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Oracle Applications : Flexfields

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Flexfields
Purpose and Applications Flexibility to implement Code Structure Flexibility to capture Additional Information

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Flexfields
As the name suggests, a flexfield is a Flexible Field. A flexfield is a field made up of segments (which are actually table columns). Each segment has a name that can be assigned, and a set of valid values. There are two types of flexfields in Oracle Applications: Key flexfields (KFF) and descriptive flexfields (DFF). Using key and descriptive flexfields, you give end users the ability to customize your application to match their business needs, without programming.

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Key-Flexfields
A key flexfield represents an intelligent key that uniquely identifies an application entity. Each key flexfield segment has a name you assign, and a set of valid values you specify. Each value has a meaning which can be specified. A key flexfield provides with a flexible code data structure that users can set up however they like using key flexfield segments.

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Key-Flexfields
Key flexfields let you satisfy the needs of different customers as per their business practices, without having to reprogram the application. For each segment one can also define valid values for each segment, as well as crossvalidation rules to describe valid segment combinations. Oracle General Ledgers Accounting Flexfield is an example of a key flexfield used to uniquely identify a general ledger account.

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Key Flexfields
You could use the Item Flexfield in an inventory application to uniquely identify inventory parts. It could contain such segments as product class, product code, size, color and packaging code. You could define valid values for the color segment, for example, to range from 01 to 10, where 01 means red, 02 means blue, and so on. You could even specify crossvalidation rules to describe valid combinations of segment values.
For example, products with a specific product code may only be available in certain colors.
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Key-Flexfield
A Flexfield Segment Is a Single Sub-field of a Flexfield Each segment is a single column of a table. Flexfield segments are usually validated against a set of valid values, called a value set. Key Flexfields Identify an Entity Key flexfields serve as an intelligent primary key, where each segment contains meaningful information. Key flexfields are integral parts of a form. They appear as normal fields until the flexfield window pops up. Often the segment descriptions also appear on the form in a concatenated-values field.

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Oracle Apps provided Key-Flexfield

Oracle Applications Key Flexfields Accounting Flexfield: Oracle General Ledger Asset Key Flexfield: Oracle Assets Bank Details KeyFlexfield : Oracle Payroll Category Flexfield: Oracle Assets Item Catalogs: Oracle Inventory Item Categories :Oracle Inventory Location Flexfield: Oracle Assets Position Flexfield: Oracle Personnel Sales Orders: Oracle Inventory Sales Tax Location Flexfield Oracle ReceivablesStock Locators : Oracle Inventory System Items : Oracle Inventory Territory Flexfield :Oracle Receivables
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Oracle Applications Key Flexfields

Oracle Assets Oracle General Ledger Asset Category Location Oracle Payroll Bank Details Cost Allocation People Group

Accounting

Sales Tax Location Oracle Receivables Territory Oracle Service Oracle Service Item Grade Job Personal Analysis Position Soft Coded
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Oracle Inventory

Account Aliases Item Catalogs Item Categories Sales Orders Stock Locators System Items

Oracle Human Resources

Accounting Keyflexfield
Has special features and is used for Chart of Account definition Requires setup of Flexfield Qualifiers Segment qualifiers Parent-Child Relationship and Hierarchy Segments used with Rollup groups Features for Security Features : Dynamic Insert Valueset Security Cross validation Rules Shorthand Alias
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Descriptive Flexfields
Descriptive flexfields provide customizable expansion space to capture information which otherwise is not captured by the application. It lets you satisfy different groups of users without having to reprogram your application.

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Descriptive Flexfields
Descriptive flexfields can be context sensitive, where the information your application stores depends on other values your users enter in other parts of the form. Each descriptive segment has a name you assign. You can specify valid segment values or set up criteria to validate the entry of any value.

Example : Customer Retail info, Asset info based on asset type.

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Descriptive Flexfield
A Field Made Up of Sub-fields Flexfields appear in a pop-up window on a form. Flexfields are implemented as a set of database columns, with one column for each segment. The brackets [ ] indicate the presence of a descriptive flexfield. When the cursor reaches the brackets, the descriptive flexfield pops open. If the descriptive flexfield is not enabled, the cursor skips over the brackets.

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Flexfields
Customizing Flexfields Customizing a flexfield means specifying the prompt, length and data type of each flexfield segment. It also includes specifying valid values for each segment, and the meaning of each value to your application. You or your end users can even define crossvalidation rules to specify valid combinations of segment values ( in case of Key Flexfields)

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Flexfields
A Flexfield May Have One or More Structures Both key and descriptive flexfields can have more than one structure. Standard report submission parameter windows behave as descriptive flexfield structures. Each parameter acts as a segment. Tailor structures for specific end-user needs.

