Oracle CRM - Elementary

Oracle CRM (Customer Relationship Management) is mainly divided into:

• Oracle Marketing - Trade Management, Marketing Intelligence etc
• Oracle Sales - Oracle Telesales, iStore etc
• Oracle Service - Field Service, Service Contracts, Depot Repair etc

Oracle Field Service - An Overview

Oracle Field Service (formerly Service Online) automates the process of dispatching field technicians to service calls in remote locations by:

• Providing a centralized view and point of control for monitoring Field Service activities to increase productivity and reduce costs.

• Ensuring adequate staffing and on-time arrival of field service personnel for improved customer satisfaction.

• Diagnose symptoms and potential resolution for service calls before dispatching field service resources to prevent unnecessary service calls.

FS has 3 main components >>

1. Dispatch Center (DC)
2. Administrator Portal (FSAP)
3. Technician Portal (FSTP)

Dispatch to Debrief process:

Part of 'Service Request to Resolution Process'.

Receive SR >> Create FS Task >> Schedule FS Task >> Commit FS Task >> Execute FS Task >> Debrief FS Task >> Close Task & SR

Debriefing involves updating:

• Time used
• Parts used and recovered
• Expenses incurred
• Counter readings
• Resolution documentation

Oracle Install Base

Oracle Install Base (IB) is an item instance life cycle tracking application.

Mark item as Install Base Trackable in Oracle Inventory and when item instance is created, it's created in IB (CSI_ITEM_INSTANCES) and further changes traced (CSI_TRANSACTIONS, CSI_ITEM_INSTANCES_H). Traced from the time it's received in inventory.

Usually serialized items, When a trackable item is defined in Oracle Inventory as non-serialized, it is typically for smaller objects (can be tracked only as a group) whose real-world instances do not require individual tracking e.g. screw.

Items can be serialized at receipt or at sales order issue.

Oracle Install Base interacts with: 

• Oracle PO (PO receipt --> Update Inv Data --> IB created or changed), 
• Oracle WIP (Issue components --> Complete work order --> Update Inv Data --> IB created or changed),
• Oracle OM (),

To find the Installation Details for a Sales Order number:

select ctld.*

from csi_t_transaction_lines ctl,

csi_t_txn_line_details ctld

where ctl.transaction_line_id = ctld.transaction_line_id (+)

and ctl.source_transaction_id in

(select line_id from oe_order_lines_all where header_id=

(select header_id from oe_order_headers_all

where order_number = ))

Purge Obsolete Workflow Runtime Data

Purge Obsolete Workflow Runtime Data

This concurrent program (FNDWFPR) purges obsolete runtime information associated with work items, including status information, any associated notifications, and, if the ECX: Purge ECX data with WF profile option is set to Y, any associated Oracle XML Gateway transactions. By default, it also purges obsolete design information, such as activities that are no longer in use and expired ad hoc users and roles, and obsolete runtime information not associated with work items, such as notifications that were not handled through a workflow process.

Parameters:

1. Item Type - The item type to purge. Leaving this field blank defaults to purging the runtime data for all item types. Eg POAPPRV, OEOL
2. Item Key - The item key to purge. Leaving this field blank defaults to purging the runtime data for all item keys.
3. Age - Minimum age of data to purge, in days. The default is0.
4. Persistence Type - The persistence type to be purged, either Temporary or Permanent. The default is Temporary
5. Core Workflow Only - Enter 'Y' to purge only obsolete runtime data associated with work items, or 'N' to purge all obsolete runtime data as well obsolete design data. The default is 'N'.
6. Commit Frequency - The number of records to purge before the program commits data. To reduce rollback size and improve performance, set this parameter to commit data after a smaller number of records. The default is 500 records.
7. Signed Notifications - Enter 'N' to preserve signature evidence, including notifications that required electronic signatures and their associated signature information. Enter 'Y' to purge signature-related information. The default is 'N'.

