Integrating Oracle

Application Express with

the Oracle eBusiness Suite
Scott Spendolini
[email protected]
Sumner Technologies, LLC
http://sumnertech.com

Integrating Oracle ApEx & Oracle eBusiness Suite ‐ Slide #1
Agenda

• Introduction
• Integration Points
• “Demo”
• Migrating from Oracle Forms
• Q&A

Integrating Oracle ApEx & Oracle eBusiness Suite ‐ Slide #2
 Introduction

Integrating Oracle ApEx & Oracle eBusiness Suite ‐ Slide #3
Biography

• Oracle employee for almost 10 years in

the Washington, DC region
• From JAN-2002 until SEP-2005 – Senior
Product Manager for Oracle HTML DB
• Helped get three major releases out the
door
• Presented at OpenWorld, IOUG, ODTUG
• Active OTN Forum participant

Integrating Oracle ApEx & Oracle eBusiness Suite ‐ Slide #4
Making the Jump

• September 9th, 2005: Last

Day at Oracle
• Started my own
company: Sumner
Technologies, LLC
(http://sumnertech.com)
• Specialize in Oracle
Application Express
consulting & training

Integrating Oracle ApEx & Oracle eBusiness Suite ‐ Slide #5
A New Name

• Oracle HTML DB was renamed to

Oracle Application Express on 30-JAN
• Still do not need Oracle Application Server
• No relation to Oracle Express
• But a slight relation to Oracle Database
Express Edition
• Commonly referred to as Oracle ApEx
• http://apex.oracle.com

Integrating Oracle ApEx & Oracle eBusiness Suite ‐ Slide #6
Oracle ApEx Roadmap

• Release 2.1
• Only available with Oracle Database
Express Edition
• Virtually Identical to Release 2.0
• Release 2.2
• Additional Themes
• Improved Distribution of Applications
• Support for 9.2.0.3+

Integrating Oracle ApEx & Oracle eBusiness Suite ‐ Slide #7
Oracle ApEx Roadmap

• Release 3.0
• First 10g Only Release
• Easier Form Layout tools
• More quick-start applications for common
business scenarios
• Adobe PDF support
• MS Access migration assistant
• Improved charting capabilities
• Improved master-detail functionality

Integrating Oracle ApEx & Oracle eBusiness Suite ‐ Slide #8
 Integration Points

Integrating Oracle ApEx & Oracle eBusiness Suite ‐ Slide #9
Integration Customer

• DoD Contract with SAIC

• Custom Application
integrated with Oracle BOM
and HR
• Custom Forms & Workflows
• Deployed to ~2,000 Forms
Users
• Sub-set of Custom
Functionality needed for
~10,000 users

Integrating Oracle ApEx & Oracle eBusiness Suite ‐ Slide #10
ApEx Applications

• Currently Developing several Oracle ApEx

Applications
• Chain of Command Node Manager
• Functional Node Manager
• Staffing
• Item Reassignment
• Workflow Response Processor
• Personal Information
• Login Processor
• Password Reset
• Forgotten Password
• Request New Account

Integrating Oracle ApEx & Oracle eBusiness Suite ‐ Slide #11
ApEx Applications

• No Base Tables – all data updated via

eBusiness Suite APIs
• No Additional Licenses
• Customer has 9iR2 Database License
• Quick Deployment Time
• First prototype Node Manager took less than a
week
• No JInitiator or Other Client Software Needed
• Any platform with a modern browser
• Completely Integrated
• Portal, eBusiness Suite, Workflow

Integrating Oracle ApEx & Oracle eBusiness Suite ‐ Slide #12
Integration Points

• Custom Application
• Single Sign On Server
• eBusiness Suite Security Model
• Authorization Schemes
• Workflow
• Administration & Monitoring

Integrating Oracle ApEx & Oracle eBusiness Suite ‐ Slide #13
Custom Application

• A Custom eBusiness Suite Application

should be created and registered for
your ApEx Applications
• Adhere to the Coding Standards defined in
Chapter 2 of the Oracle Applications
Developer Guide (Part #A83705-03)
• No other special considerations for
ApEx applications required on the
eBusiness Suite Side
Integrating Oracle ApEx & Oracle eBusiness Suite ‐ Slide #14
Custom Application

• Database Object Locations:

