Query Manager:

Tips and Tricks

 Rahul Nori
PeopleSoft Application Development Supervisor
State of Minnesota
[email protected]
Work Buddy –
Betsy!
My Role
State of Minnesota
• IT Manager for application development in HCM and ELM
• Developer/Technical lead on the HCM 9.2, FMS 9.2, HUB 9.1 and
PeopleTools 8.57 upgrade projects
• Previously developed PeopleSoft Campus Solutions (CS), HCM, FSCM and
ELM applications at Capella University and North Dakota University System

Public Sector User Group

• Board Member (2018 – 2021)
• Track Chair for Public Sector –> Alliance 2020
• Vice President of Tools/Technology –> 2020 – 2021
State of Minnesota & Oracle
HCM 9.2 (PUM 29, PT 8.54.20) – PT 8.57.04 (upgrade Ongoing)
FMS 9.2 (PUM 30, PT 8.57.04) – Dec 2019
ELM 9.2 (PUM 15, PT 8.54.30) – PT 8.57.04 (upgrade Ongoing)
HUB 9.1 (PUM 8, PT 8.57.04)
EPM 9.1 (PT 8.54.30)

Oracle Database 12c

Exalogic and Exadata Infrastructure

 Overview
1. Introduction
2. A Tab-by-Tab Overview of Query Manager
3. Tips and Tricks
4. Different ways to Query Manage! 2-tier Vs 3-tier Vs 4-tier
5. Appendix: Lessons learned from PeopleSoft Upgrades
 PeopleSoft Query Basics

1 - Introduction
 What can we use PeopleSoft Query for?
• Explore and understand data
• Ad hoc reporting from Query Manager
• Scheduled Query based reporting
• Population selection
• Used as Data Sources for:
• Communications
• BI Reports
• Pivot Grids
 List of PeopleSoft Tables
HRMS: http://hrmspeoplesoft.blogspot.com/p/peopletools-tables.html
CS: http://peoplesoft.wikidot.com/campus-solutions-tables
FSCM: http://finance.fiu.edu/controller/Docs/Commonly_Used_Tables.pdf
ELM: https://peoplesofttutorial.com/complete-list-of-peoplesoft-elm-9-1-tables/
PeopleBooks: http://docs.oracle.com/cd/E29376_01/hrcs90r5/eng/psbooks/index.htm

Select RECNAME, RECDESCR

From PSRECDEFN
Where RECTYPE = 0
and RECNAME not like 'PS%'
Order by RECNAME;
Component Navigation

https://mypeoplesoftwebpage.com/psp/hcmdev/EMPLOYEE/
HRMS/c/QUERY_MANAGER.
QUERY_MANAGER.GBL
Component Navigation

SELECT DISTINCT
REVERSE(LTRIM(SYS_CONNECT_BY_PATH
(REVERSE(PORTAL_LABEL),' >- '),' >- '))
"NAVIGATION"
FROM PSPRSMDEFN P
WHERE PORTAL_OBJNAME = 'PORTAL_ROOT_OBJECT'
-- Add your Component Name Here
START WITH PORTAL_URI_SEG2 =
'QUERY_MANAGER'
CONNECT BY PRIOR PORTAL_PRNTOBJNAME =
PORTAL_OBJNAME
AND PORTAL_NAME = PRIOR PORTAL_NAME;
Component Navigation
Root > Enterprise Components > Find Object Navigation
PeopleSoft – Components Vs Pages
Records in a component
-- List of Records under a component
SELECT DISTINCT (recname) FROM psrecdefn
WHERE recname IN (SELECT DISTINCT (recname) FROM pspnlfield WHERE pnlname IN
(SELECT DISTINCT (b.pnlname) FROM pspnlgroup a, pspnlfield b
WHERE (a.pnlname = b.pnlname OR a.pnlname =b.subpnlname)
AND a.pnlgrpname = 'Component Name’ -- specify your component name)
AND recname <> ' ‘)
UNION
SELECT DISTINCT (recname) FROM pspnlfield
WHERE pnlname IN (SELECT DISTINCT (b.subpnlname) FROM pspnlgroup a,pspnlfield b
WHERE (a.pnlname = b.pnlname OR a.pnlname = b.subpnlname )
AND a.pnlgrpname = 'Component Name') -- specify your component name)
AND recname <> ' ')
AND rectype = '0' -- specify record type
order by recname asc;
Records and fields on a Page
-- List of Records and Fields used on a Page
SELECT recname, fieldname
FROM pspnlfield
WHERE pnlname = 'PageName';

