Descriptive Flexfields
Use descriptive flexfields in Oracle HRMS to define your own
additional fields to the standard windows. For example, if you want to
record Driver¡¦s License Number for any person you can define a segment
of the Additional Personal Details flexfield to record this additional
information.
After this, you can enter a Driver¡¦s License Number in the Person
window after the standard Personal details.
Warning: The descriptive flexfield is defined at the level of the
base¡Vtable. This means that any window which uses the
base¡Vtable will display the same descriptive flexfield segments.
In this example, the Driver¡¦s License Number will appear in the
Contact window, as well as the Person window.
Before you begin to implement any descriptive flexfield you must
clearly specify your requirements. You must include the following
details:
„FƒnThe Context and the number of Segments for each Context
„FƒnThe Flexfield Segment Names, Order and Validation Options
„FƒnThe Flexfield Value Sets to be used and any lists of values
You can define two types of descriptive flexfield Segments:
„FƒnGlobal Segments
Segments always appear in the flexfield window.
„FƒnContext¡VSensitive Segments
Segments appear only when a defined context exists. You can
prompt a user to enter the context, or you can provide the
context automatically from a reference field in the same region.
Suggestion: Often you can choose between using a code, a
¡¨base¡Vtable¡¨ field, and a field which contains a meaning or
description. You should always use base¡Vtable fields as
reference fields for Context¡VSensitive segments. These fields
usually have the same name as the column in the base table.
Some of the Standard Reports supplied with the system include
descriptive segment values. If you follow this suggestion,
these reports will be able to use the prompts you define ¡V
otherwise they will apply a generic prompt to the data.
Suggestion: If you want to include descriptive flexfield
Segment Values in the Lookups list for DateTrack History you
need to modify the DateTrack History Views that are supplied
with the system.
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Define Descriptive Flexfields (Steps 48¡V52) Optional Steps
Register a Reference Field
You must use the Application Developer Responsibility to update the
definition of the descriptive flexfield. From the Descriptive Flexfields
window, navigate to the Reference Fields block and enter the name of
the Reference Field you want to use.
Warning: Some descriptive flexfields are predefined and
protected. These are used to deal with specific legislative and
reporting needs of individual countries or industries.
Do not attempt to alter the definitions of these protected
flexfields. These definitions are a fundamental part of Oracle
HRMS. Any change to them may lead to errors in the
operating of the system.
It is possible that Oracle HRMS will use other segments of
these flexfields in the future. Therefore, do not add segments
to any protected flexfield. This can affect your ability to
upgrade your system in the future.
Use the Descriptive Flexfields window
Define Flexfield Value Sets
If you want to validate the values which a user can enter for any
segment you must define a specific Value Set.
„FƒnThe attributes of the Value Set will control the type of values that
can be entered, and how many characters each segment can
hold.
„FƒnThe attributes of the Value Set will also control how the values
are to be validated.
Note: Value Sets can be shared by different segments of the
same flexfield, or by segments of any other flexfield.
Use the Value Set window.
See: Defining Value Sets, Oracle Applications Flexfields Guide.
Define Descriptive Flexfield Segments.
Define the segments of your descriptive flexfield for each Context.
You do not need to use a Value Set to validate a segment. If you do not
specify a Value Set then a user can enter any alphanumeric value up to
a limit of 150 characters.
1. Use Global Context to define any segments which will always
appear in the flexfield window.
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2. Enter your own Context Name to define segments which will
appear only for that context.
3. Freeze and compile your descriptive flexfield definitions.
Warning: If you define a segment as ¡¨Required¡¨, it will be
required for every record on the system. There are two
common problems you can encounter:
¡V If you define a ¡¨Required¡¨ segment after you have entered
records: Existing records will not have any value in this
segment and the system will prompt you with an error
when you query an existing record.
¡V Some descriptive flexfields are used in more than one block.
For example, any ¡¨Required¡¨ segments for Additional
Personal Details must be entered for every Employee,
Applicant or Contact.
Use the Descriptive Flexfield Segments window.
See: Defining Descriptive Flexfield Structures, Oracle Applications
Flexfields Guide.
Define Flexfield Segment Values
If you have chosen Independent validation for a Value Set used by a
descriptive flexfield Segment, you must define a list of valid values for
the Value Set.