• Tables, Views, Sequences, Triggers all go
in the Custom Schema
• Create appropriate Grants & Synonyms in
the APPS schema
• All PL/SQL code (Functions, Procedures &
Packages) goes in the APPS Schema

Integrating Oracle ApEx & Oracle eBusiness Suite ‐ Slide #15
Custom Application

• On the ApEx Side:

• Set up your Workspace to parse in the
APPS schema
• Create an Authorization Scheme to use the
SSO Server from Oracle Portal
• More on this later
• Since you’re parsing as APPS, the Object
Browser may be slow – consider using
another PL/SQL Developer tool
• Oracle SQL Developer (Formerly Raptor)

Integrating Oracle ApEx & Oracle eBusiness Suite ‐ Slide #16
Custom Application Benefits

• Protection from Upgrades and Patches

• Upgrades and Patches will not impact your
custom data, as it is in a separate schema
• Conform with Oracle Coding Standards
• Can be useful when calling Oracle
Support, for example

Integrating Oracle ApEx & Oracle eBusiness Suite ‐ Slide #17
Integration Points

• Custom Application
• Single Sign On Server
• eBusiness Suite Security Model
• Authorization Schemes
• Workflow
• Administration & Monitoring

Integrating Oracle ApEx & Oracle eBusiness Suite ‐ Slide #18
Single Sign On Server

• Oracle ApEx can be a Partner

Application to the Oracle Single Sign
On Server
• Thus, when users sign on to Oracle
Portal, they are Authenticated to any
and all Oracle ApEx Applications

Integrating Oracle ApEx & Oracle eBusiness Suite ‐ Slide #19
Single Sign On Server

1) User signs on to Oracle eBusiness Suite Home Page

Integrating Oracle ApEx & Oracle eBusiness Suite ‐ Slide #20
Single Sign On Server

2) User navigates to and clicks ApEx Application

link via standard Application Menus

Integrating Oracle ApEx & Oracle eBusiness Suite ‐ Slide #21
Single Sign On Server

Redirecting to the Login Server

3) Oracle ApEx application redirects to the

Oracle Login Server to validate Authentication

Integrating Oracle ApEx & Oracle eBusiness Suite ‐ Slide #22
Single Sign On Server

4) User is Granted or Denied access to

Oracle ApEx Application

Integrating Oracle ApEx & Oracle eBusiness Suite ‐ Slide #23
Alternative to SSO

• If integrating to the SSO is not

possible, consider using a Custom
Authorization Scheme based on the
fnd_web_sec.validate_login
Procedure

Integrating Oracle ApEx & Oracle eBusiness Suite ‐ Slide #24
Alternative to SSO

• Create a Custom Authentication Function:

create or replace function custom_ebiz_suite_auth
(p_username IN VARCHAR2, p_password IN VARCHAR2)
return boolean
as
begin
if fnd_web_sec.validate_login(p_username, p_password) =
'Y' then
return true;
else
return false;
end if;
end;
/

Integrating Oracle ApEx & Oracle eBusiness Suite ‐ Slide #25
Alternative to SSO

• Create a new Authentication Scheme

• Select From Scratch
• Enter a Name
• Leave Sentry Function empty
• Leave Session Verification Function empty
• Set Invalid Session Target = ApEx Built in
Login Page
• Leave Pre-Authentication Process empty

Integrating Oracle ApEx & Oracle eBusiness Suite ‐ Slide #26
Alternative to SSO

• Select Use my custom function to authenticate for

the Credentials Authentication Method and enter
return custom_ebiz_suite_auth;
for the Authentication Function
• Leave the Post-Authentication Process empty
• Leave all Cookie Information empty
• Enter
wwv_flow_custom_auth_std.logout?p_this_flo
w=&APP_ID.&p_next_flow_page_sess=&APP_ID.:
1:&SESSION.
for the Logout URL (all on one line)
• Create & Activate your Authentication Scheme

Integrating Oracle ApEx & Oracle eBusiness Suite ‐ Slide #27
SSO Benefits

• Single Point of Administration

• FND_USER via Standard COTS Forms
• Access automatically revoked when users expired
or deleted
• Reuse Existing Directory
• Not “another” username & password to remember
• Self Service Security
• Users reset their passwords based on pre-
determined policy
• Users Like It!
• Anything that you can do to make users happy is
typically a good thing