Oracle Service Contracts - An Overview

Oracle Service Contracts (Service Agreements) are contracts that are usually sold to customers to support, repair and/or maintain some product or service that the customer owns.

Service Contracts provides inputs to modules like Tele Services, Field Services, Depot Repair, iSupport. 

Oracle ASCP Programs

• Push Plan Information

This concurrent process deletes an entire plan on the source instance and then replaces it with a copy of the current plan from the destination instance.

Prerequisites: A plan that has been run successfully.

Parameters:

Instance

Plan Type

Plan Name

Buy Orders Only: The default is No.

Demand: If you select Yes, the process purges and re-populates table 

mrp_gross_requirements with requirements from the plan. If you select No, the process leaves the data in table mrp_gross_requirements. The default is Yes.

Organization Code: The list of values contains the planned organizations of the selected

plan.

Planner: The list of values contains the planners of the items planned in the selected 

plan.

Category: The list of values contains the categories in the default planning category set.

Item: You can select a specific item. If you leave this parameter blank, the process 

pushes information for all items planned in the selected plan.

Supplier: The list of values contains the suppliers in the plan assignment set. You can 

select a value for this parameter only if:

• Buy Orders Only is Yes

• Demand is No

Supplier Site: The list of values contains the supplier sites in the plan assignment set. 

You can select a value for this parameter only if:

• Supplier has a value

• Demand is No

Horizon Start Date: The earliest Suggested Due Date for which you want plan 

information pushed. If you leave this parameter blank, the process begins with the plan 

start date.

Horizon End Date: The latest Suggested Due Date for which you want plan information

pushed. The default is one year from today. If you leave this parameter blank, the 

process ends with the plan horizon.

Example 1: Minimal Criteria

Settings:

• Buy Orders Only: No

• Demand: Yes

• Organization, Planner, Category, Item, Supplier, Supplier Site, Horizon Start Date, 

Horizon End Date:

The process:

• All supplies and demands from the selected plan in the source instance are deleted.

• All supplies and demands from the selected plan in the destination instance are 

copied to the source instance

 

Processing Constraints

Orders in OM can be influenced in many ways like Workflow controls, Defaulting rules, Processing constraints.

Processing Constraints define whether a change is allowed to an order after certain activities have been completed, as well as level of responsibilities required to make the change. It prevent changes being made to order information when commitments have been made and communicated.

It has 2 main parts – action that you would like to prevent from happening and condition or state after which you want to prevent it. The condition can be in via workflow, column value in a table or through a PL/SQL package.

Navigation: 



Setup à Rules à Security à Processing Constraints

Product Information Management

Production Information Management (PIM) systems available (from):

1. SAP
2. Oracle (under Oracle MDM)
3. Stibo Systems
4. Hybris
5. Riversand
6. Heiler
7. Enterworks
8. WebOn
9. Agility
10. PCS (from Pegasystems)

Oracle Application Express (APEX)

Oracle Application Express - build new applications (Database or Websheet) using Application Builder.

Import / Export (from different enviornment) or create a new one from scratch.

First create workspace.

You may create the application from scratch or from Spreadsheet. It can be an instant application or copy of existing application.

Minimum one page is required in an application.

You can copy Share Components like LOVs from another application.

Sourcing Rules

Navigation:

1. Supply Base >> Sourcing Rules

2. Supply Base >> Assign Sourcing Rules

3. Profile >> MRP: Default Sourcing Assignment Set

Query

SELECT DISTINCT aps.vendor_name,
  msso.vendor_name,
 -- msso.vendor_site_code,
  msso.allocation_percent,
  msso.rank,
  msso.vendor_id,
  msso.vendor_site_id
FROM po_approved_supplier_list pasl, 
      ap_suppliers aps,
      AP_SUPPLIER_SITES_ALL POS,
      mrp_sr_source_org_v msso
WHERE aps.vendor_id = pasl.vendor_id
  AND aps.VENDOR_ID=POS.VENDOR_ID
  AND MSSO.vendor_id=aps.VENDOR_ID
  AND aps.enabled_flag = 'Y'
  AND NVL (pasl.disable_flag, 'N') = 'N'
  AND pasl.owning_organization_id =:p_org
  AND pasl.item_id = :item_id
  AND MSSO.rank=1;

Oracle Work In Process (WIP)

Oracle Work in Process is a complete production management system.

