Actionable Organization Charts

Oracle has released an interesting feature to create some traction and make client want to move to Fusion. This feature is labelled as Actionable Organization Chart, and it is a new and intuitive way of looking at reporting hierarchy. Additionally, actions could be taken directly from the reporting hierarchy, and the availability of these actions can be restricted by setting up security.

The only consideration is that this is a feature from Fusion, and therefore requires a WebLogic server to run. Thus, there will need to be a connection between the WebLogic server and Oracle EBS WebServer for this feature to function.

Further documentation can be found below:

1. Using the Organization Chart Feature in Oracle SSHR [ID 1408355.1]
2. Advisor webcast by Oracle at: DOC#1455851.1> Archived 2012 > Go to the one from May 10, 2012.

Questions/ Unknowns at this point are (as received from Kerry):

a.  What technical effort is required
b.  What functional effort is required
c.  What are the sizing issues
d.  What happens to Self Service if the weblogic server goes down.

Data Encryption and Data Masking options in HRMS

This post only redirects to the following note on MOS:

What are the Data Encryption Options for HRMS? [ID 806296.1]

Controlling list of Absence Types displayed in Self-Service

I recently wrote an article for POIT Support news letter, which you can find here. The article is reproduced below:

Prior to R12.1.3, all absence types created using Oracle HRMS were displayed to users in Self-Service HR (of course, the Absence Category has to be defined on Absence Type; otherwise the Absence Type will not appear in SSHR). 

With R12.1.3, a package called HR_ABSENCE_RESTRICTED can be used to restrict the absence types displayed to users. This feature ensures that employees enter only those absences for which they are eligible, and managers do not have to verify the validity of the absence type of employee requests. So, for example, list of Absence Types visible could be based on gender or organisation that the employee belongs to. 

Technically, the above package.function is called from the AbsenceTypeVOImpl java file and the return value is appended to the AbsenceTypeVO, which controls the list of Absence Types displayed in SSHR.

This was practically implemented at one of the clients and an example is as follows: 

1. Under Add'l Absence Type Details, a DFF segment called "Display in Self-Service" was configured. This segment appears on the "Absence Type Definition" form. 

2. The business requirements is coded in the function: HR_ABSENCE_RESTRICTED.ABSENCES_RESTRICTED. This function should return a concatenated list of absence_type_id (separated by comma) that should NOT be displayed on self-service. In our case, the code could reference the DFF segment created in step 1 above. At the minimum, this function should return a value of '-1'. The function should NOT return a NULL value, otherwise, the self-service page will throw an error.

3. Since this restriction is based on VO implementation, changes are immediately visible in SSHR without the need for bouncing webserver or clearing cache.

R12.1.5 RUP5 New and Changed features

Patch 13448800 R12.HR_PF.B.delta.5 was released on June 15, 2012. For complete details around the new and changed features in this release, please see the My Oracle Support Note1456556.1 - Oracle Human Resources Management Systems Readme, HRMS Release Update Pack 5 for Release 12.1

A quick roundup of the significant changes is captured below:

1.     Core HR:

a.   Purge Security Profiles: A new concurrent program called “Purge Security Profiles” is now available to evaluate and remove (purge) security profiles that are not in use.

2.     Payroll:

a.   Quick RetroPay: Before this release, there was no way to run RetroPay for a single assignment. This release introduces a new concurrent process – Quick RetroPay, which works exactly like Enhanced RetroPay but for a single assignment.

b.   Element entries using Self-Service: A long over-due feature has been released by Oracle, which allows managers to enter, validate, and approve non-recurring payroll elements prior to processing payroll. Potentially, this could translate into significant savings by removing the need to centrally key in variable pay data (such as overtime pay) and could help in reducing data entry errors.

3.     iRecruitment:

a.   CWK job application: A new enhancement now allows contingent workers (CWKs) to search and apply for jobs using iRecruitment. They can track their job applications, interview schedules, communicate with recruiters, and receive job offers online.

4.     Learning Management:

a.   Learner Group enhancements: Learner Groups can be used to limit access to classes and allow new learners to be automatically enrolled in a mandatory class. From R12.1.5 onwards, administrators can additionally group learners using an eligibility profile, which allows a far superior flexibility in defining Learner Groups (e.g. training access can be limited by location, person type, gender, length of service, grade, etc.)

b.   Learner Notifications: Administrators can now communicate via notifications with learners enrolled for a Class (previously, this was possible through using mail client). Now, when an administrator clicks the Notify icon on the Classes page, a new Notification page appears where Administrators can select the learners to be notified, enter subject, and message. Learners can view such notifications on their learner home page.

5.     Self Service:

a.   Use of Organization Chart: Using this, Managers can view details of subordinates in the hierarchy in the form of panel cards. This view is more intuitive than current text listing of subordinates.

b.   Parallel Approvals: This AME feature allows a transaction to be routed to multiple-approvers and considers the transaction to be approved if any approver from the approval group first approves the transaction.

