In Oracle Time & Labor you set preferences to define many of the rules about how individual workers or groups of workers can use the application.
There are rules for the time store, such as which set of applications can retrieve data about a worker's time, and rules about Self Service timecard entry, such as whether the worker can enter a negative number of hours. You can choose which preferences workers can see, and which one they can edit.
Oracle Time & Labor includes default preferences with predefined values. These cannot be changes or deleted. To view the default preferences in the Preference window, you can expand the default preferences hierarchy by clicking on the plus sign.
If you wish for all employees at all location in all organizations to have the same rules you can use the default preferences, or create one new hierarchy containing the preferences for which you want to specify a different value.
After creating the preference hierarchies you require, you can assign them to people by creating eligibility rules. You can link to locations, organization, all people, and individual people. You can link to other assignment criteria too, if you use Oracle Human Resources.
Preferences enable you to define rules about how individual workers or groups of workers can use the application. There are rules for the time store, such as which set of applications can retrieve data about a worker's time, and rules about Self Service timecard entry, such as whether the worker can enter a negative number of hours. You can choose which preferences workers can see, and which ones they can edit.
Oracle Time & Labor includes default preferences with predefined values, which you cannot change or delete. To view the default preferences in the Preferences window, you can expand the default preference hierarchy by clicking on the plus sign.
To ensure all workers at all locations in all organizations inherit the same rules, you can use the default preferences, or create a new hierarchy containing the preferences for which you want to specify a different value. To define separate rules for certain locations or organizations, you can create as many preference hierarchies as you require. For example, you can create one for the Consulting organization, another for the Seattle location, and a third for temporary workers.
After creating the preference hierarchies you require, you assign them to people by creating eligibility rules. You can link to locations, organizations, all people, and individual people. You can link to other assignment criteria too, if you use Oracle Human Resources.
Note: Preference hierarchies and eligibility rules are specific to your current business group.
People can be eligible for more than one hierarchy, so you must define a precedence to each eligibility rule. Using the example given above, consultants based in Seattle are eligible for two preference hierarchies, through their work location and their organization. Suppose that the Consulting preference hierarchy has a higher precedence than the Seattle hierarchy. The application assigns them all the preference values listed for Consulting, and any other preferences values that are listed for Seattle and not found in the Consulting hierarchy. If there are any preferences that are not listed in either of these hierarchies, the application assigns the workers the values given in the default preferences. A predefined eligibility rule links the default preference to all people, with a low precedence so you can override it.
The following table shows an example of defining preferences for a different department within a location which requires various preferences.
| Sample Preferences | Value in Default Preferences (Precedence=1) | Value in Location A (Precedence=10) | Value in Department C (Precedence=20) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Disconnected entry | No | No | Yes |
| Timecard Period | Weekly - Starts Sunday | Weekly - Starts Monday | Weekly--Starts Monday |
| Enter negative hours | Yes | No | Yes |
| Business messages | Yes | -- | -- |
| Number of recent timecards displayed | 5 | 8 | -- |
| Time Store Approval Style | OTL Auto Approve | OTL Supervisor | OTL Supervisor |
Using the values in the table, someone working in Department C at Location A would be assigned the following preference values:
Disconnected entry - Yes
Timecard Period - Weekly--Starts Monday
Enter negative hours - Yes
Business messages - Yes
Number of recent timecards displayed - 8
Time Store Approval Style - OTL Supervisor
There are three tabs on the Preferences window, Preferences, Eligibility Criteria and People.
Use the Preferences tab to maintain preference hierarchies. A preference hierarchy is a collection of defined rules.
Use the Eligibility Criteria tab to define rules that assign preference hierarchies to various levels such as organization, people group, location and person.
Use the People tab to view the rules that currently apply to a person. This tab is view-only.
This topic explains the preferences you use to assign rules and options to your workers. It also lists the values that are predefined as default preferences. You can override the defaults by creating new preference hierarchies.
In the Preferences window, you can see the Default Preferences by expanding the Preference Tree node. The Default Preferences node contains several types of preferences:
Self Service
Time Store
Timekeeper
There is also a separate default branch for Oracle Projects.
See also: Enterprise Asset Management Preferences in Oracle Time & Labor.
Additionally there are some features that contain default values. You cannot change or delete these values, but you can create new preference values for these features.
Note: The Preference Tree displays nodes in alphabetical order.
