Edu 0006 Fundamentals of Flex Fields

6Copyright © 2007, Oracle. All rights reserved.

Fundamentals of Flexfields

Copyright © 2007, Oracle. All rights reserved.6 - 2

Objectives

After completing this lesson, you should be able to do the following:

• Describe flexfields

• Define value sets

• Define key flexfields

• Define descriptive flexfields

• Enter values

• Describe Flexfield Enhancements– Error handling– Oracle ADI flexfield form– Flexfield as parameter


Agenda

• Overview of flexfields

• Creating value sets

• Defining the key flexfield structure

• Defining the descriptive flexfield structure

• Defining values

• Describing flexfield enhancements


Overview of Flexfields


Using Flexfields to Configure Applications

Application windows

User-defined flexfield windows

General Ledger Assets


Benefits of Flexfields

Flexfields enable the following benefits:

• Configuration of applications to support your accounting, product, and other codes

• Construction of intelligent keys

• Configuration of applications to capture additional data

• Use of the application to validate values and value combinations entered by the user

• Support for multiple field structures depending on data context


Key and Descriptive Flexfields

__ Item Information _________

Category

Item

Color

Computer

Monitor

Light tan LTN

COM

876

Key flexfieldsbuild uniqueentity identifiers

Descriptive flexfieldsgather additionalinformation

StoreDept

NumberExp. Dt

Payment Type CC54321987

12 - 994958-2938-4747


Key Flexfields

Standardwindow

Key flexfieldwindow

__ Sales Information ______________________

Transaction

Item

Payment Type

Description

Customer Jane Doe

Computer - Monitor - Light Tan [ ]

COM-876-LTN

3987

__ Item Information _______________

Item

Color

Computer

Monitor

Light tan

COM

876

LTN

Category


Using Key Flexfields to Build Intelligent Keys

_____Account Entry __

21

42

502

015

Company

Division

Department

Account

Business A Business B


10

283

Corporation

Subsidiary

025

203

Department

Account

3003Division


Key Flexfield: Examples

• General Ledger– Accounting Flexfield

• Assets– Asset Key Flexfield

– Location Flexfield

– Category Flexfield

• Service– Service Item Flexfield

• Human Resources– People Group Flexfield

– Job Code Flexfield

• Receivables– Territory Flexfield

– Sales Tax Location Flexfield

• Inventory– Item Categories

– System Items

– Sales Orders

– Item Catalogs


Descriptive Flexfields

Transaction

Item

Payment Type

Description

Customer

CC3987

Jane Doe

COM-876-LTN

[ ]

Second IDNumber

Payment TypeStoreDept

Number

Store

Dept

Exp. Dt

Payment TypeCK CC54321987

4958-2938-474712 - 99

543219871028MC 4565-3939

__ Sale Information ____________________

Computer - Monitor - Light Tan


Descriptive Flexfield: Examples

The following are examples of instances where descriptive flexfields are used:

• Storing supplier numbers from converted suppliers

• The Flexible Address Format

• Storing order information with an invoice

• Storing project information with an invoice

• Storing vehicle information associated with the asset category “Vehicle”

• Name of the customer service representative responsible for the sales order

• Web link to map property or location in Property Manager


Key and Descriptive Flexfield: Comparison

Key Flexfields• Owned by one application;

used by many• Required to set up, not always

required to use• Supports intelligent keys• Identifies entities• Drives reporting

Descriptive Flexfields• Associated with tables in a

specific application• Setup is optional• No intelligence, stores

additional information• Captures additional

information only


Components of a Flexfield

COMPUTERPC

LAPTOPSERVER

10CHAR

IndependentUpper Case

Required

12Char

DependentUpper Case

Required

Flexfield/Structure

Segments

Values(if needed)

Value set - format and validation

Segment 1 Segment 2

Flexfield Structure


Segment Prompts and Value Descriptions


Category

Item

Color

Computer

Monitor

Light Tan LTN

COM

876

Flexfield segment prompts

Flexfield value descriptions


General Steps to Implement a Flexfield

• Plan flexfield segments, structures, value sets, and values


• Define flexfield structure

• Define values

• Define security and cross-validation rules, if necessary


Creating Value Sets


Planning a Value Set

• Determine basic attributes of the set.

