Oracle E-Business Suite Blog

As you and your UPK developers create content, the outline can contain hundreds of topics organized by modules and sections.  Creating folders in the library with the same name as the section or module in the outline is a great way to organize your content.  Once you are organized, it is easier to maintain the content created.

Sometimes, topics need to be deleted.  Deleting topics in the outline view simply deletes the link to the topic (not the topic itself).   To delete topics from the library, you will first need to find them.  An easy way to find where topics are located in the library is to highlight the topic (1) in the outline and click the View > Find In Library menu option (2).  The topic will appear highlighted in the library within the respective folder (3) and can now be deleted.

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Adding the Company Logo

Companies can choose to incorporate their company logo in player deployments, LMS packages, and various document output formats such as Training Guides, Job Aids, and Test Scripts.

This can be globally done using the Customize Logo option available starting in UPK 3.5 and UPK Professional 6.2.  This is especially useful as company logos evolve.

The Oracle recommended logo size is 230X44.  In our experience, the recommended size is not optimal and as a best practice the logo is tweaked where needed after reviewing the deployment and document output format options.

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The Training Guide template may be customized by adding, for example, a cover page image, deleting the publishing date, or changing the header/footer.  To customize the student guide, locate the original student guide template found in the System folder and make a duplicate copy.  Open the copy of the training guide and drill down to the appropriate file depending on which version of UPK is being used.  This file cannot be opened in the UPK Developer so copy it to the desktop for editing.  Once the template is open in Word, make the appropriate edits and save the newly revised Student Guide template.  Copy the document back to the UPK Developer, close the package and check in all templates.  The new Student Guide template will be displayed for selection in the UPK publishing wizard.

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UPK (User Productivity Kit) is a tool that can be used to create content for training. After the training content is captured, there are many output options available, as well as attachment options that are useful across the organization.

For example, UPK can work in conjunction with Oracle Tutor documents.  Tutor is used to document the business process.  The business process document can be linked within a UPK topic. The benefits of this include enhanced end user training and knowledge transfer from the top down to the end user.

UPK topics can be linked to tutor documents at the module, section, topic, or frame level.

In the example below, tutor is linked at the topic level.

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If you've worked with Oracle Tutor, you know that you can enhance the content by adding attachments within Tutor processes, sub-processes and procedures.  To enhance the experience for the end-user, links can be created to learning content created using the User Productivity Kit (UPK).  Linking UPK content within Tutor procedures allows the end-user to review the business process from a high level down to the precise system steps.

For example, within a Tutor procedure, decide where the user touches the system and would benefit by viewing a UPK topic simulating the system steps.  Add a refer to statement to link to the UPK topic playback mode(s) of your choice.  Once you add the link and convert the Tutor documents to HTML, the end-user has the ability to launch the simulation.

Below are three screenshots to show the end to end process. 

1.  The Tutor procedure flow where the end-user has the ability to click on the Update Personal Information image to;

2.  access the refer to statement within the procedure where two playback modes to a UPK topic are linked; and after selecting a playback mode (in this example Try It)

3.  to the UPK Try It mode of that topic.

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In very general terms, Know It mode aims to quiz users on their knowledge of a topic (ideally, the users have reviewed the topic several times in See It and Try It modes). 

We want to give users clues and information in order to complete a topic, and the key is to prompt users--not stump them or give the answer outright.  Adding a scenario in the concept pane works as an introduction, but we have found that providing the information as appropriate for each frame works best.  As you might imagine, this is time intensive, so we have developed standard verbiage to accompany many of the actions.

This is a brief introduction to Know It mode, so please email us with any questions.

Happy UPK'ing!

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It doesn't surprise me much that the existing oracle applications systems will have to accept the new OATM (Oracle Applications Tablespace Model) before R12 upgrade. It will be inevitable especially because the R12 patch creates all DB objects in the tablespaces proposed by OATM. The model was proposed initially from Release 11.5.10 and remained as an optional step untill today.

Initially I assumed this is going to be the way forward and customers will have to migrate to OATM model but then I stumbled upon the following excerpt in a metalink note:

The reason for that is because the new products created with the R12 upgrade are created in the OATM model, but the old objects are still kept in the old tablespace model. This would keep the DB temporarily with a hybrid model, what is not recommended.

