Oracle Apps Interview Questions

Q: How do you make your own query when you are in forms query mode?

Q: What is concurrent processing?

Q: What is a Concurrent Manager?

Q: What is a request set?

Q: What are the four phases of a concurrent request?

Q: How would you identify the results of the request in the Concurrent View Requests
window?

Q: What are the profile options? How many levels of profile options are available?

Q: What is a document sequence?

Q: What are the steps involved in adding a custom program to Oracle Applications?

Q: How do you register a printer?

Q: What is a Flexfield? How many types of Flexfields exist?

Q: What is a Key Flexfield?

Q: What are the Key Flexfields in Oracle Applications?

Q: What is a Descriptive Flex Field?

Q: What types of segments can be set up for DFFs?

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Q: What is a value set?

Q: How many validation types are there?

Q: What are the required and optional steps for setting up Flexfields?

Q: Can you define cross-validation rules for DFFs?

Q: Can a value set be shared between Flexfields?

Q: Can a value set be shared within a Flexfield structure?

Q: What are the advanced validation options?

Q: What is the next step after defining the segments for Flexfields?

Q: What are the steps required to set up value security rules?

Q: What is Oracle Alert?

Q: How many types of alerts are there?

Q: What are Quick Codes?

Q: What is an Open Interface in Oracle Applications?

Q: Which schema has complete access to the Oracle Applications data model?

Q: What is the top directory in Oracle Applications?

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Q: What is a product top directory?

Q: What are the log and output directory names for a product group?

Q: What data dictionary tables do you use to obtain detailed information regarding
Oracle Applications database tables and columns?

Q: What are the primary underlying tables for concurrent processing?

Q: What are the primary underlying tables for Flexfields?

Q: What is the primary underlying table for AOL QuickCodes?

Q: What is the application dummy table used by a form block?

Q: What is the main underlying table for Profile Options?

Q: What are the main prerequisites for creating a custom application or responsibility?

Q: What are the WHO columns?

Q: Do I need to have WHO column information in custom forms?

Q: What are the additional WHO columns used for concurrent programs?

Q: Can you disable the WHO columns' information in a form block?

Q: How do you register your custom tables in PL/SQL?

Q: How do you define the passing arguments in SQL/PLUS and PL/SQL concurrent
programs?

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Q: How do you call your custom reports from a form?

Q: What is a template form?

Q: Which libraries are attached to the template form?

Q: What is a calendar?

Q: Which template form triggers require some modifications?

Q: Which template form triggers cannot be modified?

Q: What are the main template files for Pro*C concurrent programs?

Q: What is the Oracle-recommended application short name for extensions?

Q: Where do you maintain the list of your custom programs?

Q: What are the steps involved in modifying an existing form?

Q: Where do you maintain database customizations?

Q: Can you create extensions to Oracle Applications without modifying the standard
form code?

Q: When do you use the CUSTOM library?

Q: What are the steps involved in implementing your own message dictionary?

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 Oracle Apps Interview Answers
A:
You can use a placeholder to achieve this. If you enter a single colon ( : ) in one of your
query fields during the Enter Query mode, Oracle Forms Run Query will prompt you to
enter the text of SQL Where clause.

A:
Concurrent processing is a process that simultaneously runs programs in the background
(usually on the server rather than your workstation) while you work online.

A:
A Concurrent Manager is a component of concurrent processing that monitors and runs
requests while you work online. Once the user submits a request to run the job, the
information is stored in the request table. A concurrent manager gets the information
from the request table and executes the specified concurrent job.

A:
A request set is a collection of reports or programs grouped together. Once you submit a
request set job, it executes all the programs in a report set sequentially or in a parallel
manner as defined in the request set.

A:
The four phases are as follows: inactive, pending, running, and completed.

A:
Whenever a concurrent job is submitted, Applications creates a Request ID. You can use
this Request ID to view the results.

A:
Profile options are set to determine how the applications look and feel. There are four
levels of profile options available: site level, application level, responsibility level, and
user level. You can have various categories of profile options, such as personal options,
system options, auditing profile options, currency options, Flexfield options, online
reporting options , personal output viewer options, and user profile options. Refer to
Appendix B for more details.

A:
A document sequence assigns unique numbers to the documents (transactions) generated
by Oracle Applications. For example, each invoice has its own unique invoice number
and each purchasing document has its own unique purchase order (PO) number.

A:
1.Develop a concurrent program or report.

Identify the corresponding executable and register it with the application.

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Create a concurrent program and its parameters.

Add a concurrent program to a request set.

A:
To add a new printer, go to Install Printer Register.

A:
A Flexfield is a field made up of segments. Each segment has an assigned name and a
list of valid values. Two types of Flexfields exist: Key Flexfields and Descriptive
Flexfields (DFFs).