The Self Service node contains the predefined preferences of Worker. The Worker preferences relate to functionality directly associated to an individual.
| Preference Name in Tree (Preference Name) | Description | Value in Default Preferences Hierarchy | Default Value for Projects |
|---|---|---|---|
| Append Templates on Timecard (Self Service Functionality to Append Templates on the Timecard) | Y/N. If set to Yes, the worker can select more than one template and the data from all the selected templates appears on the timecard. | No | Yes |
| Business Messages (Self Service Ability to Show a Business Message) | Y/N. If set to Yes, business messages from time entry rule validation are displayed to the worker on the timecard. | Yes | Yes |
| Create Personal Templates (Self Service Create Template Functionality) | Y/N. If set to Yes, workers can create their own personal timecard templates. A Create Template button is displayed on the Templates page. | No | Yes |
| Date Formats (Self Service Date Format Functionality) | Determines the display of date formats for the timecard. You can choose the date format for the Period List, Timecard Table Day Header, and Timecard Details Page Day Header. | December 31, 2002. Tue, Dec 31.Tuesday, December 31, 2002 | [None] |
| Default Approver (Worker Default Approver) | If the Enter Override Approver preference is set to Yes, then you can select any supervisor in the business group to be the default value in the Override Approver field. | [None] | [None] |
| Disconnected Entry (Self Service Disconnected Entry Option for Worker) | Upload/Download, or None. Determines whether workers can enter time and labor data using a spreadsheet (import) and whether they can download data to the spreadsheet (export). |
None | Upload/Download |
| Timecard Allows Display of Accrual Balances | Reduce potential validation errors by displaying the accrual balances on the timecard. Self-service users can view the accrual balance before submitting their absences. Select yes in the Display Balance segment to display the balance component on the timecard. The application uses the HR: Accrual Plan Element Set profile option if you leave the Element Set as Null. Select an evaluation date for the accrual balances to display. The application uses the Accrual Evaluation Date you select to display the accrual balances. | ||
| Enter Negative Hours (Self Service Ability to Enter Negative Hours) | Y/N. If set to Yes, then workers can enter negative hours on their timecard. | No | Yes |
| Enter Override Approver (Worker Preference to Enter an Overriding Approver) | Y/N. If set to Yes, then workers can enter an override approver on the timecard. You must also set the Override Approval Style segment of the Approval Style preference to Projects Override Approver. | No | Yes |
| Number of Empty Rows on the Timecard (Self Service Number of Empty Rows on the Timecard) | The number of empty rows to display on the worker's default timecard. | 1 | 1 |
| Number of Recent Timecards Displayed (Self Service Number of Recent Timecards on Time Entry Screen) | The number of previously entered timecards to display. | 5 | 5 |
| OTL Rules Evaluation (Self Service Preference to Allow Rules Evaluation) | Y/N. Set the Evaluate OTL Rules segment to Yes for workers whose time is subject to OTL rules based on a rotation plan and earnings policy. If set to Yes, use the Approval Rules for Rules Evaluation segment to select the applications that approve the data before you can run the Transfer to BEE process. You may also select an Overtime Recurring Period to calculate overtime for non-weekly payrolls. | No | No |
| Public Template Groups | Determines the Self Service Timecard Template Group | Dynamic Templates Group | |
| Save as Templates on Timecard (Self Service Save as Template Functionality on Timecard) | Y/N. If set to Yes, then the Save As A Template button displays on the worker's timecard. | No | Yes |
| Self Service Flow | Audit or Standard. If set to Audit, then you use the Change and Late Audit Preference node. If set to Standard, then you choose not to use Change and Late Audit. | [None] | [None] |
| Template Assigned Value - Administrator (Self Service Default Template Assigned by Sys Admin) | Default template assigned by the system administrator. | [None] | [None] |
| Template Assigned Value - End User (Self Service Default Template Selected by User) | Default template selected by worker. Check the Editable by User check box if you want workers to be able to select their own default template. | [None] | [None] |
| Template Functionality (Self Service Template Functionality for a Worker) | Y/N. Select Yes in the Template Functionality for a Worker segment to enable workers to use templates. Y/N. Select Yes in the Create Zero Hours Last Timecard segment to enable users to create timecards using the last timecard template. The default is set to No. If you set this segment to Yes, and the worker creates a timecard based on the last timecard template, then the application applies the template to the timecard with zero hours for the first day and blank hours for the other days. |
