R12.2 RUP10 New and Changed features

(For the previous release RUP9, see my blog here)

For 12.2, patch 24007222 - R12.HR_PF.C.DELTA.10 (12.2 HRMS RUP10) - was released in May 2017. Refer to Doc ID 2233840.1 for notes on applying the R12.HR_PF.C.Delta.10 Release Update Pack and for links to product release notes.

Also see Doc ID 2233908.1 for known issues on top of patch 24007222 - R12.HR_PF.C.DELTA.10(12.2 HRMS RUP10)


Key interesting enhancements are:

New Features - Global:

• Use Dynamic Assignment Sets with Web ADI
• Enable Costing Hierarchy for Balancing Segments Added to Pay Action Parameter Form
• Rollback of Transfer to General Ledger Restricted if Journal Import has been run 
• Enhanced Costing Detail Report

There are no new features in Succession Planning, Oracle Labor Distribution, Oracle Self Service, Oracle Performance Management, iRecruitment, HRMS Configuration Workbench, AME, Core HR, Compensation Workbench.

The following modules have new features, which are not summarized in this blog - Advanced Benefits (US specific features to generate 1095-Cs & record employee COBRA Healthcare Offer Details),  Oracle Time and Labor (several new profile options, calendar view of Timecards, shift premium deduction charges & credit overtime as absence).

R12.2 RUP9 New and Changed features

(For the previous release RUP8, see my blog here)

For 12.2, patch 22559919 - R12.HR_PF.C.DELTA.9 (12.2 HRMS RUP9) / EBS 12.2.6 (Patch 21900901) - was released on 15-Sep-2016. New and updated features are tracked in document - Oracle E-Business Suite Product Specific Release Notes, Release 12.2.6 (Doc ID 2114173.1). Refer to Doc ID 2113949.1 for notes on applying the R12.HR_PF.C.Delta.9 Release Update Pack.

Also see Doc ID 2162959.1 for known issues on top of patch 22559919 - R12.HR_PF.C.DELTA.9 / EBS 12.2.6 (Patch 21900901)

Key interesting enhancements are:

User Experience: 

• New HTML based AOL setup UIs for Users, Responsibilities, Flexfields.
• Release 12.2.5 introduced an updated Look and Feel for Oracle Application Framework-based pages, the Oracle Alta UI. This means the profile option - Oracle Applications Look and Feel - needs to be set to "Alta Look and Feel", or a look and feel that extends it. Taking a look back in time, historically, we have had these changes in look & feel across the years: 

                12.0 to 12.2.2 - Swan Desktop Look and Feel

                12.2.3 - Skyros Look and Feel or Swan Desktop Look and Feel

                12.2.4 - Skyros Look and Feel

                12.2.5 onwards - Alta Look and Feel

The table below shows some examples of look and feel changes, and also examples of changes to generic functionality:

Description	Comment
Change in login page: The look and feel has changed to make the login page friendlier to use across various screen sizes. This change does not impact customers using SSO, as the login page is not used when logging in via SSO.	Tip: If the buttons on this page do not render correctly when using Internet Explorer, try removing the website from Compatibility View Settings.
Icons at the top right have changed to also be more intuitive & mobile friendly. Depending on the version you currently are on, these icons may already be visible for you in some cases.
The appearance of buttons, fonts, layout of tabs and colours have changed for Oracle pages. These are cosmetic in nature and do not impact functionality.	Previously: Now:
The navigator has changed for Professional Users (cosmetic changes only).	Previously: Now:
The screen to submit concurrent programs and requests has added functionality.	1)     There are new buttons at the bottom of the “Find Requests” screen, which allow one less click when submitting a new request from this screen. 2)     There are new fields/ buttons on “View Requests” screen:       These new buttons or options are designed to make it simpler to use the screens by reducing number of clicks needed to get to the end result. Note: The new "Auto Refresh" functionality requires the following system profile to be set: Concurrent: Auto-refresh View Request Timer (secs). I would recommend a setting of 60 seconds or more.
WebADI look and feel changes	The company logo may now show at the top after launching a WebADI.

Payroll: 

• (Delivered in RUP8): A new WebADI has been delivered to add assignments to an assignment set. The function name is Manage Assignment Set (PAY_WS_ASGSET).
• (Delivered in RUP8 for US and CA legislation only): Self Service Bank Account validation can now be enabled based on the profile option - PAY: Enable Personal Bank Account Validation. When this validation is enable, the employee is required to enter their account number twice. 
• (Delivered in RUP8): A new interface delivered via a new function (PAY_WS_RETRO_RESULTS) allows to review the results of RetroPay Enhanced process (Navigation --> View --> RetroPay Enhanced Results) - see screen capture below. We have had the "Retropay Status" window since ages to allow a review of the results of Retro Notifications Report. So this new interface is a good pair-up which allows to see assignment actions created by RetroPay Enhanced process, with a drill down to the retro element entries created. I am hoping to see a further feature where a report or screen is provided to show or export all retro element entries created by the RetroPay Enhanced process. 

