This chapter covers the following topics:
The Notes module provides a quick and easy way to enter in any information for an Oracle Applications business object. It is useful for attaching information such as directions, special instructions, or reminders. One or more people with access to the business object may enter in a note; therefore, it is collaborative in nature. It is historical and archivable, and may be further linked to Oracle Attachments. The Notes module can be accessed through Oracle Applications Framework, Forms, and HTML versions. The Notes module in Oracle Applications Framework is not fully compatible with HTML Notes user interface.
Example
A customer support agent enters a note for a service request. The note states that the customer is in a business meeting from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and is unavailable to assist the technician with the problem. The support agent also attaches a copy of the log file provided by the customer.
You may add an attachment to a note, such as a spreadsheet, picture, presentation, or a hyperlink to a web site.
For the Forms-based and HTML Notes, you can create a note with the following two separate formats:
Text Note: A note stored in a text format is known as a text note or regular note.
CLOB Note: A note stored in a binary format is known as a CLOB Note, large note, or detail note. The CLOB allows you to view a full note with a limit of 4GB in size.
For the Oracle Applications Framework based Notes, you can enter unlimited free form text and all note text can be stored or retrieved from the following locations depending on the note function:
Create Notes and Update Notes: In general, all note text can be entered or updated only in one field and is stored in a CLOB Note.
If your note text is less than or equal to 2000 characters, then the note is stored in both the Text Note and CLOB Note. If it exceeds 2000 characters, then the first 2000 characters are still stored in the Text Notes field, but the complete note text is also stored in the CLOB Note.
View Notes: The first 40 characters are retrieved from the Text Note. All detailed note text is retrieved from CLOB Note.
Note types help categorize notes. Users can define additional note types and associate those types to specific source objects, which makes the note types visible only to that source. Only note types that are mapped to a source object appear in the note window. Note types that are not mapped to any source object are considered general note types and are shown for all source objects.
The Notes module in Oracle Applications Framework provides a new look and feel with the following features:
View all notes and their attachments created for a source document.
Create a contextual note with unlimited text for a source document, such as a task or a service request.
Update existing note attributes, such as note type and visibility.
Update existing note text if you have appropriate access privileges.
Add attachments to a note when updating the note.
Delete an existing note if you have appropriate access privileges.
Note: Notes created for Common Application Calendar can only be accessed through the integrated applications, such as Oracle Service Online, Oracle Sales Online, or contextual task screens developed for Common Application Calendar, and are not available in standalone format. Users who can access the integrated applications can access the contextual notes for which they have permissions.
The following are key features of the Notes module in Forms and HTML:
The Notes module can hold free form text up to 2000 characters for a regular note, and can be extended to hold text up to 32KB for a large note.
There are three statuses of notes: private, public, or publish.
Note types are available to help you categorize notes.
You can attach additional text, a file, or a URL to a note.
Notes are created in the context of a source object.
Notes can be related to other business objects.
Note: The Notes module is a standalone module in HTML only. However, it is commonly accessed from many applications under various responsibilities. For example, Customer Support, Task Manager, Escalation Manager, and Installed Base all use the Notes module.
The Notes module is widely used by the following modules across Oracle E-Business Suite:
Collections use the Notes module to add additional information for late payments or overdue accounts.
Sales and Telesales applications use the Notes module to enter additional information for an opportunity, a lead, or a task.
Service applications use the Notes module to enter more information for a service request, defect, or task such as a special customer request or deadline that must be met.
E-Commerce applications use the Notes module to enter additional information for online service requests, tasks, and campaigns.
Marketing applications use the Notes module to enter additional information about marketing activities, such as campaigns, events, budgets, or claims.
Task Manager uses the Notes module to enter more task related information.
Escalation Manager uses the Notes module to enter additional information for an escalation document.