Today is special day in this island, so here is my wish.

Happy 43th Birthday Singapore.... May country grows higher and happier...

Oracle's EBS delivers a user interface that was designed to increase the productivity of all users. Here are the compiled list of some of the features that user experiences such rich UI functionality who moved from SAP to Oracle Apps.

1. Folders for screen layout in which you can change Prompts, Field Orders, Size etc. Refer this post
2. Top Ten List : User can use the Top Ten List to add personal favorites and most frequently used forms to quickly navigate to them from the Top Ten List on the right side of the screen.
   • The good is that each list is unique to a user and responsibility.
   • To add a form to the Navigation Top Ten List, select a frequently used form in the navigation list (on the left side of the screen).
   • The form name appears in the Top Ten List preceded by a number.
   • To remove a form from the Top Ten List, select the form in the Top Ten List and click the left arrow button
3. Navigator Window : In Oracle a Navigator window will be displayed after a responsibility is selected.User can use this window to navigate to the form that allows you to perform desired business functions. This is the main window that is always displayed during your session.The navigation list is organized in levels. Items that begin with a plus sign (+) can be expanded to further sub-levels until you find the form of interest (no sign will appear). The expand buttons are located on the Navigator window at the left of the screen
4. File Export to Excel :The File - Export option allows you to dump the data you see on the form.check this post
5. Multiple Windows Open at one time : Technically called zoom in Oracle.Since 11i multiple Document Interface, which means that all windows are displayed inside a single window, with a single toolbar and menu attached to that window. So, since the toolbar opens as part of the window, there is no way for the toolbar to get disconnected or “lost”.
6. Workbenches :These are most liked one by key user. These are only menus which carry the whole bunch of functions/submenus.Most of application product does have workbench. If you are new to Oracle you can understand within AR workbench is divided into 3 main sections:
   • Transaction Workbench - Menu: Transactions
   • Receipts Workbench - Menu: Receipts
   • Collections Workbench - Menu: Collections
7. Message and Status Line :The Message Line and the Status Line are shown at the bottom of the window, instead of on the toolbar.
8. Required Fields Highlighted - Fields where input is required have a highlighted background,Fields are color coded to indicate the type of activity allowed:
   • White– Permits data entry
   • Yellow– Requires data entry
   • Grey with Black Text- For display only
   • Blue- Indicates the form is in Query-Enter mode
9. Autofill and Type Ahead
10. Field Level Update/Validation : That you can get without 'save' or 'Update' operations.
11. Drag and Drop: This is feature, in which you can move a column by drag and drop.
12. Graphical Elements : User can get some graphical elements like 'T' Accounts, Graphs, Diagrams directly from UI.
13. Attachment
14. Query in all forms : Oracle best feature for user is they can do query is most of the form.
15. Right Mouse click :Clicking the right mouse will open up a menu that offers the cut, copy, and paste features, as well as folders and help.
16. Hot keys :Hot keys can increase user productivity by allowing common operations to be executed from a keyboard shortcut, rather than a menu selection. Hot keys are an effective usability tool, especially for “heads down” mouse-less data entry such as rapid order entry.Experienced Oracle Applications users can access the menu by using a keyboard shortcut or hot key, a specific combination of keystrokes that performs the same function as a corresponding menu item. Oracle Applications assigns many commonly used functions, such as Run Query(Ctrl+F11), Save(Ctrl+S), or Clear Record(F6) to keyboard shortcuts.
17. DFF : Addding a Descriptive Flexfield and Use It
18. Using FIND : If you want to search for records in your current block or window, the simplest way to proceed is to use Find. This will usually display a Find window, in which you can enter the criteria to match, then click the Find button. If any of the fields in the Find window have lists of values associated with them, you can use these to validate your search criteria. Find windows often provide ranges in addition to individual field values (e.g. date or value ranges). However, your search is limited to the fields that have been included in the Find window.

This quick overview of User interface for EBS is designed to provides all kind of end users with a highly productive interface.

Every business runs more efficiently with a database that is well-maintained and up-to-date. With the Merge Customer Utility, you have the ability to easily clean up your existing data and consolidate multiple customer accounts as the need arises. Duplicate activity is eliminated by combining current duplicate accounts into one accurate account.

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As per TCA model,each party can have multiple customer accounts and you might chose to merge two of those. This is customer (account) merge as discussed in last post.

Within TCA model, the concept of “Customer” is separated into two layers: the Party layer and the Account layer

• CRM applications are referring to the Party layer when they refer to “Customer”
• Other applications, on the other hand, are considering to the Account layer, when they refer to “Customer”

Party Merge

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Oracle Applications does not allow users to view other's output. Internally Report Review Agent allows(RRA) only the user who submitting the report to view the report output. For those who are very new to Oracle can understood RRA as a default text viewer that Oracle Applications provides, which allows users to view report output and log files. Very often report Review Agent is also referred by the executable FNDFS.

That mean the output cann't be utlized by another user unless untill you have provided the profile option setup for another user.

Sometime business user wants to see other user report submitted by another?

Minimum you have do is you need to alter the value of seeded profile options "Concurrent:Report Access Level".

Business case

Within Oracle installation , lets say you have four different user profiles been maintained:

1. Super User : the one who has access to everything
2. Supervisor : the one who does not have access to all the functions but access to most of Function expect few setup.
3. User : the one who has access to limitted screens based on their responsibility
4. Inquiry :one who has access to limitted screens based on their responsibility.

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Read this:

• KNOW WHAT IS SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT (SCM)? : An Overview
• SCM Subsystem

This article is an easy guide for Techno-functional consultant to understand SCM from Implementation as well as Oracle Application product Prospective.Lets start the topic with some of high points of earlier post .

