Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) - Oracle E-Business Suite (EBS)

Lets take an example. Suppose you are running a small grocery shop named "Raja Grocery", so the typical operation as a shop owner is you basically buy groceries from some big seller and stock it in your shop. Now people come to your shop for day-to-day needs and buy stuff from your shop at a slightly higher price than what you originally bought and stocked it in your shop.

Occasionally you may not be carrying items or run out of stock that people ask for so you make a note of it and promise the person to come back tomorrow and they will get their item. So far so good, now lets name some entities before we proceed and things get complicated. The big seller from whom you buy stock is called as Vendor, the people who come to your shop to buy things are known as customers, the stock in your shop is known as inventory.

So far we have identified few entities that play an active role in your day-to-day operations. As time goes by, your business expands and now you take orders over the phone and provide service to deliver the items to your customers, so you hire people to help you out in maintaining the inventory, do the delivery part and all the necessary stuff to keep the business running smoothly. The people you hire are known as employees.

So in this small shop, you typically manage the bookkeeping activities by hand using a notepad or something similar. Now imagine the same setup on a larger scale where you have more than 10,000 customers, have more than 1000 vendors, have more than 1000 employees and have a huge warehouse to maintain your inventory. Do you think you can manage all that information using pen and paper? Absolutely no way! Your business will come to a sudden stop sign.

To facilitate big businesses, companies like Oracle Corporation have created huge software known in the category of ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) as Oracle Applications. Now coming to think of it, Oracle Apps is not one huge software, instead it is a collection of software known as modules that are integrated and talk to each other.

Now what is meant by integrated? First let us identify the modules by entities. For e.g Purchasing and Account Payables deal with the vendors since you typically purchase from vendors and eventually have to pay the dues. Oracle Purchasing handles all the requisitions and purchase orders to the vendors whereas Oracle Accounts Payables handles all the payments to the vendors.

Similarly Oracle Inventory deals with the items you maintain in stock, warehouse etc. Dealing with customers is handled collectively with the help of Oracle Receivables and Oracle Order Management. Order Management helps you collect all the information that your customer is ordering over the phone or web store etc. whereas Receivables help you collect the money for the orders that are delivered to the customers.

Now who maintains the paychecks, benefits of the 1000 employees? right! it is managed by Oracle Human Resources. So you get the idea by now that for each logical function there is a separate module that helps to execute and maintain that function.

So all the individual functions are being taken care but how do I know if I am making profit or loss? That's where integration comes into play. There is another module known as Oracle General Ledger. This module receives information from all the different transaction modules and summarizes them in order to help you create profit and loss statements, reports for paying Taxes etc.

Just to simplify the explanation, when you pay your employees that payment is reported back to General Ledgers as cost i.e money going out, when you purchase inventory items the information is transferred to GL as money going out, and so is the case when you pay your vendors. Similarly when you receive items in your inventory it is transferred to GL as money coming in, when your customer sends payment it is transferred to GL as money coming in. So all the different transaction modules report to GL (General Ledger) as either "money going in" or "money going out", the net result will tell you if you are making a profit or loss.

All the equipment, shops, warehouses, computers can be termed as Assets and they are managed by Oracle Fixed Assets. Initially Oracle Applications started as bunch of modules and as time passed by they added new modules for different and new functions growing out of the need for today's internet world.

So if you come across a module that you are trying to learn and work on, first try to understand what business need is it trying to fulfill and then try to understand what the immediate modules that it interacts with. For e.g lets say you come across Oracle Cost Management module, you will learn that it helps to maintain the costs of items in your inventory and the immediate modules that it interacts with are Oracle Inventory (of course), Oracle Bills of Material, Order Management and so on..

What is General Ledger

Most people are familiar with their own bank statement, which shows an opening balance, transactions that occurred throughout the period, and a closing balance. That statement is a snapshot of your account at a particular point in time. A company keeps an account, like the records the bank keeps of your bank account, for every organization or customer that the company does business with.

Balance Sheet

The balance sheet summarizes accounts and financial activities in three broad categories: assets, which represent all the things that the company owns; liabilities, which show how much money the company owes to others; and capital/retained earnings, which show the total cash invested in the business by the owners or shareholders.

Income Statement

In addition, accounts are kept for all the revenues and expenses of the company. These accounts are summarized in an income statement, also called a profit and loss statement, which represents the performance of a company over time.

