Related User’s Guides

Oracle Applications shares business and setup information with other

Oracle Applications products. Therefore, you may want to refer to
other user’s guides when you set up and use Oracle Applications.
You can read the guides online by choosing Library from the
expandable menu on your HTML help window, by reading from the
Oracle Applications Document Library CD included in your media
pack, or by using a Web browser with a URL that your system
administrator provides.
If you require printed guides, you can purchase them from the Oracle
Store at http://oraclestore.oracle.com.

Installation and System Administration

Oracle Applications Concepts

This guide provides an introduction to the concepts, features,
technology stack, architecture, and terminology for Oracle Applications
Release 11i. It provides a useful first book to read before an installation
of Oracle Applications. This guide also introduces the concepts behind
Applications–wide features such as Business Intelligence (BIS),
languages and character sets, and Self–Service Web Applications.

Installing Oracle Applications

This guide provides instructions for managing the installation of Oracle
Applications products. In Release 11i, much of the installation process
is handled using Oracle Rapid Install, which minimizes the time to
install Oracle Applications, the Oracle8 technology stack, and the
Oracle8i Server technology stack by automating many of the required
steps. This guide contains instructions for using Oracle Rapid Install
and lists the tasks you need to perform to finish your installation. You
should use this guide in conjunction with individual product user’s
guides and implementation guides.

Upgrading Oracle Applications

Refer to this guide if you are upgrading your Oracle Applications
Release 10.7 or Release 11.0 products to Release 11i. This guide
describes the upgrade process and lists database and product–specific
upgrade tasks. You must be either at Release 10.7

Preface xiii
 (NCA, SmartClient, or character mode) or Release 11.0, to upgrade to
Release 11i. You cannot upgrade to Release 11i directly from releases
prior to 10.7.

Maintaining Oracle Applications

Use this guide to help you run the various AD utilities, such as
AutoUpgrade, AutoPatch, AD Administration, AD Controller, AD
Relink, License Manager, and others. It contains how–to steps,
screenshots, and other information that you need to run the AD
utilities. This guide also provides information on maintaining the
Oracle applications file system and database.

Oracle Applications System Administrator’s Guide

This guide provides planning and reference information for the Oracle
Applications System Administrator. It contains information on how to
define security, customize menus and online help, and manage
concurrent processing.

Oracle Alert User’s Guide

This guide explains how to define periodic and event alerts to monitor
the status of your Oracle Applications data.

Other Implementation Documentation

Oracle Applications Product Update Notes

Use this guide as a reference for upgrading an installation of Oracle
Applications. It provides a history of the changes to individual Oracle
Applications products between Release 11.0 and Release 11i. It includes
new features, enhancements, and changes made to database objects,
profile options, and seed data for this interval.

Oracle Workflow Developer’s Guide

This guide explains how to define new workflow business processes
and customize existing Oracle Applications–embedded workflow
processes. It also describes how to define and customize business
events and event subscriptions.

xiv Oracle Applications User’s Guide

 Oracle Workflow User’s Guide
This guide describes how Oracle Applications users can view and
respond to workflow notifications and monitor the progress of their
workflow processes.

Oracle Workflow API Reference

This guide describes the APIs provided for developers and
administrators to access Oracle Workflow.

Oracle Applications Flexfields Guide

This guide provides flexfields planning, setup, reference, and ongoing
maintenance information. This manual also provides information on
creating custom reports on flexfields data.

Oracle eTechnical Reference Manuals

Each eTechnical Reference Manual (eTRM) contains database diagrams
and a detailed description of database tables, forms, reports, and
programs for a specific Oracle Applications product. This information
helps you convert data from your existing applications, integrate
Oracle Applications data with non–Oracle applications, and write
custom reports for Oracle Applications. Oracle eTRM is available on
MetaLink.

Oracle Applications Message Reference Manual

This manual describes all Oracle Applications messages. This manual is
available in HTML format on the documentation CD–ROM for Release
11i.