On a balance sheet, work in progress is considered to be an asset because money has been spent towards a completed product. Because the product has not been completed, however, WIP is valued lower. 

Tables:

WIP_DISCRETE_JOBS_V - work order main info

WIP_REQUIREMENT_OPERATIONS - material and resource requirements

SELECT * FROM apps.WIP_DISCRETE_JOBS_V 
WHERE WIP_ENTITY_NAME = '277409'; -- Work Order / Job

SELECT * FROM apps.WIP_REQUIREMENT_OPERATIONS WHERE WIP_ENTITY_ID = 288002;

Sample codes:

SELECT MSI.SEGMENT1 AS "PART NO", WDJ.WIP_ENTITY_NAME, WRO.WIP_ENTITY_ID, WRO.OPERATION_SEQ_NUM,
WRO.REQUIRED_QUANTITY, WRO.QUANTITY_ISSUED
FROM WIP_REQUIREMENT_OPERATIONS WRO, WIP_DISCRETE_JOBS_V WDJ,
MTL_SYSTEM_ITEMS MSI
WHERE WRO.REQUIRED_QUANTITY-WRO.QUANTITY_ISSUED>0
AND WRO.ORGANIZATION_ID=1234
AND WRO.ORGANIZATION_ID=WDJ.ORGANIZATION_ID
AND WRO.ORGANIZATION_ID=MSI.ORGANIZATION_ID
AND WRO.INVENTORY_ITEM_ID=MSI.INVENTORY_ITEM_ID
AND WRO.WIP_ENTITY_ID=WDJ.WIP_ENTITY_ID
AND WDJ.STATUS_TYPE=3 --Released
AND MSI.SEGMENT1='myItem';

Issue #1 - Item / Component does not show up in the WIP Component Issue screen / LOV
Solution - One of the prerequisites for this is that the item should’ve the ‘BOM Allowed’ flag enabled.

SEPA

The Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA) is a self-regulatory initiative for the European banking industry championed by the European Commission (EC) and the European Central Bank (ECB). SEPA promises to simplify and harmonize the processes related to cross-border payments in the European community, making it easier for citizens to complete financial transactions with less cost and inefficiencies. 

The aim of the SEPA initiative is to improve the efficiency of cross border payments and the economies of scale by developing common standards, procedures, and infrastructure. The SEPA territory currently consists of 33 European countries -- the 28 EU states, together with Iceland, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Norway and Switzerland.

Part of that infrastructure includes two new SEPA instruments that were introduced in 2008:

• SEPA Credit Transfer (SCT) - a Payables transaction in Oracle EBS
• SEPA Core Direct Debit (SDD) - a Receivables transaction in Oracle EBS

The SEPA Cards Framework (SCF) allows competing banks to create new SCF-compliant debit and credit card 

offerings, within the guidelines laid out by the SEPA authorities. 

Within the Oracle E-Business Suite of applications, Oracle Payables (AP), Oracle Receivables (AR), and Oracle Payments (IBY) provide SEPA transaction capabilities.

