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Tuesday 11 March 2014

iProcurement Setup


iProcurement Setups [not BR100]

Written by Anil Passi   - 
Sunday, 26 November 2006

Information brought to this site ONLY for INFORMATIONAL PURPOSE!
Ref: http://oracle.anilpassi.com/iprocurement-setups-not-br100.html


This is not a comprehensive BR100, but this article will give you an outline of the steps to implement Oracle iProcurement using Punchouts.
I will try to cover as many steps for full cycle iProcurement implementation using Punchouts. This is due to email requests & the comment requests that I received to write something on iProcurement implementation.
What is a punchout?In your iProcurement homepage, your suppliers can raise requisition to buy items like stationary. By punchout, we integrate iProcurement with Suppliers website. From a users perspective below steps take place:-
1. Buyer logs into iProcurement Homepage
2. Buyer then sees various suppliers for which punchouts are enabled [depending on their security via realm & secured attributes]
3. Buyer clicks on a stationary supplier and browser displays supplier’s website.
4. Buyer selects the items on supplier website and adds them to his cart.
5. Buyer checks out the basket from Suppliers iStore [website]
6. The items selected are brought in as “Shopping Basket in iProcurement”
7. Requisition is created in iProcurement and sent for Approval [can be auto approved].


Typical iProcurement Steps [assuming no encumbrances setup] a. Create Requisition
b. Approve Requisition
c. Auto-create & auto-approve Purchase Orders for approved requisitions.
d. Send PO XML to Supplier [if approver is setup as trading partner for XML PO]
e. Create receipts for goods [optional depending on setup]
-----Other non iProc steps----
f. Supplier sends Invoice electronically [posts to your XML Gateway electronically]
g. Invoice is Matched, Approved & Paid
Account Generation for iProcurement Requisition
Decide the rules for your account generation. For this you will need to customize “PO Requisition Account Generator”. For details of account generator implementation visit link Account Generation using Workflow .
You may also visit Rebuilding Generated Account in iProcurement 11.5.10 using OA Framework

PO Create Documents WorkflowIn iProc you create Requisitions, which then get converted to a Purchase Order using workflow “PO Create Documents”.
In this workflow, you must examine & modify the default values of following attributes[sample defaults values listed below]:-
            Is Automatic Creation Allowed  -- Y
                        Should PO be created from iProc requisition without user intervention.
            Is Automatic Approval Allowed – Y
            Should Contract be used to auto create Doc  Y
            Should non-catalog request be auto sourced from contract  Y
            Is Contract Required on Requisition Line  N
There could be other attributes of your interest, but my implementation involved usage of contracts to create Purchase Orders. We have a blanket contract against each iProc supplier. The values above for those attributes are merely indicative of one scenario.

PO Requisition Approval Workflow
Similarly for workflow “PO Requisition Approval”, assign a default value for attribute
            Send PO Auto-creation to Background N

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This means, as soon as a Requisition is approved, the creation of Purchase Order is kicked off [rather than wait for workflow background process]

Charge Account Flexfield Display-Prior to 11.5.10
If you are not on 11.5.10, then you would be using AK Developer.
Prior to 11.5.10, You will modify below AK regions to enable region items POR_CHARGE_ACCT_SEG1...X [depending upon the number of segments in your accounting flexfield.]
POR_BILLING_CHARGE_ACCOUNT_R
POR_BILLING_MULT_CHARGE_AC_R
You will also set the profile options to relate to those regions for Accounting KFF
POR: Edit Account Regions: POR_BILLING_CHARGE_ACCOUNT_R
POR: Multiple Account Regions: POR_BILLING_MULT_CHARGE_AC_R


Charge Account Flexfield Display-On or after 11.5.10
You can use personalization to decide which segments are visible in Accounting Flexfield in iProc. Hence you no longer have to touch the “AK Developer”



Indicative Profile options for iProcurement [Assuming punchout implemented & no local hosting of catalogs]
Profile
Site
Note
Indicate Attachments
Yes
Show attachment icon
INV: Dynamic Precision Option
-9999990