Learning Management:

• (Delivered in RUP8): The Class Details page now includes an additional section to view the session details of the class (if any). The Class Details page is what learners already use to view class enrollment status. 

There are no new features in Succession Planning, Oracle Labor Distribution, Oracle Self Service, Oracle Performance Management, iRecruitment, HRMS Configuration Workbench, AME, Core HR, Compensation Workbench.

The following modules have new features, which are not summarized in this blog - Advanced Benefits (US specific features to generate 1095-Cs & record employee COBRA Healthcare Offer Details),  Oracle Time and Labor (several new profile options, calendar view of Timecards, shift premium deduction charges & credit overtime as absence).

(For the next release (RUP10), see my blog here)

R12.2 RUP8 New and Changed features

(For the previous release RUP7, see my blog here)

For 12.2, patch 21507777 - R12.HR_PF.C.DELTA.8 (12.2 HRMS RUP8) was released on 27-May-2016. New and updated features are tracked in document - Applying R12.HR_PF.C.Delta.8 Release Update Pack (Doc ID 2113297.1)

Also see Doc ID 2113772.1 for known issues on top of patch 21507777 - R12.HR_PF.C.DELTA.8 (12.2 HRMS RUP8)

Key enhancements are:

Payroll: 

• A new WebADI has been delivered to add assignments to an assignment set. The new function is called "Manage Assignment Set", using which you can now create/ delete assignment sets and add new assignments to the assignment set.
• Useful feature Alert! A new interface delivered via a new function (PAY_WS_RETRO_RESULTS) allows to review the results of RetroPay Enhanced process. We have had the "Retropay Status" window since ages to allow a review of the results of Retro Notifications Report. So this new interface is a good pair-up which allows to see assignment actions created by RetroPay Enhanced process, with a drill down to the retro element entries created. I am hoping to see a further feature where a report or screen is provided to show or export all retro element entries created by the RetroPay Enhanced process. I will post screen captures once I have had a chance to look at this feature further,
• For US and Canada only: Using the profile option "PAY: Enable Personal Bank Account Validation", a validation can be enabled which will force employees to enter bank account twice (to ensure correct account is entered). When an employee enters the account number the first time, the value is masked and the option to copy is disabled. Hoping to see this feature rolled out to other legislations soon.
• International Payroll users get some new features, including support for generating .pdf payslips, cash management reconciliation for EFT payments and Payroll Dashboard (which is available via Payroll Professional responsibility). 

Learning Management:

• The Class Details page now includes an additional section to view the session details of the class (if any). The Class Details page is what learners already use to view class enrollment status. 

There are no new features in AME, Compensation Workbench, HRMS Configuration Workbench, Core HR, iRecruitment, Oracle Labor Distribution, Oracle Performance Management, Oracle Self Service,

The following modules have new features, which are not summarized in this blog - Advanced Benefits (one US specific feature to generate 1095-Cs), Oracle Succession Planning (Talent Matrix), Oracle Time and Labor (several new profile options).

(For the next release (RUP9), see my blog here)

R12.2 RUP7 New and Changed features

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

*** This is a Work in Progress Document ***
For 12.2, patch 20000400 - R12.HR_PF.C.DELTA.7 (12.2 HRMS RUP7) / EBS 12.2.5 (Patch 19676458) was released in Oct-2015. This is also known as Release 12.2.5, which is a major release. New and updated features are tracked in document ID 2049015.1.

Known Issues on Top of Patch 20000400 - R12.HR_PF.C.DELTA.7) / EBS 12.2.5 (Patch 19676458) are tracked in Doc ID 2056506.1

Key enhancements are:

Self Service: 

• Oracle Fusion's simplified menus are available in 12.2 for better transactional user experience. New delivered menus include: Manager Self Service - Simplified & Employee Self Service - Simplified (or specifically for AU: Simplified AU Manager Self-Service Container & Simplified AU Employee Self-Service Container).
• Using personalization, you can display a person pop-up card for the employee name field (containing details such as Organization, Work and Mobile phone number)
• Organization Chart and Talent Profile pages now include support for multiple assignments of an employee (where previously, these pages supported only one assignment of subordinates)
• Organization Chart also supports launching personal actions as a workers (previously, only manager could launch manager actions) 