A:
A Key Flexfield is a unique identifier that is made up of meaningful segments to identify
GL account numbers and item numbers. Key Flexfields are usually stored in
SEGMENT1...SEGMENTn database

columns. Some examples would be Item No 34H-AFR-223-112.G and GL Account No:

100-00-1000-324-11100.

For an example GL Account, segments could be identified as Organization, Cost Center,

Account, Product, Product Line.

A:
The following table lists some of the Key Flexfields available in Oracle Applications.

Key Flexfields
Using Applications

Accounting
General Ledger

Asset Key
Fixed Assets

Location
Fixed Assets

Category
Fixed Assets

Account Aliases
Inventory

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Item Catalogs
Inventory

Item Categories
Inventory

System Iitems
Inventory

Stock Locators
Inventory

Sales Orders
Inventory

Sales Tax Location

Receivables

Territory
Receivables

Job
Human Resources

Grade
Human Resources

Position
Human Resources

Soft Coded Key

Human Resources

A:
A DFF lets you define the custom fields into Oracle Application forms without
customizing the program code. DFFs in forms are represented by a "beer mug" field (a
single space field enclosed by brackets) that looks like the following symbol: [ ]. They
are usually stored in ATTRIBUTE1...ATTRIBUTEn database columns. DFFs can also be
used to accept report parameters.

A:
Global or context-sensitive.

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A:
A value set is a list of values validated against segments. You can create a value set and
assign it to a Flexfield segment.

A:
Six validation types exist:none, dependent, independent, table, special, and pair.

A:
The required steps are as follows: define the value sets, define the structures, and define
the values, if needed. The optional steps are as follows: define the security rules, define
the cross-validation rules, and define the shorthand aliases, if necessary.

A:
No, you cannot. You can only define them for Key Flexfields.

A:
Yes, value sets can be shared between Flexfields.

A:
No, value sets cannot be shared between segments within a Flexfield as long as they do
not carry the same type of information. For example, date information can be shared
between segments within a Flexfield.

A:
Three types of advanced validation options are available.

$PROFILES$, which references the current value of a profile option. An example would
be $PROFILES$.profile_option_name.

Block.field, which references the block field.

$FLEX$, which refers to the current value of a previously used value set. An example
would be $FLEX$.value_set_name (cascading dependencies).

A:
Freezing and compiling the structure.

A:
Make sure security is enabled, define rules for the value set, and assign rules to the user's
responsibility.

A:

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 Oracle Alert is an exception reporting system. It keeps you informed on an as-needed
basis. It also communicates with other users through e-mail regarding exception
messages.

A:
Two types of alerts exist: Periodic Alerts and Event Alerts. Periodic Alerts fire at a time
interval, and Event Alerts are fired by database table changes.

A:
Quick Codes, also known as Quickpicks, are standard sets of user-defined values.

Lookup is a combination of a code and a description. The lookup tables are generally
populated by the scripts located in /install/odf directory. See Appendix A for a list of
lookup tables.

A:
Open Interface, also known as the Application Programmer Interface (API), is a process
whereby the Oracle Applications are linked with external or legacy systems. Open
Interface works as a temporary staging area to load the external information into Oracle
Applications tables. Once the data is validated, it sends the information to the permanent
tables. Rejected transactions can be corrected and resubmitted. See Appendix C for the
Open Interfaces list.

A:
The APPS schema. AutoInstall automatically sets the FNDNAM environment variable to
the name of the APPS schema.

A:
$APPL_TOP.

A:
It starts with the product shortname and is suffixed with TOP, such as TOP.

For example, General Ledger's top directory is GL_TOP.

A:
The product group environment file sets the APPLLOG variable to log and APPLOUT
to out. For example, the output directory for General Ledger is $GL_TOP/$APPLOUT.
For log, it is $GL_TOP/_$APPLLOG.

A:
You can write a query by joining the FND_TABLE and FND__COLUMNS tables.
FND_INDEXES and FND_INDEX_COLUMNS tables are part of the data dictionary.
All the FND_ table names are self-explanatory.

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A:
FND_CONCURRENT_PROGRAMS, FND_CONCURRENT__REQUESTS,
FND_CONCURRENT_PROCESSES, and FND__CONCURRENT_QUEUES tables.

A:
FND_DESCR_FLEX_CONTEXTS, FND_FLEX_VALIDATION__RULES,
FND_FLEX_VALUE_SETS, FND_ID_FLEXS, FND_ID__FLEX_SEGMENTS, and
FND_ID_FLEX_STRUCTURES tables.

A:
FND_LOOKUPS table.

A:
FND_DUAL table.

A:
FND_PROFILE_OPTIONS table.