The first step in capturing your transactions is to set up your chart of accounts. Your chart of accounts determines how your accounting information is collected, categorized, and stored for reporting purposes. In Oracle Financials, all accounts are identified by a unique Accounting key Flex field combination, which is your chart of accounts structure. You assign each account the qualifier of asset, liability, owner's equity, revenue, or expense.

Periods are identified by names such as FEB-2000 or WEEK1 2-98 and represent non-overlapping consecutive date ranges. FEB-2000 would include the date ranges O1-FEB-2000 to 29-FEB-2000 and would be followed by MAR-2000 starting on 01 -MAR-2000. You choose the names, following whatever convention you devise, and you assign the date ranges. You can even set up a one-day period for year-end adjustments that begins and ends on the same day.

Double-Entry Accounting

Double-entry accounting requires constant symmetry; total debits must equal total credits. Every accounting transaction results in one or more debits and credits that always remain in balance. For example, a $5000 purchase of office equipment would result in an increase to the asset account as well as an increase to a liability account.

In Oracle Financials, the account number is referred to as the Accounting Flexfield, which is used throughout all of Oracle Applications whenever a transaction is entered into the system. The Accounting Flexfield consists of multiple segments, such as those for company, cost center, and account. One full Accounting Flexfield is called a combination. Each journal entry line is tagged with an Accounting Flexfield combination. For expense transactions, the AFF usually identifies who incurred the cost (for example, which company or department) and what the cost was for (for example, travel expense). If you want more detailed information, such as which region, cost center, and product incurred the cost, you can design your AFF structure to include that information as well. Because total debits must always equal total credits in every transaction, Oracle General Ledger requires that all journals balance. If you try to enter an unbalanced journal, Oracle General Ledger will either reject the transaction or force the transaction to balance by posting the difference to a suspense account.

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This is a useful alphabetical list covering most of the Oracle e-Business Suite products.

There must be quite a number of products still in research and development and some will never get to see the light out of the development labs.

