This chapter covers the following topics:
Calendar Synchronization provides the ability to synchronize contacts, tasks, and appointments between the Oracle enterprise database and either Pocket PC or desktop Microsoft Outlook. Calendar Synchronization is used by Oracle Sales for Handhelds. For complete implementation instructions and user information for Oracle Sales for Handhelds, see the Oracle Sales for Handhelds Implementation Guide and the Oracle Sales For Handhelds User Guide.
Users can use Oracle Sales synchronization to synchronize information between laptop, desktop, or Pocket PC devices and the eBusiness Suite. Oracle Sales Synchronization can be used to synchronize:
Appointments
Tasks
Contacts
E-mail interactions (Desktop only)
Synchronization functionality is provided specifically for:
Pocket PC devices running Windows Mobile 2003 or Windows Mobile 5.0
Palm devices running Windows Mobile 5.0
Laptops or desktops with Windows 2000 or Windows XP operating systems running Outlook 2000, Outlook 2002 (XP), Outlook 2003
This menu contains the functions for setting up the contact list and downloading clients.
Add the submenu for Outlook Synchronization to the ASN menu ASN_HOME_MENU. The submenu to add is ASP: Outlook Synchronization Preferences Container Menu (ASP_OUTLOOK_SYNC_PRF_CONTAINER).
Set up users in Oracle Human Resources. If an employee requires the ability to track e-mail interactions through synchronizing with Outlook, be sure to enter the employee's e-mail address under Office Details in Oracle HR before running the Synchronize Employees concurrent program.
The Oracle Common Application Calendar concurrent program Synchronize Employees synchronizes HR employee information with Resource information. It must be run whenever new users are added. Use the CRM Administrator responsibility to run this concurrent program.
Oracle Sales for Handhelds utilizes Data Quality Management for customer and contact searches.
Steps
Set the profile option HZ: Enable DQM Party Search to Yes.
Use the Trading Community Architecture responsibility to run the concurrent program DQM Staging Program to create the staged schema and intermedia index.
Use the Trading Community Architecture responsibility to schedule the concurrent program DQM Synchronization on a short interval. This program synchronizes the new data coming into the system.
Use the Trading Community Architecture responsibility to schedule the concurrent program DQM index optimization programon a regular interval, such as daily.
Use the Trading Community Architecture responsibility to run the concurrent program DQM Compile Match Rulesto compile all the defined match rules.
Set the following profile options with appropriate matching rules for customer and contact search:
| Function | Profile Option | Default Value (Matching Rule) |
|---|---|---|
| Customer Search | HZ: Match Rule for Organization Simple Search | HZ: Organization Simple Search Match Rule |
| Contact Search | HZ: Match Rule for Contact Simple Search | HZ: Person Simple Search Match Rule |
| Contact Create | HZ: Match Rule for Organization Duplicate Prevention HZ: Match Rule for Contact Duplicate Prevention |
SAMPLE: SEARCH |
Set the following profile options for the synchronization with Pocket Outlook and Desktop Outlook:
CAC Sync: Contact Sync Mode
Determines if contacts can be synchronized both ways or download only. Choices are Disabled, Download Only, and Two Way.
Level: Site and application
Default: Download Only at the site level, Two Way at the application level for Oracle Sales for Handhelds (ASP)
Category: Calendar - Synchronization or Security
CAC Sync: Include Details
If set to yes, then appointments that are synchronized include appointment details in the body notes.
Level: Application, Site, Responsibility, and User
Default: Yes for application level for Oracle Sales for Handhelds
Category: Calendar - Synchronization or Security
CAC Sync: Include Links
If set to yes, then contacts and appointments synchronized to the offline device include links to related pages. If set to yes, then CAC Sync: Include Details must also be set to yes.
Level: Application, Site, User
Default: Yes for application level for Oracle Sales for Handhelds
Category: Calendar - Synchronization or Security
CAC Sync: Include Tasks Without Date
If set to yes, then tasks without due dates are included in the synchronization for the user.
