This chapter covers the following topics:
Oracle Common Application Calendar, including Tasks, Notes and Calendar, is developed based on the Oracle Applications Framework, the standard HTML development and deployment platform for Oracle HTML Applications. It provides essential notes, tasks, and calendar functionalities for integrated applications, such as Oracle Service Online or Oracle Customers Online.
Users can use Oracle Common Application Calendar as a personal productivity tool to help manage their daily activities and resource reservations based on the availability of the resources. They can create contextual tasks for a source object and assign resources to the tasks in Task Manager, add notes to a contextual task or an appointment using Notes, and view scheduled appointments and other activities from their personal calendar views. Since these features are developed based on the HTML versions of Tasks, Notes, and Calendar with some enhancements, implementing Oracle Common Application Calendar requires implementors or system administrators to:
First, complete basic setup steps for these modules, such as defining task and note types and statuses, running concurrent programs, and setting profile options
Secondly, set additional steps specifically for the Oracle Applications Framework based Tasks, Notes or Calendar module, if needed, for them to work properly.
The Oracle Applications Framework is the development environment for the current generation of Oracle Self-Service Applications. The purpose of the Oracle Applications Framework is to provide developers of Oracle's Self-Service Applications with a set of common technologies, modules and standards. This Framework moves the next generation of Self-Service Applications to a standard HTML development and deployment platform which aims to make Oracle Self-Service Applications easy to use, build, deploy, maintain and customize, and to enforce the Oracle wide common look and feel.
In addition, the Framework facilitates rapid application development and tries to eliminate hand coded implementations that were a major part of previous development platforms. It also ensures high performance and scalability at run time.
Note: For those who familiar with Oracle's Forms-based application development, the Oracle Applications Framework is to the Self-Service Applications what Application Object Library (AOL) is to Forms-based development.
The implementation for Notes developed for Oracle Common Application Calendar uses the same set up steps for HTML Notes including creating new note types, mapping note types and references to a source, setting up source object codes, and setting necessary profile options.
Additionally, with the continuous support of existing notes data security, all data access and updates in Notes developed for Common Application Calendar are based on the concept of HTML Notes Application Object Library (AOL) data security rules. Implementors can customize Notes security and then grant object level security to users with qualifying access privileges if needed.
This section provides an overview of the required steps for implementing the Oracle Applications Framework based Notes. Detailed instructions for these steps are contained in the subsequent chapters.
Setting Up Note Types
In addition to the seeded note types, the implementor or system administrator can create new note types to categorize a note, such as a General note type for a general note, or an Interaction note type for a note created specifically for an interaction or activity.
Mapping Note Types to a Source
After creating note types, the implementor or system administrator can map these note types to a source object, such as Task Manager, or Sales Lead, or a specific resource category, such as Employee Resource. This limits the visibility of the note type appearing in the Note Type list of values only to the mapped specific source object or resource category.
Defining Notes Reference Mapping
In addition to mapping note types to a source, implementors can also map references to a source object. This narrows down the References drop-down list to objects that are actually relevant to a document's source object.
The Mapping Objects window used to define reference mapping is for both Task Manager and Notes modules. Therefore, implementors need to locate the setup screen under the Task and Escalation Manager navigation node.
Setting Up the Source Object Code and Context
The implementor or system administrator can add additional data in the JTF objects table if necessary. For example, if a document is newly defined or integrated with Notes, such as Task Manager, then the new document must be associated with Notes usage. As a result, the document name (Task Manager) appears in the Source list when a note is created for task 1150. Each item in the source list has an associated related object (task 1150), which appears in the Related To list.
Setting Profile Options
The implementor or system administrator can use the "Notes: Default Note Status" profile option to set the default value to note status and the "Notes: Default Note Type" profile option to set the default value to note type at site, application, responsibility, or user level based on business needs.
Since note types can be mapped to a source object, if the default note type is not mapped to a source or the profile option is not set, then there will not have a default value in the Note Type field during note creation. Otherwise, the default note type will appear in the Note Type field.
Customizing Notes Security
With the continuous support of existing notes data security, all data access and updates in Notes developed for Common Application Calendar are based on the concept of HTML Notes Application Object Library (AOL) data security rules.
This security model is used to restrict data access to appropriate users through a specific authorization process. It allows Notes implementor or system administrator to customize notes data, and then grant specific notes to appropriate users or user groups with right access privileges. This includes granting users the ability to view a note, create a note, update a note, update a regular note, update a large note, update a note's secondary information (such as note type, status, relation and attachment), delete a note, and restrict "note type" list of values. This functionality is only enforced in the HTML Notes, not the Forms-based Notes.
Similar to Notes in Oracle Applications Framework, implementing Tasks developed for Oracle Common Application Calendar also takes place in two phases.
In phase I, implementors need to complete the basic setups for Tasks mostly in Forms. These attributes are also used in Forms and HTML based Tasks. It includes the setup for task types, statuses, priorities, task type and reference mappings, metadata, concurrent programs, profile options, business events, and task security rules.
In phase II, in order for the Oracle Applications Framework based Task Manager to work properly, implementors need to perform one additional implementation step required specifically for Tasks in Oracle Applications Framework.
Note: To implement the Forms-based and HTML versions of Task Manager, see Task Manager Common Steps chapter for details.
This section provides an overview of the required steps for implementing the Oracle Applications Framework based Notes. Detailed instructions for these steps are contained in the subsequent chapters.
Defining Task Types
In addition to the seeded task types, the implementor or system administrator can create new task types to specify the purpose of a task creation, such as a "Follow-up" task or an "Appointment" task. They can also map task types to a source object. This way, users will see the task types that are mapped to the source object from the Task Type list of values when creating a task.
