Oracle® Fusion Applications Coexistence for HCM Implementation Guide 11g Release 1 (11.1.4) Part Number E20378-02

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9 Define Lookups

This chapter contains the following:

Lookups: Explained

Managing a Standard Lookup: Example

Managing Set-Enabled Lookups: Examples

FAQs for Define Lookups

Lookups: Explained

Lookups are lists of values in applications. You define a list of values as a lookup type consisting of a set of lookup codes, each code's translated meaning, and optionally a tag. End users see the list of translated meanings as the available values for an object.

Lookups provide a means of validation and lists of values where valid values appear on a list with no duplicate values. For example, an application might store the values Y and N in a column in a table, but when displaying those values in the user interface, Yes or No (or their translated equivalents) should be available for end users to select. For example, the two lookup codes Y and N are defined in the REQUIRED_INDICATOR lookup type.

In another example, a lookup type for marital status has lookup codes for users to specify married, single, or available legal partnerships.

In this case, tags are used for localizing the codes. All legislations list Married and Single. Only the Dutch legislation lists Registered Partner. And all legislations except France and Australia also list Domestic Partner.

When managing lookups, you need to understand the following.

• Using lookups in applications

• Customization levels

• Accessing lookups

• Enabling lookups

• The three kinds of lookups: standard, common, and set enabled

Using Lookups in Applications

Use lookups to provide validation or a list of values for a user input field in a user interface.

An example of a lookup used for validation is a flexfield segment using a table-validated value set with values from a lookup type. An example of a lookup in a list of values is a profile option's available values from which users select one to set the profile option. Invoice Approval Status gives the option of including payables invoices of different approval statuses in a report. The lookup code values include All so that users can report by all statuses: Approved, Resubmitted for approval, Pending or rejected, and Rejected.

Customization Level

The customization level of a lookup type determines whether the lookups in that lookup type can be edited. This applies data security to lookups.

Some lookup types are locked so no new codes and other changes can be added during implementation or later, as needed. Depending on the customization level of a lookup type, you may be able to change the codes or their meanings. Some lookups are designated as extensible, so new lookup codes can be created during implementation, but the meanings of predefined lookup codes cannot be modified. Some predefined lookup codes can be changed during implementation or later, as needed.

The customization levels are user, extensible, and system. The following table shows which lookup management tasks are allowed at each customization level.

Predefined data means LAST_UPDATED_BY = SEED_DATA_FROM_APPLICATION.

If a product depends on a lookup, the customization level should be system or extensible to prevent deletion.

Standard, Common, and Set-Enabled Lookups

The available kinds of lookups are as follows.

Standard lookups are the simplest form of lookup types consisting only of codes and their translated meaning. They differ from common lookups only in being defined in the standard lookup view.

Common lookups exist for reasons of backward compatibility and differ from standard lookups only in being defined in the common lookup view.

Set enabled lookup types store lookup codes that are enabled for reference data sharing. At runtime, a set-enabled lookup code is visible because the value of the determinant identifies a reference data set in which the lookup code is present.

Accessing Lookups

Standard, set-enabled, and common lookups are defined in the Standard, Set-enabled, and Common views, respectively. Applications development may define lookups in an application view to restrict the UI pages where they may appear.

In lookups management tasks, lookups may be associated with a module in the application taxonomy to provide a criteria for narrowing a search or limiting the number of lookups accessed by a product specific task such as Manage Purchasing Lookups.

Enabling Lookups

A lookup type is reusable for attributes stored in multiple tables.

Enable lookups based on the following.

• Selecting an Enabled check box

• Specifying an enabled start date, end date, or both

• Specifying a reference data set determinant

If you make changes to a lookup, users must sign out and back in before the changes take effect. When defining a list of values for display rather than validation, limit the number of enabled lookup codes to a usable length.

Managing a Standard Lookup: Example

Creating a new standard lookup involves creating or selecting a lookup type to which the lookup code belongs, and determining appropriate values for the lookup codes and their meanings.

Creating a Lookup Type Called COLORS

Your enterprise needs a list of values for status to be used on various objects such as processes or users. The lookups are colors, so the lookup type you create is COLORS.