Level: Site, Application, Responsibility, and User
Default: Yes at site level, No at application level for Oracle Sales for Handhelds
Category: Calendar - Synchronization or Synchronization
CAC Sync: Contact Data Security Definition
For the Oracle Sales for Handhelds and the Oracle Sales applications, set the value to: oracle.apps.asp.common.util.server.CustomerSecurityAM
This enables adding contacts as attendees for appointments. It enables the Add Contact button in the Create Appointments page in Oracle Sales.
Level: Application
Default: None
Category: Calendar - Synchronization or Security
The profile option Task Manager: Default Task Type is already set to work correctly with synchronization. Please do not change the setting.
You can change the following profile options.
CAC: Maximum number of Contact Preferences for each user
Users create lists of contacts to include during synchronization. This profile sets the maximum number of contacts for all users.
Level: Site
Default: 200
Category: Calendar - Synchronization or Synchronization
CAC Sync: Appointments Category
When appointments are synchronized between Common Application Calendar (CAC) and Pocket PC or Desktop Outlook, the appointments from Oracle Sales are placed in the category specified in this profile option. If this profile option is changed after the initial implementation, then users must perform a Full Synchronization.
Level: Site
Default: Oracle Appointments
Category: Calendar - Synchronization or Synchronization
CAC Sync: Contacts Category
When contacts are synchronized between Common Application Calendar and Pocket PC or Desktop Outlook, the contacts from Oracle Sales are placed in the category specified in this profile option. If this profile option is changed after the initial implementation, then users must perform a Full Synchronization.
Level: Site
Default: Oracle Contacts
Category: Calendar - Synchronization or Synchronization
CAC Sync: Tasks Category
When tasks are synchronized between Common Application Calendar and Pocket PC or Desktop Outlook, the tasks from Oracle Sales are placed in the category specified in this profile option. If this profile option is changed after the initial implementation, then users must perform a Full Synchronization.
Level: Site
Default: Oracle Tasks
Category: Calendar - Synchronization or Synchronization
CAC Sync: Conflict Category
This is the category that stores duplicate information when there are conflicts during synchronization.
Level: Site
Default: Oracle Conflicts
Category: Calendar - Synchronization or Synchronization
CAC Sync: Days Before
The number of days set here determines the number of past days for which tasks and appointments are synchronized from the server to the client during initial (full) synchronization. Tasks and appointments due or occurring within the previous x days as well as tasks and appointments due or occurring anytime in the future are included. Recommend using between 7 and 21 days. There are no limits for synchronizing from the client to the server.
Level: Site. This profile can also be set by users.
Default: 14
Category: Calendar - Synchronization or Synchronization
ASP: Email Address Domain Name
This profile options stores the e-mail address domain name. The application will use this domain name to route e-mails if it uses MS Exchange Server.
Level: Site
Default: Null
Category: E-mail interaction.
ASP: Email Interaction: Flagged Category
This is the category name for e-mails that are marked in Desktop Outlook to be added to interaction history in Oracle Sales when synchronized. If you change this category, then users must perform a full synchronization to update their clients.
Level: Site
Default: Marked for Logging
Category: Email Interaction
ASP: Email Interaction: Recorded Category
This is the category name for e-mails that were successfully synchronized from Desktop Outlook to be added to interaction history in Oracle Sales. If you change this category, then users must perform a full synchronization to update their clients.
Level: Site
Default: Logged in Oracle
Category: Email Interaction
Preferences > General > Regional > Timezone. Set Timezone to the time zone to be displayed in the appointment pages.
Preferences > Calendar Preferences > Default Settings > Categories. Set Categories to the category you want to be the default for appointments.
Oracle Sales for Handhelds ships responsibilities with access to these functions already correctly set. Users should be granted access for either both of the following functions or neither:
CAC_SYNC_CONTACT: Synchronizing contacts
CAC_SYNC_TASK: Synchronizing tasks
Schedule the concurrent program CACSYNCP to permanently delete data for obsolete devices or users. The Expiry parameter sets the number of days, with a default of 180. Data that has not been updated for longer than the expiry value is purged.