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Flexfields
Multiple Structures Flexfields lets you define multiple segment structures for the same flexfield. Your flexfield can display different prompts and fields for different end users based on a data condition in your form or application data. Most of the features used with your flexfield segments also apply to your parameter window for Standard Request Submission programs.

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Definitions
Segment For a key flexfield, a segment is a single piece of the complete entity code ( like item part code) For a descriptive flexfield, a segment is a single field or a single attribute of the entity A segment is represented by a single column in a table. A segment is a single subfield within a flexfield. You define the appearance and meaning of individual segments when customizing a flexfield.

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Definitions
Combination For a key flexfield, a combination of segment values that make up the complete code or key. You can define valid combinations with simple crossvalidation rules when you customize your key flexfield.

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Definitions
Structure A flexfield structure is a particular arrangement of flexfield segments. The maximum size of the structure depends on the individual flexfield. A flexfield may have one or more structures. Both key and descriptive flexfields can have more than one structure. Users can tailor structures for specific needs. If you add or remove segments, or rearrange the order of segments in a flexfield, you get a different structure.

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Definitions
Values, Validation and Value Sets Your end user enters a segment value into a segment while using an application. Generally, the flexfield validates each segment against a set of valid values (a value set) that are usually predefined.

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Definitions
Combinations Table For a key flexfield, a database table you include in your application to store valid combinations of key flexfield segment values. Each key flexfield must have a combinations table. It contains columns for each flexfield segment, as well as other columns. This is the same table you use as your entity table. Combinations Form For a key flexfield, a combinations form is the form whose base table (or view) is the combinations table. The only purpose of the combinations form is to maintain the combinations table.

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Definitions
Dynamic Insertion Dynamic insertion is the insertion of a new valid combination into a key flexfield combinations table from a form other than the combinations form. All validation rules still will apply during insertion Structure Defining Column A column you include in a combinations table or entity table so the flexfield can support multiple segment structures.

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Customizing a DFF
Planning a Descriptive flexfield. The planning phase can be broken into smaller, though still interrelated, steps: Decide which flexfields to implement Learning about a specific flexfield Planning the structure Planning the segments Planning the segment validation Planning to use additional features Documenting your plan

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Customizing a Flexfield
Customize the Flexfields Appearance
Flexfield title Number and order of segments Prompts Value sets, values, and value descriptions

Use Flexfield Functionality for Validation

Pop-up windows Individual segment validation Cross-segment validation

Customize to the Situation

Flexfields allow the application to adjust to fit specific business needs. Use multiple structures to match different needs in different situations.

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Customizing a DFF
Planning the segment validation For each segment, plan your validation. Consider what types of values you will be using in your flexfield segments. These decisions affect how you set up your value sets and values. Plan for field prompts Define dependencies among the segments or customize a descriptive flexfield to display contextsensitive segments, so that different segments or additional popup windows appear depending on the values you enter in other fields or segments.

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Different Structures
One Flexfield Captures Different Information Use different structures for different situations. Make the flexfield structure depend automatically on the value of another field. This is called using a reference field. Define the flexfield to allow choosing the structure when entering the flexfield. This is called using a context field.

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Structures Concept
For a descriptive flexfield, a structure consists of any global segments plus all context-sensitive segments for a particular context field value. Context-sensitive structures are all the segments defined for a context field value.

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Customizing a DFF : Reference field

Planning for Reference Fields Reference fields are fields from which a descriptive flexfield can get a context field value (optional, but recommended). Reference fields must be separate fields Frequently, most of the existing (nonflexfield) fields in your form can also serve as reference fields. They are NOT the structure defining field (typically ATTRIBUTE_CATEGORY is a structure defining field). Good reference fields are those that have a short, fairly static list of possible values.

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Customizing a DFF
Planning for Reference Fields You specify fields as reference fields when you register your descriptive flexfield in the Register Descriptive Flexfield form. Your users then have the option of using a reference field or not when they set up your flexfield. Reference field is just an ordinary field on the form before you choose to use it as a reference field Use a reference field on the form to derive a context field value.

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Context field
Determine which context-sensitive structure appears with a context field. Context Fields is NOT a Segment. The context field has a context field prompt. The response, called a context field value, determines which group of context-sensitive segments appears next. Each value for the context field can correspond to a separate context-sensitive structure. Context fields do not always display. Non-displayed context fields derive values from a default or from a reference field, and the user cannot change the context field value.

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Context field
Elect to Hide the Context Field Use a reference field to supply the context field value. The context field never appears, so that users cannot change the value. Or, use the reference field as a default but allow users to override. Visible context fields are alterable. Change the value of the context field without changing the value in the reference field.

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Customizing DFF
Create different context-sensitive segments to appear only for a particular context field value. Different context field values cause different context-sensitive segments to pop open.

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Global Field
Define global segments that always appear in the descriptive flexfield pop-up window, regardless of context (any other information in the form). Define global segments before any context-dependent structures.

