Oracle Applications Interview Questions (FAQS)

Q1. What should I do if the Purchase Document Open Interface (PDOI) process fails?

A: The first thing is to check for the error message and examine description from the po_interface_errors table for the given interface_header_id. The description would be self explanatory. Accordingly check for the data in the po_headers_interface, po_lines_interface tables and correct them and run the PDOI again with the corrected data. 

  

Q2. How do I to get the log file for the PDOI run?

A: To get the log file for the PDOI set the following profile option to Yes : PO: Write server output to file.

  

Q3. How to view/purge and correct the errors tables?

A: To view the errors run the following Report:
Purchasing interface open report. 
To Purge the error table run the following Report: 
Purge purchasing open interface processed data report. 

  

Q4. What do I do when POs are not being picked up by PDOI and these records remain in pending status?

A: Check if the client is a single org instance. If you are using single org instance then you are not supposed to populate the org_id in the interface tables. Org_id should be null for a single org implementation.

  

Q5. How should I populate the project and task information in PDOI?

A: The point to be noted here is that always populate project name and task name into the project and task column of po_headers_interface table instead of project number and task number. Based on project name and task name PDOI derives the project_id and task_id and inserts in the po_distributions table. 

  

Q6. What should I do if PDOI errors out with "po_pdoi_invalid_dest_type destination type (value = expense) is not valid" for expense items?

A: This Error can arise out of following situation: 
1. Validation of destination organization id fails. 
2. Validation of destination type code fails. 
3. Item_id is NULL and destination_type_code is INVENTORY. 
4. Validation of destination subinventory fails. 
5. Destination_type_code in ('SHOP FLOOR','EXPENSE') and destination_subinventory is not null. 
6. Validation of destination organization id fails. 

  

Q7. How and when are the Blanket effective dates updated though PDOI?

A: If you are using the UPDATE action code then PDOI only VALIDATES the line level info. If you want to update headers then use REPLACE instead of UPDATE. By using UPDATE you can only update some columns at the PO lines level as mentioned in the users guide. 

  

Q8. What should I do if PDOI errors out with "ship to organization id (value=769) specified is inactive or invalid" when creating new items on the fly?

A: This has been taken upon as an enhancement. Previously we were not creating an item for the destination/ship_to_org in the PDOI run. But as part of the enhancement 2064961 now we create items for the ship_to_org also.

  

Q9. Why are supply records are not created for standard purchase orders?

A: Supply records are created in mtl_supply while approving the PO and since prior to Procurement family pack G, we were not supporting approved standard purchase orders we were not creating the supply records.

  

Q10. Can you update documents via PDOI which were created manually?

A: No. Please check the enhancement 2128450.

  

Q11. When using encumbrance accounting I want the funds to be reserved and encumbrance entries created in gl_bc_packets?

A: The functionality is part of Procurement Family Pack G or Release 11.5.7.

  

Q12. Why does PDOI error out with "ora-00001 unique constraint violation in po_headers_u2"?

A: Though this issue may occur rarely but it can and its explained below: 
The document number is generated at the end of the PDOI process before commit and updated in the po_headers table. When the PDOI process starts, po_headers table is updated with poi_temp_po_b679535 value in segment1 and then later after headers and lines are processed document_number is generated and the po_headers is updated with that. Assume for any reason on account of an incomplete transaction there is a record in po_headers table with poi_temp_po_b679535 value in segment1 then PDOI would fail with the above error message. So just check for a record in po_headers table with poi_temp_po_b679535 value of the segment1 for this error. 

  

Q13. What should I do when PDOI creates approved standard purchase orders but no charge account is being generated?

A: We do not support importing approved standard purchase orders. But in the Procurement Family Pack G onwards this feature has been added. 

  

Q14. How do we debug when PDOI does not create any Pos?

A: Two methods can be employed: 
1. Before running the PDOI program, set the profile option �PO :Write server output to file� to 'Yes' and then you can view the log file thus generated while running the PDOI. 
2. After the PDOI is run, run the report 'Purchasing interface error report' to debug what is the exact error. 

  

Q15. I had submitted the PDOI conc. request for updating the unit_price of a blanket purchase agreement line with an action of "UPDATE". PDOI instead of updating the line, has created a new line with new price. Every updated line is being created multiple times. How can this be avoided?

A: This might be because the line you are trying to update is already expired. PDOI creates another line with the updated information if the line which is getting updated is already expired. 

  

Q16. How is data deleted from the interface tables after it has been loaded?

A: After successful creation of data through PDOI, the process_code in the interface tables will be set to 'Accepted'. If the Customer wants to delete this interface data which is used no more then they need to run the concurrent request 'Purge purchasing interface processed data'. 

  

Q17. Is there an example script to load new blanket, new item and new sourcing rule?