No | Yes |
| Timecard Alternate Names (Self Service Timecard Alternate Name Set Defined for a User) | Determines the set of alternate names used to configure lists of values on workers' timecards. You must define Timecard Alternate Names. | [None] | [None] |
| Timecard Delete Allowed | Yes/No. If set to Yes, then you provide workers the ability to delete a timecard. If you select No, then you disable the delete timecard feature. | [None] | [None] |
| Timecard Layout (Self-Service Timecard Review, and Confirmation Layout Pages) | Determines which timecard layouts workers use for data entry, review, confirmation, detail page, and for export. If you leave the Export segment blank, then the Timecard entry layout is used for export. If you use Entry Level Approvals, then select the Approval Fragment Layout to route all approver comments to the worker. If you use Inline Notifications, then select the appropriate notification layout. Displays a concatenated entry of Project Number and Task Details. |
Exception Layout - Time card Entry Page | Projects Timecard Layout |
| Timecard Period (Self Service Timecard Period for Worker) | Determines which recurring time period workers use for timecard entry. | Weekly - Starts Sunday | Weekly - Starts Sunday |
| Timecard Unit of Measure (Self Service Unit of Measure to be Used on a Timecard | Determines the units in which workers enter time and labor data, such as days, hours, pieces, and time units as well as the format for entering time. | Hours HH:mm | Hours HH:mm |
| Timecard Status Allowing Edits (Self Service Timecard Status that Allows User Edits) | Determines the timecards you can edit, according to their status and data. Select a status in the Status Allowing Edits field: Submitted - Workers can edit submitted, new, working, and rejected timecards. Approvals Initiated - Workers can edit, delete, and resubmit new, working, rejected, and submitted timecards, plus those for which an approval process has been initiated. Note: Workers can edit timecards in this status only if the recipient application has not retrieved them. Retro - Workers can edit all timecards, including submitted, approved and processed timecards. Adjustments made at this point would create a Retro Time Adjustment. In the Past Number of Days field, enter the age of the oldest timecard a worker can edit. Timecards for the period in which this day falls will be editable. In the Future Number of Days field, enter how many days in advance a worker can enter a timecard. For example, if you enter 28, a worker can enter timecards for all periods up to and including the period that includes the 28th day. Note: A timecard is editable only if it has a status that allows edits and if the timecard period falls within the date limits set by this preference. In the Future Time Period Limit field, choose the time period as Active Assignment to generate timecard periods up to the actual termination date, otherwise, choose Assignment up to Final Termination to generate timecard periods up to the final termination date. Note: Although all time periods are available on a terminated employee's timecard, they cannot submit a timecard after the actual termination date. |
New, Working, rejected Day fields are blank, meaning there is no time limits on entering and editing timecards. New_Working_Rejected - Workers can only edit unsubmitted timecards, or timecards in a working or rejected status. |
Retro Day fields are blank, meaning there is no time limits on entering and editing timecards. |
The time store hierarchy contains the preferences that relate to the functionality of the time store and applications.
| Preference | Description | Default Value | Default Value for Projects |
|---|---|---|---|
| Absences Functionality | Enable Integration with Absences - determines if time store absence integration is set up for worker Allow Edit on Imported Absence Entries - determines if workers can edit absence entries. Action for Absences Pending Approval - determines if the worker views an error or a warning. Retrieval Rule for Absences - determines the method to use for online retrieval. You can choose from Use Retrieval Rule Group Preference, Working, Submitted, Approved. Display Absence Status Region on Timecard - determines if the absence status region displays on workers' timecards. Note: The settings you choose here determine if the Show Absences Screen Option in Timekeeper displays as shown/hidden. Action for Overlap and PTO Validations - determines if the application displays an error, warning or ignores overlaps and validation inconsistencies. Action for Absences Pending Confirmation - determines if the application displays and error or a warning to workers. Exclude Absences from Timecard Totals – determines if the timecard total in the time entry, review, confirmation and notification pages displays totals for both hour and day based absences. |
No No Error |
|