-- List of Pages where a Field from a Record is used

SELECT pnlname
FROM pspnlfield
WHERE recname = 'RecordName'
AND fieldname = 'FieldName';

-- List of Records Where a Field is used

SELECT DISTINCT recname, fieldname
FROM psrecfield
WHERE fieldname = 'FieldName';
Queries that use a Record/Field
Google Chrome Extensions
• Use Plugins to identify records, manage links and features (Free ones exist for
Google Chrome) or right-click fields and use inspect element
PeopleSoft delivered Security Queries
-- List of PeopleSoft Delivered Security Queries
Select * From PSQRYDEFN Where QRYNAME Like 'PT_SEC%' Order by QRYNAME;
PT_SEC_ACCESSLOG_DAY Access activity by day PT_SEC_REN_USER User REN Access
PT_SEC_ACCESSLOG_USER User ID's Access Activity PT_SEC_ROLE_ALIASES Role Aliases
PT_SEC_APPDES_OBJECTS PLists with the App Des object PT_SEC_ROLE_CLASS Classes assigned to role.
PT_SEC_APPDES_OBJECTS_USERS Users with the App Des object PT_SEC_ROLE_CREF Role Content Reference Access
PT_SEC_CURUSER_LIST List of Active Users PT_SEC_ROLE_CREF_MENU_CMP_MKT Role CRef Menu Cmp Mkt Access
PT_SEC_MENU_PLIST Perm Lists with this Menu PT_SEC_ROLE_CREF_PORTAL Role CRef Portal Access
PT_SEC_MENU_USERS User IDs with access to menu PT_SEC_ROLE_CRF_PRT_MN_CMP_MKT Role Crf Prt Mn Cmp Mkt Access
PT_SEC_PAGES_PLIST Perm Lists with access to page PT_SEC_ROLE_PAGES Pages that a Role has Access
PT_SEC_PLIST_ALIASES Permission List Aliases PT_SEC_ROLE_SIGNONTIME Role Signon Times
PT_SEC_PLIST_APPDES_ACCESS Perm List's App Designer Acces PT_SEC_ROLE_USERS Users assigned to Role
PT_SEC_PLIST_CREF Permission List CRef Access PT_SEC_ROLE_WS_OP Role - Web Service Operations
PT_SEC_PLIST_CREF_MENU_CMP_MKT PList CRef Menu Cmp Mkt Access PT_SEC_USER_APPDES_ACCESS User ID App. Des. Access
PT_SEC_PLIST_CREF_PORTAL P List CRef Portal Access PT_SEC_USER_CREF User ID CRef Access
PT_SEC_PLIST_CR_PRT_MN_CMP_MKT PList CR Prt Mn Cmp Mkt Access PT_SEC_USER_CREF_MENU_CMP_MKT User CRef Menu Cmp Mkt Access
PT_SEC_PLIST_PAGES Pages the Perm List can Access PT_SEC_USER_CREF_PORTAL User ID CRef Portal Access
PT_SEC_PLIST_PTACCESS Perm List's PeopleTools Access PT_SEC_USER_CRF_PRT_MN_CMP_MKT User Crf Prt Mn Cmp Mkt Access
PT_SEC_PLIST_ROLES Roles assigned to Perm List PT_SEC_USER_PAGE User ID page access
PT_SEC_PLIST_SIGNON_TIME Perm List Signon Times PT_SEC_USER_PERM_LIST Users and Permission Lists
PT_SEC_PLIST_USERS Users assigned to Perm List PT_SEC_USER_PTACCESS User ID PeopleTools Access
PT_SEC_PLIST_WS_OP Web Service in Permission List PT_SEC_USER_ROLES User's Roles
PT_SEC_PTLS_PLIST Perm Lists with the PT Tool PT_SEC_USER_ROLE_PLIST_PAGE User ID, Role, P List, Pgs
PT_SEC_PTLS_USERS Users with the PT Tool PT_SEC_USER_SIGNON_TIME User ID Signon Times
PT_SEC_REN_PLIST REN Security by Perm List PT_SEC_USER_WS_OP User ID-Web Service Operation
A Tab-by-Tab Explanation of Query Manager