Training and Support

Training
Oracle offers a complete set of training courses to help you and your
staff master Oracle Applications and reach full productivity quickly.
These courses are organized into functional learning paths, so you take
only those courses appropriate to your job or area of responsibility.
You have a choice of educational environments. You can attend courses
offered by Oracle University at any one of our many Education
Centers, you can arrange for our trainers to teach at your facility, or

Preface xv
 you can use Oracle Learning Network (OLN), Oracle University’s
online education utility. In addition, Oracle training professionals can
tailor standard courses or develop custom courses to meet your needs.
For example, you may want to use your organization structure,
terminology, and data as examples in a customized training session
delivered at your own facility.

Support
From on–site support to central support, our team of experienced
professionals provides the help and information you need to keep
Oracle Applications working for you. This team includes your
Technical Representative, Account Manager, and
Oracle’s large staff of consultants and support specialists with expertise
in your business area, managing an Oracle8i server, and your hardware
and software environment.

Do Not Use Database Tools to Modify Oracle Applications Data

Oracle STRONGLY RECOMMENDS that you never use SQL*Plus,
Oracle Data Browser, database triggers, or any other tool to modify
Oracle Applications data unless otherwise instructed.
Oracle provides powerful tools you can use to create, store, change,
retrieve, and maintain information in an Oracle database. But if you use
Oracle tools such as SQL*Plus to modify Oracle Applications data, you
risk destroying the integrity of your data and you lose the ability to
audit changes to your data.
Because Oracle Applications tables are interrelated, any change you
make using Oracle Applications can update many tables at once. But
when you modify Oracle Applications data using anything other than
Oracle Applications, you may change a row in one table without
making corresponding changes in related tables. If your tables get out
of synchronization with each other, you risk retrieving erroneous
information and you risk unpredictable results throughout Oracle
Applications.
When you use Oracle Applications to modify your data, Oracle
Applications automatically checks that your changes are valid. Oracle
Applications also keeps track of who changes information. If you enter
information into database tables using database tools, you may store
invalid information. You also lose the ability to track who has changed

xvi Oracle Applications User’s Guide

 your information because SQL*Plus and other database tools do not
keep a record of changes.

About Oracle
Oracle Corporation develops and markets an integrated line of
software products for database management, applications
development, decision support, and office automation, as well as
Oracle Applications, an integrated suite of more than 160 software
modules for financial management, supply chain management,
manufacturing, project systems, human resources and customer
relationship management.
Oracle products are available for mainframes, minicomputers, personal
computers, network computers and personal digital assistants,
allowing organizations to integrate different computers, different
operating systems, different networks, and even different database
management systems, into a single, unified computing and information
resource.
Oracle is the world’s leading supplier of software for information
management, and the world’s second largest software company. Oracle
offers its database, tools, and applications products, along with related
consulting, education, and support services, in over 145 countries
around the world.

Your Feedback
Thank you for using Oracle Applications and this user’s guide.
Oracle values your comments and feedback. At the end of this guide is
a Reader’s Comment Form you can use to explain what you like or
dislike about Oracle Applications or this user’s guide. Mail your
comments to the following address or call us directly at (650) 506–7000.
Oracle Applications Documentation Manager
Oracle Corporation
500 Oracle Parkway
Redwood Shores, CA 94065
U.S.A.
Or, send electronic mail to [email protected].

Preface xvii
xviii Oracle Applications User’s Guide
CHAPTER

1 Getting Started

T his chapter introduces you to Oracle Applications. Specifically,

this chapter teaches you how to:
• Start Oracle Applications
• Use Oracle Applications menus
• Use keyboard shortcuts
• Get help in Oracle Applications
• Exit from Oracle Applications
In addition, this chapter also lists some basic graphical user interface
terms used throughout the guide.