A: Yes. Please see the script below: 

insert into po_headers_interface 
(interface_header_id, 
action, 
org_id, 
document_type_code, 
vendor_id, 
vendor_site_code, 
vendor_site_id, 
effective_date, 
expiration_date, 
Vendor_doc_num,
load_sourcing_rules_flag)
values 
(po_headers_interface_s.nextval,
'ORIGINAL', 
204, 
'BLANKET',
21, 
'SANTA CLARA',
41, 
'01-JAN-2001',
'01-JAN-2002', 
'VENDOR02', 
'Y'); 
insert into po_lines_interface
(interface_line_id,
interface_header_id,
action, 
item, 
item_description,
unit_price, 
unit_of_measure,
effective_date, 
expiration_date,
template_name, 
sourcing_rule_name)
values 
(po_lines_interface_s.nextval,
po_headers_interface_s.currval,
'ORIGINAL', 
'BB54888', 
'BB54888 Description',
10, 
'Each',
'01-JAN-2001',
'01-JAN-2002',
'Purchased Item',
'Sourcing Rule BB54888'); 

  

Q18. I had loaded all the data into the interface tables and with process_code as 'PENDING'. I run the PDOI program, but data is not getting picked up by PDOI. The records remain in status 'PENDING' in the interface tables. What do I do?

A: Check whether client is single org. If they are single org, then they should not populate org_id into the interface tables. make the org_id null in the interface tables and re-run PDOI. 

  

Q19. I want to update header of a document. Is it possible via PDOI?

A: No. It is not possible to update header information but only line information can be updated from PDOI. you can use 'Replace' option to replace the entire document in this case.

  

Q20. I am trying to update item description through PDOI. The program is updating the item description at the line level but is not updating the same at item master.

A: This is desired functionality of PDOI. PDOI will only update the item description at the line level and not at item master.

FAQ Details

Q1. What is Receiving functionality?

A: Receipt of goods from vendors/suppliers, internal organizations and customers originating from procurement activities and documents including but not limited to purchase orders, releases, internal requisitions, Return Material Authorizations and intransit shipments

  

Q2. What are the different Source Types supported?

A: Internal Orders - An internal sales order sourced from Inventory.
These are generated from internal requisitions:
Inventory - A transfer within inventory
Vendor - A purchase Order/releases from a vendor

  

Q3. What are the different Destination Types used?

A: Multiple - One shipment has more than one distributions. 
When choosing receiving routing = Direct Receipt or Substitute Direct, you need to click the "+" sign on the receipt line to open the distributions, then do the receipt and delivery. 

Receiving - When choosing receiving routing = Standard Receipt or Substitute Standard, destination type = Receiving. The Goods are only received to Receiving dock, Not Expense or Inventory destination. Delivery is not performed. 

Expense - The goods are delivered directly to the requestor and expensed out of inventory.

Inventory - The goods are received directly into inventory upon delivery. 
Destination organization and subinventory are required. 
The locator or serial numbers are required if the item is locator controlled or serial controlled.

Shop floor - The goods are received from an outside processing operation defined by Oracle Work in Process.

  

Q4. What can Receiving Routing be used for and how does it default?

A: Direct Delivery - Perform Receive and Delivery on Receipts Screen at the same time. 
3-way matching.
Standard Receipt - Perform Receive on Receipts screen. 
Perform Delivery on Receiving Transactions screen.
3-way matching.
Inspection Required - The inspection is required after Receiving and before Delivery.
4-way matching.

You can override the Receiving Routing on the Receipts screen only if the Profile RCV: Allow Routing Override is set to 'Yes'.

The Receiving Routing on the receipts screen is defaulted as follows:
1. Purchase Order shipment
2. if 1 is null, then Item Attribute
3. if 2 is null, then Vendor Attribute
4. if 3 is null, then Receiving Option

  

Q5. What Receiving Mode will be used?

A: This is determined by the value from Personal Profile RCV: Processing Mode

On-Line - Receiving Transaction Manager processes the receipts just after you save the receipt.

Immediate - After you save the receipt, the receipt records are inserted into rcv_transactions_interface. 
The System will run the Receiving Transaction Processor to process the records in the rcv_transacitons_interface as background process. The user can do other things while the process is running.

Batch - Receipt records are inserted into rcv_transactions_interface.
The user needs to manually to run the Receiving Transaction Processor as concurrent request to process the records in 
the rcv_transacitons_interface.

  

Q6. How many Transaction Types exist?

A: Receive - Receive the items into Receiving Dock.
Deliver - Deliver the items into expense or inventory destination.
Return to Vendor - Return the received items directly to vendors.
Return to Receiving - Return the delivered items to Receiving Dock or inspection.
Accept - Accept items following an inspection.
Reject - Reject items following an inspection.
Transfer - Transfer items between locations.
Correct - Enter a positive or negative adjustment to a receiving or delivery transaction.
Match - Match unordered receipts to purchase orders.
Unordered - Receive items without purchase orders

  

Q7. How does Receipt Close Point work?