There are a lot of recommendations from oracle that remind me of those unreasonable parental advices but not this one. Prima facie  I did have such notion but after getting to the depth of OATM design I realized its importance from perspective of better space management, especially with the present situation where the idea of "Unified Data Systems" is widely pursued. More companies especially multinationals are trying to reduce the maintenance costs by running all operations across all subsidiaries on a single ERP system. Considering this dire need of customers to bring all operations in single system, Oracle has also started including more and more of application modules that support almost every business need. There are as much as 191 modules available with R12 release. 

The earlier releases comprised of two tablespaces for each application module, one to store data (tables) while other for index trees. It made umpteen sense as it provided comfort for differentiating application data at storage level too and also helped from performance perspective. Since each of tablespace could be maintained on a separate disk, the use of application modules did not cuase any contention with each other.

This approach of tablespace management was widely used and also recommended by database experts. So I had my own curiosities about OATM since it was going to replace the proven and most commonly used design. 

A couple of hours into OATM gave me the following results:

• Effective space management. There are now 191 application modules available from Oracle now and supporting each module with separate table spaces (2 in total - one for data, one for index) would have meant 382 tablespaces. OATM avoids such difficulties and gathers similar data in one place.
• Ease in administration and configuration. There will be one locally managed table space for each type of object (tables, index, etc).
• Improves performance of buffer gets. Increased storage at block level
• Supports wide stripe configurations (?)
• Useful for RAC + Linux configuration. Such configuration has limitation of 255 raw devices, new OATM would just provide a workaround

The following type of tablespaces are being introduced in OATM. They are 12 in total and each has its unique purpose. Needless to mention, all will be shared by implemented modules on the application system.

• APPS_TS_TX_DATA - Transaction tables
• APPS_TS_TX_IDX - Transaction Indexes
• APPS_TS_SEED - Reference and setup data for Indexes. FND Objects
• APPS_TS_INTERFACE - Interface and Temporary data and indexes (interface tables like ra_interface_lines_all,etc)
• APPS_TS_SUMMARY - Summary Management objects such as materialized views
• APPS_TS_NOLOGGING - Materialized views not used for summary management and temporary objects
• APPS_TS_QUEUES - Advanced queuing objects
• APPS_TS_MEDIA - Multimedia objects
• APPS_TS_ARCHIVE- Archive purge related objects
• UNDO - Undo data
• TEMP - Temporary data. Global Temporary tables
• SYSTEM - system tablespace. Holds data dictionary

For custom schemas it is a wide practice to define separate tablespaces. The same approach can be employed with OATM. In case there are more than one custom application schemas it might be recommended to share one data and one index tablespace. This way the thought of OATM will stay on the course. 

The migration utility is available in R12 code pack and patch 3942506. It is recommended to migrate for OATM before R12 upgrade since that would count for breathing time during the upgrade. It is possible to go with a hybrid model where the old objects stay in old tablespaces and new R12 objects will be created as per OATM but I am fairly certain that such approach leads to disaster.

Today there is dire need of unifying operations in a single source system, with such perspective oracle has been including application modules that suit various operational requirements in Organizations. Oracle Applications ERP is moving towards a day when almost any type of information can be captured and utilized by business. For example, a module like lease management sounds so useful for companies that have branches all across world.

Out of my experience, I have not seen any company implementing more than 50 modules yet but I am sure that it would start happening very soon. And this might be the right time we think about future data growth and turn towards solutions like OATM. From a futuristic perspective, I am fairly convinced over the move towards the new OATM.

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The storage of Guest user information is moved from a profile option (GUEST_USER_PWD) to the vault (for security purpose), all the product teams should be aware of this change and they need to modify their code appropriately to refer this new storage to get GUEST user information.

There is no functional impact with these changes as all the ATG code that is referring GUEST_USER_PWD to read guest user information needs to be changed to call FND's new api to fetch the information from vault.