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Customizing a DFF
Planning Validations Choose a Validation Type for Your Value Set. There are several validation types that affect the way users enter and use segment or parameter values:
None (not validated at all) Independent Dependent Table Special (advanced) Pair (advanced) Translatable Independent Translatable Dependent

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Building & Implementing a DFF

There are 4 main steps to implement a DFF. Define the DFF Database columns in the table (ATTRIBUTEn VARCHAR2(150) Define the Structure column ATTRIBUTE_CATEGORY VARCHAR2(30) Register the table and its columns with AOL. Register the DFF and its segments using proper value sets as per the plan prepared. Add Flexfields to Forms

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Adding Flexfields to Forms

There are four basic parts to calling a flexfield from an Oracle Forms window. These steps apply to both key and descriptive flexfields. To code a flexfield into your form : Create your hidden fields Create your displayed fields Create your flexfield definition Invoke your flexfield definition from several event triggers

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Flexfield Underlying Table

Table have flexfield columns as any other columns defined as per standard suggested by oracle. Attribute columns are built in by the developer. Their number cannot increase. Use only as many segments as the table has available columns (for a single flexfield structure that contains both global and contextsensitive segments). Most columns called Attribute#. ( 1 to 15) Attribute_category is used as structure column and stores the context value. Global segments use the same column in all flexfield structures. Context-sensitive segments use a column only for that particular structure.

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DF Table Definition
Context-sensitive Segments Can Reuse Columns Since context-sensitive segments only use columns for their particular structure, two segments in different contextsensitive structures can share the same column.

Defining global segments first prevents wastefully using all columns for context-sensitive segments.

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View Generation
A view is generated by AOL to allow access data based on the descriptive flexfield definition

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Customizing a DFF options

Use a combination of these features to create a descriptive flexfield. What Kind of Segments Create global segments ? Create context-sensitive segments ? A context field that the user sees (override allowed Yes) ? How to choose which context-sensitive segments appear/populate the context field ? Choose which context-sensitive segments appear by using a reference field ? Specify a default context field value ? (to choose which context-sensitive segments appear by default)
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Validating Input Using Value Sets

Category value set COM APPL FURN

__ Item Information _________ Category Item COM 876 Computer Monitor

755

876 Item value set

933

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Types of Value Sets

None Independent Dependent Table Input is checked against values in an application table. Value set uses a flexfield itself.
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Validation is minimal Input must exist on previously defined list of values. Input is checked against a subset of values based on a prior value.

Special

Types of Value Sets

Pair

Two flexfields together specify a range of valid values. Input must exist on previously defined list of values; translated value can be used. Input is checked against a subset of values based on a prior value; translated value can be used.
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Translatable Independent

Translatable Dependent

Validation Type None

Values are checked for expected data type, length, and so on. Values are not checked against an approved values list. Examples include credit card number, street address, phone number.

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Independent Value Sets

Category value set COM APPL FURN

__ Item Information _________ Category Item COM 876 Computer Monitor

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Dependent Value Sets

Category value set Item value set 755 COM Computer 876 933 320 APPL Appliances 560 876 877 FURN Furniture 154 677 Modem Monitor Printer Microwave Refrigerator Washer Desk Table Bunk Bed
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Table-Validated Value Sets

Customer table Name
Acme Computers North Bay Foods Midwest Grain Southern Milling Rockies Mining

Region
Western Eastern Eastern Southern Western

City
San Jose Boston Chicago Charleston Denver

Cities_West value set

WHERE REGION = Western

San Jose

Denver

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Value Sets
Value Set Options Set Options Name Description Security Available LongList Enabled ? Format Type Format Type Maximum Length Precision Alphabetic Characters? Uppercase Only? Right-justify Zero-fill Numbers? Minimum Value Maximum Value
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Validation Type Independent Dependent None Table Special Pair

Validation Types: Summary

Type None Independent Dependent Table Special/Pair Translatable Independent Translatable Dependent *Application Object Library List of Values Available No Yes Yes Yes Depends on value set Yes Yes Values Stored In N/A AOL* Table AOL* Table Application Table Depends on value set AOL* Table AOL* Table

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Predefined Value Sets

Choosing a predefined value set limits the necessary maintenance of values. Most predefined value sets are table-validated value sets. A useful value set is Yes_No, containing the values Yes and No. Never alter value sets provided by Oracle Applications, especially the SRS value set.
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Steps in defining Valueset

Valueset Type: None

Valueset Type: Independent

Valueset Type: Dependent

Valueset Type: Table

Valueset Type: Table

Values for Independent Valueset

Values for Independent Valueset

Setting Up Flexfields
Demo of Keyflexfield enabling & customization Demo of DFF enabling & customization Demo of ValueSet creation

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