PO: Terms and Conditions File Name
No need for Punchouts

MO:  Operating Unit
Your operating Unit

ICX:  Days Needed By
4 --Change as you  desire

ICX:  Override Location Flag
Yes

ICX:  Override Requestor
By All

ICX: Allow Funds Override
No

POR:  Amount Based Services Line Type
Services

POR:  Approved Pricing Only
No

POR : CA Certificate File Name
In ApacheTop/conf/ssl.crt/ca-bundle.crt
Used for https punchout
POR: Emergency Requisitions Restrict To Templates
No

POR:  Goods Line Type
Goods

POR: Override Supplier P-card
No

POR:  Parallel Routing Allowed
No

POR : Proxy Server Name

Leave this blank
POR : Proxy Server Port

Leave this blank
POR:  Rate Based Services Line Type
Service Quantity

POR: Sort By Relevance
No

POR:  System Approvers Are Mandatory
Yes

POR:  Use Sequence for Requisition Numbering
No

POR: Catalog Bulk Load Directory

Ignore for punchout
POR: Catalog Bulk Load Host
Default
Ignore for punchout
POR:  Default Currency Conversion Rate Type
Corporate
Change as you wish
POR:  Edit Accounts Regions
POR_BILLING_CHARGE_ACCOUNT_R

POR:  Enable Requisition Line Customisation
Yes

POR: Extract BPA/Quote Images
Yes

POR: Help Path
DBA
For help customisations
POR:  Hosted Images Directory

Ignore for punchout
POR: Items Display Num


POR:  Load Auto Category
No

POR:  Multiple Accounts Region
POR_BILLING_MULT_CHARGE_AC_R
 Prior to 11.5.10
POR:  One Time Location


POR: Purge Commit Size
2500

POR:Purge Jobs Older Than (days)
30

POR:  ROWS DISPLAY NUM


POR:  Result Set Size
10

POR:  SSP Version
5

POR:  SSP4 Installed
Yes

POR: Select Internal Requisition for Confirm Receipt
No

POR:  Select Inventory Replenishment Lines for Confirm Receipt
No

POR:Allow Manual Selection of Source
Yes

POR:Display Search Box and Browse Categories
No

POR:  Load Auto Attrib
No

POR:  Load Auto Root
No

ECE: Output File Path
$XXICX_TOP/out

ECX: Log File Path
/usr/tmp

ECX: OAG_LOGICALID
Your company domain
ECX: Server Time Zone
GMT

ECX: System Administrator Email Address

ECX: XSLT File Path
/usr/tmp

PO:  Workflow Processing Mode
Online

RCV:  Processing Mode
On-line

PO: In File Path
No need for Punchouts



Define Approval Groups
Define Approval Groups [In Purchasing super User]
For example, assuming the below approval groups is assigned to Buyer named Anil Passi, this approval group means that Anil Passi can work on documents upto  $5000, within all accounting range of Company and Cost Centre [because 00 to ZZ covers everything].
Similarly you may also exclude a range. In this implementation example, I am assuming one Approval Group per person. You could have one to many relation too.
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Once you have defined Approval Groups, you can  use Approval Assignments screen to assign approval rules to Positions or Jobs defined in HRMS.



Assign Approval Group
Effectively in this screen, you give ability to your buyers to Approve different document types like Requisitions, Blankets, Contracts within the restrictions as they were defined in Approval Groups(prior step)

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Define Document Types
The different attributes are self explanatory. Refer to Metalink for details.
The example in screenshot displays Document type for Purchase order, but the setup must be configured for other Document Types being used too.
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Define Line Types