| Application Set (Time Store Application Set)
Additional Information: To ensure proper set up, your application set values must match those defined for your retrieval rules. |
Determines which applications retrieve workers' timecard - you must define at least one application set: Human Resources - Oracle Human Resources; Payroll - Oracle Payroll; Projects - Oracle Projects; HR/Projects - Human Resources and Projects; HR/Payroll - Projects and Payroll; HR/Payroll/Projects - Human Resources, Payroll and Projects. | Human Resources | Projects |
| Approval Periods (Time Store Approval Periods) | Determines the approval time periods for each application. | Weekly Periods - Starts Sunday | Weekly Periods - Starts Sunday |
| Approval Style (Time Store Approval Style) | Determines the approval rules and method for each application. To enable override approver functionality, you must ensure that the Enter Override Approver preference is set to Yes. This can display the Override Approver field on the projects, payroll, exception, and combination layouts, where a worker can select anyone in the business group. |
Auto Approve (no value for Override Approval Style segment) | Auto Approve Project Override Approver (for Override Approval Style segment) |
| Auditing Requirements (Time Store Audit Requirements) | Determines whether entries will be audited using Change and Late Audit. If Change and Late Audit is selected, then you must enter your Change and Late Audit rules. | [None] | [None] |
| Entry Level Processing Rule Groups
Additional Information: To ensure proper set up, your entry level processing rule groups should be defined to include the values defined in your application set, and your retrieval rules. |
Defined the entry level processing time entry rules used to validate the workers timecards. | [None] | [None] |
| Retrieval Dashboard Functionality | Time Store Retrieval Dashboard Setup for Worker - determines if the application selects the snapshot during timecard submission process or at a later stage. | ||
| Retrieval Rule Groups (Time Store Retrieval Rule Groups)
Additional Information: To ensure proper set up, you retrieval rules must match those defined for your application set. |
Determines the retrieval rules for each recipient application's retrieval process. The retrieval rules define the approval status data must achieve before it can be retrieved. You must define a Retrieval Rule Group. Projects Retrieval Rule Group Payroll Retrieval Rule Group Human Resources Retrieval Rule Group Projects and Payroll Retrieval Rule Group Human Resources and Projects Retrieval Rule Group Human Resources and Payroll Retrieval Rule Group HR, Payroll, and Projects Retrieval Rule Group Note: Ensure that a worker's retrieval rule group does not contain rules for applications that are no in the application set. |
Human Resources Retrieval Rule Group | HR, Payroll and Projects Retrieval Rule Group |
| Timecard Required (Time Store Time Required for Worker) | Lists any applications that do not require a timecard. | [No applications] | [No applications] |
| Time Entry Rule Groups (Time Store Time Entry Rules) | Defines the time entry rules to be used to validate the worker's timecards. | [None] | [None] |
| Time Store Days to Hours Conversion | Converts day timecard entries to hours for Projects Applications. | [None] | [No applications] |
| Validate on Save (Time Store Validate on Save) | Determines whether the OTL application runs the Recipient Update and Recipient Validate Processes when the user chooses the Save for Later option. If you set this preference to Yes, then the OTL application runs the Recipient Update and Recipient Validate Processes. If you set this preference to No, then the OTL application does not run the Recipient Update and Recipient Validate Processes. For Oracle Projects, however, the application runs the Recipient Update and Recipient Validate Processes irrespective of this preference. You can retain the rows with blank hours in a timecard after saving the timecard, by setting the segment Restrict timecard row(s) without any hours to No on the timecard. |
The Timekeeper node contains the predefined preferences for the Timekeeper feature.
| Preference Name in Tree (Preference Name) | Description | Value in Default Preferences Hierarchy | Default Value for Projects |
|---|---|---|---|
| Timekeeper Entry - Display Options (Timekeeper Misc Setup Items) | Determines the items to display on the timekeeper page. You can choose to display, In/Out time entries, Person Name, Person Number, Attribute Item Name for detail Information, and Descriptive Flexfields to display. | No, Yes, No, [none], and [none], respectively | No, Yes, No, [none], and [none] respectively |
| Timekeeper Timecard Layout (Timekeeper Layout Attributes) | Determines which columns to display on the Timekeeper Timecard Layout. | [None] | [None] |
The following features have preferences. You cannot change or delete these values, however, you can create new preference values for these features.
