Web ADI: Extending the E-Business Suite with Desktop Applications

Desktop Integration The leveraging of Desktop Application functionality to perform E-business Suite tasks

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Contents
Preface Introduction to WebADI ..................................................................................................... 3 Overview......................................................................................................................... 3 Key Features ................................................................................................................... 3 How To Get Started With Web ADI............................................................................... 4 Prerequisites for Web ADI on client machine ................................................................ 4 Changing Macro Security Settings for Excel 2002 or 2003 ....................................... 4 Available Functions In Web ADI ................................................................................... 5 Integrators ....................................................................................................................... 5 Administering WebADI...................................................................................................... 7 Defining Layouts ............................................................................................................ 7 Defining Mappings ......................................................................................................... 8 Defining a Style Sheet .................................................................................................... 9 Defining Setup Options for Key Flexfields .................................................................. 10 Creating a Document ........................................................................................................ 12 Creating a Spreadsheet.................................................................................................. 12 Uploading Data from Spreadsheets .............................................................................. 13 Monitoring Concurrent Requests.................................................................................. 14 Implementing WebADI .................................................................................................... 16 Set Profile Options........................................................................................................ 16 Menu ............................................................................................................................. 17 Creating Shortcuts and Form Functions in Web ADI................................................... 17 Shortcuts ................................................................................................................... 17 Form Functions ......................................................................................................... 19 Providing Users a Secured List of Values ................................................................ 20 Frequently Asked Questions ............................................................................................. 23

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Introduction to WebADI
Overview
Web Applications Desktop Integrator is a tool that leverages the standard desktop applications to perform some of the Oracle E-Business Suite task. The Web ADI brings Oracle E-Business suite to the desktop where familiar desktop tool like Excel can be used to create spreadsheet, enter and modify data in the spreadsheet and finally upload the data into the Oracle Applications. Web ADI can be very useful for the users who are experienced with Excel and will like to use Excel to enter the data related to Oracle Applications. These users can use the special features of excel i.e. copy, paste, drag cells to increment and various arithmetic functions to optimize their business task and increase their productivity. Data that is entered into the spreadsheet can then be finally be uploaded in to the Oracle Applications with or without validation.

Key Features
Works Via Internet Web ADI uses the Internet Computing Architecture that lowers the total cost of ownership by having the product installed centrally at one place. This feature is very much unlike client ADI where the product needs to be installed at all the client machines. Only Internet browser and Microsoft Excel is required at client machine to access Web ADI. Validates Data The data entered in the spreadsheet can be uploaded into the Oracle Applications. The data during upload can be validated against the segment security rules and cross validation rules defined in Oracle Applications. If any errors are found, messages are returned directly to the spreadsheet, enabling you to correct the errors and successfully upload the data.

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Enables Customizations The Layout functionality can be used to modify the user interface of the spreadsheet. The appearance, the position of the fields in the spreadsheet can be changed as per the end users requirement. The field can be positioned in a sequence that is comfortable to the end user and expedites the data entry process. The fields in the spreadsheet can also be specified to contain default values. These definitions can be saved, reused, and modified as needed. Automatically Imports Data The data in the spreadsheet can either be manually entered or can be imported automatically from the text file. This feature can be useful when migrating data from a legacy system to the Oracle E-Business Suite. Imported information can be quickly modified in Excel, validated, and uploaded to the Oracle E-Business Suite.

How To Get Started With Web ADI

Web ADI is an auto configurable product and would require the access to Desktop Integration responsibility for Release 12 and Oracle Web ADI responsibility for Release 11i. The System Administrator can assign this responsibility.

Prerequisites for Web ADI on client machine

The following are the prerequisites for Web ADI: Client PC with Windows ME, Windows NT 4.0 (with Service Pack 3 or later), Windows 2000, Windows XP, or Windows 98 installed on it. A Web browser supported by the E-Business Suite installed on the client PC. See OracleMetaLink note 389422.1, "Recommended Browsers for Oracle Applications," for the list of supported browsers. Microsoft Excel 2000, 2002, or 2003 installed on the client PC.