After you run the CAC SYNC Purge/Cleanup concurrent request, then the ‘SYNCML’ error will not appear in Microsoft Outlook while synchronizing data from Outlook 2007 to server.
The following sections describe the mapping between attributes in Pocket Outlook/Outlook and Oracle eBusiness Suite. The mappings apply to Oracle Sales for Handhelds and Oracle Sales.
The following table describes the appointment attribute mapping between Outlook/Pocket Outlook and Oracle eBusiness Suite.
| Pocket Outlook Field | Pocket Outlook Value | Outlook Field | Outlook Value | eBusiness Field | eBusiness Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Subject | Freeform Text (carriage return is supported)/ 4096 characters | Subject | Freeform Text | Subject | Freeform Text / 80 |
| Location | Freeform Text/ 1023 characters | Location | Freeform Text | Location | Free form Text/100 |
| Starts | Time/Date Field | Start Time | Time/Date Field | Time/Date | Time/Date Field |
| Ends | Time/Date Field | End Time | Time/Date Field | ||
| Duration | Number of minutes/hours or All Day | ||||
| All Day | Yes/No | All Day Event | Check Box | All Day | |
| Occurs | User defined | Recurrence | User defined | Repeating (with exclusions) | User defined |
| Reminder | None/Remind Me | Reminder | Check Box | Reminder | Do not remind me/number minutes/hours/days |
| Attendees | Multi-select LOV of contacts | Attendees | Multi-select LOV of contacts | Attendees | Multi-select LOV of employees |
| Status | Free/Tentative/Busy/Out of Office | Show Time As | Free/Tentative/Busy/Out of Office | Show Time As | Busy/Free |
| Sensitivity | Normal/Private | Private | Check Box | Access | Publish/ Private/ Internal |
| Body | Freeform Text/ 20 KB | Body | Freeform Text | Description | Freeform Text / 4000 |
Note: If Property Manager is installed, then the location can be either freeform text or a Pick list. If the user creates the appointment using a property manager location and later updates the location via outlook, then the location will not be updated in Oracle eBusiness Suite during subsequent synchronizations. The property manager location will remain in Oracle eBusiness Suite.
The following table describes the task attribute mapping between Outlook/Pocket Outlook and Oracle eBusiness Suite.
| Pocket Outlook Field | Pocket Outlook Value | Outlook Field | Outlook Value | eBusiness Field | eBusiness Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Subject | Freeform Text/ 4095 characters | Subject | Freeform Text | Subject | Freeform Text/ 80 |
| Priority | High/Normal/Low | Priority | High, Normal, Low | Priority | Drop down (with number values) |
| Status | Not Complete/ Completed | Status | Not started, In progress, Waiting on someone else, Deferred | Status | Drop Down |
| Starts | Date picker | Start Date | Date picker | ||
| Due | Date picker | Due Date | Date picker | Due Date | Date picker |
| Sensitivity | Normal/Private | Private | Check box | Visibility | Internal Only/ Private/ Public |
| Body | Freeform text/ 60 KB | Body | Freeform text | Description | Freeform Text/ 4000 |
Note: Status: Updating completed flag in Outlook should update the assignee status on the server to completed. Complete = Completed; On Hold = Deferred; Not Started = Not Started; In progress = In Progress; Interrupted = Waiting on someone else; User defined/Other = Matched based on the flag on the server.
The following table provides task status mapping when tasks are downloaded from Oracle eBusiness Suite to Outlook.
| Task Status in eBusiness Suite | Task Status in Outlook | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Not Started | Not Started | |
| In Progress | In Progress | |
| Assigned | Not Started | |
| Working | In Progress | |
| Schedulable | Not Started | |
| Accepted | In Progress | |
| Interrupted | Waiting on Someone Else | |
| On Hold | Deferred | |
| Completed | Completed | Supported for Pocket PC |
| Closed | Completed | Supported for Pocket PC |
The following table provides task status mapping when tasks are uploaded to Oracle eBusiness Suite from Outlook/Pocket Outlook.