The lookup codes you define for the COLORS lookup type are, BLUE, RED, GREEN, and YELLOW.

Understanding the Resulting Data Entry List of Values

Users need to respond to a process question by indicating whether to stop it, use caution, go ahead, or complete it urgently.

The list of values for the COLORS lookup type includes the meanings for the enabled codes.

Analysis

The BLUE lookup code was not enabled and does not appear in the list of values. The display sequence of values in the list of values is alphabetical unless you enter a number manually to determine the order of appearance. Number 1 indicates the value listed first in the list of values.

Understanding the Transaction Table

When users enter one of the values from the list of values for the lookup type COLORS, the transaction table records the lookup code. In this example, the code is stored in the Status column

The status for one user is BLUE because at the time they entered a value, BLUE was enabled. Disabling a lookup code does not affect transaction records in which that code is stored. Data querying and reporting have access to disabled lookup codes in transaction tables.

Managing Set-Enabled Lookups: Examples

Creating a new set-enabled lookup is similar to creating a standard lookup with the addition of specifying a reference data set determinant for the lookup codes.

Selecting a Reference Group for a Set-Enabled Lookup Type

By specifying a reference group for a set-enabled lookup type you indicate which reference data set assignments are available for its lookup codes. For example a COLORS lookup type might be set enabled for a Countries reference group that includes the US and EU reference data set assignments.

Selecting a Reference Data Set for a Set-Enabled Lookup

The reference data set determines which lookup code is included in the list of values. If a COLORS lookup type contains a RED, YELLOW, ORANGE, and GREEN lookup code, you can enable one RED lookup as coming from the US reference data set and another RED lookup as coming from the EU reference data set with divergent meanings.

In addition to divergent meanings for lookup codes based on associated reference data set, some lookup codes may be unique to one or another reference data set as the ORANGE lookup is to the EU reference data set in this example.

In another example, a lookup type called HOLD_REASON provides a list of reasons for applying a hold to a contract renewal. Reference data sets determine which codes are included in the hold reason list of values.

Using the Manage Set Assignments task, you have defined assignments that designate the China business unit to refer to the CHINA and the US business unit to refer to the US and all business units to refer to the COMMON set. When end users place a contract hold in the US business unit, only the three reason codes in US_SET are available. When placing a contract hold in the China business, only the two codes in China_SET are available.

FAQs for Define Lookups

How can I edit lookups?

You can edit the existing lookup codesof a lookup type or add new lookup codes on the Define Lookups pages, which you can access by starting in the Setup and Maintenance work area and searching for lookup tasks. You can edit the existing lookup codes of a lookup type, or add new lookup codes to a lookup type, if the customization level for the lookup type supports editing

Why can't I see my lookup types?

Lookups are listed by lookup type. Typically lookup types are managed using tasks that handle a group of related lookups, such as Manage Geography Lookups. Each task gives you access only to certain lookup types. The generic tasks provide access to all lookups types of a kind, such as all common lookups using the Manage Common Lookups task.

If existing lookups are not available to the tasks of the Define Lookups activity, they may be validated for use in a lookup view that is not central to all applications or whose owning application has not been specified in a lookup view.

Lookups can only be managed in the Define Lookups tasks if the lookup's view application is the standard lookups view, common lookups view, or set-enabled lookups view. Lookups defined in an application view can only be managed by following instructions provided by the owning application.

What's the difference between a lookup type and a value set?

A lookup type consists of lookup codes that are the values in a static list of values. Lookup code validation is a one to one match.

A table-validated value set can consist of values that are validated through a SQL statement, which allows the list of values to be dynamic.

A lookup type cannot make use of a value from a value set.

Value sets can make use of standard, common, or set-enabled lookups.

Both lookup types and value sets are used to create lists of values from which users select values.

What's a lookup tag used for?

Tags on lookup codes allow you to add a label to your lookup codes.

Lookup tags are unvalidated and uninterpreted by lookups. A tag can be used to categorize lookups based on facilitating searches or guiding how a lookup should be used.

Document what the tag on a lookup represents and how to use it.

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