Basics of Value Sets in Oracle Applications

Explained below is the basic of Value Set.

What is a value set and where is it used?
Value set is primarily the List of Values (LOV) to restrict and mantain consistencies
in entering or selecting the values. It is also the place holders to allow user enter a
value. Oracle Application Object Library uses value sets as important components of
key flexfields, descriptive flexfields, and Concurrent Request Submission.
What are the Format Types the value set have?
* Character
* Number
* Time
* Standard Date, Standard Date Time
* Date, Date Time
Note that Date and Date Time value set formats are obsolete and are provided for
backward compatibility only. For new value sets, use the the format types Standard
Date and Standard Date Time.
What are the validation types?
None:
* There is no validation done for this type of value set, hence allows user to enter
any value.
Independent:
* It provides a list of pre-defined values. The predefined values are entered
separately.
Dependent:
* Same like Independent Value Set, except the List of Values shown to you will
depend on which the Independent value you have selected in the Prior Segment.
* Must define your independent value set before you define the dependent value set
that depends on it.
* Must create at least one dependent value for each independent value.
Table:
* The list of value is created based on database tables

* Allows to write simple queries, joins, order by etc

* The value, meaning and ID can be used to display a value, description to the value
but return ID to the calling program or screen.
* Additional columns can also be displayed. The syntax is column "column title
(size), e.g. order type "SO Order Type (40)"
* Can also create dependent values to filter LOV data based on parameter value
selected earlier. This can be done using: $FLEX: .value_set_name in the where
clause.
Special & Pair:
Pair validation value set allows to select a range of concatenated Flex field
segments as parameters to the report. The special value set is used to perform
special validation. This is used to enter the entire key flexfield segment in the single
parameter of the report/calling entity.
Translatable Independent & Translatable Dependent:
* This is similar to Independent and Dependent value set except that translated
values can be displayed to the user.
APIs to create value set
The FND_FLEX_VAL_API package can be used to create different types of value sets.
* VALUESET_EXISTS - To check if value set exists
* DELETE_VALUESET - To delete value set. The value set can only be deleted if it is
not being referenced by any program or entity.
* CREATE_VALUESET_NONE
* CREATE_VALUESET_INDEPENDENT
* CREATE_VALUESET_DEPENDENT
* CREATE_VALUESET_TABLE
* CREATE_VALUESET_SPECIAL
* CREATE_VALUESET_PAIR
what are the oracle tables that store value set information?
* FND_FLEX_VALUE_SETS
* FND_ID_FLEX_SEGMENTS
* FND_FLEX_VALUE
* FND_FLEX_VALIDATION_EVENTS
* FND_FLEX_VALUE_RULE_LINES
* FND_FLEX_VALUE_RULE
* FND_FLEX_VALUE_RULE_USAGE
* FND_FLEX_VALIDATION_TABLES

1.
What is the Diff between APPS Schema and other Schemas?
Apps schema contains only Synonyms we can't create tables in apps schema, where
as other schemas contains tables, & all the objects. Here only we will create the
tables and giving grants on created tables. Almost all every time we will connect to
apps schema only.

2.
What is meant by Custom Top and what is the Purpose?
Custom Top is nothing but Customer Top, which is created for customer only. We can
have multiple custom
tops based on client requirement. It is used to store developed & customized
components. Whenever oracle
corp appling patches it will over ride on all the modules except custom top. Thats
why we will use custom top.
3.
What is the Significancy of US Folder?
It is nothing but language specification by default it is in american language. We can
have multiple languages folders based on installed languages. from backend we
can get it from
FND_LANGUAGES -- COL --INSTALLED_FLAG I,B,D
I--INSTALLED,
B--BASE,
D--DISABLE
select language_code,nls_language from fnd_languages where
installed_flag like 'B'

4.

Where did U find the Applcation short name and basepath names?
select basepath,application_short_name from fnd_application from the backend.
From the from end we can get it Navigation Application Developer.----->
Application---->Register The application name we will get from
FND_APPLICATION_TL
5.
Where can U find the release version from backend?
SELECT release_name from FND_PRODUCT_GROUPS; ---11.5.10.2

6.
What are the Folders we will find below the 11.5.0 Folder?
Reports,forms,sql,lib,log,out,bin,admin,html,xml,msg,def, etc

7.
Can we create Tables in the Apps Schema?
No.

8.
Can we have custom schema when it it required?
yes, we can have custom schema, when we want to create a new table we required
custom schema.

9.
What is meant by concurrent Program?
It is nothing but Instance of the execution along with parameters & Incompatables.
Here Incompatables nothing but if we are submiting cc programs if any one can be

execute in those program , which programs r not imp yet this time we will mention
those programs in incompatables tab.