Oracle Time and Labor

• New Concurrent Program - Time Entry Detail Report - allows to view the timecard explosion data before a timecard is approved and transferred to OTLR module
• The Hour Deduction Policy form has an additional "Unit of Measure" field available that allows deduction rule to be defined in minutes. 
• Timecard integration with HR Absences is extended to timecards which have OTLR feature enabled, with a new Days to Hours Conversion Factor field enabled for day based absence type elements.
• The Earning Policy form has a new value "Day of the Week" in the LOV for "Type" field. This allows time entered on specific day of the week to be treated differently from rest of the days for determining regular and overtime.
• The existing concurrent program "Transfer time from OTL to BEE" has been enhanced to enable parallel run in multiple business groups. 

There are no new features in Oracle Labor Distribution

AME, Compensation Workbench, HRMS Configuration Workbench, Core HR, iRecruitment, , Oracle Performance Management, Oracle Self Service,

The following modules have new features, which are not summarized in this blog - Advanced Benefits (one US specific feature to generate 1095-Cs), Oracle Succession Planning (Talent Matrix), Oracle Time and Labor (new report ).

(For the next release RUP8, see my blog here)

R12.1 RUP9 New and Changed features

(For the previous release RUP8, see my blog here)

For 12.1, patch 21980909 - R12.HR_PF.B.DELTA.9 (HRMS 12.1 RUP9) was released in May-2016. New and updated features are tracked in document - Oracle Human Resources Management Systems Readme, HRMS Release Update Pack 9 for Release 12.1 (Doc ID 2113189.1)

Known Issues on Top of Patch 21980909 - R12.HR_PF.B.DELTA.9 (HRMS 12.1 RUP9) (Doc ID 2113768.1)

Key interesting enhancements are (it's a short list this time):

Payroll:

• We have a new WebADI to add assignments to an assignment set. The new function is called "Manage Assignment Set", using which you can now create/ delete assignment sets and add new assignments to the assignment set. It would have been lovely to had there been a feature to "delete" existing assignments from the assignments sets (so that the same assignment set can be re-used easily across multiple payroll runs), but from what I have read so far, I do not believe this feature is available. I am yet to try out the WebADI though - so if any of you has tried this out, please can you include your experience in the comments below. 
• Good news also for folks on International Payroll is that the Payroll Dashboard has now been released for you. Payroll Dashboard is available under Payroll Professional responsibility, and this function should work out-of-the-box. The Payroll Dashboard does have some useful features, so if you haven't had a look at, I would encourage you to. (A note for myself: At some point in the future, I need to blog about my experience with Payroll Dashboard). 

There are no new features in AME, Compensation Workbench, HRMS Configuration Workbench, Core HR, iRecruitment, Oracle Labor Distribution, Oracle Learning Management, Oracle Performance Management, Oracle Self Service,

The following modules have new features, which are not summarized in this blog - Advanced Benefits (one US specific feature to generate 1095-Cs), Oracle Succession Planning (Talent Matrix), Oracle Time and Labor (several new profile options).

R12.1 RUP8 New and Changed features

(For the previous release RUP7, see my blog here)

For 12.1, patch 20000288 - R12.HR_PF.B.DELTA.8 (HRMS 12.1 RUP8) was released in May-2015. New and updated features are tracked in document - Oracle Human Resources Management Systems Readme, HRMS Release Update Pack 8 for Release 12.1 (Doc ID 1989740.1)

Known Issues on Top of Patch 20000288 - R12.HR_PF.B.DELTA.8 (HRMS 12.1 RUP8) (Doc ID 1992029.1)

Key interesting enhancements are:

Payroll:

• Improved Payroll Dashboard, which includes support for pre-readiness checks for AU, support for display of assignment without payment methods, and improved performance. Users can use the extensible lookup PAY_DB_MONITOR_PROCESSES to configure localization specific payroll processes.   When configured, the payroll dashboard displays the list of processes within the Payroll Process Details section under Other Process Details Region of the Process Monitor tab.
• Third Party Personal Payment Method: The application is now designed to auto populate the bank details in the personal payment method of the employees for third party payments using the bank details specified at Payee Organization. For this, Additional Information is enabled for Organization Classification of Payee. Users can override these details if required. (This feature is available for AU and US only at this point).
• New Costing of Payment Reports: New programs have been introduced for costing of payment reports: Costing of Payment Summary Report, Costing of Payment Detail Report, Costing of Payment Breakdown Report

Performance Management

• Reopen Scorecards that are at the Transferred from Plan Status when a Plan is Republished: From this release, when a plan administrator selects the Reevaluate Plan Population option in the Update: Plan Review page and if the application finds that the worker is eligible to become part of the plan population again, then appraisals and scorecards with Transferred from Plan status are reopened so that the previously worked details are available to view and update using the Employee Self-Service or Manager Self-Service responsibilities.