Oracle Product Codes

1.           ABM - Activity Based Management

2.           AD - Applications DBA

3.           AHL - Oracle Advanced Service Online

4.           AHM - Oracle Hosting Manager

5.           AK - Oracle Common Modules-AK

6.           ALR - Oracle Alert

7.           AMF - Oracle Fulfillment Services

8.           AMS - Oracle Marketing

9.           AMV - Oracle MarketView

10.       AN - Oracle Sales Analysis

11.       AP - Oracle Payables

12.       AR - Oracle Receivables

13.       AS - Oracle Sales

14.       ASF - Oracle Field Sales

15.       ASG - Oracle CRM Gateway for Mobile Services

16.       ASL - Oracle Mobile Field Sales Laptop

17.       ASO - Oracle Order Capture

18.       ASP - Oracle Field Sales/PalmTM Devices

19.       AST - TeleSales

20.       AU - Application Utilities

21.       AX - Global Accounting Engine

22.       AZ - Application Implementation

23.       BEN - Oracle Advanced Benefits

24.       BIC - Customer Intelligence

25.       BIL - Sales Intelligence

26.       BIM - Marketing Intelligence

27.       BIS - Oracle Applications BIS

28.       BIV - Oracle Service Intelligence

29.       BIX - Call Center Intelligence

30.       BNE - Oracle Web ADI

31.       BOM - Oracle Bills of Material

32.       BSC - Balanced Scorecard

33.       CCT - Oracle Call Center and Telephony

34.       CE - Oracle Cash Management

35.       CHV - Oracle Supplier Scheduling

36.       CLN - Supply Chain Trading Connector for RosettaNet

37.       CN - Oracle Sales Compensation

38.       CRP - Oracle Capacity

39.       CS - Oracle Service

40.       CSC - Customer Care

41.       CSD - Depot Repair

42.       CSE - Oracle Enterprise Install Base

43.       CSF - Field Service

44.       CSI - Install Base

45.       CSL - Oracle Field Service/Laptop

46.       CSM - Oracle Field Service Palm

47.       CSP - Oracle Spares Management

48.       CSR - Oracle Scheduler

49.       CSS - Support

50.       CST - Oracle Cost Management

51.       CUA - CRL Financials Assets

52.       CUE - Oracle Billing Connect

53.       CUF - CRL Financials

54.       CUG - Oracle Citizen Interaction Center

55.       CUI - Oracle Network Logistics Inventory

56.       CUN - Oracle Network Logistics NATS

57.       CUP - Oracle Network Logistics Purchasing

58.       CUS - CRL Supply Chain

59.       CZ - Oracle Configurator

60.       DDD - Oracle CADView-3D

61.       DOM - Oracle Document Management and Collaboration

62.       DT - Oracle DateTrack

63.       EAA - Oracle SEM Exchange

64.       EAM - Oracle Enterprise Asset Management

65.       EC - Oracle e-Commerce Gateway

66.       ECX - Oracle XML Gateway

67.       EDR - Oracle E Records

68.       EGO - Oracle Engineering Online

69.       ENG - Oracle Engineering

70.       ENI - Oracle Engineering Intelligence System

71.       EVM - Value Based Management

72.       FEM - Strategic Enterprise Management

73.       FF - Oracle Fast Formula

74.       FII - Financials Intelligence

75.       FLM - Oracle Flow Manufacturing

76.       FND - Application Object Library

77.       FPT - Oracle Banking Center

78.       FRM - Oracle Report Manager

79.       FTE - Oracle Transportation Hub

80.       FV - Oracle Federal Financials

81.       GHR - Oracle Federal HR

82.       GL - Oracle General Ledger

83.       GMA - Oracle Process Manufacturing Systems

84.       GMD - Oracle Process Manufacturing Product Development

85.       GME - Oracle Process Manufacturing Process Execution

86.       GMF - Oracle Process Manufacturing Financials

87.       GMI - Oracle Process Manufacturing Inventory

88.       GML - Oracle Process Manufacturing Logistics

89.       GMP - Oracle Process Manufacturing Process Planning

90.       GMS - Oracle Grants Accounting

91.       GR - Oracle Process Regulatory Mgmt

92.       HRI - Human Resources Intelligence

93.       HXC - Oracle Time and Labor

94.       HXT - Oracle Time and Labor Rules

95.       IBA - iMarketing

96.       IBC - Oracle iContent

97.       IBE - iStore

98.       IBP - Bill Presentment & Payment

99.       IBU - iSupport

100.   IBY - iPayment

101.   ICX - Oracle Self-Service Web Applications

102.   IEB - Oracle Interaction Blending

103.   IEC - Oracle Campaign Plus

104.   IEM - Oracle eMail Center

105.   IEO - Call Center Technology

106.   IES - Scripting

107.   IEU - Oracle Universal Work Queue

108.   IEX - Oracle Collections

109.   IGC - Commitment Administration

110.   IGF - Student Systems Fin Aid

111.   IGI - Oracle International Public Sector Financials

112.   IGS - Oracle Student Sytems

113.   IGW - Oracle Grants Proposal

114.   IMC - Oracle Customers Online

115.   IMT - Oracle iMeeting

116.   INV - Oracle Inventory

117.   IPA - CRL Financials Projects

118.   IPD - Oracle Product Development Exchange

119.   ISC - Supply Chain Intelligence

120.   ITG - Oracle Internet Procurement Enterprise Connector

121.   JA - Asia/Pacific Localizations

122.   JE - European Localizations

123.   JG - Regional Localizations

124.   JL - Latin America Localizations

125.   JTF - CRM Foundation

126.   JTM - Oracle CRM Mobile Foundation

127.   JTS - Oracle CRM Self Service Administration

128.   ME - Maintenance, Repair & Overhaul

129.   MFG - Oracle Manufacturing

130.   MRP - Oracle Master Scheduling/MRP

131.   MSC - Oracle Advanced Supply Chain Planning

132.   MSD - Oracle Demand Planning

133.   MSO - Oracle Constraint Based Optimization

