

j) Post-Record

k) Post-Block

l) Post-Form

Q. What is the process of Form registration in Oracle Apps?

• Send the file through FTP in binary mode to …/forms/US
• Generate *.fmx by running the fmx script
• f60gen module= userid=APPS/adm1n output_file= module_type=form batch=no compile_all=special

Q. What is the default directory of Forms in Oracle Apps?
Application top(autop)/forms/US

Q. How can we disable a form from the menu?
System Administrator (Responsibility) > Security > Responsibility -> Define (at Menu) > Find Responsibility Name & The Menu attached to it >  Exclusion > Exclude the Function of the Form

Q. How can you call DFF from Form?
By using a procedure called fnd_descr_flex.define
Ex: FND_DESCR_FLEX.DEFINE(BLOCK=>’ORDER_DETAIL’,  FIELD=>’DESCFF’,
                                                 APPL_SHORT_NAME=>’FND’,
                                                 DESC_FLEX_NAME=>’MYDESC’)

In Brief,

We need to follow the following steps in your form:
a) Create a displayed field to hold your concatenated segment values (the [ ] field).
b) Create fields (normally hidden) for each of the flexfield columns in your table (the

      one used for your flex).
c) In the form-level WHEN-NEW-FORM-INSTANCE,

call FND_DESCR_FLEX.DEFINE,

setting BLOCK parameter to the name of the block containing your [ ] field,

the FIELD parameter to the name of your [ ] field,

the APPL_SHORT_NAME parameter to the short name of your application and the DESC_FLEX_NAME parameter to the name of your descriptive flex.

In the form-level WHEN-NEW-ITEM-INSTANCE,

WHEN-VALIDATE-ITEM,

PRE-INSERT,

PRE-UPDATE,

POST-QUERY and

PRE-QUERY triggers place a call to FND_FLEX.EVENT as follows:

         FND_FLEX.EVENT ( ‘TRIGGER_NAME’);
where TRIGGER_NAME is the name of the trigger,

e.g. in the PRE-QUERY trigger …. FND_FLEX.EVENT(‘PRE-QUERY’);

Interview Q&A -4: Basic Concepts of Organization

Q. What is the difference between Operating Unit and Inventory Organization?

Operating Unit :- An Organization that uses  Oracle Cash management, Order management and Shipping Execution, Oracle Payables, Oracle Purchasing, and Oracle Receivables. It may be a sales Office, a division, or a dept. An operating unit is associated with a legal entity. Information is secured by operating unit for these applications. Each user sees information only for their operating unit. To run any of these applications, you choose a responsibility associated with an organization classified as an operating unit.

An organization for which you track inventory transactions and balances, and/or an organization that manufactures or distributes products. Examples, include (but are not limited to) manufacturing plants, warehouses, distribution centers, and sales offices. The following applications secure information by inventory organization: Oracle inventory, Bills of Material, Engineering, and Work in Process, Master Scheduling/MRP, Capacity, and Purchasing receiving functions. To run any of these applications, you must choose an organization that has been classified as an inventory organization.

Q. What is Set of Books?

A financial reporting entity that uses a particular chart of accounts, functional currency,

And accounting calendar. Oracle General Ledger secures transaction information (such as journal entries and balances) by set of books. When you use Oracle General Ledger, you choose a responsibility that specifies a set of books. You then see information for that set of books only.

Q. What is Item Validation Organization?

The organization that contains your master list of items. You define it by setting the OM: Item Validation Organization parameter. You must define all items and bills in your Item Validation Organization, but you also need to maintain your items and bills in separate organizations if you want to ship them from other warehouses.

OE_System_Parameters à master item organization à contains the item validation org

Q. Mention the table or views where Inventory Org, Items, Set of Books, GL Code Combinations, Operating Unit, Location, Customers, Vendors, and Invoices are stored in Apps.