There are no new features in AME, Compensation Workbench, HRMS Configuration Workbench, Core HR, Oracle Labor Distribution, Oracle Succession Planning,

The following modules have new features, which are not summarized in this blog - Advanced Benefits, Oracle iRecruitment (one new feature for OFCCP compliance for United States), Oracle Learning Management (two new features, including ability to create enrollments with a past date for learners in offline synchronous classes, i.e. classroom based classes), Oracle Self Service, Oracle Time and Labor (the integration between HR Absences and OTL Time card is extended to timecards which have OTLR feature enabled).

(For the next release RUP9, see my blog here)

R12.1 RUP7 New and Changed features

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

For 12.1, patch 18004477 - R12.HR_PF.B.DELTA.7 (HRMS 12.1 RUP7) was released in May-2014. New and updated features are tracked in document - Oracle Human Resources Management Systems Readme, HRMS Release Update Pack 7 for Release 12.1 (Doc ID 1645859.1)

Known Issues on Top of Patch 18004477 - R12.HR_PF.B.DELTA.7 (HRMS 12.1 RUP7) (Doc ID 1636758.1)

Key interesting enhancements are:

Payroll:

• Payroll Dashboard collates payroll-processing related data, that enables administrators to monitor different payroll-related processes. From the dashboard, admins can also run payroll, retry or rollback processes. With this release, a new capability for Payroll Readiness has been included.
• WebADI for mass creation of Retro Assignments: Until now, users could only create one retro assignment at a time. With this release, Oracle has provided a WebADI to create or update multiple retro assignments or entries using a WebADI (see picture 1 below). When selecting the checkbox "Download to Spreadsheet", if there are any changes, then users must ensure to select the appropriate value as Update or Delete in the Entry Delete/Update column to enable the application to commit the changes to the database, failing which the application does not save any changes. While uploading the changes to the database, users now have the option to commit all rows or commit each row prior to upload (see second picture below). When users select the Commit All Rows option, then the application validates the information and only, on successful validation, uploads the information. If the validation process fails for any of the records, then the application does not upload the details to the database. When users select the Commit Each Row option (see the second screen capture), then the application validates each record and commits to the database on a successful validation.

Learning Management

• Remove the association between a Category and Administrator Group: If access to a category is restricted using an administrator group, then this restriction can now be removed by the learning administrator, who can access that particular category.
• Non Java adapter to play SCROM content online: OLM now provides a non java based adapter (using Javascript based API), to avoid errors that learners may face when on upgrade or downgrade of JRE versions on their local machines. The administrator can now select Non Java adapter or Signed Java Applet adapter while setting up a new adapter on the content server which will be used to play SCROM content. The Non Java based adapter is independent of client JRE and uses only the content server’s JRE. 
• Manual updates to Learner Status for online class: Learning Administrators can now manually update a learner's status for an online class using a new "Update Player Status" button in the Enrollments and Subscriptions page or the Enrollments page of the class. Administrators can select "Passed" or "Failed" status for scored content, and "Completed" status for content that is not scored. 
• Prevent closing/ collapsing of Player Outline: In update Offering Page, the Player Preferences section provides two new check boxes - Always Show Outline, Always Show Outline Expanded. This prevents inexperienced learner users from closing or collapsing outline without realizing there are many more chapters to take.
• Contact Learners Using Email: The "notify" icon on classes enabled Administrator to enter subject and message for learners in a particular status - this message would then appear on learner home page. With this new option, there is now a way to contact learners by email via notify features - for this, a new "Mail Addresses" text box has been provided. 

Performance Management

• Rebuild Supervisor Hierarchy: In this release, Oracle Performance Management provides a new republish option 'Rebuild Supervisor Hierarchy' in the Update Plan: Review, Republish Options page. The supervisor hierarchy is rebuilt when HR changes occur. Using their Performance Management Task List, new managers can view the performance management plans of their subordinates. If HR changes occur during the objective setting period, then plan administrators can use the Rebuild Supervisor Hierarchy option so that the new managers can access the scorecards of their subordinates and continue with the objective setting process. Approved objectives are retained in the scorecard, when this option is used. If HR changes occur during the appraisals period, then rebuilding the supervisor hierarchy will not impact the main appraisers of the appraisals. 