Changing Macro Security Settings for Excel 2002 or 2003 For Web ADI to work with Microsoft Excel 2002/2003, you must change the macro settings for Excel as follows 1. 2. 3. 4. In Excel, from the Tools menu, select Macro, then Security, and then Security Level. Select the Medium option. Select the Trusted Sources tab. Select the Trust access to Visual Basic Project option.

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Available Functions In Web ADI

The Desktop Integration responsibility, gives a user access to the following functions: Create Document Define Layout Define Mapping Setup Options Define Style Sheet (Available in R12)

Screenshot of Available Functions under Desktop Integration Responsibility Responsibility: Desktop Integration

Integrators
The Integrators in Web ADI defines the E-Business Suite task to be performed on the desktop. The Integrators are the business components that are associated with specific business functions of a product. Page 5 of 24

The Integrators uses customized layouts to provide a user-friendly interface for the import of data into the Oracle Application via a familiar desktop tool, Excel. For e.g. The integrator associated for uploading the journals in to the Oracle Applications is General Ledger Journals. There are over 150 Integrators in Web ADI that is related to different products of EBusiness Suite. Few Integrators of product General Ledger are: General Ledger - Budgets General Ledger - Journals
Screenshot of some Integrators in Web ADI Navigation: Desktop Integration->Create Document->Select Integrator

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Administering WebADI
Defining Layouts
Layouts enable you to customize the user interface presented in your spreadsheet. Use the layout functionality to determine the fields in a spreadsheet, set their positions, and specify default values for the fields. Use the Define Layout flow to perform the following: Define a new layout Modify an existing layout Duplicate a layout from the list and save it under a different name. You can then modify this copied layout. (This feature can be used to customize the standard available layouts) Delete a layout from the list

Screenshot of Define Layout Page Navigation: Desktop Integration->Define Layout

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Screenshot of Define Layout Page Please see the Required Fields, Placement, Default Value and Default Type.

Defining Mappings
Use this procedure to define mapping between source data in text file and columns of a spreadsheet. Using these mappings, you can then automatically import data into the spreadsheet created by Web ADI. Steps

Select Define Mapping from Desktop Integration responsibility Select an Integrator Define the mapping Map Source Columns to Target Columns Save the mapping definition

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The following screenshot 1 defines the mapping of the source column to the target columns. Whereas the screenshot 2 defines the source data delimited by comma. The value i.e. Vision Operations (USA) in the column 1 of source file is mapped to ledger field in target column.
Screenshot of Define Mappings page 1. Navigation: Desktop Integration->Define Mapping 2. Sample Source Text File 1.

. . . . . .

2.

The above columns in the text file are mapped to the following columns in the spreadsheet Ledger, Category, Source, Currency, Accounting Date, Segment 1, Segment 2, Segment 3, Segment 4 Segment 5,Debit, Credit

Defining a Style Sheet

The Style Sheet allows you to define the visual attributes that will be applied to the layout. Select Define Style Sheet from Desktop Integration Responsibility.

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You can define the following properties for the Sheet, the Prompts, the Hints, and the Data fields: Background Color Font Color Font Family Font Style Font Size
Screenshot of Define Style Sheet page Navigation: Desktop Integration->Define Layout

Defining Setup Options for Key Flexfields

The value sets of character data type associated with the key flexfields will consider 1 and 01 as two different values. Hence to prevent users from entering the 1 value, the Setup Options can be used to set the right justification and zero padding for every segment of a key flexfied. This overrides the values specified in the value set definition. This formatting can be applied for all the structures of the key flexfields or a specific structure of the key flexfield.