2 – PS Query tab-by-
tab
Root -> Reporting Tools -> Query -> Query Manager
 Records Tab
• Use the Search feature to find your records
(tables)
• Bring in tables one at a time. Know your
criteria, and then join
• Always go with the most basic tables you
can find
• We suggest avoiding views – Unless you
know what are in them
 Records Tab
• Click on Show fields to get to
this page – examine what is in it
• Click on Add record to create a
query with that record.
• Search and add more to create
joins
• Keys are marked with a Y in
front – Example has a composite
key with 6 fields
Query Tab
• You can define criteria here
using the filter icon, or on the
criteria page
• Add fields to your query by
selecting the checkboxes.
Don’t be too eager to select
too many fields at first, add
them gradually to see how
they will impact your query
• Always check to make sure
your table makes sense
before joining it in
 Query Feeds
• The Feed Publishing Framework
provides user interfaces and
application programming interfaces
(APIs) for RSS feed definition creation
and maintenance, feed searching and
subscription, as well as feed document
generation and delivery.
•  Two levels of security:
• Feed security
• Data security
• Use the Fields page to publish a query
as a feed
Expressions Tab
• A means of defining your SQL
statement – usually used in
Select & Where statements
• For now, we will only define
expressions on the criteria
page
• Anything that can be used in
an Oracle database can be
used in an expression
• The internet is a great
resource to find expressions
Prompts Tab
• Prompts are also known as bind variables
• Prompts are completely user configurable – you can decide the length, the format,
the edit type*, and specify a default value
Prompts Tab
 Fields Tab
• You can use the field tab to
define the display
information for your fields.
Based on the tables you
choose, these will be defined
for you – however (as with
everything else) they are
configurable
• You can re-order and sort
here as well
Fields Tab
• You can also change the field header and name
• Keep an eye out for translate values that can display several
different sets of values based on your choice
Criteria Tab
• Add, edit, or group criteria
• Edit auto join criteria
Criteria Tab
Choose your Operand (and, or, >, <, >=, <=, between, in list, like, equal to,
not equal to, not in list, not like)
Criteria Cont’d – Sub
Query
Joining tables
Inner Join (Standard Join) Full Outer Join Left Outer Join

Left Outer Join (Exclude B with Where) Full Outer Join (Exclude B with Where)
Standard Join
• You can do standard joins to as
many tables as you want
• PS Query will suggest Auto Join
Criteria based on field name
Left Outer Join
• To outer join, change each of
your join criteria to
[fieldname]
• Adds as a ‘belongs to’
Left Outer Join
• When adding criteria for
Left Outer Joins, make
sure you set the criteria as
ON clause of outer join
• Otherwise, the criteria will
cause your join to act as a
standard join
Having Tab
• Only used with aggregate field functions
• If you have an aggregate field that you
want to use in criteria, it must be in a
having criteria
 Dependency Tab
• Related to Composite Query