10.

What are the steps we will follow to register Reports as Concurrent

Program?
First develop the report & save it in local machine. upload into
custom_top/11.5.0/reports/us/ go to system administrator open executable form
create executable by mentioning executable method as reports ,executable as
report name which was created. go to cc program form create ccprogram by attach
executable name in executable section. then attach this ccprogram to request
group, Request group to Responsibility.Responsibility to User.

11.
What is meant by Request group?
It is nothing but collection of cc programs.

12.
What is Application Top? What are the types and Purpose?

A) When we connect to the server we will find the top called application top. Under
application top we have
Product top.
Custom top
Product top is the default top built by the
manufacturer. Custom top is used to select the
Client for his business purposes. Customizations
are done with the Custom top.

13.

What is US folder in the Custom Top?

It is a language specific folder used to store the G.U.I like reports and forms.
14.
What are mandatory parameters of Procedures and what the use of
those?
Errorbuf: It is used to returns the error
messages and sent it to the log file.
Retcode: It is used to show the status of the Procedure with 0, 1, and 2 0 for
Completed Normal
1 for Completed Warning
2 for Completed Error

15
What is Apps Schema and Schema?
Schema: Schema is the location in
database contains database objects like
views, tables, and synonyms.
Apps Schema: It is used to connect the all schemas to get the information
from The database.

16.
What is Token?
a) Use to transfer values to report builder and it is not case sensitive.
17.
Difference between FORM, Function and Menu?
a) A menu is a hierarchical arrangement
of functions and menus. Each
responsibility has a menu assigned to it. A
function is a part of an application that is
registered under a unique name for the
purpose of assigning it to be including it
from a menu.

18.
Tell me something about SQL-LOADER.
Sql * loader is a bulk loader utility used
for moving data from external files into
the oracle database.
Sql* loader supports various load formats,
selective loading, and multi-tables loads.
1) Conventional --The conventional path
loader essentially loads the data by using
standard insert statement.
2) Direct -- The direct path loader (direct
= true) by possess of logic involved with
that, and loads directly in to the oracle
data files.
EX:- My data.csv file
1001, scott tiger,1000,40
1002,gvreddy,2345,50
Load data
Infile c:\data\mydata.csv
insert Into table emp Fields terminated by
, optionally enclosed by
(empno, empname,sal,deptno)
>sqlldr scott/tiger@vis control=loader.ctl
log= gvlog.log bad=gvbad.bad
discard=gvdis.dsc .

19.
What is SET-OF-BOOKS?

Collection of Chart of Accounts and

Currency and Calendars is called SOB

20.

Tell me what r the Base tables in the AR?

hz_parties (party_id) (store info about org,

groups and people)
HZ_PARTIES stores information about
parties such as organizations,
people, and groups, including the
identifying address information for the
party.
hz_cust_accounts (cust_account_id)
HZ_CUST_ACCOUNTS stores information
about customer relationships. If a
party becomes a customer, information
about the customer account is stored in
this table. You can establish
multiplecustomer relationships with a
single party, so each party can have
multiple customer account records in this
table.
hz_cust_acct_sites_all (cust_acct_site_id)
HZ_CUST_ACCT_SITES_ALL stores
information about customer sites. One
customer account can have multiple sites.
The address is maintained in
HZ_LOCATIONS.
hz_cust_site_uses_all (site_use_id)
HZ_CUST_SITE_USES_ALL stores
information about site uses or business
purposes. A single customer site can have
multiple site uses, such as bill to or ship
to, and each site use is stored as a record
in this table.
hz_party_sites (party_site_id)
HZ_PARTY_SITES stores information about
the relationship between Parties
and Locations. The same party can have
multiple party sites. Physical addresses
are stored in HZ_LOCATIONS.
hz_locations (location_id)
HZ_LOCATIONS stores information about
physical locations.
hz_Person_Profiles (person_profile_id)
HZ_PERSON_PROFILES stores detail
information about people.
hz_Organization_Profiles
(organization_profile_id)
HZ_ORGANIZATION_PROFILES stores
credit rating, financial statistics,
socioeconomic and corporate linkage
information for business sites. The
primary key for this table is
ORGANIZATION_PROFILE_ID.