Integrating Oracle ApEx & Oracle eBusiness Suite ‐ Slide #28
Integration Points

• Custom Application
• Single Sign On Server
• eBusiness Suite Security Model
• Authorization Schemes
• Workflow
• Administration & Monitoring

Integrating Oracle ApEx & Oracle eBusiness Suite ‐ Slide #29
eBusiness Suite Security Model

• ApEx can be integrated with the

standard eBusiness Suite Security
Model
• Functions
• Menus
• Responsibilities

Integrating Oracle ApEx & Oracle eBusiness Suite ‐ Slide #30
eBusiness Suite Security Model

• Steps to Integrate:
• Create a Function
• Create a Menu
• Create an Application
• Register a Data Group
• Create a Responsibility
• Create a Package
• Grant Execute on the Package to PUBLIC
• Assign the Responsibility to Users
• Secure the ApEx Application with an
Authorization Scheme

Integrating Oracle ApEx & Oracle eBusiness Suite ‐ Slide #31
eBusiness Suite Security Model

• Create a Function for Each ApEx Application

• Description Tab
• Function: APEX_DB_100
• User Function Name: Run ApEx DB Application 100
• Properties Tab
• Type: SSWA plsql function
• Maintenance Mode Support: None
• Context Dependence: Responsibility
• Web HTML Tab
• HTML Call: apps.apex_launcher.launch_100
• Web Host Tab
• Agent Name: pls/apex

Integrating Oracle ApEx & Oracle eBusiness Suite ‐ Slide #32
eBusiness Suite Security Model

• Create a Menu
• Menu Name: APEX_APPS
• User Menu Name: Oracle ApEx Applications
• Seq: 10
• Prompt: Application 100
• Function: Run ApEx
Application 100
• Description:
Oracle ApEx
Application 100

Integrating Oracle ApEx & Oracle eBusiness Suite ‐ Slide #33
eBusiness Suite Security Model

• Create an Application
• Application: ApEx Applications
• Short Name: APEX
• Basepath: APEX_TOP
• Description: Oracle ApEx Applications

Integrating Oracle ApEx & Oracle eBusiness Suite ‐ Slide #34
eBusiness Suite Security Model

• Register a Data Group

• Query for your Data Group (typically “Standard”)
• Application: APEX Applications
• Oracle ID: APPS

Integrating Oracle ApEx & Oracle eBusiness Suite ‐ Slide #35
eBusiness Suite Security Model

• Create a Responsibility for Each ApEx Application

• Responsibility Name: Oracle ApEx Applications
• Application: ApEx Applications
• Responsibility Key: APEX_APPS
• Available From:
Oracle Self Service
Web Applications
• Data Group Name:
Standard
• Application: ApEx
Applications
• Menu: Oracle ApEx
Applications

Integrating Oracle ApEx & Oracle eBusiness Suite ‐ Slide #36
eBusiness Suite Security Model

• Create a Package in the APPS Schema:

create or replace package apex_launcher
is
procedure launch_100;
end apex_launcher;
/
create or replace package body apex_launcher
as
procedure launch_100
as
begin
f(p=>'100:1');
end;
end apex_launcher;
/

Integrating Oracle ApEx & Oracle eBusiness Suite ‐ Slide #37
eBusiness Suite Security Model

• Grant Execute on the Package to

PUBLIC
grant execute on apex_launcher to public;

Integrating Oracle ApEx & Oracle eBusiness Suite ‐ Slide #38
eBusiness Suite Security Model

• Assign Responsibility to Users

• Assign the Responsibility to appropriate
users
• An Apache bounce may be needed for
users to see the new Responsibility on
their Portal Page

Integrating Oracle ApEx & Oracle eBusiness Suite ‐ Slide #39
eBusiness Suite Security Model

• Secure ApEx Application with an

Authorization Scheme based on a
Responsibility
• More about this next

Integrating Oracle ApEx & Oracle eBusiness Suite ‐ Slide #40
eBusiness Suite Security Model

• Best Practices:
• At Least One Responsibility per ApEx
Application
• Additional Responsibilities can be added for
different user classes (Admin, Read Only, etc.)
• Define and adhere to a Naming Standard
• Start all ApEx eBusiness Suite items with
APEX_<APP_NAME>

Integrating Oracle ApEx & Oracle eBusiness Suite ‐ Slide #41
eBusiness Suite Security Model Benefits