          Inventory Org: – MTL_PARAMETERS/ORG_ORGANIZATION_DEFINITIONS

          Items: – MTL_SYSTEM_ITEMS_B

          Set of Books: – GL_SETS_OF_BOOKS

          GL Code Combinations: – GL_CODE_COMBINATIONS

          Operating Unit: – HR_ALL_OPERATING_UNITS

          Location: – MTL_ITEM_LOCATIONS

          Customers: – RA_CUSTOMERS

          Vendors: – PO_VENDOR_CONTACTS

          Invoices: – AP_INVOICES_ALL

Q. What is the profile to be read to find out what Inventory Organization and Operating Unit are you on?

Help à Diagonistics à Examine à $PROFILES$(org_id is the Operating Unit)

                                                                    (organization_id is the Inventory Org)

Q. What is Inventory Master Organization?

Items are defined in an Inventory Master Organization

More to Study here

Interview Q&A: Concurrent Program

Concurrent Programs

1. How do you register a report? Explain passing of parameters between a concurrent program Definition and report?

        After developing the report (.rdf), FTP it to the UNIX server.

        Define executable.

        Define concurrent program and attach the executable.

        Attach the concurrent program to a request group.

2       2.    What is the approach to create a new form to be used in Oracle Apps?

The TEMPLATE form is the required starting point of all development of new forms. Start Developing each new form by copying the TEMPLATE.fmb file, located in $AU_TOP/forms/US(or your language and platform equivalent), to local directory and rename it as appropriate.

3. Explain Value Set? Difference between a Table Validated and Independent Value Set?

A set of values against which Oracle Application Object Library validates values your end users enter when running your program. You define your value set by specifying validation rules, format constraints and other properties. For example, you could define a value set to contain values that are character strings, validated from a table in your application. You can specify that oracle application Object Library use the same value set to validate different report parameters. You can also use value sets that you use in your flex fields to validate your report parameters.

4. How do you create a table validated value set dependent on another value set?

Use :$FLEX$.<Value set name> in the where condition.

5. What is difference between a concurrent request and a concurrent request set?

Concurrent request set is the combination of multiple requests which will run in a sequence.

6. What are the two mandatory parameters required for running a PL/SQL Procedure based concurrent program? 

         Errbuf, Retcode

7.    How can you ensure that only one instance of a concurrent program runs?

         Check the ‘Run Alone’ check box in Concurrent program registration window.

8.    Within a PL/SQL procedure which API is to be used to extract a profile value?

         FND_PROFILE.GET

9.    How do you set the operating unit context in a report?

          Begin

          Dbms_application_info.set_client_info(<Organization_Id>);

          End;

10. Can you submit a concurrent request from the operating system directly?

Write a Shellscript.

Login to database

Run the function FND_REQUEST.Submit()

11. Explain how to generate a trace file for a pl/sql concurrent program for tuning?

          Check the ’Enable Trace’ check box in concurrent program registration window.

12. How do you “write” to the concurrent request Log and Output file?

          FND_FILE.PUT(FND_FILE.LOG or FND_FILE.OUTPUT, <Text>);

Interview Q&A -3: Concurrent Program

Concurrent Programs

1. How do you register a report? Explain passing of parameters between a concurrent program Definition and report?

        After developing the report (.rdf), FTP it to the UNIX server.

        Define executable.

        Define concurrent program and attach the executable.

        Attach the concurrent program to a request group.

2       2.    What is the approach to create a new form to be used in Oracle Apps?

The TEMPLATE form is the required starting point of all development of new forms. Start Developing each new form by copying the TEMPLATE.fmb file, located in $AU_TOP/forms/US(or your language and platform equivalent), to local directory and rename it as appropriate.

3. Explain Value Set? Difference between a Table Validated and Independent Value Set?

A set of values against which Oracle Application Object Library validates values your end users enter when running your program. You define your value set by specifying validation rules, format constraints and other properties. For example, you could define a value set to contain values that are character strings, validated from a table in your application. You can specify that oracle application Object Library use the same value set to validate different report parameters. You can also use value sets that you use in your flex fields to validate your report parameters.

4. How do you create a table validated value set dependent on another value set?

Use :$FLEX$. in the where condition.

5. What is difference between a concurrent request and a concurrent request set?

Concurrent request set is the combination of multiple requests which will run in a sequence.

6. What are the two mandatory parameters required for running a PL/SQL Procedure based concurrent program? 

         Errbuf, Retcode

7.    How can you ensure that only one instance of a concurrent program runs?

         Check the ‘Run Alone’ check box in Concurrent program registration window.