21.
FND USER EXITS:-

FND SRWINIT sets your profile option

values, multiple organizations and allows
Oracle Application Object Library user
exits to detect that they have been called
by an Oracle Reports program.
FND SRWEXIT ensures that all the
memory allocated for AOL user exits have
been freed up properly.
FND FLEXIDVAL are used to display flex
field information like prompt, value etc
FND FLEXSQL these user exits allow you
to use flex fields in your reports
FND FORMAT_CURRENCY is used to print
currency in various formats by using
formula column

22.
What is Value Set?

The value set is a collection (or) container

of values.
Whenever the value set associated with
any report parameters. It provides list of
values to the end user to accept one of
the values as report parameter value.
If the list of values needed to be dynamic
and ever changing and define a table
based values set.
12) What are the validation types?
1) None -------- validation is minimal.
2) Independent ------input must exist on
previously defined list of values
3) Dependent ------input is checked
against a subset of values based on a
Prior value.
3) Table ----- input is checked against
values in an application table
4) Special ------values set uses a flex field
itself.
5) Pair ------ two flex fields together
specify a range of valid values.
6) Translatable independent ----- input
must exist on previously defined list
of values; translated values can be used.
7) Translatable dependent ------- input is
checked against a subset of values
based on a prior values; translated value
can be used.

23.
Form development process?

a) Open template form

b) Save as <your form>.fmb
c) Change the form module name as form
name.
d) Delete the default blocks, window, and
canvas
e) Create a window.
f) Assign the window property class to
window
g) Create a canvas (subclass info)
h) Assign canvas property class to the
canvas
I) assign the window to the canvas and
canvas to the window
j) Create a data block
k) Modify the form level properties. (sub
class item Text item)
l) Modify the app_custom package. In the
program unit.
m) Modify the pre-form trigger (form
level)
n) Modify the module level properties
((console window, First navigation
p) Save and compile the form.
Place the .fmx in the server directory.

24.
How does u customize the Reports?

a. Identify the Short name of the standard

report in which module we have
to customize
Ex: - if u wants to customize in the AR
module path is
Appl top\ar\11.5.0\reports\US\ .rdf
b. Open the .rdf file in Report builder and
change the name of the module.
c. Open the data module and modify the
query (what is client requirements)
assign the columns to the attributes.
d. Go to report wizard and select, what r
the newly created columns.
e. Then Compile it. Then u will get a .rep
file in the specified module. If it is
not in the specified directory then we
have to put in the server directory.
f. Then Register in the AOL Concurrent
Executable and
Concurrent Program.
g. Go to system administrator Security
responsibility request.
h. Add and assign a concurrent program
to a request group

25.
FLEX FIELDS?

Used to capture the additional business information.

DFF
Additional
Captured in attribute prefixed
columns
Not reported on standard reports

KFF
Unique Info, Mandatory
Segment prefixed
Is reported on standard reports

Used for entering and displaying key

information
To provide expansion space on your
For example Oracle General uses a
form With the help of [].
key Flex field called Accounting Flex
[] Represents descriptive Flex field.
field to uniquely identify a general
FLEX FILED : DESCRIPTIVE : REGISTER
account.
FLEX FILED : KEY : REGISTER

26.
Difference between Bind and Lexical parameters?

BIND VARIABLE:
are used to replace a single value in sql,
pl/sql
bind variable may be used to replace
expressions in select, where, group, order
by, having, connect by, start with cause
of queries.
bind reference may not be referenced in
FROM clause (or) in place of
reserved words or clauses.
LEXICAL REFERENCE:
You can use lexical reference to replace
the clauses appearing AFTER select,
from, group by, having, connect by, start
with.
You cant make lexical reference in pl/sql
statements.

27.
what is Flex mode and Confine mode?

Confine mode:
On: child objects cannot be moved
outside their enclosing parent objects.
Off: child objects can be moved outside
their enclosing parent objects.
Flex mode:
On: parent borders "stretch" when child
objects are moved against them.
Off: parent borders remain fixed when
child objects are moved against
them.

28.
What is Place holder Columns?

A placeholder is a column is an empty

container at design time. The placeholder
can hold a value at run time has been
calculated and placed in to It by pl/sql
code from anther object.
You can set the value of a placeholder
column is in a Before Report trigger.
Store a Temporary value for future
reference. EX. Store the current max
salary as records are retrieved.

29.
What is Formula Column?

A formula column performs a user-defined

computation on another column(s) data,
including placeholder columns.

30.
What is a Summary column?

A summary column performs a

computation on another column's data.
Using the Report Wizard or Data Wizard,
you can create the following summaries:
sum, average, count, minimum,
maximum, % total. You can also create a
summary column manually in the Data
Model view, and use the Property Palette
to create the following additional
summaries: first, last, standard deviation,
variance.

31.
What is TCA (Trading Community Architecture)?

Ans. Oracle Trading Community

Architecture (TCA) is a data model that
allows you to manage complex
information about the parties, or
customers, who belong to your
commercial community, including
organizations, locations, and the network
of hierarchical relationships among them.
This information is maintained in the TCA
Registry, which is the single source of
trading community information for Oracle
E-Business Suite applications.