Use the Define Segment Values window.
See: Defining Segments Values, Oracle Applications Flexfields Guide
Run Create Descriptive Flexfields Database Items Process
When you have defined your descriptive flexfields you should run the
Create Descriptive Flexfields Database Items process to create database
items for your non¡Vcontext¡Vsensitive descriptive flexfield segments.
You should rerun this process whenever you create additional
non¡Vcontext¡Vsensitive descriptive flexfield segments.
Note: If you require Database Items for Context Sensitive
flexfield segments you should consult your Oracle Support
Representative for full details of how to add other Database
Items.
Use the Submit a New Request window
See: Submitting a Request, Oracle Applications User¡¦s Guide
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Extra Information Types (EITs)
Extra Information Types are a type of descriptive flexfield that let you
add an unlimited number of information types to six of the most
important entities in Oracle HRMS.
For example, you might want to use the EIT on Assignment to hold
information about project work within an assignment.
Note: With Organizations you can group the EITs by
classification so that when a user selects a classification they
will see the EITs associated with the classification. This means
that there are some additional steps to implement EITs for an
Organization.
Define EITs (Steps 53¡V56) Optional Steps
Define Extra Information Types (Excluding Organizations)
Define Extra Information Types for Locations, Jobs, Positions, People
and Assignments
Once you have decided which extra information types you require, you
need to select the descriptive flexfield by title. Create a new record in
the Context Field Values region and enter the name of your new
Information Type in the Code field. Enter the segment values and
compile the descriptive flexfield.
Use the Descriptive Flexfield Segments window.
See: Setting up Extra Information Types (Excluding Organization EITs),
Configuring, Reporting and System Administration in Oracle HRMS
Set Up Responsibility Access for Extra Information Types
EITs will not appear automatically in any responsibility. You must set
up responsibility level access for EITs. Alternatively, use CustomForm
security to add individual EITs to a specific taskflow window. This
level of security is usually defined later in the implementation when
you need to restrict access for users.
Note: This security does not apply to EITs on organizations.
Use the Information Types Security window.
See: Setting Up Extra Information Types against a Responsibility,
Configuring, Reporting and System Administration in Oracle HRMS
Define Extra Information Types for Organization
EITs for organization classifications are set up differently from other
EITs. When you define them you must also associate them with the
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classification of the organization. When a user selects the classification
then the system will display the correct set of EITs.
Define Organization Classification
Define a new organization classification if you want to group your EITs
in this way. You do not need to do this, if you intend to use a
classification that already exists.
Use the Application Utilities Lookups window.
See: Adding Lookup Types and Values, Configuring, Reporting and
System Administration in Oracle HRMS
Set Up Extra Information Types for an Organization Classification
Define a new EIT and then enter a row into the
HR_ORG_INFORMATION TYPES table. Then specify for which
organization classifications this EIT is available.
See: Setting Up Extra Information Types for an Organization
Classification, Configuring, Reporting and System Administration in Oracle
HRMS
System Administration
These are tasks for your System Administrator.
Enable Currencies
All major currencies are predefined with Oracle Applications. The
codes used are the ISO standard codes for currencies. However, you
must enable the specific currencies you want to use for your base
currency, or for any compensation and benefit information.
The ¡¨base currency¡¨ is the default currency used by your business
group.
Note: Extended precision is not used in Oracle HRMS. You
can control the precision in any calculation using a formula.
Attention: If you are enabling the currency for a country that
has adopted the Euro, we strongly recommend that you enable
the Euro as your base currency. Otherwise, you will have to run
a Euro conversion process later.
Use the Currencies window
See: Enabling Currencies, Configuring, Reporting and System
Administration in Oracle HRMS.
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Define ¡¨View All¡¨ HRMS User Required Step
Before you can access any of the HRMS windows you must create a
new Application User with access to one of the default Responsibilities
supplied with the system.
Use the Users window.
See: Users Window, Oracle Applications System Administrator¡¦s Guide
Application Data Exchange (ADE) Optional Step
Set Up ADE
You can set up Application Data Exchange (ADE) to export information
between your Oracle HRMS database to other applications.
See: Outline of Setup Steps, Using Application Data Exchange.
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Work Structures
Define Organization Structures