| Task Status in Outlook | Task Status in eBusiness Suite |
|---|---|
| Not Started | Not Started |
| In Progress | In Progress |
| Deferred | On Hold |
| Waiting on Someone Else | Interrupted |
| Completed | Completed |
The following table provides task priority mapping when tasks are downloaded from Oracle eBusiness Suite to Outlook/Pocket Outlook.
| eBusniess Suite Value | Pocket Outlook / Outlook |
|---|---|
| 1 | High |
| 2 | High |
| 3 | High |
| 0 | Normal |
| 4 | Normal |
| 5 | Normal |
| 6 | Normal |
| 7 | Low |
| 9 | Low |
| 8 | Normal |
Note: Priority 8: Special internal use by Oracle (Non-Prioritized)
The following table provides task priority mapping when tasks are uploaded to Oracle eBusiness Suite from Outlook/Pocket Outlook.
| Pocket Outlook / Outlook | eBusniess Suite Value |
|---|---|
| High | 1 |
| Normal | 5 |
| Low | 9 |
The following table describes the contact attribute mapping between Outlook/Pocket Outlook and Oracle eBusiness Suite.
| Pocket Outlook Field | Pocket Outlook Value | Outlook Field | Outlook Value | eBusiness Field | eBusiness Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Freeform text (combines title, first, middle, last, suffix) | Name | Freeform text (title, first, middle, last, suffix) | Name | Party Name / 360 |
| Title | Freeform text/ 1023 characters | Title | Freeform text | Prefix | Drop down / 30 |
| First | Freeform text/ 1023 characters | First | Freeform text | First Name | Freeform Text / 150 |
| Middle | Freeform text/ 1023 characters | Middle | Freeform text | Middle Name | Freeform Text / 60 |
| Last | Freeform text/ 1023 characters | Last | Freeform text | Last Name | Freeform Text / 150 |
| Suffix | Freeform text/ 1023 characters | Suffix | Freeform text | Suffix | Freeform Text / 30 |
| Job Title | Freeform text/ 1023 characters | Job Title | Freeform text | Job Title | Freeform text / 100 |
| Department | Freeform text/ 1023 characters | Department | Freeform text | Department | Freeform text / 60 |
| Company | Freeform text/ 1023 characters | Company | Freeform text | Customer | Freeform Text / 360 |
| Work Tel | Phone format/ 1023 characters | Business | Freeform text | Phone Number | Type = Telephone, Purpose = Business / 60 |
| Work Fax | Phone format/ 1023 characters | Business Fax | Freeform text | Phone Number | Type = Fax, Purpose = Business / 60 |
| Mobile Tel | Phone format/ 1023 characters | Mobile | Freeform text | Phone Number | Type = Mobile, Purpose = Business / 60 |
| Home Tel | Phone format/ 1023 characters | Home | Freeform Text | Phone Number | Type = Telephone, Purpose = Personal / 60 |
| Pager | Pagerformat/ 1023 characters | Phone | Freeform Text | Phone Number | Type = Pager, Purpose = Business / 60 |
| Work address | Freeform text/ 1023 characters (street, city, state, postal code, country) | Business Address | Freeform text | Address | Address 1 - 4/ 240 each city, state, county, country, postal code / 60 each (purpose “Business”) |
| Email (no HTML) | Freeform text/ 1023 characters | Email1 | Freeform text | Freeform text / 2000 |
You can verify that the synchronization server is running by entering a URL into your browser. If the server is operating, the synchronization version number appears in your browser.
The web page URL is the same as the URL the synchronization client uses to connect to the synchronization server. You can construct the URL by postfixing the following path after http(s)://[server]:[port]/
/OA_HTML/SyncServlet
https://ap1001rt.us.oracle.com:7777/OA_HTML/SyncServlet
The synchronization uses Oracle Applications Framework standard logging, which means the synchronization logs can be viewed via standard Oracle logging UIs such as Oracle Enterprise Manager. Use the following parameters to enable CACSync diagnostic logging:
Application Name = CRM Foundation
Module: %cac.sync%
Level: Exception