You can define the default information for a line type. Line types can identify transactions involving goods, services, outside processing, or any line type you define. They allow you to distinguish between quantity-based and amount-based transactions.
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Note: When you have set the Line Types up you can go back and complete these  Profiles Options, as in screenshot  below:
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Define Financial OptionsIn this screen, some of the fields are used for defaulting and some other fields for defining the behaviour of iProcurement/Purchasing. The setup here is done per Operating Unit. Here within Accounting Tab, you specify accounts like Liability, Prepayment, Discount accounts.
Also Specify the following here  - Whether supplier numbering is manual or automatic.
  - Default payment terms for [say  1month], and default payment type like Electronic.
  -Specify FOB, Default inventory location and ship to and bill to, freight etc
  -Encumbrance :- specify whether you use encumbrance and the type
  - Default tax code
  -VAT registration number of Operating unit
Define Purchasing OptionsAgain, this screen is defined per Operating unit, and it drives defaults & various controls in Purchasing & iProcurement.
Specify various controls like Min release amount , Price Break Type, Price Type(say fixed).
Define Accrual rules and Expense AP accrual account.
Define price tolerance rules, tax defaults & document type numbering.


Define Receiving OptionsVarious receipts related setup per Operating Unit, like Tolerance, Substitute Receipt Allowed.


Define transaction reasonsYour client specific setup, refer Metalink. Primarily this is an inventory function.


Define locationsThe locations/Office Address where your suppliers will deliver goods and also send invoices.


Define Employees          Use this screen in PO if you do not have full HRMS Suite installed, in which case you would be using shared HR installed [cutdown version of HRMS to support Purchasing].


Define BuyersDefine the people that can use Application to create and approve documents.


Category Search DisplayNot needed for punchout implementations.


“XML Gateway” responsibility: Define HubsUse this form to define the hubs via which XML documents will be sent & received. If you are using Exchange for punching out, then your setup will look like below

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XML Gateway Responsibility: Define Transactions
Here you indicate, the type of Documents you wish to exchange with your suppliers using XML

Image

XML Gateway Responsibility: Define Trading Partner
In this screen you will create a record for each Supplier with whom you wish to exchange XML Documents electronically.
For example, if you wish to send XML Purchase Orders to “Go 4 Gold Management Ltd”, then you will create an entry similar to below. The connection can either be direct or via exchange server.
Image

You will also capture trading party’s DUNS numbers in this screen.
During the implementations you usually use testexchange.oracle.com.
The DUNS number for the supplier also needs to be entered in the EDI Location field against supplier site in Vendor Definition Screen.

The DUNS number for your implementation client needs to be entered in the EDI Location field on Other Details section of Location form for Client location[lets say your client for which iProc is being implemented is “XX Machine Inc”].
Process PO 007 is an OAG standard that dictates the structure of XML document which your supplier will receive.
For those that do not know, PO007 is nothing but an Approved Purchase Order sent to the supplier. Its format is XML.
To see its structure, on your middle tier, review the dtd file as listed below. $PO_TOP/xml/oag71/003_process_po_007.dtd

Oracle Apps uses XML Gateway to generate the PO-007 file.
How is this PO 007 file generated?FTP the xgm file to you PC from $PO_TOP/patch/115/xml/US/process_po_007.xgm
Open that file in XML Gateway Message designer
You will notice that message designer reads information from views like  ITG_PO_HEADER_ARCH_V  [Prior to 11.5.10 it was PO_ECX_HEADER_ARCH_V]
iProcurement uses the XML Gateway engine in conjunction with PO-007 message definition to generate PO007 XML document.
Configure your Exchange setupGiven that in this setup, we will use Oracle’s exchange server to send PO Documents to supplier, hence we need to enable this Document Type[PO 007] in exchange[for the company implementing iProc]

Logon to exchange.oracle.com or the testexchangeNavigate to Application Setup tab/ Transaction Delivery
Select the document type PROCESS_PO_007 and edit
Set the communication method and click Apply