Oracle Cloud

Oracle Cloud: Platform as a Service

• Database Cloud Service
• Java Cloud Service

Interview Questions - Sql/PlSql

Q. Can the NVL function return NULL Values?
Y
__________________________________________________________________________
Q. What happens to a Package Body when Package Specification is dropped?
Not possible
__________________________________________________________________________

Full Life Cycle Implementation

Full life cycle implementations (process flows) can be broadly classified as follows :

Pre-evaluation and screening
Package evaluation
Project planning phase
Gap analysis
Reengineering
Configuration
Implementation team training
Testing
Going live
End-user training
Post-implementation

Pre-evaluation & Screening

It is very difficult to deal with number of packages and to take an ideal decision for a company. So it is better to limit the number of packages that are evaluated to less than 5. It is always to do a through and detailed evaluation of small number of packages, rather than doing a superficial analysis of dozens of packages. It is so to identify these packages that we need the pre-evaluation screening. The pre-evaluation process should eliminate these packages that are not all suitable for the company’s business process


Package Evaluation
Its objective is to find a package that is flexible enough to meet the company’s needs or in other words, a software that could be customized to obtain a ‘good fit’. To have the best system the company should match its needs to business profile and that which identifies the business practice of the company. It is responsible to get a system that will perform, exactly as the company does business, but the aim should be to get the system that has the least number differences. At the extent the ERP software should include:

• Functionality to fit with company’s business process


• Degree of integration between the various components of the ERP system


• Flexibility and scalability


• Complexity


• Ability to support multisided planning and control


• Technology in client or server


• Capabilities of database independence, security


• Availability of regular updates


• Amount of customization required


• Local support infrastructure


• Availability of reference sites

Total cost including cost of license, training, implementation, maintenance, customization and hardware requirements It is always better to form a selection or evaluation committee that will do the evaluations process.


Project planning phaseThis is the phase that designs the implementation process. It is in this phase that the details of how to go about the implementation are decided. Time schedules, dead lines, etc. for the arrived project . The project planning is usually done by a committee constituted by the team leaders of each implementation group. The committee will be headed by ERP in charge i.e. COO or CIO. The committee will meet periodically during the implementation of implementation life cycle to review the progress and chart the future course of action.


GAP analysisIt is a phase in ERP implementation, where the org tries to find out the gaps between the companies existing business, practices and those supported by ERP package. Finding gaps are very difficult, one of the most affordable , but most difficult, solution intense altering the business to fit the ERP package. Another solution is that the company can simply agree to live without a particular function . other solutions include. Pinning your hopes on and upgrade (low cost but risky) Identifying a 3rd party product might fill the gap Designing a custom program
Altering the ERP source code


Reengineering

It is in this phase that the human factors are taken in to account. In ERP implementation setting ,reengineering has 2 different connotations the 1st connotation is the controversial one, involving the use of ERP to aid in downsizing efforts and there have been occasions where high-level executives have invoked reengineering slogan, and purchased ERP package with the aim of reducing significant number of employees. While every implementation is going to involve some change in job responsibilities as process become more automated and s efficient, it is best to treat ERP as an investment as well as cost cutting measure, rather that as a downsizing tool. Downsizing is the business the practice that may have its place , but it should not be cloaked within the glossier of reengineering, or justified by the purchase of an ERP package. ERP should engender business change, but should not endanger the jobs of thousand employees the second use of reengineering in the ERP field refers to and ERP implementation model initially designed and used with much success by the big 6 consulting firms. The BPR approach to an ERP
implementation implies that there are 2 separate , but closely link implementations involved on and ERP site: a technical implementation and business process implementation. The BPR approach emphasis the human element of necessary change within organization. This approach generally time consuming and has received its share of criticism for creating bloated budgets and extended projects . but adherents of the BPR approach to ERP, would argue that there is know way that you can ignore the human element in an implementation that involves significant changes in responsibilities. As ERP market shifts to a mind market focus and as all implementations are becoming more cost sensitive, the BPR approach has come under some real scrutiny.


Configuration
It is a company’s system revels not only the strengths of company’s business process but also –and perhaps more importantly- its weaknesses. It s vital to the health of company and to the success of the ERP implementation that those configuring the system are able to explain what want it into the package, and where the gaps in functionality occur. For example, a company might have an accounting practice that can’t be configured in to the system or some shipping
process that won’t confirm to the package. The company obliviously needs to know which process have to change in process of implementation. Finding out that what will work and what won’t require a knowledge of business process itself, and an ability to work with the people throughout the company. So, people which such skills should be assign to these tasks. As a rule , in most large implementations, the functional configurations are split between the different areas within the company, so some will attain HR, some will be involved in financial and so forth.