8.    Within a PL/SQL procedure which API is to be used to extract a profile value?

         FND_PROFILE.GET

9.    How do you set the operating unit context in a report?

          Begin

          Dbms_application_info.set_client_info();

          End;

10. Can you submit a concurrent request from the operating system directly?

Write a Shellscript.

Login to database

Run the function FND_REQUEST.Submit()

11. Explain how to generate a trace file for a pl/sql concurrent program for tuning?

          Check the ’Enable Trace’ check box in concurrent program registration window.

12. How do you “write” to the concurrent request Log and Output file?

          FND_FILE.PUT(FND_FILE.LOG or FND_FILE.OUTPUT, );

Interview Q & A: SYSADMIN and Application Developer

SYSADMIN and Application Developer

1.    What is the relation between Responsibility, Menu and Request Group?

Responsibility: – A responsibility is a set of authority in Oracle Apps that lets users access only that functionality of the application appropriate to their roles.

Menu: – A menu is a hierarchical arrangement of functions and menus of functions that appears in the Navigator. Each responsibility has a menu assigned to it.

Request Group: – it is a collection of reports or concurrent programs. A system Administrator defines report groups in order to control user access to reports and concurrent programs. Only a system administrator can create a request group.

 

2. What is a function, how to create one?

A function is apart of an application’s functionality that is registered under a unique name for the purpose of assigning to it to, or excluding it from, a menu (and by extension, responsibility). There are several types of functions: – Form Functions, SubFunctions, and

Non-form functions. We often refer to a form function simply as a form.

3. What is meant by APPL_TOP?

Environment variable

An operating System variable that describes an aspect of the environment in which your application runs. For example, you can define an environment variable to specify a directory path.

$APPL_TOP: An environment variable that denotes the installation directory for Oracle Application Object Library and your other Oracle applications. $APPL_TOP is usually one directory level above each of the product directories (which are often referred to as $PROD_TOP or $PRODUCT_TOP or $<prod>_TOP).

4. Explain briefly where are the Custom.pll, Forms, Reports, Sql Loader Control files, Shell

     Script source code and executables files kept?

     Custom.pll – $AU_TOP/resource

     Forms       – $PROD_TOP/Forms/US

     Reports     – $PROD_TOP/Reports/US

     SQL Control Files – $PROD_TOP/Bin

     Shell Scripts – $PROD_TOP/Bin

5. When is Custom.pll used?

Custom.pll is used while making new or customizing standard oracle forms in apps. It contains all the forms libraries for apps.

6. What are profile options; at what levels can these be set?

     A user profile is a set of changeable options that affects the way the applications run. Oracle

     Applications object Library establishes a value for each option in a user’s profile when the

     User logs on or changes responsibility.

     System Profile: – Profile option can be set for the user community.

     User Profile: – Provide Oracle Apps with standard information which describes a user,

     Application, Responsibility and site. At each profile level user profile options can be set.

    

7. How can you know the form (fmb) name when you open a form in Apps?

Helpà About Oracle Apps

    

8. Where do you create a table and sequence in Apps? Is it APPS schema?

       In custom schema and then grant privileges on it to APPS schema.

9. Where are Views and Procedures created?

Views: – Views are to be created only in APPS.

Procedures: – In custom schema and the grant it to APPS schema.

    

10. How can you tell who last updated a particular row in a form?

Help à Record History

     

     11. You have logged onto a Responsibility, how do you know what operating unit are you on?

 Help à Diagonistics à Examine à Blocks à $Profiles$ à Field à Org_id

12.  Can new profiles be created? If so how?

 Yes. Application Developer.

Interview Q & A -2: SYSADMIN and Application Developer

SYSADMIN and Application Developer

1.    What is the relation between Responsibility, Menu and Request Group?

Responsibility: – A responsibility is a set of authority in Oracle Apps that lets users access only that functionality of the application appropriate to their roles.

Menu: – A menu is a hierarchical arrangement of functions and menus of functions that appears in the Navigator. Each responsibility has a menu assigned to it.

Request Group: – it is a collection of reports or concurrent programs. A system Administrator defines report groups in order to control user access to reports and concurrent programs. Only a system administrator can create a request group.