Your Supplier will have to register on Oracle Exchange Server too.To begin with, during implementation, each  supplier must register themselves on http://testexchange.oracle.com
Your supplier does the below:-Clicks on Registration on testexchange, and selects the option to register as an affiliate of your client.
Say your client is “XX Machine Inc”, hence your supplier will search & select “XX Machine Inc”. Supplier will be prompted to enter further details.
Following this, your client will have to approve the request for Supplier’s registration.
Supplier Enables PROCESS_PO_007 for themselves on the Exchange
The sequence of flow for PO 007 in this case is…
XX Machine Inc-->PO 007-->Exchange server-->Supplier

Hence Supplier needs to enable “PO 007” for themselves on the exchange serverFor this your Supplier does the below steps:-
Login to the testexchange (i.e. exchange.oracle.com  after testing during goLive).
Clicks on Transaction Delivery under Company Administration
Selects Sales Order Outbound (PROCESS_PO_007) [going out  from Exchange, becoming sales order in Suppliers System]
Under transaction type they select delivery method HTTPS etc
They specify their URL on server which where exchange will post the PO 007 XML doc.... https://inboundpo...
They also need to specify other connection details to their server like port number, userid password etc.
Exchange server will use those credentials to connect  and post the XML PO Document[PO 007]
Note: Oracle Exchange supports various protocols like http,https,smtp . The supplier selects a protocol based on the protocols their server supports.

Supplier Enables themselves for PunchOut on the Exchange Server
Oracle supports both cXML ad XML punchouts. Hence the supplier must support one of these two options.
Supplier does the following steps to enable punchouts:-Logs in to TestExchange Server or the Exchange Server
Clicks on “setup punchout”
Enters their punchout URL, userid password for their iStore.
Select XML or cXML and then clicks on APPLY.
Supplier can then test whether their punchout setup works by punching out to their iStore from testexchange/exchange.

”XX Machine Inc” reviews suppliers PunchoutClient “XX Machine Inc” logs into testexchange or exchange server, and navigates to “Control Punchout Access” and accepts Suppliers Punchout definition.


”XX Machine Inc” makes Oracle EBS aware of the Punchout setup
It is possible that with some suppliers, you would like to Punchout to their iStores via exchange, and for the other suppliers you may like to punchout directly to their iStore.
I am detailing both the scenario’s below.

Scenario 1 Use the Supplier punchout definition from Exchange
Navigate to Internet iProcurement Catalog Administrator.

Image
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As in picture above, by downloading[click on download], you will bring into Oracle, all the Punchout Suppliers that are enabled for your business in exchange.

Scenario 2 Create Supplier punchout definition directly in Oracle Apps eCatalog Mgr

If  you were not to be using Exchange, then you will have to create the Punchout definition from scratch in Oracle Apps itself.
For this, click on “Manage Content” in responsibility “Internet iProcurement Catalog Administrator”
Click on create catalog

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Select Punchout catalog and click on continue
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As in picture above, we select Supplier and Direct Punchout.
Given that you are creating Punchout definition of the supplier from scratch straight in Oracle Apps, you then need to enter information in below fields like Punchout URL, Encoding Method, password etc.

Image
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NOTE: As you may have noticed, effectively we are trying to create a punchout definition in Oracle Apps…either by downloading the Supplier’s punchout definition from exchange or by directly creating the Punchout definition in Oracle Apps.


Display the punchout site on iProcurement HomepageThis will be the last step. You need to define a store that is attached to the punchout catalog definition.

For this Click on create store in responsibility “Internet iProcurement Catalog Administrator”
Image
This finishes the punch-out setup with your Supplier.
Further notes:-
1. Your suppliers punchout basket may contain items with UOMs that are not defined in Oracle Apps inventory module. In this case, you must navigate to responsibility “eCommerce Gateway” and define those mappings using menu “Code Conversion Values”
2. As per the OAG format, the item category used in punchout baskets is 8 digit UNSPSC code. Effectively UNSPSC code is a global code for item categories. However in Oracle EBS, we implement Item Categories using Key FlexField for Item Categories. For a 3 segment Item category flexfield in inventory, your item category may look like AA.BB.CC. This value of AA.BB.CC must be mapped with the UNSPSC codes that your suppliers will be sending for their item categories. This definition is mapped in the same screen under “eCommerce Gateway”.