A:
Set up a directory structure for a custom application, and define an environment variable
that translates to your application base path.

A:
WHO columns are used to track the changes to your data in the application tables. WHO
columns exist in all Oracle Applications standard tables. The following five are
considered WHO columns:

Column Name
Data Type
NULL?
Foreign Key?

CREATED_BY
NUMBER(15)
NOT NULL
FND_USER

CREATION_DATE
DATE
NOT NULL

LAST_UPDATED_BY
NUMBER(15)
NOT NULL
FND_USER

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LAST_UPDATE_DATE
DATE
NOT NULL

LAST_UPDATE_LOGIN
NUMBER(15)
FND_LOGINS

A:
Yes. It is strongly recommended to add WHO columns to the custom tables and call
standard API, FND_STANDARD.SET_WHO in PRE-INSERT, and PRE-UPDATE
triggers in each block of the form. Also, specify these fields as hidden in each block of
the form.

A:
Concurrent programs use all nine WHO columns including the following four.

Column Name
Data Type
NULL?
Foreign Key?

PROGRAM_UPDATE_DATE
DATE
PROGRAM_UPDATE_DATE

PROGRAM_APPLICATION_ID
NUMBER(15)
FND_CONCURRENT_PROGRAMS

PROGRAM_ID
NUMBER(15)
FND_CONCURRENT_PROGRAMS

PROGRAM_UPDATE_DATE
DATE
PROGRAM_UPDATE_DATE

A:
Yes. You can disable HELP -> ABOUT THIS RECORD information within a block.
Call the following procedures in a block level WHEN-NEW-BLOCK-INSTANCE

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Trigger:app_standard.event('WHEN-NEW-BLOCK-
INSTANCE');app_standard.enable('ABOUT','PROPERTY_OFF');

A:
You can use AD_DD package to register custom tables in PL/SQL.

A:
You must name your passing arguments as &1, &2, &3 and so on.

A:
You can call your custom Oracle reports in a form using the
FND_REQUEST.SUBMIT_REQUEST procedure.

A:
A template form is a starting point for the development of custom forms. Copy the
Template.fmb file from $AU_TOP/forms/US directory to your local directory and
rename it.

A:
The following main libraries are directly attached to the template form.

APPCORE contains packages and procedures for standard menus, toolbars, and so on.

APPDAYPK contains a calendar package.

FNDSQF contains packages and procedures for Flexfields, concurrent processing,

profiles, and a message dictionary.

A:
A calendar is an object that lets you select the date and time. It is automatically included
in the template form. A Calendar package example would be calendar.show.

A:
The ACCEPT, FOLDER_RETURN_ACTION, KEY-DUPREC, KEY-MENU, KEY-
CLRFRM, ON-ERROR, KEY-LISTVAL, POST-FORM, PRE-FORM, QUERY_FIND,
WHEN-NEW-FORM-INSTANCE, WHEN-NEW-BLOCK-INSTANCE, WHEN-NEW-
RECORD-INSTANCE, and WHEN-NEW-ITEM-INSTANCE triggers.

A:
The CLOSE_WINDOW, EXPORT, FOLDER_ACTION, KEY-COMMIT, KEY-EDIT,
KEY-EXIT, KEY-HELP, LASTRECORD, WHEN-WINDOW-CLOSED, WHEN-
FORM-NAVIGATE, and ZOOM triggers.

A:
The main template files are EXMAIN.c and EXPROG.c .

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A:
Oracle recommends an application short name begin with XX. As an example,
extensions to Oracle Purchasing would be XXPO.

A:
All custom programs should be listed in the applcust.txt file. This file is located in the
$APPL_TOP/admin directory. When you apply the patches, Oracle Applications uses this
file for informational purposes.

A:
First, you identify the existing file and then you copy the file to a custom application
directory, making sure to rename it. You then make the necessary modifications, generate
the form, and document it in the custom program list using applcust.txt file.

A:
You can maintain all your table changes by creating a new schema. You can use your
custom application short name (such as XXPO) as your Oracle schema name for easy
identification. The new schema must be registered in the Oracle AOL.

A:
Yes. This can be done using the CUSTOM library, which is an Oracle Forms PL/SQL
library. You can integrate your custom code directly with Oracle Applications without
making changes to your Oracle Applications forms code. The CUSTOM library is
located in the $AU_TOP/res/plsql directory. Once you write the code, you compile and
generate the CUSTOM procedures to make your changes.

A:
You can use the CUSTOM library in a variety of cases. You can use it to incorporate
Zoom logic, logic for generic events, logic for product-specific events, and to add entries
for the special menu.

A:
Create your own message directories and name it mesg, define your messages through a
message window, create your own message files, code the logic using FND_MESSAGE
package to setup, and display the messages.

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