Getting Started 1–1

Overview of Oracle Applications
Oracle Applications is a tightly–integrated family of application
products that share a common look and feel. Using the menus and
windows of Oracle Applications, you have access to all the functions
you need to manage your business information.
Oracle Applications is highly responsive to users, supporting a
multi–window graphical user interface (GUI) that provides you with
full point–and–click capability. You can use your mouse or keyboard to
operate graphical controls such as pull–down menus, buttons, poplists,
and check boxes.
In addition, Oracle Applications offers many other features such as
field–to–field validation and list of values to help you simplify data
entry and maintain the integrity of the data you enter.
The best way to familiarize yourself with the common look and feel of
Oracle Applications products is to log in and use the products. This
chapter describes how to get started with Oracle Applications and
provides you with the basic information you need to explore Oracle
Applications in greater depth.
Suggestion: This guide teaches you how to use the Oracle
Applications GUI and other common Oracle Applications
features. If you need specific information about a particular
Oracle Applications product, you should consult the help or
reference guide for that product. For example, if you wish to
learn how to enter a journal, you should consult the Oracle
General Ledger User’s Guide or the Oracle Public Sector General
Ledger User’s Guide.

Basic Business Needs

Oracle Applications provides you with features you need for your
business. With Oracle Applications you can:
• Learn how to use the system quickly. Oracle Applications uses
familiar and easy–to–use menus so you, your staff, and your new
employees can be productive after a few minutes of coaching
from a colleague.
• Be productive even if you are a novice user. A simple, intuitive
graphical user interface (GUI) lets you use all of the power of
Oracle Applications.

1–2 Oracle Applications User’s Guide

 • Increase your productivity as a power user. When you become
familiar with Oracle Applications, you can use shortcuts in the
graphical user interface to quickly navigate and work with
multiple windows at once.
• Get help when you need it. Context–sensitive online help is
always available whenever you need assistance.
• Secure your application data from unauthorized access. You
can control access to your application data and customize the
windows available for each user based on that user’s level of
authority.

Basic GUI Terminology

Before using Oracle Applications, you should familiarize yourself with
the specifics of your GUI environment and how to perform basic tasks,
such as using a menu or selecting an item. In doing so, you should
come across and become familiar with the following generic terms:
desktop The part of your computer monitor that displays
information and where your work takes place.
This is also referred to as your screen.
window A box around a set of related information on your
desktop.
menu A list that appears in a bar across the top of a
window that consists of commands or actions you
can perform.
click Quickly press and release a mouse button while the
mouse pointer is on a particular item.
double–click Rapidly click a mouse button twice while the
mouse pointer is on a particular item.
drag Move the mouse while holding down a mouse
button.
select Mark an item. Examples include highlighting text,
or clicking on a value from a list.
choose Select an item and initiate the action associated
with the item. Examples include choosing a menu
item or choosing a button.
scroll bar A vertical or horizontal bar that appears on a
window whose contents are not entirely visible.

Getting Started 1–3

 Click on the arrows, or drag on the box of a scroll
bar to scroll through the hidden contents, or click
in the bar itself to move to either the previous or
next page.
Note: The mouse button that we refer to in the terms above is
the mouse button that you program for selecting text and
choosing items. (Usually the left mouse button)
Once you get started in Oracle Applications, you can refer to the Oracle
Applications User Interface section of this guide for a more
comprehensive list of user interface terms. See: Oracle Applications
User Interface: page 2 – 2.

1–4 Oracle Applications User’s Guide

Starting Oracle Applications
To start Oracle Applications, you need to:
• Start up your computer system
• Start your Web Browser
• Start the Oracle Applications program
• Log on to Oracle Applications

Starting and Logging On

The first step in starting Oracle Applications is to enter the appropriate
URL for your site in an Oracle Applications certified browser.
After starting Oracle Applications, the first window you see is the
Login window.

Getting Started 1–5

 You need an Oracle Applications username and password, also known
as an Oracle Applications sign–on, to log on to Oracle Applications. It
is different from the username and password you use to log on to your
computer. If you are not sure of your Oracle Applications sign–on,
consult your system administrator.
Oracle Applications security is based on your Oracle Applications
sign–on. Your sign–on connects you to your responsibilities, which
control your access to applications, functions, reports, and data.
Note: The exact appearance of your login window may vary
depending on how it is customized at your site.

1–6 Oracle Applications User’s Guide