How to setup Oracle Install Base


Following is the summary of steps to be performed to setup Install Base

1. Set up Inventory attributes for IB trackable items
All items that need to be tracked in Oracle Install Base and Enterprise Install Base are set up as Oracle Install Base trackable, whether they are tangible or non-tangible. An item can be either Oracle Install Base trackable or a service item such as a contract. It cannot be both.
For an item to be set up as trackable in Oracle Install Base, the Install Base Tracking checkbox must be selected on the Service tabbed page of the Item window.
A Serviceable Item from Service Contracts automatically defaults the Install Base trackable flag.

2.Confirm the setup of Service Fulfillment Manager Event Queue
Oracle Install Base is dependent on the SFM Event Manager Queue Service in order to get data from source applications.
The SFM Event Manager Queue Service should have been set up prior to setting up Install Base. Proper operation of the queue service is essential for data to pass from E-Business Suite applications to Install Base. Monitor the status daily, and check it when expected item instances do not appear in Install Base.

3.Set up Order Management menus and workflows
This menu setup is required so that Installation Details and Maintain Systems are set up as part of the Action menu. Without this setup, for example, attempts to access the Transaction Details window produce an error message.
A workflow has to setup using the workflow builder. Once the workflow is defined, assign it to different transaction types in OM

4.Set up installation parameters
Oracle Install Base keeps a set of customer-specific installation parameters defined in a table at setup time. You use the Installed Parameters window to provide them. After you define them and select Freeze, the fields cannot be updated.

5.Set up extended attributes for IB instances
To set up extended attributes, the name and code of the attribute have to be set up in the pool of attributes. This is where users can define an attribute’s name, code, and description to be used in the LOV when the extended attribute is set up.
You can navigate to the Install Base Lookups window from the Oracle Installed Base Admin responsibility:
Type: CSI Lookup
Lookup Type: CSI_EXTEND_ATTRIB_POOL
Access Level: Extensible
Values are not seeded for this code.

6.Set up instance statuses
Instance statuses are used to describe the current state of an item instance. They are user-extendible and are defined through a combination of check boxes.

7.Set up transaction subtypes and use in Transactions Details
Before any source transaction can be used in the LOV for a transaction subtype, you must define the source transaction types. All integration sources and transaction types must be defined here before they can be used to update Oracle Install Base. Values can be seeded or user-defined.
You can navigate to the Source Transaction Types window from the Oracle Installed Base Admin responsibility.

8.Handling errors and using the transaction error processing program
A transaction error occurs when a transaction from an application that integrates with Install Base is not properly processed.
Schedule the Resubmit Interface Process to process the transactions in the Error processing table. This program can be set up to process selected lines or all lines in the table and can be run as needed or set up to run at a regular intervals.

9.Create business users
A Business user can view and perform limited updates to the equipment instances that belong to the business and accounts with which this type of user is associated.
Create business users as needed for Oracle Install Base. To do so, you must create business users and assign them the predefined CSI_END_USER role and the responsibility of an Oracle Install Base customer


10.Create agent users
Agent user is the user type for an enterprise's employees to support all the equipment instances in the application, regardless of its ownership. This user type has access to all the functionalities of the application.
Create agent users as needed for Oracle Install Base. To do so, you must create internal users and assign them the predefined CSI_NORMAL_USER role and the responsibility of an Oracle Install Base user.


11.Set up profile options and concurrent programs







CSI Allow Install Parameter Update Use this profile option with great caution. The default = N. Do not alter this setting unless instructed to do so as part of patching or by Oracle Customer Support or Development. Changing the default can cause irrecoverable data corruption. (This profile option is set to Y after migration to allow a one-time update to install parameters. Then it is set to N).

CSI Auto-Generate System Name Auto-generate System Number at time of system creation (Y or N).

CSI Auto-Split Instances During Instantiation Auto split instances with multiple quantity to 1 per instance at time of instance creation (Y or N).