32.

Difference between Application Developer and System Administrator?

Ans.
Role of Technical Consultant:
a. Designing New Forms, Programs and
Reports
b. Forms and Reports customization
c. Developing Interfaces
d. Developing PL/SQL stored procedures
e. Workflow automations
Role of System Administrator:
a. Define Logon Users
b. Define New/Custom Responsibility
c. Define Data Groups
d. Define Concurrent Managers
e. Define Printers
f. Test Network Preferences
g. Define/Add new Modules
Role of an Apps DBA:
a. Installing of Application
b. up gradation
c. Migration
d. Patches
e. Routing maintenance of QA
f. Cloning of OA

33.
What are Flex fields?

Ans.
Ans. A Flex field is a customizable field
that opens in a window from a regular
Oracle Applications window. Defining flex
fields enables you to tailor Oracle
Applications to your own business needs.
By using flex fields, you can:
(a) Structure certain identifiers required
by oracle applications according to your
own business environment.
(b) Collect and display additional
information for your business as needed.
Key Flex fields: You use key flex fields to
define your own structure for many of the
identifiers required by Oracle
Applications. Profile Flexfields:Open Key
Window (FND_ID_FLEXS)
Descriptive Flex field: You use descriptive
flex fields to gather additional information
about your business entities beyond the
information required by Oracle
Applications. Profile Flex fields: Open
Descr Window (FND_DESCRIPTIVE_FLEXS)

34.
Report registration process?

Ans.
1. Create the report using the report
builder.
2. Place the report definition file in the
module specific reports directory.
3. Create an executable for the report
definition file.
4. Create a concurrent program to that
executable.
5. Associate the concurrent program to a
request group.

35.
Define Request Group?

Ans.
A request security group is the collection
of requests, request sets, and concurrent
programs that a user, operating under a
given responsibility, can select from the
Submit Requests window.

36.
Value Sets?

Ans.
Oracle Application Object Library uses
values, value sets and validation tables as
important components of key flex fields,
descriptive flex fields, Flex Builder, and
Standard Request Submission.
When you first define your flex fields, you
choose how many segments you want to
use and what order you want them to
appear. You also choose how you want to
validate each of your segments. The
decisions you make affect how you define
your value sets and your values.
You define your value sets first, either
before or while you define your flex field
segment structures. You typically define
your individual values only after your flex
field has been completely defined (and
frozen and compiled). Depending on what
type of value set you use, you may not
need to predefine individual values at all
before you can use your flex field.
You can share value sets among
segments in different flex fields,
segments in
different structures of the same flex field,
and even segments within the same flex
field structure. You can share value sets
across key and descriptive flex fields. You
can also use value sets for report
parameters for your reports that use the
Standard Report Submission feature.
Navigation Path:
Login Application Developer ->
Application -> Validation -> Set

37.
Value Validation Types?

Ans.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.

Dependant
Independent
None
Pair
Special
Table
Translate Independent
Translate Dependent

38.
Incompatibility in report registration and Run Alone?

Ans.
Identify programs that should not run
simultaneously with your concurrent
program because they might interfere
with its execution. You can specify your
program as being incompatible with itself.
Application: Although the default for this
field is the application of your concurrent
program, you can enter any valid
application name.
Name: The program name and application
you specify must uniquely identify a
concurrent program. Your list displays the
user-friendly name of the program, the
short name, and the description of the
program.
Scope: Enter Set or Program Only to
specify whether your concurrent program
is zincompatible with this program and all
its child requests (Set) or only with this
program (Program Only).
Run Alone: Indicate whether your
program should run alone relative to all
other programs in the same logical
database. If the execution of your
program interferes with the execution of
all other programs in the same logical
database (in other words, if your program
is incompatible with all programs in its
logical database, including itself), it
should run alone.

Oracle interview questions

1. What are the various types of Exceptions ?

User defined and Predefined Exceptions.

2. Can we define exceptions twice in same block ?

No.

3. What is the difference between a procedure and a function ?

Functions return a single variable by value where as procedures do not return any
variable by value. Rather they return multiple variables by passing variables by
reference through their OUT parameter.

4. Can you have two functions with the same name in a PL/SQL block ?
Yes.

5. Can you have two stored functions with the same name ?
Yes.

6. Can you call a stored function in the constraint of a table ?

No.

7. What are the various types of parameter modes in a procedure ?

IN, OUT AND INOUT.

8. What is Over Loading and what are its restrictions ?

OverLoading means an object performing different functions depending upon the
no. of parameters or the data type of the parameters passed to it.

9. Can functions be overloaded ?

Yes.

1 Can 2 functions have same name & input parameters but differ only by
0. return datatype
No.