• Select the appropriate validation type.


Validating Input Using Value Sets


Category

Item

Color

Computer

Monitor

Light tan LTN

Item value set

COM MACH FURN

Category value set

COM

876

755 876 933


Value Set Attributes

• Name: Unique value set name (Do not use XX-, XX_ , XXX-, XXX_ or any Oracle reserved name.)

• Description: Free-form descriptive text

• List type– List of Values– Long List of Values– Poplist

• Security type– No security– Hierarchical– Non-hierarchical


Types of Value Sets

• None: Validation is minimal.

• Independent: Input must exist on the previously-defined list of values.

• Dependent: Input is checked against a subset of values based on a prior value.

• Table: Input is checked against values in an application table.

• Special: Value set uses a flexfield itself.


Types of Value Sets

• Pair: Two flexfields together specify a range of valid values.

• Translatable Independent: Input must exist on previously-defined list of values; translated value can be used.

• Translatable Dependent: Input is checked against a subset of values based on a prior value; translated value can be used.


Planning Data Format Validation

• Format Type: Value data type

• Maximum Size: Maximum permitted size for a value

• Precision: Number of decimal places

• Numbers Only: Entry of numbers 0–9 only

• Uppercase Only: Lowercase input becomes uppercase

• Right-Justify Zero-Fill: Shifts number to right, pads from left

• Max/Min Values: Beginning and ending values of a range


Defining Value Sets

Use existing value sets when possible.

Define list of values if appropriate.

Define value set.


Defining the Key Flexfield Structure


Planning a Key Flexfield

• Identify the target flexfield, the information required by Oracle Applications, and any qualifiers.

• Plan the flexfield structure, behavior, and appearance.

• Define the key flexfield structures.

• Define any value sets required and their values.

• Define security rules when appropriate.

• Define cross-validation rules when appropriate.

• Define shorthand aliases as needed.


Designing the Key Flexfield Layout

Description:Description:

Category

Item

Color

Title

Structure

Order ofsegments

PromptsValue sets

Values

COM

Segment separator

876

LTN

COM

FURN

APPL

___Sales Information_______


Key Flexfield Structure

10-203-3003-025-203 10-203-3003-025


10

203

3003

025

Company

Division

Department

Account

Corporation

Subsidiary

Division

Department

Account

10

203

203

3003

025




Key Flexfield Code Combinations

10-203-3003-025-203 10-203-3003-025


10

203

3003

025

Company

Division

Department

Account

Corporation

Subsidiary

Division

Department

Account

10

203

203

3003

025




Storing Code Combinations


10

203

3003

025

Company

Division

Department

Account

SEGMENT1 SEGMENT2 SEGMENT3 SEGMENT4

10 203 3003 025

Code Combinations Table

10 - 203 - 3003 - 025

(Code combination)


Key Flexfield Qualifiers

10

203

3003

025

Corp

Div

Dept

Acct

Business Z

Corp

Sub

Div

Dept

Acct

10

203

203

3003

025

Business Y

Balancingsegment


Types of Key Flexfield Qualifiers

Segment qualifiers:Identify a particular value

Flexfield qualifiers:

Identify a particular segment

10 203 3003 025

(Allow posting)

(Balancingsegment)


Key Flexfield Qualifiers Identify Key Flexfield Segments

Cost Centersegment

Balancingsegment

Accountsegment

Corp:

Sub

Div

Dept

Acct

10

203

300

3003

025

Business Y


Identifying Values in Flexfield Segments with Segment Qualifiers

Corp

Sub

Div

Dept

Acct

10

203

300

3003

025

Business Y

Accountlist

200 - Cash

300 - Revenue

400 - Payroll

Budgeting allowed: Y

Posting allowed: YAccount type: Asset

Budgeting allowed: N

Posting allowed: NAccount type: Revenue

Budgeting allowed: NPosting allowed: N

Account type: Liability


Defining Flexfield Qualifiers

• Use the Flexfield Qualifiers Window to assign qualifiers to segments as appropriate for the flexfield.