CSI BOM Explosion Level Number of BOM levels to explode for creation of component-of configuration from BOM setup (1, 2, 3.). Note that BOM explosion stops at any level where child is at quantity > 1.

CSI Cascade System Termination Cascade system termination to instances (Y or N).

CSI Configurator Enabled Default = Network Models Only. Used for integration with the TSO solution and the Oracle Configurator product.

CSI Contracts Enabled Enable Oracle Install Base integration with Oracle Service Contracts (Y or N).

CSI Counters Enabled Enable Oracle Install Base integration with Counters (Y or N).

CSI Debug Level For Debug, set at 9 or 10 for Debug to start.

CSI Default Instance Status Default Instance Status at time of instance creation. Pick one status from the LOV.

CSI Default Version Label Default version label at time of instance creation. Pick one from the LOV.

CSI Display HTML UI Option to use Oracle Install Base HTML for display (Internal). Used by other applications to use the Oracle Install Base HTML UI (Y or N).

CSI Enable Contracts for Open Interfaces Default = N. A setting of Y means that the Oracle Service Contracts application creates Service Warranties where applicable during an Open Interface run. Setting the profile option to N imports data faster than when it is set to Y.

CSI Enable SQL Trace For Debug (Y or N). Set to Y to start Debug.

CSI Explode BOM Enable BOM explosion for top assembly with Oracle Install Base trackable components at time of shipment/fulfillment (Y or N).

CSI Filter Display of all Contracts Default = N. If set to Y, the application displays only active contracts.

CSI Forms to SSWA Default Responsibility Default user for applications to launch HTML from forms. Default Installed Base User or from the LOV.

CSI Instance Termination Status Default Termination Status. Pick one from the LOV.

CSI Log File Name The name of the log file for Debug.

CSI Log File Path For Debug ('utl-file-dir' parameter in init.ora).

CSI OE Line Processing Delay Delay between OE line processing. Time between order line processing to allow for Oracle Install Base update completion to avoid record locking. Recommended delay: 60 seconds.

CSI: Open Interface Commit Record Limit Used to commit Open Interface transactions to the data base. Default = 1000.

CSI Propagate System Changes Propagate system changes to instances (Y or N).

CSI Propagate Systems Changes - Window Display Condition of propagating system changes to products when Propagate System Changes is set to 'Y':Always Display: Change only when the system info matches the product information.Always Change: Do not display and always change.Never Change: Do not display and do not change:

CSI Restrict LOV’s on Site Usage. Default = N. Set at Site Level. For value = Y, the application restricts the Installed Locations LOV in the Systems page to customer addresses with locations identified as Install At.

CSI: Show Expired Instances Default = N. Enables users to default the value of the Show Expired Products checkbox in the Advanced Search page. If the profile option value = Y, then the application shows all instances including expired products in the Oracle Install Base UI.

CSI Stop At Debug Errors Set to Y to start debug (Y or N).

CSI System Name Update Allowed System name update allowed after system name creation (Y or N)

CSI: UI Default Selection of View Details Dropdown Defines the default link populated in the ‘speed menu’ for summary results displayed in the Search Products page.

SERVICE Master Inventory Validation Org Replaces the ASO: Product Organization profile option obsolete in a prior release. During the upgrade process, the inventory organization specified in this profile is used to upgrade customer products manually created in Oracle Service. After upgrade, this inventory organization is used to validate whether an item is trackable in Oracle Install Base and to derive other item parameters such as serialization when you create new item instances using Oracle Install Base. Oracle strongly recommends that you set this to a master inventory organization.




Concurrent Programs:
The following list describes the Concurrent Programs used for Oracle Install Base.
1. Expire End Dated Instances Program
2. Install Base Open Interface Program
3. Initiate Mass Edit Program
4. Process Mass Edit Program
5. Process Old Order Lines-Fulfillable Only Program
6. Resubmit Interface Process Program
7. Resubmit Waiting Transactions Program