• Specify whether a record can

be pruned in Composite Query
• Specify details of a record or
field, depending on other
records or fields for pruning
 Transformations
• Allows a user-defined output
format called XFORM
• XFORM triggers a
transformation (XSLT)
• Provide the XSLT to define the
desired transformation of the
extracted data
• Pick an output format:
001, A01, ABA, AET, APC, CSS, CSV, D01, DAT, DTD, DTL, ERR, GIF, GIR,
HTM, HTML, IDX, JCD, JS, LIS, LOG, MDL, MT9, N01, NVT, NXT, OUT, PS,
SQL, STDOUT, SYS, TMP, TRC, TRN, TXT, XLSM, XLSX, XML, XSD, ZIP
 Transformations
• Can use multiple transformations in
the same query
• Preview Results in HTML
• To generate the transformed output –
Schedule the query and select
XFORM as the output format.
 View SQL Tab
• Check your work!!
• Always come back to this tab to
see how the criteria you add
factor into the SQL statement.
• Can’t modify SQL here
• If you can read it here, you can
write it in SQL developer
• You can select the ‘XLAT/Related
Language’ box to display full
SQL, leave unchecked to display
SQL without the XLAT and
Related Language joins
Run Tab
• Once you run the query, you can download the output to excel
• Rerun your query to enter new bind variables (prompts values)
Save Your work
Properties
In the Properties area,
you can select ‘Distinct’
and ‘Security Join
Optimizer’ if needed.
Properties

• Checking Security Join Optimizer can help optimize some queries by using the
same query security record for the first join and then all subsequent joins, rather
than using a different security record for each join
• Can be very useful if you have a slow running query with many joins
• Not recommended for left outer joins
Query Properties
 Some Tips for Using Query Manager

3 – Tips and Tricks

Expressions – Manipulating Strings
• NVL(A.FIRST_NAME, ‘ ’)
• Returns First name if available, if not returns
the string ‘ ’

• NVL2(A.BALANCE_AMOUNT, ‘Paid’, ‘Balance

Due’)

• Display only the last four of SSN:

‘XXX-XX-’ + SUBSTR(A.SSN, 6) = ‘XXX-XX-1234’

• New PeopleTools 8.58 Feature – Query

Masking using PeopleSoft Data Privacy
Framework
https://www.techonthenet.com
Expressions – Formatting
• TO_CHAR(sysdate, 'yyyy/mm/dd')
• Result: '2003/07/09'
• TO_CHAR(sysdate, 'Month DD, YYYY')
• Result: 'July 09, 2003’
• TO_CHAR(to_char(‘1000’, '$9,999.99’ )
• Result: $1,000.00

• TO_DATE('2003/07/09', 'yyyy/mm/dd’) -
• TO_DATE('2015/05/15 8:30:25', 'YYYY/MM/DD HH:MI:SS')
• Result: 09-JUL-03

• When comparing Date values with datetime values use TRUNC(‘DateValue’)

• date_occured >= TRUNC(SYSDATE - 30)
Expressions – Date Operations
Expressions - Decode
DECODE translates a set of values to another set of
values. Provides the ability to assign a default value.

DECODE(A.Day,
‘M’, ‘Monday’,
‘Tu’, ‘Tuesday’,
‘W’, ‘Wednesday’,
‘Th’, ‘Thursday’,
‘F’, ‘Friday’,
‘Holiday’)
 Expressions – Setting up Criteria in Bulk!
• Need to setup criteria with 100
– 1000 EMPLIDs in the Where
clause
• Data is provided in an Excel
Spreadsheet or from a SQL
Developer Query
• How do we transition that into
Query Manager Criteria?
• Excel and SQL Developer Demo
Expressions – Setting up Criteria in Bulk!
Expressions - Meta-SQL

• Meta-SQL can also be used in expressions. Meta-SQL can be used to retrieve

current date, current date time, operatorID, to get the difference between dates,
etc.
• Examples:
• %OperatorID
• %CurrentDateTimeIn
• %CurrentDateIn
• %DateDiff
• See Meta-SQL for more helpful information
 Expressions - Regular expressions
• Regular expressions are used to identify a pattern within a field, and perform an
action on the expression when used in criteria or as a field.