• Not all flexfields use qualifiers with segments.


Default Type Default Value

Constant

Current date

Current time

Field

Profile

Segment

SQL statement

Any literal value

Current time or current date/time

Current time

Default Value field value

Value of profile in Default Value

Value in prior segment

Result of SQL query

Segment Defaults: Examples


Other Key Flexfield Features

• Dynamic insertion of new values

• Cross-validation of segment value combinations

• Security on value access

• Aliases to speed up data entry


Allowing Dynamic Insertion

__ Sales Information _____________________

Item

Payment Type:

Description

Customer

[ ]

__ Part Number _________

Category

Item

Color

Computer

Monitor

Light Tan

COM

876

LTN

CodeCombinationsTable

SalesTable

(Foreign key)

Computer Monitor Tan

CC

Jane Doe

COM-876-LTN

Indirectly (from display window)

Directly (from entry window)

Transaction 3987


Cross-Validating Values

CA CaliforniaNY New YorkTX Texas

State Value Set

Asset LocationFlexfield

__ Asset Location _____________

Country

State

United Kingdom

California

UK

CA

“UK-CA-Houston” not allowed

City Houston

Country Value Set

USA United StatesUK United Kingdom

City Value Set

Los AngelesLondonNew YorkHouston


Using Value Set Security

Description:Description:Item Number

Category

Item

Color

Weight

COM FURNAPPL

Category Value Set without security

Category Value Set with security

COM FURNAPPL (EXCLUDE COM)

COM

COM


Using Shorthand Aliases

Sales Information Transaction

Customer

Item

Country

3754

Big Manufacturing

Address

City State

1211 State

Dallas TX

USAZip 75219

Description: ___Item Alias____

Part Tan Monitor

COM-876-LTN

Tan MonitorHard DriveLaser Printer

COM-876-LTNCOM-535-15GCOM-788-630

Listof

Aliases


Planning Decisions

• Multiple structures

• Resources available

• Qualifiers required

• Dynamic inserts

• Cross validation

• Shorthand aliases

• Value checking

• Value security


Freezing and Compiling the Definition

• Save after freezing to automatically compile the flexfield definition.

• Freeze and compile after making any changes to the definition. Changes take place immediately.

• You can see your changes immediately. Other users must exit the system or change responsibilities before they can see the effected changes.


Defining the Descriptive Flexfield Structure


Identifying a Descriptive Flexfield

• The presence of a descriptive flexfield on a form is indicated by brackets. Whenever you see this, there is a descriptive flexfield defined for use with that form.

• In some cases there may be multiple descriptive flexfields associated with the same form.


Determining the Descriptive Flexfield Name

Procedure to determine the name of the descriptive flexfield:

1. Click on a field in the same block in which the descriptive flexfield appears.

2. Select Help > Diagnostics > Examine.

3. A window showing information on the selected field appears.

4. Note the name of the block in which the field is located.


Determining Available Resources

Use the list of values for the Column field in the Segments Summary Window to determine how many segments you can plan to use.


Identifying Your Information Needs

• What additional information needs to be captured?

• Is there any information that you need to capture each time?

• Is there information that you need to capture on an ad hoc basis?

• Can the need for capturing ad hoc information be conditioned on a value in a base window?

• How much control over window processing do you want to give the user?