A: Navigate: Define Purchase Option -> Control Options -> Receipt Close Point

There are three choices: 
Accepted - Oracle Purchasing closes the shipment for receiving when you record the shipment as being fully accepted.

Delivered - Oracle Purchasing closes the shipment for receiving when you record the shipment as being fully delivered.

Received - Oracle Purchasing closes the shipment for receiving when you record the shipment as being fully received. 
Oracle Purchasing displays this option as the default.

You also need to set the receipt close tolerance percentage in the Default Options Region. Choose one of the above values for the receipt close point.

  

Q8. Why isn't my PO found when I Query for it on the Receipt form?

A: Please check the following:
1. Query the PO from the Purchase Order form and note the Organization on the Shipment. Ensure you are using the same Organization on the Receipt form.
2. On the Receipt form, select the checkbox for 'Include closed POs' then requery the PO.

  

Q9. After completing the Receipt (Navigate - Receiving - Receipts), why can't I find the receipt in the Receiving Transaction Summary?

A: 1. From Transaction Status Summary query for the Receipt Number or PO number and check to see if the transactions have been stuck in the interface (Status=Pending).
2. If using RCV: Process mode = Batch, make sure to run the Receiving Transaction Processor.
3. If using RCV: Process mode = Batch or Immediate...go to Concurrent Request screen...check to see if the concurrent process = Receiving Transaction Processor is finished.

  

Q10. What is Receiving Transaction Manager RCVOLTM?

A: RCVOLTM is the executable that runs the Online Receiving Transactions.
The Executable is stored in the server ($PO_/bin)
You can check the versions by the following command:
cd $PO_/bin
strings -a RCVOLTM|grep -i '$header: rv'

  

Q11. How many processes are needed for the Receiving Transaction Manager?

A: In most cases, there are 3 processes. If you are in multi-org environment, then you need at least one for each operating unit.
Ensure that there are at the same number of actual and target processes.

  

Q12. What happens if Receiving Transaction Manager fails using on-line mode?

A: If the RCVOLTM fails, you will get the error message on the screen.
There should be nothing stuck in the RCV_TRANACTIONS_INTERFACE. However, the header information inserted into the RCV_SHIPMENT_HEADERS table will not rollback or be deleted. This process is followed to ensure that there is no break to the sequence of receipt numbers that have been generated when a header transaction was inserted.

Potential workaround for failed receipts:
Where there are headers without shipment lines, due to RCVOLTM failure, users can query the receipt number in the Enter Receipts form, and perform an 'Add to' receipt, to re-process the failed lines.

  

Q13. What are the typical causes of RCVOLTM failure?

A: 1. Receiving transaction managers may not be up and running.
Use the Administer Concurrent Manager form to check if Receiving Transaction Manager is Active, and make sure the Actual and Target process > 0
2. An SQL error has occurred due to insufficient tablespace, etc. Please check the Alert log.
3. Make sure Inventory Manager is running if receiving against inventory items.

  

Q14. How does RCVOLTM work in a Multi-org environment?

A: Since release 11 and 11i, there is only one DATA GROUP = apps schema and one installation for multiple operating units. We do not need to define multiple Receiving Managers for different operating unit. One Receiving Manager typically is sufficient.

  

Q15. What are the differences between Batch, Immediate and on-line mode?

A: Three choices on Profile RCV: Processing Mode:
Immediate
Batch
On-line

Immediate: the form will start running Receiving Transaction Processor as a background process. The system will not hold the screen and the user can do something else. Uses Receiving Transaction Processor (RVCTP). This essentially can be thought of as an immediate execution of the batch process hence the term "Immediate"

On-line: The user will not be able to perform any other application activities until the process completes. Uses Receiving
Transaction Manager (RCVOLTM). This is an online process that will return any encountered errors to the user online while the process is running.

Batch: Control is returned to the User immediately so other application activities may be performed. The transaction will be processed by running Concurrent Program Receiving Transaction Processor (RVCTP). Typically, Customers will run this program periodically based on their processing and system requirements. This process is or can be run as a batch process on the server or it can be manually run by submitting from the concurrent process screen. All records in the interface under the batch process will be transacted.

Note: Beginning with Release 11, Trace Mode can be set for the Concurrent Program for the debug purpose:
System Administrator Responsibility -> Concurrent -> Program -> Define
Query for Receiving Transaction Processor and select Enable Trace checkbox. To create a trace file, set Personal Profile RCV: Processing Mode to Batch, perform a Receipt then run Concurrent Program Receiving Transaction Processor.

  

Q16. What are the major receiving tables involved?

A: RCV_SHIPMENT_HEADERS
RCV_SHIPMENT_LINES
RCV_TRANSACTIONS
RCV_RECEIVING_SUB_LEDGER