• REGEXP_LIKE (Field, ‘search pattern');

• REGEXP_REPLACE(Field, ‘pattern’, ‘value to replace’, position, occurrence, options)
• REGEXP_INSTR(Field, ‘pattern’, position, occurrence, begin_end, options)
• REGEXP_SUBSTR(Field, ‘pattern’, start_position, occurrence, ‘match_parameter’,
‘subexpr’)

Oracle Database Regular Expressions

Expression - Listagg

LISTAGG(A.ACTION, ', ') WITHIN GROUP

(ORDER BY A.EMPLID, A.EFFDT Desc, A.EFFSEQ Desc)
Distinct and ‘CLOB’ errors

If you are using an Oracle database, checking ‘distinct’ or using aggregate

functions may cause the following error if you are trying to display a long
description, or other field that can contain a large number of characters:
 Distinct and ‘CLOB’ errors
Solution:
• You can either uncheck ‘distinct’. If you
need to have your result be distinct,
you can use a substring expression to
take a substring of the field.
• DBMS_LOB.SUBSTR(TRIM(YOUR_FIELD)
, 500, 1)
• TO_CHAR(YOUR_FIELD)

https://blogs.bgsu.edu/geeks/2015/10/09/query-get-clobed/
 Drilling URLs
• Drilling URLs are used when you’d like to provide a functioning URL as a
column in your query.
• They are another type of expression.
 Drilling URLs
To create a drilling URL in your query, add an expression, with an expression type of
Drilling URL, and select your URL type:
Drilling URLS
To link to a component in PeopleSoft, choose component URL, and
fill out the component information that you’d like to link to, and the
action (update, etc). (you can use Cntrl +J to find component and
page info)
Drilling URLS
URL search keys pre-populate the
search area where you would
typically enter data, with the data
from your query

You must select field and setup

columns to be able to display your
URL as a column in your query
 Drilling URLS
Once you click ‘Ok’ you will see the drilling URL code in your
expression text.
Drilling URLS
In your results, you will now see the column that you selected, and
it will now be a URL based on the settings that you chose!
4 – Different ways to Manage
Queries
• Direct DB - SQL Developer
• 2-tier
• 3-tier
• 4-tier (PIA)
What are they?
What are they?
2-Tier 3-Tier 4-Tier
How to use 2-tier and 3-tier access?
How to use 2-tier and 3-tier access?
5 – Query Administration
and Performance
 Query Administration
• Query Administration provides users with the ability to manage, monitor and mitigate
queries.
• The feature is controlled by PeopleSoft security and is not part of the Report Manager
menu structure.
• Navigation:
• PeopleTools > Utilities > Administration > Query Administration
• Some of the functions provided by this functionality include:
• Assign a private query to other users
• Manage queries designed by blocked or terminated users.
• Rename or Delete a query
• Move a query to a folder
• Turn query logging on/off from runs
• Monitor execution statistics for queries
• Set timeout for query runs
• Kill queries that are hung in running state.
Query Administration
 Query Administration

On Admin Tab
Query Administration

On Executing Tab
Query Administration

On Settings Tab (Query Column Mask – 8.58)

 Performance Optimization
Use Database Hints As Expressions
• Optimizer hints can be used with SQL statements to alter execution plans. Make decisions to
override the optimizer
• Example: /*+ BIND_AWARE */
• Oracle 12c – Influencing the Optimizer:
https://docs.oracle.com/database/121/TGSQL/tgsql_influence.htm#TGSQL246
• Work with your DBA
 Query Optimization – MOS Resources
PeopleSoft Query Performance Guidelines white paper by Catalin Marinescu - Doc ID 2284809.1