Implantation team training

Around the same time that configuration taking place, the implantation team is being train , not so much how to use the system, but how to implantation it this is the phase where the company trains its employees to implement and later run the system.
The vendors and hired consultants will leave after the implementation is over. But for the company to be a self sufficient in running the ERP system , it should have a good in house team that can handle various solutions. Thus it is very vital that the company recognizes the importance of this phase and selects those employees to have right attitude people who are willing to change, learn new things are not afraid of technology and good functional knowledge.


Testing

This is the phase you try to break the system. You have s reached a point where you are testing real case scenarios. The system is configured and now you must come up with extreme scenarios system overloads, multiple users logging on at the same time with same query, users entering invalid data, hackers trying to access restricted areas and so on. The test cases must be designed specifically to find the weak links in the systems and these bugs should be fixed before going live.


Going Live
On the technical side , the work is almost complete- data conversion is done, databases are up and running ; and on the functional , the prototype is fully configured and tested and ready to go operation the system is officially proclaimed operational, even through the implementation team must have been testing it and running it successfully some time. But ones system is s “LIVE”, the old is system is removed , and new system is used for doing business.


The END User Training

here user will taught the functions , procedures , concept and operation of the system


Post implantation

Once the implantation is over, the vendors the hired consultants will go. To reap the full benefits of the ERP system , it very important that the system should get enterprise – wide acceptance. There should be enough employee who are train to handle problems that might crop-up. There should be people within the company who have technical prowess To make necessary enhancements to the system as and when required. So the system must be upgraded as and when new versions or new technologies are introduced. The organization should think in terms of incremental benefits of the new enhancements. Because with any up gradation or enhancement, there will be lot of other aspects like user training that have you be considered so instead of going in for up gradation as and when a new version is announced by vendor, the organizer should analyze the costs and benefits.

Party & Customer

<<>http://shareoracleapps.blogspot.com/search/label/General >>

Difference between Party and Customer

When I started my career in Oracle ERP, the most confusing thing for me is “Party” and “Customer accounts”. I got the below questions raised in my mind


1. Who is the party?
2. What is meant by Customer account?
3. What is the necessary for two entities like above?
4. Where they are used?


I hope the below article will be useful for persons like me, as this difference is mainly based on the module CRM let us have a small gist about it.


CRM is the acronym for Customer Relationship Management. CRM is basically a marketing tool. If you understand the definition of the word “marketing”, you will easily understand the difference between a party and customer. Marketing is the process of identifying, creating and retaining a customer. CRM tools essentially deal with that process. It is used by companies to identify potential customers, make them buy something from the company; maintain effective relationships with them to retain them for repeat purchases as well. This is what CRM does.


Who is Party and how it is used?
A party is anybody that exists. He/She/It does not have to have bought something from the company earlier. In fact, they do not have any relationship whatsoever with the company. But they are ones who has the potential to have a relationship with the organization in future. This is where CRM come into picture. The tool has been used to identify them and create some marketing campaigns to make them buy something and convert them into the company’s customers, and keep maintaining relationships with them.


What is customer account and how it is used?
As said earlier, if the organization marketing campaigns worked and if some of the identified parties become interested and bought a service or product from the organization then comes the customer. Simply when the identified party bought something from our company then first thing we need to create is the customer account for him and then have all transactions related to it.


Party: Mainly used by CRM module
Customer Accounts: Mainly used by Account receivables, Account payables, Order Management and CRM also.