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Steps Select Setup Options from Desktop Integration Responsibility. Choose Select Key Flexfields to apply the format to every structure of a key flexfield. To apply the format mask to specific structures of the key flexfield, choose Select Structure, and then select the appropriate structures.
Screenshot of Setup Options page, Accounting Flexfield is checked. Navigation: Desktop Integration->Setup Options

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Creating a Document
Creating a Spreadsheet
Use this procedure to create a spreadsheet on your desktop to which you can import data from a text file or manually enter the data. Steps

Select Create Document from Desktop Integration Responsibility Select an Integrator Select the viewer (example: Excel, Word) that will be used to view the document Select the Reporting check box to prevent the users from uploading the data entered into the spreadsheet. Select a Layout. Select the Content text file from which data will import into your spreadsheet. In the Review window, click Save to create a Shortcut for the entire process above. Create the spreadsheet by clicking button Create Document.

Screenshot of Review page during Create Document Navigation: Desktop Integration->Create Document (Review Page)

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Screenshot of final document created.

Uploading Data from Spreadsheets

After creating and modifying data into the spreadsheet, the data can then be uploaded to Oracle Applications Steps In the spreadsheet, select Upload from Oracle Menu Select the desired parameters in the Upload Parameters page. Some common parameters are Rows to Upload
All Rows Select to upload all rows in your spreadsheet, regardless of whether changes have been made. Flagged Rows Select to upload only those rows that are marked with a flag character in the Upl column of your spreadsheet. Web ADI displays a flag character against a row that has changed.

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Validate Before Upload

Validating prevents invalid data from being uploaded to Oracle Applications

Automatically Submit Import

Select this option to automatically submit a processing request for the data after upload.

Start the upload process.

The upload window then shows the confirmation page about the upload process. The happy face in the following screenshot indicates the record in the spreadsheet that is successfully uploaded.
Screenshot of Upload confirmation Page Navigation: Oracle Menu>Upload

Monitoring Concurrent Requests

The successfully completed upload process of some integrators starts a concurrent program i.e. post processing request to import the data from interface table in Oracle Applications. For example: Journal Import program is submitted after the upload process completes successfully.

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Such concurrent request can be monitored from the spreadsheet. The end user can then notify the status of the concurrent request to the system administrator. Steps To monitor concurrent requests from the spreadsheet, select the Oracle menu, then Monitor. The Monitor Requests window displays the last 10 concurrent requests submitted by the current user.
Screenshot of Monitor Requests page. Navigation: Oracle Menu>Monitor Requests

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Implementing WebADI
This topic covers the available profile options and functions in Web ADI that can be set to modify/enhance the standard behavior of Web ADI.

Set Profile Options

Web ADI doesnt require any mandatory profile to be set as all the required profile has the default values. However the profile values can be changed to modify the standard behavior of Web ADI. Following are some of the profile options. BNE Allow No Security Rule Set this profile option to Yes only when instructed by Oracle Support. The default value is No. The security rules will not be enforced if this profile is set to Yes. BNE Upload Batch Size This determines the number of records sent to the database at one time from the middle tier. This setting should not be less than 5 or greater than 200. The default is 100. This profile should be modified when instructed by Oracle Support. BNE Allow Set Parameters Valid values are Yes and No. If the value is set to No, users will not be able to access the upload parameters window. But the users still will be able to upload the data from spreadsheet. BNE Disable Valid values are Yes and No. If the value is set to Yes, all Web ADI functionality is disabled. This profile can be set for a user for which the Web ADI functionality is to be disabled. BNE Document Lifetime Use this option to disable a spreadsheet from connecting to the database after a specific length of time from the creation date. Select from a range of hours, days, months, or years. For e.g. If the value of this profile is set to 1 hour, then the document created from Web ADI will be valid for 1 hour only. After 1 hour the document will be disabled.

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Menu
The menu Desktop Integration Menu is assigned to Desktop Integration Responsibility. The menu has following function. Desktop Integration - Create Document Desktop Integration - Define Layout Desktop Integration - Define Mapping Desktop Integration - Define Style Sheet Desktop Integration - Setup Options Any of above functions can be included or excluded depending on the business requirement. Lets say a requirement is to define a user who is responsible only for creating and entering data in the spreadsheet. In such a scenario the system administrator can then assign function Desktop Integration - Create Document to a Self Service menu. Hence the user having this menu will only be authorized to create documents.