The Change and Late Audit node contains the predefined preferences for Change and Late Audit functionality. You cannot change or delete these values, however, you can create new preference values.
| Preference Name in Tree (Preference Name) | Description | Value in Default Preferences Hierarchy | Default Value for Projects |
|---|---|---|---|
| CLA - Delete Timecards (Timecard Delete Allowed) |
Determines whether workers can delete their timecards. This value must be set at No when using change and late audit feature. Timekeepers can delete timecards irrespective of this preference. |
No | No |
| CLA - Layout (Self-Service Timecard, Review and Confirmation Layout Pages for a Worker) |
Determines which timecard layouts workers use for data entry, review, confirmation, detail page, export and audit. If you leave the export segment blank, the Timecard entry layout is used for export. | Projects layout is defaulted for all values except Export. Export is [None] | Projects layout is defaulted for all values except Export. Export is [None] |
| CLA - Process Flow (Self Service Flow) |
Determines which process flow is to be used during time entry | Audit | Audit |
| CLA - Rule Group (Time Store Audit Requirements) |
Defines the time entry rules to be used to validate workers timecards | [None] | [None] |
Oracle Time & Labor delivers predefined default preferences. To view the predefined default preferences, expand the Default Preference hierarchy. Then you can decide if you need to create additional preferences. You cannot change or delete the default preferences. You can create new preference hierarchies as needed.
For example, there may be a circumstance where you wish to limit preferences based upon an organization, a location, or even for one individual person. By creating new hierarchies, you can define your preferences for these circumstances.
This procedure covers the definition of preferences only. To assign preferences, see: Defining Eligibility Criteria
To create a new branch in the Preferences tree
In the Preferences window, right mouse click on Preference Tree node and select New.
Enter the branch name in the Name in Tree field.
Save your work.
Close the Preference Tree node and reopen to view the new branch.
To add preferences to a branch
Select the node to which you want to add preferences, right mouse click, and select New.
In the Name in Tree field, enter a name for the preference.
This name can reflect the value you are going to select. For example, if you are going to select the value HRMS for the Time Store Application Set preference, you might use the name HRMS Application Set.
Save your work and select your new preference in the tree by selecting the node's name.
Select a value in the Preference field. The corresponding preference values flexfield displays.
Select the preference value(s) and choose OK.
Select the Editable by user option to enable the employee to edit this preference.
Select the Display to user option to enable the user to view this preference
Save your work.
Repeat steps 1 to 7 to define additional preferences for the branch.
Save your work.
Note: The rules region is a view only region. Once you have defined eligibility criteria, this region displays the current rules for each branch.
You can use eligibility criteria type to define rules that assign preference hierarchies to various levels such as organization, people group, location and person. Oracle Time and Labor provides predefined and user defined eligibility criteria.
Predefined Eligibility Criteria Type
All People
Assignment Category
Assignment
Employee Category
Job
Location
Organization
Payroll
Person
Person Type
Position
Session Responsibility
Persistent Responsibility
Organization Hierarchy
Additionally, you can define your own eligibility criteria types based on segments enabled for Soft Coded Key, Flex, People Group, and Grade Flexfield.
To define eligibility criteria type for preferences, choose the Eligibility Criteria tab on the Preferences window.
To define eligibility criteria
In the Preferences window, choose the Eligibility Criteria tab.
Enter a rule name to identify the eligibility criteria that will be tied to the node.
Select the node you wish to associate to the rule. This is the branch created on the Preference tab.
Select the criteria to Link By, such as organization or location.
Select the value to Link To.
The values are dependent upon the selection made in the Link By field. For example, if you select organization in the Link By field, you must select the appropriate organization name in the Link To field.
Note: If you are linking by a key flexfield, the Link To list of values contains values to which there is at least one person assigned. For example, if you have defined a job to which no one is yet assigned, that job does not appear in the list of values.
Enter a Precedence. This determines which hierarchy the application uses when a person is eligible for more than one. The value of 1 is the lowest and will be used last. It is recommended that you set your precedence at intervals of 10 so you can add new eligibility rules later, if required.
You can choose to enter the Start and End Dates for each Eligibility Criteria Rule.
Repeat steps 2-7 to enter eligibility criteria for all hierarchies. You can use a hierarchy in more than one eligibility rule to link it to different groups of people.
Save your work.
Once you have defined all preferences and eligibility criteria, you can view an employee's preferences from the People tab.
This is a view only tab and no changes can be made at this level. If you wish to make changes to an individual's preferences, you must use the Eligibility Criteria tab.
Use the People tab on the Preferences window to view people preferences.
To view people preferences
In the Preference window, choose the People tab.
Right click on Employee and choose Find from the menu.
Enter the name or employee number of the employee you wish to view, and choose Find.
All the fields will be populated with this employee's preferences.
If you wish to view another employee, repeat steps 2 and 3.
The top region of the window displays the employee's name and all the preference hierarchies for which the person is currently eligible. The lower region lists the values of the preferences assigned to this person.