-- Verify the Applications Version
  select fnd_release.major_version from dual;

Example Answer : 12

  select fnd_release.minor_version from dual;

Example Answer : 1

-- Verify the profile option "Guest User Password" no longer exists
  select 1 from fnd_profile_options where
  profile_option_name='GUEST_USER_PWD';

Example Answer : no rows

-- Validate the GUEST user login using FND APIs
  select fnd_web_sec.validate_login('GUEST','ORACLE') from dual;

Example Answer : Y

-- Verify the GUEST user login from the VAULT
  select fnd_vault.get('FND', 'GUEST_USER_PWD') from dual;

Example Answer : GUEST/ORACLE

-- Verify the afdelgstusrpwd.sql file version (used to delete the old profile)
  select f.FILE_ID, f.APP_SHORT_NAME "TOP", f.SUBDIR, f.FILENAME,
  v.VERSION, v.LAST_UPDATE_DATE
  from ad_files f, ad_file_versions v 
  where f.FILE_ID=v.FILE_ID
  and f.FILENAME = 'afdelgstusrpwd.sql'
  order by 6 desc

Example Answer : FND patch/115/sql/afdelgstusrpwd.sql 120.1

In R12.1, FND now provides an API to get the guest user information (username/password) from the vault called : 
FND_WEB_SEC.GET_GUEST_USERNAME_PWD
All the product code that was earlier calling FND_PROFILE.VALUE(‘GUEST_USER_PWD') to read guest user information from profile store must now call FND's new api (FND_WEB_SEC.GET_GUEST_USERNAME_PWD) to get the information.
Similarly the java code that was earlier using profile store to get guest user information must now either write a wrapper over the FND API :  
   FND_WEB_SEC. GET_GUEST_USERNAME_PWD 
or
   Guest.getInstance().getUser() and Guest.getInstance().getPwd
where Guest is FND's class : oracle.apps.fnd.common.Guest.

Reference  - Metalink Note # 788979.1

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Okay, so unfortunately, our SRs have not progressed has hoped.

 The SR dealing with Project Name and Task Name not appearing on the timecard has officially come full circle to repeating the white paper doc enhancement and being told that it is fixed in 12.1.1.  Understood - but it is still not working in 12.1.1.  Again, not a show stopper, but a nice to have and an enhancement that many have asked for in the past. 

 **Last update: Thank you for your last update. I think that the post install steps were followed. This issue was not reported till now by any other customers that have upgraded their instances to R12.1.1**

Contingent worker time is still not transferring to Projects.  We have run many diagnostics and scripts, but not much progress yet.  Initially, advised that and OTL Preference was set incorrectly; however, we have verified it is set the exact same as in Production where time transfers effectively.  I have asked to have this SR escalated as this will prevent us from successfully upgrading.

Our last SR refers to closing all projects and recreating with the new Project Type of contingent worker enabled.  This is still 'Awaiting Internal Response'.  I have asked for updates on the status and to have this issue escalated.  Their initial response what this is standard functionality for all Project Enhancements, so we shall see...

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Organization collect employees grievances through Exit Interview when an employee is leaving an organization (voluntary termination). Exit Interviews can be easily setup in HR and I would list down each of the ways I pondered on in my current implementation

Option 1

Setup a Appraisal type of Self Appraisal and attach only the Exit Interview Questionnaire in the appraisal template. When the employee completes this appraisal he will fill up the exit interview questionnaire and submit exit interview

Cons - HR cannot be notified when an exit interview is completed. HR cannot view the details of the exit interview questionnaire since this is a self appraisal.

Option 2

Setup appraisal type standard and attach only the exit inteview questionnaire in the appraisal template. When the employees completes the exit interview he will change his main appraiser to HR and fill up the exit interview questionnaire.

Pro - HR will get notified after employee submits an exit interview.

Con - A lot of personalization needs to be made on the screens to make it look like an Exit Interview screen rather than Performance Management screen.

Option 3

Setup a OLM survey consiting of all Exit Interview questions and attach this survey to a course. In this way an employee can submit his Exit Interview survey through OLM.

Cons

A lot of fancy formatting cannot be done when setting up questions in OLM survey

Besides a SIT can also be set in HR and the employee can access this SIT through SS.

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