R12.1 RUP6 New and Changed features

(For the previous release RUP5, see my blog here)

Patch 16000686 (R12.HR_PF.B.delta.6) was released on 31-May-2013. For complete details around the new and changed features in this release, please see the My Oracle Support Note 1549442.1 - Oracle Human Resources Management Systems Readme, HRMS Release Update Pack 6 for Release 12.1. Issues with RUP6 are documented in Doc ID 1538636.1.
A quick round up of the significant changes is captured below:

1. Compensation Workbench: 
        a. Email Comp Statements: Rather than print hard copies of compensation letters and manually distribute them, Comp Admins can now securely email the statements.This includes a feature to send statements to a "test" email ID to confirm before sending out to the larger employee population. The emailing feature is also enabled for TCS.
        b. Better performance for Comp Detail Report: A new program called Refresh Compensation Summary needs to be run prior to running the Compensation Detail Report.

2. Core Payroll:
        a. Payslip Modeler: This enables employees to perform a payroll what-if analysis (in effect, allowing them to run a QuickPay after selecting various elements from a list). To enable this,
                i. Set the profile options HR: Enable Payroll Simulation and HR: Enable Multiple Assignments for Payroll Simulation to Y
                ii. Attach Payslip Modeling menu to any custom self-service responsibility. The seeded Employee Self Service as well as Payroll Professional responsibility already have this menu attached.

3. iRecruitment: 
        A number of minor improvements have been including ability to view interviews scheduled where manager or recruiters are only recruiting team members and ability to create tests or assessments in multiple languages.

4. Learning Management: 
        a. Course Pictures: A new region has been added to the create and update course pages, which allows the pictures to be seen on Learner Home, Learning Path, Learning Catalog and Course Catalog pages.
        b. Automatically subscribe Learners to Learning Certifications: New learners can be automatically subscribed to learning certificates based on 'number of days' (doesn't apply for those based on dates). The subscription is controlled by defining a learning group and running a new concurrent program - Process Automatic Certification Subscription.
There are other new features in this module as part of this release. Please refer to above MOS note for details.

5. Performance Management: 
        a. New Questionnaire Administration: A "Questionnaire Administration-New" function available via HR Professional responsibility allows to easily define various questions. Good bye messy HTMLs!
        b. Configurable Print Options: On the Manager Main Appraiser page and Employee My Appraisals page, new choices are available (Print or Print All column - to be enabled via Personalization). Selecting the Print option allow Employees or Manager to print specific parts of their "In Progress" or "Completed" Appraisals (which could be PMP Appraisals or Standard Appraisals).
There are other new features in this module as part of this release. Please refer to above MOS note for details.

6. Self-Service:
        a. Two new functions: Quick Change Hours process allows to change the work schedule and assignment category, without needing to go via Change Pay page. Quick Termination Process removes the 'Change Manager' page and automatically assigns the Managers subordinates to the Supervisor of the Manager. The new profile option 'HR: No Supervisor Error or Warning' determines what to do if no one-over-one manager is defined in the system.
        b. Control display of Effective Date, Review and Confirmation Pages: Setting parameters &pQkFn and &pBpRv to Y turns off the Effective Date and Review pages respectively. Setting either of the above to Y will bypass the confirmation page. Note that this requires changes to the Workflow, to set the "LAST_PAGE_IN_FLOW" attribute and "HR_APPROVAL_REQ_FLAG" attribute for a new node.

7. Time and Labor:
        a. Enhanced Timecard Status Dashboard: Allows to search for status of timecards considering supervisor hierarchy, among other things.

The following modules do not have any new or changed features in this release:

• Oracle Approvals Management
• Configuration Workbench
• Core HR
• Labor Distribution

The following modules have new or changed features, but are not covered in this post; more information on these modules should be read from the Oracle note referred above:

• Oracle Advanced Benefits
• Oracle Succession Planning

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

How to enable attachments on Qualifications Form

In my previous post (which you can find here), I covered what it takes to store attachments submitted via self-service transactions. In that post, we covered that attachments submitted via "Education and Qualification" and "Other Professional Qualifications" self-service transactions will be stored on the Qualifications form.

However, unlike other windows, the Qualifications form does not come with attachments enabled out-of-the-box. To be able to enable attachments on Qualifications window, please follow these steps:

1) (Navigate to) Application Developer --> Attachments --> Document Entities
Use this form to define document entities for Qualifications.
Table: PER_QUALIFICATIONS
Entity ID: PER_QUALIFICATIONS
Entity Name: PER_QUALIFICATIONS
Prompt: QUALIFICATIONS
Application: Human Resources

2) (Navigate to) Application Developer --> Attachments --> Attachment Functions
Use this form to define attachment functions.
Type : Form
Name: PERWSQUA
User Name: Qualifications
Session Context Field: Leave Blank
Enabled: Yes

3) Open Button - Categories
Click on the ‘Categories’ button of ‘Attachment Functions’ form and select ‘Miscellaneous’ as the category. Close this sub-form.

4) Open Button - Blocks
Click on the ‘Blocks’ button of ‘Attachment Functions’ form:

Block Name: QUALIFICATIONS

Method: PERWSQUA

Secured By: Organization

All other columns: Leave Blank

5) Open Button - Entities

Click on the ‘Entities’ button of ’Blocks’ form:

Entity: PER_QUALIFICATIONS

Display Method: Main Entity

Include in Indicator: Checked

Indicator in View: Leave Blank

Priviledges: Query, Insert, Update, Delete: Always

Primary Key Fields: Key 1: QUALIFICATIONS.QUALIFICATION_ID

That should do it. 

How to enable Save Attachments feature in Oracle Self Service

Save Attachments: The note below is largely reproduced from Self-Service user guide.

When managers and workers perform self-service transactions, they can select the Save Attachments check box to save attachments to the self-service transactions and view them in the Oracle HRMS windows.

The Save Attachments check box on the Review page is hidden by default. Enterprises can decide whether to display the check box on the Review page using the Personalization feature. The item is called "Message Check Box: Save Attachments" and I would personalize this by clicking on the "Personalize Page" link at the top right of any review page (for example, say Absence Review page) > then clicking on "Complete View" radio button (rather than "Simple View") and then clicking on expand to see all the items.

Personalization can be done only at the Function level, depending on the functionality that supports personalization at the Function level.

The following table provides a list of Review pages of self-service HR functions where users can save the attachments to view them in Oracle HRMS windows:

Self-Service HR Function	Oracle HRMS Window
Absence Management	Absence Details
Education and Qualification	Qualifications
Other Professional Qualifications	Qualifications
Special Information	People
Extra Information	People
Hire	People
Applicant Hire and Rehire	People
Release Information	People
Transfer	People
Termination	Terminate
Termination with Compensation	Terminate
Personal Information	People
Contingent Worker Placement	People
Contact Extra Information	People
Employee Review	People
Worker Status Change, Change Hours, Change Job, Change Costcenter, Location and Manager, Change Costcenter, Terms and Manager, Change Worker Status and Terms, Change Job and Terms, Change Manager	Assignment
Change Pay	Assignment
Competency Profile	People

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)