6.     OTL:

a.   Confirm time entry before submission: With this release, you can configure self-service time entry review page to display a check box to confirm accuracy of time entry before submission.

7.     Performance Management:

a.   Performance Management module enhancements include additional tasks to administer plans more effectively, updated options while republishing PMP and changes to enhance useability of PMP when an employee or manager is not part of the plan population.

(For the next release RUP6, see my blog here)

Head Count Detail Report (XML) : Interpreting the Output

The concurrent report - Head Count Detail Report (XML) - is a quite buggy. It is also difficult to interpret give the lack of documentation. This note attempts to address both.

I used the following parameters to submit this report:

The output that I got was as follows. Issues or inputs are highlighted in yellow.

SJain1. Why does the report show 01-Apr-2012 to 30-Apr-2012, when I have run the report for 2-Apr-2012 to 1-May-2012?

A1. Looks like Custom Time Zone profile setup issue, check running some other XML report.

SJain2. What do Rev/ Non Rev mean and how is it derived?

A2. Work Structures > Job > Description > Extra Information button > Type=Job Category. Enter the Details field for Category Name and select Revenue Generating from the LOV

SJain3. Where does the application derive whether an employee is Permanent/Fixed Term/Contract? Headcount showing under “Contract” does not correspond to the number of active Contingent Workers existing in the system.

A3. It is based on the HR_PERSON_TYPE formula

SJain4. Why “29” days, when I have run the report for 30 days?

A4. Looks like Custom Time Zone profile setup issue, check running some other XML report.

SJain5. What determines whether a termination is voluntary or involuntary?

A5. It is based on the HR_MOVE_TYPE formula and HR_CWK_MOVE_TYPE formulas.

SJain6. Where is this coming from? Is it coming from the parameter “Days Prior to End Date”? If so, this is wrong. Report should display only either “31” or “29” depending on whether the hierarchy version is end dated or not. (See New Hire, Last 29 Days column, where the number “31” does not appear).

A6. Similar to Question 1 and may depend on the date parameters.

SJain7. We do have employees in BAE SYSTEMS Australia Ltd., which is the business group, but also an HR Organization. Why do these employees not show up on the report?

A7. Can you check with some other Business Groups and log a bug if the data is shown.

SJain8. What does it take to round the “%” calculated by the report down to 2 decimals?

A8. This is an Enhancement Request

Report Parameters
Business Group	Australia Business Group
Report Date From	01-APR-2012
Report Date To	30-APR-2012[SJain1]
Report Date	08-MAY-2012
Organization Hierarchy	Australia Ltd
Top Organization	Australia Ltd
Worker Type	B
Roll Up	Y
Budget	HEAD
Include Top Organization	Y
Include Assignment Type	A
Days Prior To End date	31

Organization Hierarchy					Australia Ltd						Version Number						1
Date From					01-APR-2012						Date To						30-APR-2012
Top Organization					Australia Ltd
Division	Rev / Non Rev[SJain2]	Begin ning Head/ FTE Count	Perm-anent	Contract		Fixed Term[SJain3]	NewHire/		Transfer			Offers		Vac-ant FTE	Termination/				End-ing Head/ FTE	Cha-nge	% Cha-nge
															PlacementEnd
							Last 29[SJain4]  Days	Cum-ula-tive	In	Out		Op-en	Acc- ept-ed		Volu-ntary	Invol-untary[SJain5]		Last 31[SJain6]  29 Days
AIR BU	R	0	0	0		0	0	0	0	0		0	0	0	0	0		0	0	0	0
	N	21	0	1		21	0	0	1	0		0	0	0	0	0		0	22	1	4.76190
Australia Ltd	R	0 [SJain7]	0	0		0	0	0	0	0		0	0	0	0	0		0	0	0	0
	N	0	0	0		0	0	0	0	0		0	0	0	0	0		0	0	0	0
COR BU	R	0	0	0		0	0	0	0	0		0	0	0	0	0		0	0	0	0
	N	54	0	1		54	0	1	1	1		0	0	0	0	0		0	55	1	1.85185[SJain8]
DEL BU	R	0	0	0		0	0	0	0	0		0	0	0	0	0		0	0	0	0
	N	0	0	0		0	0	0	0	0		0	0	0	0	0		0	0	0	0
LIS BU	R	0	0	0		0	0	0	0	0		0	0	0	0	0		0	0	0	0
	N	11	0	0		11	0	0	0	0		0	0	0	0	0		0	11	0	0
MAR  BU	R	0	0	0		0	0	0	0	0		0	0	0	0	0		0	0	0	0
	N	17	0	2		17	0	3	0	0		0	0	0	0	0		0	20	3	17.6470

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