Identifying the Necessary Information

Store number Check number

Credit card number

Expiration date Down payment


Grouping Information by Usage

Situation 1:(finance)

Situation 2:(check)

Situation 3:(credit card)

Store number

Store number

Store number

Check number

Credit card number ExpirationDate

Down payment


Isolate Common Information

Used byall tasks

Varies by task


Situation 2:(check)


Store number

Store number

Store number

Check number

Credit card number

Down payment

ExpirationDate


Determine Different Contexts


Situation 2:(check)


Store number

Store number

Store number

Check number

Credit card number

Down payment

Finance context

Check context

Credit card context

ExpirationDate


Descriptive Flexfield Components

• Global segment: Displays information that is common to all contexts

• Context-sensitive segment: Displays information that is appropriate only to a particular context

• Reference field: A field on the application window whose value is used to determine contexts

• Context field: A field in the structure whose value is used to determine contexts


Using Global Segments

GlobalSegments(Common)

Credit card context

Finance context

Check context

Store number

Store number

Store number


Context-Sensitive Segments

Context-Sensitive Segments

(Vary by context)

Finance context

Down payment

Finance terms

Account

Check context

Second ID

Credit card context

Card number

Expiration date

Store number

Store number

Store number


Distinguishing Between Contexts

ContextfieldCredit card context

Card number

Expiration date

Second ID

Finance context

Down payment

Finance terms

Account

Check context

Store number Store number

Store number


Using Reference and Context Fields

• Reference Field: A field on the existing form whose value is used to automatically distinguish between contexts.

• Context Field: A field created in the descriptive flexfield structure that is used to allow the user to manually select different contexts.


Using Reference Fields

Existingapplicationwindow

Proposedflexfielddesigns

Reference field

Global

Data

Elements

Context

Sensitive

Fields

Context 1 Context 2

Global

Data

Sensitive

Fields

Elements

Context


Identifying Referenceable Columns

Use the list of values for the Reference Field in the Descriptive Flexfield Segments Window to determine the fields that are available for use as reference fields for this descriptive flexfield.


Using Context Fields

Proposed flexfield designs

Existingapplicationwindow

Global

Data

Context

Sensitive

Fields

(Context)(Context fields)

Context 1 Context 2

Global

Data

Elements

Sensitive

Fields

(Context)

Context

Elements


Locating the Flexfield Definition

• Use the Descriptive Flexfield Segments Window to locate the target flexfield definition by finding the application that owns the definition and the flexfield title.

• A flexfield may appear on more than one window. However, defining the flexfield once automatically defines it for all locations.

• After you access the definition, you can start making the changes. If the flexfield is already frozen, unfreeze it first.


Storing Descriptive Flexfield Segments

Global AAA Global AAA

Context BBB

Context CCC

Context DDD

Structure A Structure B

Structure A

Structure B

Global AAA

Global AAA

Context BBB

Context DDD

Context CCC

CONTEXT ATTRIBUTE1 ATTRIBUTE2 ATTRIBUTE3


Freezing and Compiling the Definition

Use the Descriptive Flexfield Segments Window to:

• Freeze the flexfield definition by checking the Freeze Flexfield Definition check box

• Compile the flexfield definition by clicking the Compile button


Defining Values


Defining Values for a Value Set

Use the Values, Effective region of the Segment Values Window to enter:

• Value

• Translated value (translatable value sets only)

• Description

• Enabled

• From/To effective dates


Modifying Value Definitions

• You cannot change or delete values after they are defined.

• You can change the value description or the translated value to reuse an existing value.

• You can disable or limit the effective dates of a value that is no longer in use.


Flexfield Enhancements


Flexfield Enhancements

Error Handling

Oracle ADI Flexfield Form

Flexfield As Parameter


Summary

In this lesson, you should have learned how to:

• Describe flexfields


• Define key flexfields

• Define descriptive flexfields

• Enter values

• Describe Flexfield Enhancements

Edu 0006 Fundamentals of Flex Fields

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