134.   MSR - Oracle Risk Optimization

135.   MWA - Mobile Applications

136.   ODQ - Oracle Data Query

137.   OE - Oracle Order Entry

138.   OFA - Oracle Assets

139.   OKB - Oracle Contracts for Subscriptions

140.   OKC - Oracle Contracts Core

141.   OKE - Oracle Project Contracts

142.   OKI - Oracle Contracts Intelligence

143.   OKL - Oracle Lease Management

144.   OKO - Oracle Contracts for Sales

145.   OKR - Oracle Contracts for Rights

146.   OKS - Oracle Contracts Service Module

147.   OKX - Oracle Contracts Integration

148.   ONT - Oracle Order Management

149.   OPI - Operations Intelligence

150.   OTA - Oracle Training Administration

151.   OZF - Funds & Budgets

152.   OZP - Trade Planning

153.   OZS - Oracle iClaims

154.   PA - Oracle Projects

155.   PAY - Oracle Payroll

156.   PER - Oracle Human Resources

157.   PJI - Oracle Project Intelligence

158.   PJM - Oracle Project Manufacturing

159.   PMI - Process Mfg Intelligence

160.   PN - Oracle Property Manager

161.   PO - Oracle Purchasing

162.   POA - Purchasing Intelligence

163.   POM - Oracle Exchange

164.   PON - Oracle Sourcing

165.   POS - Internet Supplier Portal

166.   PQH - Oracle Public Sector HR

167.   PQP - Oracle Public Sector Payroll

168.   PRP - Oracle Proposals

169.   PSA - Public Sector Applications

170.   PSB - Oracle Public Sector Budgeting

171.   PSP - Oracle Labor Distribution

172.   PV - Partner Relationship Management

173.   QA - Oracle Quality

174.   QOT - Oracle Quoting

175.   QP - Oracle Pricing

176.   QRM - Oracle Risk Management

177.   RG - Application Report Generator

178.   RHX - Oracle Advanced Planning Foundation

179.   RLA - Oracle Release Management Integration Kit

180.   RLM - Oracle Release Management

181.   SHT - Applications Shared Technology

182.   SSP - Oracle SSP

183.   SYSADMIN - System Administration

184.   VEA - Oracle Automotive

185.   VEH - Oracle Automotive Integration Kit

186.   WIP - Oracle Work in Process

187.   WMS - Oracle Warehouse Management System

188.   WPS - Oracle Manufacturing Scheduling

189.   WSH - Oracle Shipping

190.   WSM - Shop Floor Management

191.   XDP - Oracle Provisioning

192.   XLA - Oracle Common Accounting Modules

193.   XNB - Oracle eBusiness Billing

194.   XNC - Oracle Sales for Communications

195.   XNI - Oracle Install Base Intelligence

196.   XNM - Marketing for Communications

197.   XNP - Oracle Number Portability

198.   XNS - Oracle Service for Communications

199.   XTR - Oracle Treasury

200.   ZFA - Oracle Financial Analyzer

201.   ZSA - Oracle Sales Analyze

What happens when you login to Apps?

Firstly and surely there is a URL for oracle applications that is structured possibly in below format, although it can vary from version of apps.

http://machinename:portnumber/OA_HTML/US/ICXINDEX.htm
http://machinename:portnumber /oa_servlets/AppsLogin

When you join an Oracle Apps development team for an employer, you will first be given URL of the development environment.

In any Oracle Apps implementation project (assuming it has gone live), there are minimum of three environments, each with different URL's and different database instances.

These are:-
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Development environment
Testing environment
Production environment

You will most probably, be given an url, username and password of the development environment.

What happens when you login
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A. Your login gets authenticated against a table named fnd_user for your username and password. The screen below is where username and password defined. This screen is called user definition screen. Only system administrators have access to this screen.

B. As you can see above, this username xxpassi is attached to two responsibilities (this will be discussed in details in latter training lesson). It is this assignment to the responsibility that controls what a logged in person can do and can't do. In layman’s words, a responsibility is a group of functions an user is authorized to perform.


C. When you successfully login you will see below screens.

This screen below will prompt you to change your password, to a value different than that assigned by System Administrator.








Click on either of the above Responsibility Names, will initiate Oracle Apps( Note: You might be prompted to install jinitiator…..just keep clicking OK…OK for all Jinitiator messages). Effectively, what I mean to say is that you do not need to download jinitiator from anywhere; Oracle will do this automatically (provided your DBA’s got this cofig’ed) for you during your first logon attempt from the PC. Once your jInitiator gets installed








Hurray, we have logged into apps.

Some notes on advanced info :
Oracle internally uses a login named GUEST with a password “oracle”, Some people regard this as a security threat, but it isn’t. Your DBA’s can change the “guest” password from its default value after installation.

Oracle uses a DB User account named applsyspub to which it first connects during validation of LOGIN. This user account has very restricted privileges and has access to below objects (primarily for authentication purposes):-
FND_APPLICATION
FND_UNSUCCESSFUL_LOGINS
FND_SESSIONS
FND_PRODUCT_INSTALLATIONS
FND_PRODUCT_GROUPS
FND_MESSAGES
FND_LANGUAGES_TL
FND_APPLICATION_TL
FND_APPLICATION_VL
FND_LANGUAGES_VL
FND_SIGNON
FND_PUB_MESSAGE
FND_WEBFILEPUB
FND_DISCONNECTED
FND_MESSAGE
FND_SECURITY_PKG
FND_LOOKUPS