 

2. What is a function, how to create one?

A function is apart of an application’s functionality that is registered under a unique name for the purpose of assigning to it to, or excluding it from, a menu (and by extension, responsibility). There are several types of functions: – Form Functions, SubFunctions, and

Non-form functions. We often refer to a form function simply as a form.

3. What is meant by APPL_TOP?

Environment variable

An operating System variable that describes an aspect of the environment in which your application runs. For example, you can define an environment variable to specify a directory path.

$APPL_TOP: An environment variable that denotes the installation directory for Oracle Application Object Library and your other Oracle applications. $APPL_TOP is usually one directory level above each of the product directories (which are often referred to as $PROD_TOP or $PRODUCT_TOP or $_TOP).

4. Explain briefly where are the Custom.pll, Forms, Reports, Sql Loader Control files, Shell

     Script source code and executables files kept?

     Custom.pll – $AU_TOP/resource

     Forms       – $PROD_TOP/Forms/US

     Reports     – $PROD_TOP/Reports/US

     SQL Control Files – $PROD_TOP/Bin

     Shell Scripts – $PROD_TOP/Bin

5. When is Custom.pll used?

Custom.pll is used while making new or customizing standard oracle forms in apps. It contains all the forms libraries for apps.

6. What are profile options; at what levels can these be set?

     A user profile is a set of changeable options that affects the way the applications run. Oracle

     Applications object Library establishes a value for each option in a user’s profile when the

     User logs on or changes responsibility.

     System Profile: – Profile option can be set for the user community.

     User Profile: – Provide Oracle Apps with standard information which describes a user,

     Application, Responsibility and site. At each profile level user profile options can be set.

    

7. How can you know the form (fmb) name when you open a form in Apps?

Helpà About Oracle Apps

    

8. Where do you create a table and sequence in Apps? Is it APPS schema?

       In custom schema and then grant privileges on it to APPS schema.

9. Where are Views and Procedures created?

Views: – Views are to be created only in APPS.

Procedures: – In custom schema and the grant it to APPS schema.

    

10. How can you tell who last updated a particular row in a form?

Help à Record History

     

     11. You have logged onto a Responsibility, how do you know what operating unit are you on?

 Help à Diagonistics à Examine à Blocks à $Profiles$ à Field à Org_id

12.  Can new profiles be created? If so how?

 Yes. Application Developer.

Interview Q & A: FlexFields

FLEX FIELD

What is the difference between key flexfield and Descriptive flexfield?

Key Flexfield is used to describe unique identifiers that will have a better meaning than using number IDs. e.g a part number, a cost centre etc
Desc Flex is used to just capture extra information.
Key Flexfields have qualifiers whereas Desc Flexfields do not.
Desc Flexfields can have context sensitive segments while Key flexfields cannot.

And one more differenct that KFF displays like text item but DFF displays like [ ] .

Which procedure should be called to enable a DFF in a form?

FND_DESCR_FLEX.DEFINE

(BLOCK                                 => ‘BLOCK_NAME’
                ,FIELD                                    => ‘FORM_FIELD_NAME’
               ,APPL_SHORT_NAME      => ‘APP_NAME’
               ,DESC_FLEX_NAME         => ‘DFF_NAME’
               );

In Brief,

We need to follow the following steps in your form:
a) Create a displayed field to hold your concatenated segment values (the [ ] field).
b) Create fields (normally hidden) for each of the flexfield columns in your table (the

      one used for your flex).
c) In the form-level WHEN-NEW-FORM-INSTANCE,

call FND_DESCR_FLEX.DEFINE,

setting BLOCK parameter to the name of the block containing your [ ] field,

the FIELD parameter to the name of your [ ] field,

the APPL_SHORT_NAME parameter to the short name of your application and the DESC_FLEX_NAME parameter to the name of your descriptive flex.

In the form-level WHEN-NEW-ITEM-INSTANCE,

WHEN-VALIDATE-ITEM,

PRE-INSERT,

PRE-UPDATE,

POST-QUERY and

PRE-QUERY triggers place a call to FND_FLEX.EVENT as follows:

         FND_FLEX.EVENT ( ‘TRIGGER_NAME’);
where TRIGGER_NAME is the name of the trigger,

e.g. in the PRE-QUERY trigger …. FND_FLEX.EVENT(‘PRE-QUERY’);

Which procedure should be used to make the DFF read only at run time?

