Posted on December 22nd, 2008 by Sanjit Anand |
Print This Post
|
Email This Post
These are the some of questions which was asked by loyal reader in last couple of months.
- where I get the information about API which is suitable for a specific business process?
- I need to know full description of an API?
- I need to understand full description of each parameter?
- Where I can get the technical information so that I can able to use these APIs?
- I need to know what other interface mechanisms are available for Integration with Oracle EBS Suite?
- How do I access the Oracle Integration Respository Screen Which Exposes Web Services , API's etc?
- Could you please explain what the Oracle Integration Repository is used for?
- Could you please guide me how to access irep...I see references in several documents, not clear as to how to access the screen?
So this is small but powerful post will help you get the answer of these question.
IREP ....Much about Nothing
Think of it as a knowledge base of all integration points for the e-business suite.
So...that mean the Oracle iRep(Integration Repository) is a compilation of information about the different service endpoints exposed by the Oracle E-business Suite of applications.
This provides you a complete catalog of Oracle E-Business Suite’s business service interfaces. You consider this as powerful tool that helps users to discover and deploy the appropriate business interface for integration with any system application .
There is no additional cost you need to pay to get this add-on tool. This is shipped as part of the E-Business Suite Bundle. As the instance is patched, the repository is automatically updated with content appropriate.
The key advantages of using Irep by Implementation consultants are..
-
If you want to know how to get data in or out of the suite, you can go search inside it. Any customized modules/classes and functions written can also be published to integrators through the repository.
-
You will get assurance from Oracle that you are using supported public interfaces and API's
How should you access IREP ?
Choice is yours , use any one of these options:
1) From E-business Suite, you need to add a Responsibility : Integration Repository
2) You can directly use Oracle's hosted url: http://irep.oracle.com/
What you can access in irep?
-
PL/SQL Procedures and Functions :A business interface can be based on a PL/SQL package from which you invoke procedures and functions appropriate to a defined integration goal.
-
Open Interface Tables :An open interface consists of the interface tables to store data from external sources and concurrent programs, to validate and apply this data into the Oracle Applications base tables. All open interfaces are implemented using concurrent programs.
-
Interface Views :Interface views are database objects that make data from Oracle Applications products available for selection and used by destination applications.
-
Concurrent Programs
-
Java Methods :A business interface can be based on a Java class from which you invoke methods
-
Web Services : Both Service Bean and XML Gateway message maps can be exposed as Web services, which are defined with Web Services Description Language (WSDL) content appropriate to the interface type.
-
XML Gateway Maps :Oracle XML Gateway is a set of services that allows easy integration with Oracle Applications to support XML messaging.
-
eCommerce Gateway Messages :Oracle e-Commerce Gateway is a file-based integration layer between Oracle Applications and any other external application.
You can get the details of these interfaces in these documents, like Service Data Objects ,XML Schema ,DTD ,Interface Tables ,Views
Accessing Oracle Integration Repository
Those who are still using 11i they can use Oracle url for accessing irep. Accessing through appropriate registration, you can use Oracle's hosted instance of Integration Repository [http://irep.oracle.com /]
Those who are using R12 , take a note, these are shipped with product therefore to access these you have to add a separate responsibility to acess irep.So Under sys admin Navigator menu,you can add Integration Repository responsibility.
Once responsibility is given then you can click the Integration Repository link that appears.
How Should I use irep/how irep Works for me?
There are 2 ways to use the Integration Repository.
-
Either you can use through Navigation through the catalog
-
or Use of the search page
-
IREP: Catalog Use:On the welcome page you can see on the left the tree of the catalog you can navigate through.

-
IREP: Search Page :Clicking on search button will drive you to the research page.You can specify criteria, helped by LOV for some of them.

Step by Step : Accessing Oracle Integration Repository
What you have to do minimum is , you can invoke the repository like any other Oracle E-Business Suite application. From the Navigator menu, select the Integration Repository responsibility, then click the Integration Repository link that appears.
Oracle Integration Repository has two main user navigation modes:
- Browse ..this is defualt options for you.
- And the second is Search
Let’s understand How it works ?
First and foremost you need to understand the "Business entities"..which are defined as objects that either perform business activities or have business activities performed on them .
Sales orders, employees, purchase orders, invoice, Payment, customers, and receipts are all examples of business entities.
An interface can be used by multiple business entities, and a business entity can be accessed using multiple interfaces.
Therefore if you are navigating through Integration Repository in that case you can browse directly to an appropriate list of interfaces if you know which product family and product you want to integrate with.
1)The Product Family view is organized as follows: Product Family > Product > Business Entity
For example, Financials > Payables > Payables Invoice.2) The Interface Type view is organized as follows: Interface Type > Product Family > Product
For example, Web Service > Financials > Cash Management.the business interface information in Oracle Integration Repository is organized for browsing and searching by interface type, based on the integration technology used. Use this view to see all of the interfaces available for a particular product that use a particular interface type.XML Gateway and Web service-based interfaces conform to various industry standards .
3)The Standard view is organized as follows: Standard and Version > Product Family > Product.
For example, OAG7.2 > Financials > Payables > Process Invoice.Use this view to browse for a product’s XML Gateway maps and Web services belonging to the specified standard; for example, W3C or OAG 7.2.
Oracle Integration Repository user navigation modes: Searching for an Interface
You can click the Search button anywhere in Oracle Integration Repository to access the main Search page or you can search for interfaces with any combination of the following criteria. This is screen snapshots which you can use.
- Interface Name
- Internal Name
- Product Family / Product
- Internal Name
- Interface Type
- Business Entity
you can also click Show More Search Options to include any of the following additional criteria in your search:
- Category and Category Value: Used to qualify product-specific features
- Scope
- Public - these interfaces can be used by anyone.
- Internal To Oracle - these interfaces are intended to be used only by Oracle’s product development teams.
- Private To Application - these interfaces are intended to be used only by the owning product’s development team.
- Standard: Based on the certain standard like OAG or RosettaNet
- Scope
- Status
- Active
- Deprecated
- Obsolete
- Planned
How to view Interface Details
Very simple, if you able to find the details
The Interface Details are provided if you click on the Interface Name.
If you take the example of FND_GLOBAL, then you can find the details of a PL/SQL API are as follows:
- Internal Name
- Interface
- Type (of Interface)
- Business Entity
- Status
- Scope
- Description
- Signature
- Parameters etc…
Using Export Feature
Once the list of the APIs is displayed, you can press an export button provides a csv format file: to establish a list of APIs
Therefore , Integration Repository is one of such powerful tool that must be used by any EBS implementor or inhouse IT departments to integrate with other application.
Posted in EBS Suite | 4 Comments »