Some technical Insight:


Party information are available in the below tables,


HZ_PARTIES
HZ_PARTY_SITES
HZ_PARTY_RELATIONSHIPS


Customer Accounts are maintained in the below tables,


HZ_CUST_ACCOUNTS
HZ_CUST_ACCT_SITES_ALL
HZ_CUST_SITE_USES_ALL
HZ_CUST_ACCOUNT_ROLES
HZ_CUST_ACCT_RELATE_ALL
With reference to party_id column


Important Note while merging:
For Example Party ‘A’ has ‘B’ and ‘C’ two Customer accounts and party ‘X’ has ‘Y’ and ‘Z’ two customer accounts. If you want to merge Customer Accounts ‘B’ and ‘C’ with ‘Y’ and ‘Z’, then first we need to perform Party merge and then perform the customer merge. It operates on the simple logic, First Parent records need to be merged before merging the child records

Period End Close - Inventory

Uncosted Material Transactions Issues (Costed_Flag = 'E'):
SELECT 'UNCOSTED TXNS',
organization_id,
transaction_id,
TO_CHAR(creation_date,'DD-MON-YY HH24:MI:SS') creation_date,
request_id,
transaction_set_id,
transaction_group_id,
costed_flag, error_code, error_explanation, mmt.*
FROM mtl_material_transactions mmt
WHERE costed_flag IN ('E','N');
1. Error Code: Error in obtaining the transfer price
Resolution: Add the item to the source price list and re-process (by Material cost transaction worker).
_______________________
_______________________
Source: ORDER ENTRY
The stuck transaction can be viewed by using the below query:
SELECT * FROM Mtl_Transactions_Interface WHERE Lock_Flag = 1
2. Error Code: 100
Error Explanation: failure:Ele_Acct( 40 ): 100 Error populating code combination segments
Resolution:

Collaborative Planning

Oracle Collaborative Planning (CP) is part of Advanced Planning Suite (APS), just like ASCP, Demantra etc.

Helps you collaborate securely with your trading partners, reduce planning cycle time, and identify and react quickly to supply chain exceptions. Oracle Collaborative Planning enables you to increase forecast accuracy, implement vendor managed and consigned inventory processes, increase global supply visibility, reduce supply shortages, and lower expediting cost.

Vendor Managed Inventory (VMI)

Vendor Managed Inventory (VMI) is a streamlined approach to inventory management and order fulfillment. Instead of sending purchase orders, customers electronically send daily demand information to the supplier. The supplier generates replenishment orders for the customer based on this demand information. The process is guided by mutually agreed upon objectives for the customer's inventory levels, fill rates, and transaction costs.

In the transformation from a 'push' approach to supply chain management to a demand-driven 'pull' approach, unfiltered demand signals are a critical element. VMI provides those signals.

Vendor Managed Inventory with suppliers (supplier-facing VMI) enables you to share on-hand, supplies, and forecast information with suppliers, transfer replenishment responsibility to suppliers, and automate replenishment processes.

VMI

Note that suppliers who enter into VMI recognize the need to maintain a high level of trust with their customers - a transparent system makes it clear to both parties if performance criteria is not being met.

Period End Close - Receivables

Period End Close - Receivables

Issue #1: 

Unposted Items Exist :

RA_CUST_TRX_LINE_GL_DIST_ALL

Solution: Run the 'General Ledger Transfer Program' for the org you're trying to close AR period for and try running the AR Close Period program again.

Trivia causing practical issues

• Columns 'effective_start_date' and 'effective_end_date' are now invalid in per_all_people_f
  on 11.5.10.2 version.
• 
  

Oracle Cost Management

Cost Management

Cost Type Comparison Report -  Run to review the differences in your item costs by cost type. You should run this report in preparation for a standard cost update, as a means to find large or erroneous differences.

Parameters:

Cost Type1 -->

Cost Type2 -->

Issue #1: Cost Type fields are disabled / grayed out / LOV not enabled 

Resolution: Functionality is set for program to run from Cost Management-->Report-->Cost-->Item Costs Report

Alternate Navigation --> Cost:Report:Cost:Item

Issue #2: BOM or ECG error

Resolution: Same resolution as for issue #1 above.