FND_DESCR_FLEX.UPDATE_DEFINITION()

What is the difference between flexfield qualifier and segment qualifier?

Flexfiled qualifier identifies segement in a flexfield and segment qualifier identifies value in a segment.

There are four types of flexfiled qualifier

1)     Balancing segment qualifier

2)     cost center

3)     natural account and

4)     intercompnay

segemtn qualifier :-

1)     allow budgeting

2)     allow posting

3)     account type

4)     contral account and

5)     reconciliation flag

What are the components of DFF (like structure, segment)?
Howmany Key flexfiels are there in Inventory?

Interview Q & A -1: FlexFields

FLEX FIELD

What is the difference between key flexfield and Descriptive flexfield?

Key Flexfield is used to describe unique identifiers that will have a better meaning than using number IDs. e.g a part number, a cost centre etc
Desc Flex is used to just capture extra information.
Key Flexfields have qualifiers whereas Desc Flexfields do not.
Desc Flexfields can have context sensitive segments while Key flexfields cannot.

And one more differenct that KFF displays like text item but DFF displays like [ ] .

Which procedure should be called to enable a DFF in a form?

FND_DESCR_FLEX.DEFINE

(BLOCK                                 => ‘BLOCK_NAME’
                ,FIELD                                    => ‘FORM_FIELD_NAME’
               ,APPL_SHORT_NAME      => ‘APP_NAME’
               ,DESC_FLEX_NAME         => ‘DFF_NAME’
               );

In Brief,

We need to follow the following steps in your form:
a) Create a displayed field to hold your concatenated segment values (the [ ] field).
b) Create fields (normally hidden) for each of the flexfield columns in your table (the

      one used for your flex).
c) In the form-level WHEN-NEW-FORM-INSTANCE,

call FND_DESCR_FLEX.DEFINE,

setting BLOCK parameter to the name of the block containing your [ ] field,

the FIELD parameter to the name of your [ ] field,

the APPL_SHORT_NAME parameter to the short name of your application and the DESC_FLEX_NAME parameter to the name of your descriptive flex.

In the form-level WHEN-NEW-ITEM-INSTANCE,

WHEN-VALIDATE-ITEM,

PRE-INSERT,

PRE-UPDATE,

POST-QUERY and

PRE-QUERY triggers place a call to FND_FLEX.EVENT as follows:

         FND_FLEX.EVENT ( ‘TRIGGER_NAME’);
where TRIGGER_NAME is the name of the trigger,

e.g. in the PRE-QUERY trigger …. FND_FLEX.EVENT(‘PRE-QUERY’);

Which procedure should be used to make the DFF read only at run time?

FND_DESCR_FLEX.UPDATE_DEFINITION()

What is the difference between flexfield qualifier and segment qualifier?

Flexfiled qualifier identifies segement in a flexfield and segment qualifier identifies value in a segment.

There are four types of flexfiled qualifier

1)     Balancing segment qualifier

2)     cost center

3)     natural account and

4)     intercompnay

segemtn qualifier :-

1)     allow budgeting

2)     allow posting

3)     account type

4)     contral account and

5)     reconciliation flag

What are the components of DFF (like structure, segment)?
Howmany Key flexfiels are there in Inventory?
What is Value Set?
Value Sets define and store the valid items of data, which may be entered into a field. Key Flexfields, Descriptive Flexfields and many standard fields use Value Sets. Oracle already comes with hundreds of Value Sets. We define additional Value Sets to support our own user-defined Key and Descriptive Flexfields (although we may use any existing standard Value Sets if they suit our purpose). In defining a new Value Set, we are defining the physical format of valid data, which can reside in that Value Set. Data in a Value Set can be of several types: 

•  Independently loaded into a Value Set (through a standard form). 
•  Resident in a table (to which we direct the Value Set definition). 
•  There could be No Validation (any data can go into the field, but still subject to the formatting rules.) 
•  Dependent on the value of data in a preceding Independent segment (loaded through a standard form). 

Ex: For Supplies & Accessories CC in ATP, we define GEMS_GPO_ASSIGN_SET value set for the assignment set associated with that OU.