Oracle MOS Documents:

E-QR: Performance Issues With Date Fields in Query Excel Output With PeopleTools 8.55 (Doc ID
2269922.1)
E-QR: Slow Navigation Between Query Manager Tabs (Doc ID 2308062.1)
E-QR: No Results In Query Administration (Doc ID 2319434.1)
E-QR: How Does Left Outer Join Logic Work With Security Tables? (Doc ID 1362716.1)
E-QR: How To Update The Query Security Join Optimizer Automatically? (Doc ID 1362653.1)
E-QR: Performance Issues with Queries containing prompts taking much longer to run than
Queries without prompts (Doc ID 621370.1)

https://support.oracle.com/epmos/faces/DocumentDisplay?id=1395740.2
 Setting Trace for PS Query
Set the trace right before the affected query is run.
• Navigate to PS_CFG_HOME\appserv\<Database Name> and open the psappsrv.cfg file.
• Locate the TraceSql= value and set it to 31.
• Save the file.
• Note: If Allow Dynamic Changes=Y, then there is no need to restart the Application Server. If
Allow Dynamic Changes=N, then the Application Server will need to be restarted.
• Navigate to Query Manager or Viewer and submit the affected query to run.
• Once complete, return to the Application Server config file and set the TraceSql= value to 0.
• Retrieve the *.tracesql file in the <ps_cfg_home>/appserv/<domain>/LOGS/ directory.

https://support.oracle.com/epmos/faces/DocumentDisplay?id=2209232.1
5 – Lessons learned from
PeopleSoft Upgrades
Issues After Upgrades
E-QR: Downloading / Running PS Queries To Excel Adds A Time Component To The
Date Field (Doc ID 2140351.1)

E-QR: After Upgrading To 8.55.19, Excel Query Output Displays Dates As 1/0/1900
(Doc ID 2354528.1)

Solutions:
• Upgrade to PeopleTools 8.56.02
• Set Timezones for DST to correct query excel output
• Create an Expression that treats this output field as a CHAR(10)
• INSERT INTO PSVERSION (OBJECTTYPENAME, VERSION) VALUES ('QRYBIFF',1) 
Issues After Upgrades

E-PIA: Query Mgr/Query Viewer "Run To Excel" Option Disabled

After Upgrading To PeopleTools 8.54 (Doc ID 2143342.1)

Solutions:
• Upgrade to PeopleTools 8.54.22
• Code Fix in QRY_VIEWER_WRK.HTML_FUNCS PeopleCode
• &bDisableExcelXML = False;
• Post 8.55 Upgrade – Clear Cache at Browser and App Server Level 
Issues After Upgrades

Queries that use a translate value pull no results

Solutions:
• View the field display on the query and make sure the translate
value effective date setting is correct. Usually Current Date is
the correct setting, others are more advanced, and need to
make sense with the query.
Issues After Upgrades
E-QR: When Deleting A Public And A Private Query Together, User Kicked Out Of PIA (Doc ID 2368845.1)

E-QR: PS Query Giving "ORA-00979: Not A GROUP BY Expression" Error When Using Aggregate Function and (+)
Join Operator(Doc ID 2118085.1)

E-QR: PS Query With Group Criteria Throws The Error "Illegal usage of parenthesis in criteria!" After PeopleTools
8.55 Upgrade (Doc ID 2278442.1)

E-QR: Composite Query Fails With ORA-01427 When Standard Pruning Is Selected. (Doc ID 2368846.1) – Solved in
8.55.24

E-QRY: Layout Issues In Delivered Query Manager Page. (Doc ID 2325679.1)

E-QR: Performance Issues With Date Fields in Query Excel Output With PeopleTools 8.55 (Doc ID 2269922.1) –
Solved in PT 8.56
QUESTIONS?

Or send email to
[email protected]
 Thank you!
This presentation and all Alliance Virtual 2020 presentations
will be available for download from the Conference site at
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