• As mention in earlier post a Supply Chain is a network of retailers, distributors, transporters, storage facilities and suppliers that participate in the sale, delivery and production of a particular product.
  • Make a note a supply chain is product specific, not company specific
• Supply chain management (SCM) is a systematic approach to manage the entire flow of information, materials, and services from raw material suppliers through factories and warehouses to the end customer.
• Moreover , SCM involves the flows of material, information and finance in a network consisting of customers,suppliers, manufacturers, and distributors.
• You should be clear with Flow that SCM can manage :
  • The flow of actual materials, the top middle bars
    • From suppliers : flows of raw materials, intermediate products, finished goods
    • Reverse material flows : returns, repairs, servicing, recycling, disposal
  • and the information flows
    • From suppliers : manufacturing capacity, delivery schedules, promotions they have going
    • Reverse flows : sales, orders, inventory, quality, promotions
  • And finally, there are financial flows:
    • From suppliers: Credits, consignment, payment terms, invoice
    • Reverse Flows : payments, consignment
• Supply Chain Management is the management of the entire value-added chain, from the supplier to manufacturer right through to the retailer and the final customer.
• SCM has three primary goals: Reduce inventory, increase the transaction speed by exchanging data in real-time, and increase sales by implementing customer requirements more efficiently
• The need for SCM is because effective Supply Chain Mgt. is the next logical step towards increased profits and market share.
• Supply Chain Management (SCM) in line manager prospective is "let's-keep-things-moving-efficiently".

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This was a reader question : What are major reason, why companies undertake ERP in there business Line?

Answering to this question is very subjective matter and if you ask to ERP implementor, they can figure out n number of reason , but outmost these are very common:

1. A need to replace Outdated Business application
   • As we required Common processes and procedures
   • As need common shared data
   • As Need common reporting
2. A need to consolidate IT Platform
   • need to replace legacy system
   • Need to reduce the IT cost(will see this in another post , how this affected)
   • Need to connect with emerging technology gateway.

In simple words, these are major five reason why companies undertake ERP.

Integrated Financial Information

Integrated supply Chain Information(Customer Order Information)

Standardize and speed up manufacturing operation

Reduce Inventory and decrease Procurement Cycle

Standardize HR Information

Suggested Reading

• Familiarize yourself with Oracle application World
• What is CEMLI’s Framework?
• What is Oracle’s Application Implementation Methodology (AIM)

Approved Supplier Lists in Oracle is the term used to describe a list of items and commodities that have approved sources from a list of suppliers.

In Oracle , while setting up Approved Supplier Lists you can specify the manufacturer of the product, the distributor of the product or a company that both sells and distributes. You must specify the name of the supplier, you can optionally specify the site that you purchase from. For each Approved Supplier Lists, you can specify whether it applies to the whole enterprise or a single facility.

Take a note, there is always one organization which is responsible for negotiating on behalf of subsidiaries and operating units, this is called the 'Owning organization'.

Moreover ,you need to specify the unit of measure that will be used when creating purchase orders and the method of creating releases against blanket orders, which could be any of the following:

• Manual release through Autocreate
• Automatic release in complete status (i.e. generate and approve PO)
• Automatic release in incomplete status (i.e. generate PO and approve in separate step).

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How to know 'Web ADI' Version in EBS?

You have two options to find the version of WebADI , if you do not want to get any help from DBA.

Option 1(a) Release 12

1. You need to logon in EBS
2. Once you get the Homepage, you need to paste the url in the same browser window.
   http://hostname:portnumber/OA_HTML/BneAdminServlet
3. You replace the hostname,domain and port number
4. Once you enter these details, An html/xml return page list out the 'Web ADI' versions.
5. Look for the attribute named "Bne Release Label".

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Do you know: How many different regulatory regimes of different countries handled by EBS?

The EBS Financials applications include 56 country localizations* to deal with individual regularity requirements. Not only in addition to this due to the flexibility of the applications these are incorporate reporting/duality requirements within GL structures but also FA (Fixed Assets) can manage multiple accounting treatments.

Moreover, the tax procedures are different for each country. From R12 onward there is separate module called E business Tax, which can handle different tax procedures satisfying the need of local or global regulatory need.

Do you Know : How ERP products analyzed in different ways depending upon the requirement, e.g. management accounts, statutory GAAP,FSA, local GAAP, US GAAP ..like wise..

Lets take about Oracle, we have concept of rollups and parents so whilst the underlying "leaf/Children" codes might exist on all the countries chart of accounts they are rolled up and totaled differently.This way the system supports unlimited structures and it enables different entities to be reported by any rollup.

Moreover, the dynamic insertion in GL Module supported feature ensure the analysis of new account codes is considered.

Do you Know : Where can we include Off Balance Sheet items in the ledger?

In SAP this can be through memo records which appear in the Balance Sheet.

In Oracle , COA can also include statistical(STAT) balances in EBS.

Do you know: How can a debtor account be reported in e.g. creditors in the balance sheet if it has a credit balance at the reporting date?(This question was asked by Controller who used SAP before moving to OracleApps)

In this case, if I am not wrong, EBS's GL would only contain total debtors , as we donot have unitary ledger concept to separate accounts, and not seen in the GL at least till 11i.Correct me if wrong.

Catering the need for countries specific legislative requirements ,it is shown as a creditor then a reversing journal would be posted between debtor control credit balance account and creditor control debit balances . Moreover, the fact is Oracle system does not allow you direct postings to control accounts.

On checking with SAP Functionality, what is found is during the period end closing procedure provision to segregate the debit balances of creditors and credit balance of debtors.

* You need to check with Oracle Documentation if added recently in past one month.