Extending_EBS_12_1_3_with_APEX_5_0_COLLABORATE16

Session ID:
Prepared by:
Extending Oracle E-Business
Suite 12.1.3 With Oracle
Application Express 5.0
10595
@heyalfredodba
Alfredo Abate
Senior Oracle Systems Architect
Brake Parts Inc

About Me
• Oracle DBA since 1999 (7.3.4 – 12cR1)
• Oracle Apps DBA since 2006 (11i/R12)
• President of the Chicago Oracle Users Group (COUG)
• Librarian Chair of the Real Application Cluster Special
Interest Group (RAC SIG)
• My Oracle blog www.heyalfredo.com
• Twitter @HeyAlfredoDBA
2

Agenda
• Typical Oracle EBS Extension Options
• Oracle APEX Architecture - Integration with EBS
• Let’s Build an Interactive Report!
• Brake Parts Real Use Case APEX Application
4

Typical Oracle EBS Extension Options

Traditional Extension Methods
• Oracle Forms
– Personalization or Modification (Unsupported by
Oracle)
• Oracle Application Framework (OAF)
– Personalization or Modification (Unsupported by
Oracle)
• Oracle Reports
– Custom
6

Traditional Methods Can Be Frustrating
Oracle Forms, Reports and OAF are great
mature products but…
• They do require additional skills beyond
SQL and PL/SQL
• Development time is typically longer to get
business what they need
• May not survive patching or upgrades
• Need additional software installed on
developer desktops
7

Oracle Application Express (APEX)
• What if you could use a tool to quickly turn those
extensions/modifications into reality?
• Only need a web browser to develop
• Easy to learn with built-in wizard driven tools
• Deploy something that is secure, scalable and
survives EBS patches/upgrades
• Make both your IT staff and business users happier
8

• Oracle Application Express is included with Oracle
Database (since 2004)
• Fully supported and no additional licensing costs to use
APEX
– Consult your Oracle Sales rep on impact to EBS
licensing (you might be using the limited usage
licensing).
• Runs in the database so can scale with the database
– Works with Exadata, Real Application Clusters (RAC)
and In-Memory option
• Built in wizards that allow rapid development of
applications
9

What can you do with APEX?
• Create data entry or lookup forms
• Create interactive reports with the ability to drill
down, filter and create charts
• Eliminate Excel spreadsheets and Access
databases
– Convert them to APEX so they can be easily
accessible by everyone, secured and backed up.
A true single source of truth!
10

Oracle APEX Architecture -
Integration with EBS

Architecture
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APEX Engine
“Oracle Application Express consists of a metadata repository
that stores the definitions of applications and the APEX engine
that renders and processes pages”

Oracle APEX Web Listener Options
• Oracle REST Data Services (ORDS)
– Oracle REST Data Services Listener is a Java-based Web
server. It features file system caching, offers improved file
upload capability, and is certified with Oracle WebLogic
Server, Oracle Glassfish Server, and Apache Tomcat.
• Oracle HTTP Server and mod_plsql
– Oracle HTTP Server uses the mod_plsql plug-in to
communicate with the Oracle Application Express engine
within the Oracle database.
• Embedded PL/SQL Gateway
– Oracle XML DB Protocol Server with the Embedded PL/SQL
Gateway installs with Oracle Database. It provides the
database with a Web server and the necessary
infrastructure to create dynamic applications.
13
Recommended

Supported Java EE Application Servers
(when using ORDS)
• WebLogic - Best of class but licensing can be
expensive.
• Glassfish - Oracle concentrating on WebLogic so
only open source being updated.
– Glassfish Community Edition (Free)
• Apache Tomcat - The leader in open source web
application server.
14

High Level Installation Steps
• Install APEX into the Oracle EBS database
• Install Oracle Rest Data Services (ORDS)
• Install web application server (WLS, Glassfish,
Tomcat)
• Deploy ords.war to Java EE application server
15

• Make sure the required EBS patches to support
APEX are installed (Patch 12726556, 12316083)
• Create your custom schema in the EBS database
(e.g. APEX_EBS_EXTENSION, XXAPEX, etc)
• Create a Workspace in APEX and tie that to the
custom schema
• Create APEX developer accounts
16

Set your Oracle EBS Profile Option with the APEX URL
17
http://myserver.mydomain.com:8080/ords

APEX Authentication
• APEX uses authentication schemes to determine
the user
• APEX offers pre-configured authentication schemes
including Oracle Single Sign-On (OSSO) and Oracle
Access Manager (OAM).
– Requires licensing
• Use custom built authentication that will validate
against current EBS users and their responsibilities
– Custom PL/SQL using the FND_USER_PKG
18

APEX Authentication
• Another custom option that is available as open
source from Insum Solutions
• Uses EBS user credentials to validate and allow
users to automatically and seamlessly login to an
APEX application (think of it as a custom Single
Sign On)
• Includes the ability to initiate your standard EBS
initialization calls from the APEX application
– FND_GLOBAL.APPS_INTIALIZE
– MO_GLOBAL.INIT
– MO_GLOBAL.SET_POLICY_CONTEXT
19