Self Service

• Transaction Monitor: This enabled HR Professionals (through HR Professional V4.0 responsibility), Managers (via MSS responsibility) and Employees (via ESS responsibility) to view the track and view details of self service transactions, including those that are pending approval, complete, deferred, or are in error. Navigating to the details page of the transaction allows to view approval history, comments and attachments. The search criteria to search for transaction includes criteria such as function name, transaction initiator, person for whom the transaction is initiated, and the status of the transaction.

There are no new features in AME, Oracle HCM Configuration Workbench, Oracle iRecruitment, Oracle Labor Distribution, Oracle Succession Planning,   .

The following modules have new features, which are not summarized in this blog - Advanced Benefits, Compensation Workbench, Core HR (one new feature around HR Help Desk Person Record), Oracle Time and Labor (two new features, including a WebADI to upload Assignment Time Information)

(For the next release RUP8, see my blog here)

R12.2 RUP5 New and Changed features

For 12.2.3, patch 17909898 - (R12.HR_PF.C.DELTA.5) HRMS Release Update Pack 5 - was released in August 2014. For complete details on new and changed features, please see My Oracle Support Knowledge 1903217.1 (make sure you read relevant notes listed under both - Application Technology, as well as HCM).

A quick round up of the significant changes is captured below (I had originally authored these in a word document, so formatting is not the best when pasted into the blog):

Feature	Existing functionality (12.2.3, before RUP5)	New functionality (12.2.3, after RUP5)
New Universal Global Header	Header before RUP5	This release introduces an updated Look and Feel (called Skyros) that incorporates the above Universal Global Header. Oracle supports only this standard Look and Feel for Oracle E-Business Suite Release 12.2.4. Oracle no longer supports the Look and Feel options of previous releases. You can choose to render "icons" rather than text links as shown in the screen capture above. This is controlled by the profile option "FND: Branding Size". For the screen capture above, this profile option is set as "Links only". I also like the fact that Logout link has moved to the far right - this brings Oracle Applications in line with where most users expect the Logout link to be.
Copy concurrent request options have changed.	Clicking on the “Copy” button when submitting a new request gives a list of request previously submitted, along with the parameters those requests have been submitted with.	Release 12.2.4 introduces a more manageable screen for resubmitting or copying a request - this results in improved performance as the Application only has to query for prior requests with a specific name. Also, there is a flag "Recalculate Default Parameters" that can be set to determine if the parameter values should be recalculated upon resubmission or copying a request.
Worklist Access	Previously, a link was available on the home page for "Worklist Access"	The Worklist Access functionality is replaced with the “Manage Proxies” functionality, which is accessible from under the “Settings” link. You can , then select the username for the proxy to whom Worklist Access needs to be granted. Once you have submitted this request, a notification will be received by the proxy intimating of Worklist Access. The proxy will then see an additional link "Switch User" link on the Toolbar, using which the Proxy can “Switch Users” to view Worklist Notifications.
WebADI look and feel and upload options have changed.	The existing WebADI menu that renders in the Excel sheet is a plain list of options under the "Add-ins" menu	A new intuitive Oracle ribbon with fresh icons is now available via Excel (2007 and above) to control the upload of data when using WebADI. This is available via a new "Oracle" tab when you launch the WebADI.
Workflow Transaction Monitor	Not available	The Transaction Monitor feature helps users to view details of all pending or completed self-service transactions. They can navigate to the details page of the transaction to view approval history, comments, and attachments. Here is the new search screen for transaction monitor:
Retropay Status WebADI	Not available	Prior to this release, mass creation or update of retro assignments was not available. Payroll administrators had to create or update retro assignment for each employee separately. With this release, WebADI integrator for mass uploading and or modification of retro assignment is delivered. This release facilitates users to create or update multiple retro assignments or entries using a spreadsheet. Users can create or update the entries only if the Status is Awaiting Processing or Deferred. To access this feature, on the RetroPay Status window, a new option "Create Retro Lines" is available:

In addition, another much touted feature introduced is "Rich Table Interactions". While this does help where you have a large record set rendered in a table on an OAF page, I found that enabling this made the page appear quite "busy". Given that we do not have many such tables in HRMS (except perhaps the list of Absences applied on the Absence screen in self-service), I decided to "hide" this feature by setting the following profile option:

FND: Enable Rich Table Interactions = False (site level)

(If you take a closer look at Item 3 above - Worklist Access - the last picture on the right shows 4 icons at the top of the worklist table. These are the items that get disabled by using the profile option mentioned above).

In general, this version is stable for HRMS suite.

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