Blog Entries

E-Business Adaptor in BPEL

sgandhi@kbace.com — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 05:00:00 +0100

While working on one of the clients assignment, we developed this simple proof-of-concept to illustrates how easy it is to integrate Oracle Applications with BPEL

The process flow

This BPEL service accepts user values from ADF web application [...]

Google Charts

sgandhi@kbace.com — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 05:00:00 +0100

Have you ever desired using Charts without doing any installations, setting classpaths, copying jar files etc? What if we have a database centric PL/SQL application and customer wish to see Charts without buying into Oracle Developer products? Or what about embedding charts in OAF pages without pushing .jar files and setting classpaths? And the list is endless from BI Pub reports to SSHR pages.. But then how easy can it get? Can we generate a chart by just providing the U [...]

UPK - Finding content in a large library

jleong@kbace.com — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 05:00:00 +0100

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 itsel [...]

Adding the Company Logo

jleong@kbace.com — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 05:00:00 +0100

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 optim [...]

Customization of the Training Guide Template

csimmons@kbace.com — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 05:00:00 +0100

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 f [...]

UPK topics to Oracle Tutor Procedure documents

jleong@kbace.com — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 05:00:00 +0100

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 use [...]

Enhancing Tutor Content with Links to UPK Topic Simulations

mbartlett@kbace.com — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 05:00:00 +0100

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 proce [...]

Editing for Know It Mode

mpacheco@kbace.com — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 05:00:00 +0100

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. Ad [...]

OATM in R12

aumbarkar@kbace.com — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 05:00:00 +0100

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 an [...]

Profile "Guest User Password" obsolete in R12.1

vvenbakkam@kbace.com — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 05:00:00 +0100

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 [...]

Projects SRs CONTINUE...

jkaminski@kbace.com — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 05:00:00 +0100

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 u [...]

Exit Interview in Oracle

opandit@kbace.com — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 05:00:00 +0100

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 [...]

Financials updates.

jmorris@kbace.com — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 05:00:00 +0100

Some things there are just no explanation for and this is one of them.

When we first started testing in Iteration 1, I opened an SR because when creating a NACHA payment run, we came across this error:

Payments cannot be marked complete because an error was returned by the callout AP_PMT_CALLOUT_PKG.payments_completed.

I opened an SR and gave Oracle Support all the necessary documentation from that run, outputs, diagnostics, etc. They came back and wanted me to r [...]

Projects...SRs Continue

jkaminski@kbace.com — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 05:00:00 +0100

Unfortunately, our Projects SRs are not progressing as hoped. Oracle has closed one, based on the question of 'what the contingent worker enhancement is' has been answered and the issues with it are being worked in the other SRs.

The SR that refers to the project and task appearing in OTL as an enhancement has thanked me for my patience as development continues to investigate. This is not a 'show stopper', but a nice to have and one that was specifically [...]

Adding Voice to UPK

csimmons@kbace.com — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 05:00:00 +0100

UPK Topics can be enhanced with sound. Sound can be recorded by clicking the name of the file that you wish to record, clicking the Record/Edit Sound button, recording the sound, and then saving or by importing sound recorded by a professional. In 3.5.1 the supported file formats include .aif, .aiff, .au, .mp3, .snd, .wav or .wma for UPK 3.5.1.

The sound can also be played for the selected file to verify that the sound matches the associated text by selecting the name of the desi [...]

Editing for Try It and Do It Modes

mpacheco@kbace.com — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 05:00:00 +0100

When editing UPK content, keep in mind the different playback modes. Depending on the modes being published, you must edit bubble properties to display appropriate instructions in each mode.

In Do It mode, text needs to be specific to the step, but general enough for a person to be able to follow the instructions and complete the task using their specific, real [...]

Self Service Entitlement Balances

pbeatty@kbace.com — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 05:00:00 +0100

After some additional testing, the Entitlement Balances functionality is working fine. One of our testers discovered note 473272.1 on Metalink which appeared to be similar to our problem. The issue was resolved by extending our payroll calendar out by another two years. Oracle has logged Bug 5743838 in which part of this issue is described.

The screen shot below show a successful calculation in June 2010 after the extension of the payroll calendar.

After recording a lengthy UPK topic, upon review some of the actions are recorded in the wrong sequence. For example, one must click the checkbox and then click on the XYZfield on a form. However, it was recorded as clicking on the XYZfield first and then clicking the checkbox.

Prior to v3.5.x, one would need to re-record the actions in the correct sequence by inserting missing frames (Insert menu-> Missing [...]

The Cookies in the OBIEE Cookie Jar

clynch@kbace.com — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 05:00:00 +0100

The latest trend in the industry is "Intelligence" aka "Business Intelligence" aka "Analytics". Oracle not to be outdone has jumped head first into this market with their OBIEE tool. OBIEE (pronounced "Oh-Bee-Eye-Eee-Eee") is a suite of reporting and analytic tools that Oracle purchased with some stuff that they built themselves. These are primarily Siebel and Hyperion (Siebel became OBIEE, Siebel + Hyperion became OBIEE Plus) and Orac [...]

R12.1.1

mho@kbace.com — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 05:00:00 +0100

Our User Acceptance Testing instance is being refreshed, the DBA's are presently on the R12.1.1. Maintenance pack. Yes we are going to R12.1.1, not just 12.1, just in case that wasn't clear along the way.

We still have major outstanding issues, so we'll be escalating them best we can this week with Oracle as we start to get the test scripts and checklists ready for the end user community.