APEX Authorization
• What can the user see in APEX?
• What can the user do in APEX?
• APEX authorization schemes can be applied to
various components
– Forms, buttons, page regions, etc.
20

APEX Themes
• APEX 5.0 uses the Universal Theme by default.
• The APEX theme we used was Traditional Blue # 20
• Looks most like Oracle EBS OAF pages
• Note: When using Traditional Blue #20 (or any other
theme) will overwrite the default Universal Theme
21

Additional Setups Needed in EBS
• For each APEX application/report you’ll need to do
the following:
– Setup Function
– Setup Menus
– Setup Responsibilities
– Assign Responsibilities to Users
22

Some Best Practices
• Separate tablespace for the APEX engine (don’t use
SYSAUX!)
• Separate tablespace for custom database objects that
will be created to support APEX applications
• Never access EBS data directly but only through views
• Modifications to EBS data should only be done via
supported APIs
23

Some Best Practices (Cont.)
• PL/SQL, grants and synonyms should be owned by
APPS
• Don’t forget about menu exclusions when adding APEX
applications to seeded menus (not everyone should see
everything)
• Make sure to tune your underlying SQL! APEX will only
be as quick as the SQL!
• Give considerations for high availability if the rest of your
EBS environment is doing so (e.g. multiple application
servers).
24

Okay It’s Installed…Now What?
Give the Developer a browser and get to it!
25

Let’s Build An Interactive Report!

Create Your Database Objects
--As APPS User
SQL>create or replace view xxabpi_supplier_listing_demo
(ou_name,
...
--As APPS User
SQL>grant select on xxabpi_supplier_listing_demo to
apex_ebs_extension;
--As APEX_EBS_EXTENSION User
SQL> create or replace view xxabpi_supplier_listing_demo AS
select * from apps.xxabpi_supplier_listing_demo;
27

28

29

30

31
Not using
default
theme

32

33

34

35

36

37

38

Create EBS Submenu and Add to Menu
40

Launch APEX Directly From EBS Menu
41
Entry to the APEX
application is via a
menu in EBS

Interactive Options - Highlight
43

Interactive Options - Highlight
44

Highlight Rows with Certain Filter Criteria
45

But I Want My Data in Excel!
49

Brake Parts Use Case APEX Application

Use Case of APEX -“The Problem”
• External Supplier provides AP Department detailed
invoice information
• In AP one line was being entered for the total (versus
each line supplier provided) because it was too time
consuming to enter each line manually
• A manual reclassification performed of the total
invoice amounts to different GL accounts
• There was a loss of detailed invoice information in
Oracle (only maintained in spreadsheets)
51

Use Case of APEX -“The Solution”
• With Apex, AP personal takes the same file from the supplier
and loaded into a custom staging table
• User was able to both validate and approve in batches for
further processing
• The validation includes a mapping to appropriate GL account
• With the click of an APEX button the AP Interface tables were
populated and the Payables Open Interface Import Concurrent
Request is executed to create the detailed invoices
• Advantages, user is able to upload the Excel spreadsheet with
the invoice information directly into APEX, validate and load into
AP interface tables
52

Add Function Type SSWA jsp function
54

Integrated with EBS Menu
59
Entry to the APEX
application is via a menu
in EBS

Data Load Results
63
Data is loaded to
custom staging table

Data Loaded is Validated Against Rules
64

Data Loaded is Validated Against Rules
65

Data is Ready to Be Loaded!
66
AP Interface tables were
populated and the
Payables Open Interface
Import Concurrent
Request Launched

Learning More About Apex
67
• Get a free workspace and start exploring!
https://apex.oracle.com/en/
• Oracle Learning Library for APEX
https://apexapps.oracle.com/pls/apex/f?p=44785:1:0
• Download and install Oracle Database 12c on your
desktop which includes APEX
• Check out the official Oracle documentation
http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/developer-
tools/apex/documentation/index.html

References
• "Extending Oracle E-Business Suite Release 12.1.3
and Above Using Oracle Application Express
(APEX) (Doc ID 1306563.1)." My Oracle Support.
Oracle, Mar. 2015. Web.
• Johnson, Chad. "Extend E-Business Suite with
Application Express." OAUG Insight Summer 2014:
25-29. Print.
• Application Express Installation Guide -. Oracle,
Web. 25 Feb. 2016.
<https://docs.oracle.com/cd/E59726_01/install.50/e3
9144/toc.htm>.
68

References (Continued)
• REST Data Services Installation, Configuration, and
Development Guide -. Oracle, Web. 25 Feb. 2016.
<https://docs.oracle.com/cd/E56351_01/doc.30/e56
293/install.htm#AELIG7015>.
• Weeren, Marc. "Integration of Oracle Apex and E-
Business Suite R12."Integration of Oracle Apex and
E-Business Suite R12. Web. 25 Feb. 2016.
69

Questions?
Email: alfredo.abate@gmail.com
Twitter: @HeyAlfredoDBA
70
Thank You For Attending My Session!
Session ID 10595

Extending_EBS_12_1_3_with_APEX_5_0_COLLABORATE16

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