Creating Shortcuts and Form Functions in Web ADI

Shortcuts In order to avoid the repetitive steps during creating document, a shortcut can be created from the Save button available in the Document Creation Review page. You can save your selections to a shortcut that will appear at the beginning of the Create Document Page Flow. Steps in the page flow containing these selections will be skipped when the shortcut is used.

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Screenshot of Create Shortcut page. Navigation: Desktop Integration>Create Document> Document Creation Review>Save

The shortcut location can be saved to a shortcut list that appears on the first page of the Create Document Page Flow. The next screenshot displays the name in the shortcut list.

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Shortcut appearing at the beginning of the Create Document Page Flow Navigation: Desktop Integration>Create Document

Form Functions The shortcut location can also be saved to a form function. The system administrator can then assign form function a Self Service menu. The name of the function is prefixed with BNE and also contains the partial string of shortcut name.

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Screenshot of the Form Functions. Function: BNE_WEBCAST UPLOAD JOURNALS Navigation: System Administrator>Application>Function

Providing Users a Secured List of Values The parameters of the form function created by shortcut can be further modified to limit the name of integrators, layout etc. In the Parameters field of form function, the parameter name can be appended and desired value can be specified. The value can be a comma-separated list of valid values, or a partial value that includes a wild card. Lets say a business requirement is to limit the integrators i.e. integrator name starting with General. Following value in the parameters field can fulfill this requirement Parameters: bne:page=BneCreateDoc&bne:viewer=BNE:EXCEL2000&bne:reporting=Y&bne:integr ator=USER_NAME:General%25

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Screenshot of the secured values for Integrator

Similarly the layouts can have a secured values i.e. layout name starting with Functional Actuals. Following value in the parameters field can fulfill this requirement Parameters: bne:page=BneCreateDoc&bne:viewer=BNE:EXCEL2000&bne:reporting=Y&bne:integr ator=USER_NAME:General Ledger%25Journals&bne:layout=USER_NAME:Functional Actuals%25

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Screenshot of the secured values for Layouts

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is the ADI client server version still supported? Version 7.2 will be supported for release 11 and 11i only; not for Release 12 and 10g DB. Can I copy my entire Web ADI worksheet to a different workbook? You can copy only rows and columns values from one worksheet to another Web ADI worksheet. Where can I find client/server ADI functionality in R12? The Web versions of Budget, Journal Wizard, and Account Hierarchy Manager are available in GL product. The Web versions of Physical Inventory and Asset Wizard functionality can be found in the Assets product. Submitting and publishing standard, variable, and FSG reports can be found in Oracle Report Manager. What versions of Excel can be used with Web ADI? Microsoft 2000, 2002,2003 and 2007 are currently supported. Why can I not see any Upload Parameters at the time of Uploading data from Spreadsheet? System Administrator must have set the value of profile BNE Allow Set Parameters to No. Why can I not see the Upload function in the spreadsheet and cannot upload the data? The Reporting checkbox must have checked during the document creation. What are the recommended browsers for Web ADI on the client PC? Web ADI supports a Web browser that is supported by E-Business Suite. Please refer Note 389422.1, "Recommended Browsers for Oracle Applications" How to check certification matrix for Web ADI? Please refer the Note 455605.1, How To Check Certification For Web ADI?

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White Paper Title [July] 2008 Author: Vishaal K Sharma, ISC. Contributing Authors: Oracle Corporation World Headquarters 500 Oracle Parkway Redwood Shores, CA 94065 U.S.A. Worldwide Inquiries: Phone: +1.650.506.7000 Fax: +1.650.506.7200 www.oracle.com Oracle is a registered trademark of Oracle Corporation. Various product and service names referenced herein may be trademarks of Oracle Corporation. All other product and service names mentioned may be trademarks of their respective owners. Copyright 2001 Oracle Corporation All rights reserved.

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