• Single Point of Administration

• All access to applications is maintained in the
COTS System Administration screens
• Data stored in COTS tables FND_USER,
FND_USER_RESP_GROUPS &
FND_RESPONSIBILITY
• Easier to Manage Access
• Easily determine who has access to which
application

Integrating Oracle ApEx & Oracle eBusiness Suite ‐ Slide #42
eBusiness Suite Security Model Benefits

• Programmatically Add and Remove

Responsibilities via APIs in your ApEx
Applications
• fnd_user_pkg.AddResp(user, app_short_name,
resp_key, data_group, comment, start_date,
end_date);
• fnd_user_pkg.DelResp(user, app_short_name,
resp_key, data_group);

Integrating Oracle ApEx & Oracle eBusiness Suite ‐ Slide #43
Integration Points

• Custom Application
• Single Sign On Server
• eBusiness Suite Security Model
• Authorization Schemes
• Workflow
• Administration & Monitoring

Integrating Oracle ApEx & Oracle eBusiness Suite ‐ Slide #44
Authorization Schemes

• Authorization Schemes are built-in

ApEx security components
• Can be associated with almost
anything – from an entire Application to
a Report Column
• Based on a variety of criteria
• Item = Value, PL/SQL Function, Exists/Not
Exists Query

Integrating Oracle ApEx & Oracle eBusiness Suite ‐ Slide #45
Authorization Schemes

User
Applications
User
Pages
User
Tabs

Responsibility Authorization Scheme

Menu Regions

Function Items
Function
Report Columns
Function

Oracle eBusiness Suite Oracle ApEx

Integrating Oracle ApEx & Oracle eBusiness Suite ‐ Slide #46
Authorization Schemes

User
Applications
User
Pages
User
Tabs

Responsibility Authorization Scheme

Menu Regions

Function Items
Function
Report Columns
Function

Oracle eBusiness Suite Oracle ApEx

Integrating Oracle ApEx & Oracle eBusiness Suite ‐ Slide #47
Authorization Schemes

• Sample Authorization Exists Scheme

select 1 from apps.fnd_user_resp_groups ur,

apps.fnd_user u, apps.fnd_responsibility r
where u.user_name = :APP_USER
and u.user_id = ur.user_id
and ur.responsibility_id = r.responsibility_id
and r.responsibility_key like 'APEX_APP100%'
and (ur.end_date is null or ur.end_date > sysdate)

Integrating Oracle ApEx & Oracle eBusiness Suite ‐ Slide #48
Authorization Schemes

• Best Practices:
• Create multiple Authorization Schemes &
Responsibilities per Application based on User
Roles
• Set Authorization Scheme to
Per Session, not Per Page View
• Choose a Unique Naming Standard for
Responsibility Keys
• Default Role: APEX_APP100
• Admin Role: APEX_APP100_ADMIN
• Update Role: APEX_APP100_UPDATE
• This way, any user with APEX_APP100% can gain
default level access to the system

Integrating Oracle ApEx & Oracle eBusiness Suite ‐ Slide #49
Integration Points

• Custom Application
• Single Sign On Server
• eBusiness Suite Security Model
• Authorization Schemes
• Workflow
• Administration & Monitoring

Integrating Oracle ApEx & Oracle eBusiness Suite ‐ Slide #50
Workflow

• Supplement Notifications
• Response Processing

Integrating Oracle ApEx & Oracle eBusiness Suite ‐ Slide #51
Workflow

• Supplement Notifications
• Some notifications require additional data
to be input
• Before ApEx, hand-coded forms were used
to select the data
• Inefficient, not secure, hard to maintain
• A simple 1-page ApEx Application was
created to facilitate data entry

Integrating Oracle ApEx & Oracle eBusiness Suite ‐ Slide #52
Workflow

• Before ApEx:
• Over 750 lines of PL/SQL
& JavaScript code
• Most of it for validating the
Due Date field
• Can’t Search Report
• Can’t Sort Report
• No Security
• 2 days Development
Time

Integrating Oracle ApEx & Oracle eBusiness Suite ‐ Slide #53
Workflow

• With ApEx
• 2 ApEx Pages &
35 Lines of Code
(96% savings!)
• Searchable Report
• Sort by Any Column
• Integrated with Single
Sign On Security
• 30 minutes Development
Time

Integrating Oracle ApEx & Oracle eBusiness Suite ‐ Slide #54
Workflow

• Response Processing
• Substitute for Workflow Response
Processing
• Used ApEx because IMAP port cannot be
opened

Integrating Oracle ApEx & Oracle eBusiness Suite ‐ Slide #55
Workflow

• User receives Workflow Notification

• Notification has custom links
• User clicks a link
• A key is sent to ApEx
• If it’s a valid Key, the Response is
Processed
• Otherwise, the attempt is logged and
no action is taken
Integrating Oracle ApEx & Oracle eBusiness Suite ‐ Slide #56
Workflow

1) User receives a Workflow Notification via E-Mail

Integrating Oracle ApEx & Oracle eBusiness Suite ‐ Slide #57
Workflow

A$4KN#s(1n@d)9no

2) User clicks on a custom link in the E-Mail which

contains a unique Key

Integrating Oracle ApEx & Oracle eBusiness Suite ‐ Slide #58
Workflow

A$4KN#s(1n@d)9no

KEY VALID USERNAME ACTION

A$4KN#s(1n@d)9no Y SCOTT Approve
Item
%d92(!kMX0Ss)31q6 Y SHANNON Start
Approval

3) The Key is sent to Oracle ApEx where it is checked

against a table of valid keys

Integrating Oracle ApEx & Oracle eBusiness Suite ‐ Slide #59
Workflow

A$4KN#s(1n@d)9no

KEY VALID USERNAME ACTION

A$4KN#s(1n@d)9no N SCOTT Approve
Item
%d92(!kMX0Ss)31q6 Y SHANNON Start
Approval

4) If the Key is valid & matches the signed on user,

the action is taken and the key is then invalidated

Integrating Oracle ApEx & Oracle eBusiness Suite ‐ Slide #60
Workflow

Ks*3mD4(*%mdSd24%

KEY VALID USERNAME ACTION

A$4KN#s(1n@d)9no Y SCOTT Approve
Item
%d92(!kMX0Ss)31q6 Y SHANNON Start
Approval

5) If the Key is invalid, the IP Address and

Invalid Key is logged and no action is taken

Integrating Oracle ApEx & Oracle eBusiness Suite ‐ Slide #61
Workflow Benefits

• Easy to enhance standard Notifications

• Less Code to Maintain
• Another way to handle Response
Processing

Integrating Oracle ApEx & Oracle eBusiness Suite ‐ Slide #62
Integration Points

• Custom Application
• Single Sign On Server
• eBusiness Suite Security Model
• Authorization Schemes
• Workflow
• Administration & Monitoring

Integrating Oracle ApEx & Oracle eBusiness Suite ‐ Slide #63
Administration & Monitoring

• Simple to build ApEx Admin &

Monitoring applications
• Can call eBusiness Suite APIs
• Create and Remove Users &
Responsibilities
• Useful for Auditing Reports and Charts
• Can be in the same application but
restricted by a Responsibility to Admin
Users

Integrating Oracle ApEx & Oracle eBusiness Suite ‐ Slide #64
 Another Quick Example

Integrating Oracle ApEx & Oracle eBusiness Suite ‐ Slide #65
eBusiness Suite Supplement

• PGA of America runs

Oracle Financials 11i
• Plain Vanilla Implementation with No
Customizations
• Small organization with an even smaller IT
department
• In the process of consolidating Accounting
for all 41 sections
• Oracle ApEx Reference
• http://htmldb.oracle.com/references

Integrating Oracle ApEx & Oracle eBusiness Suite ‐ Slide #66
eBusiness Suite Supplement

• Dashboard Application
• Monitors Key Financial Statistics
• First Version was Live in a Week
• Purse Management System
• Pays tournament winners
• Integrated with
• SiteMinder Single Sign On
• Oracle Project Accounting,
Purchasing & Payables
• Total Cost Savings of over $250,000

Integrating Oracle ApEx & Oracle eBusiness Suite ‐ Slide #67
 “Demo”

Integrating Oracle ApEx & Oracle eBusiness Suite ‐ Slide #68
Migrating from Forms

• Stateless vs. Stateful

• Reuse DB Objects & PL/SQL
• Look & Feel
• Events – Same but Different
• AJAX for Client/Server UI Components

Integrating Oracle ApEx & Oracle eBusiness Suite ‐ Slide #69
Integrating Oracle ApEx & Oracle eBusiness Suite ‐ Slide #70