Defining Task Statuses and Status Transition Rules
The implementor or system administrator can create new task statuses to specify the progress of a task, such as "Completed", or "Working".
To regulate status change at the task level, the implementor can set the task status rules in the status transition window, and define appropriate rule access through responsibilities.
Defining Task Priorities
The implementor or system administrator can create additional task priorities to determine an importance rating for a task, such as Low, High, and Critical. In addition, like task types, task priorities can be mapped to a source object. This allows users to see only the task priorities that are mapped to the source object from the Task Priority list of values when creating a task.
Mapping Task and Notes Reference Mapping
The implementor or system administrator can map reference types to a source object, such as Task Manager. This limits the selection of Reference Type list of values shown in the Task Manager.
Setting Profile Options
The implementor must set necessary profile options used in Task Manager to set default values for task status, priority, types, as well as owner and assignee statuses. Other profile options determine the client time zone, unit of measure, workflow functionality, notification, and task security access.
Running the Concurrent Program
In order to retrieve new and updated tasks from quick find search, the system administrator must run the Rebuilding Intermedia Index for Task Names concurrent program periodically.
Setting Up Metadata Objects
The implementor or system administrator can add additional data in the JTF objects table if necessary. For example, if a document (such as Service Request) is newly defined or integrated with Task Manager, then the new document must be associated with Tasks usage.
Subscribing to Task Business Events
Task Manager, leveraging the Oracle Workflow Business Event System, subscribes to business events such as creating, updating, and deleting a task or an assignment when a task or an assignment is created, updated, and deleted from APIs, or application user interfaces (UIs) regardless of the Forms, HTML, or Oracle Applications Framework based applications. Applications that contain data directly affected by these events can subscribe to them and synchronize or modify their data accordingly.
Task business events will not be raised when an escalation or appointment is created even if the data is saved in the same tables.
For detailed information about escalations business events, see Subscribing to Escalations Business Events in the Escalation Manager section of the Oracle Common Application Calendar Implementation Guide.
Customizing Task Data Security
With the continuous support of the existing task security rules used in HTML Tasks, all data access and updates in Tasks developed for Common Application Calendar are based on the concept of Application Object Library (AOL) data security including the security rules around updating contextual tasks using a profile option and allowing group managers to access their direct's tasks. Additionally, to provide product specific security rules for customizing the resource list of values security for assignees, Task Manager leverages the AOL data security based on Virtual Private Database (VPD) policy to allow applications to set product specific security rules specifically for the resource list of values security.
Be aware that this security model with VPD feature is only implemented in the Forms-based and Oracle Applications Framework based Tasks specifically for the resource list of values security. It is not used in HTML Tasks.
Phase II: Mapping Task Assignee Types to a Source
In phase II, implementors must perform the following step specifically for Tasks in Oracle Applications Framework. Even though this step is performed in Forms, it is not used by the Form-based or HTML Tasks.
Similar to the functionality of mapping task references to a source used in the HTML Tasks, implementors can map both task assignee types and owner types to a source object for the Oracle Applications Framework based Task Manager. This limits the selection of task assignee types and owner types from the list of values for a mapped source object.
The Oracle Applications Framework based Calendar module is developed based on existing HTML Calendar concept with some enhancements; therefore, its implementation steps are similar to the steps of implementing HTML Calendar and it requires no further set up specifically for the Calendar in Oracle Applications Framework.
Since group and public calendar features are not used in the Oracle Applications Framework based Calendar module; therefore, there is no need to create a Calendar Administrator in the Oracle Applications Framework based Calendar module. There is also no need to implement calendar events. This is because applications that want to uptake this feature require both implementors to perform necessary steps during the implementation and Calendar users to meet certain conditions to be able to view calendar events in their personal calendars. If applications complete all required steps for this feature, then Calendar views will display these event items. In addition, since tasks will not be displayed from your personal calendar views, there is no need for Calendar in Oracle Applications Framework to run the "Rebuilding Intermedia Index for Task Names" concurrent program periodically.
Note: To implement the Forms-based and HTML versions of Calendar, see Implementing the HTML Calendar chapter and Implementing the Forms-based Calendar chapter for details.
This section provides an overview of the required steps for implementing the Oracle Applications Framework based Calendar. Detailed instructions for these steps are contained in the subsequent chapters.
Creating a Calendar User
Every employee resource with Sales User responsibility can use the Oracle Applications Framework based Calendar functionality to create appointments, view personal calendars, check resource availability, and customize personal preferences.
To create a Calendar user, the implementors or system administrators need to grant appropriate responsibilities to the employee resource.
Integrating with Web Mail
To invoke web mail compose window through an integrated Web Mail, such as Oracle Collaboration Suite, from the calendar Availability view, implementors or system administrators must set necessary profile options to enable the webmail function, specify correct server URL address for the integrated webmail server, and perform additional implementation steps on the server side to launch webmails successfully.
Setting Profile Options
Implementors or system administrators need to set the necessary profile options that are used in the Oracle Applications Framework based Calendar module including client timezone, self service accessibility features to access the Accessibility Daily View page, and the options for enabling web mail feature.
Starting Workflow Processes
Similar to the HTML Calendar module, implementors or system administrators need to start the necessary workflow processes used in the Oracle Applications Framework based Calendar module including "CAC Calendar Workflows" and "CAC Reminders".
Subscribing to Business Events for Appointments
The Calendar module subscribes to business events for appointments such as creating, updating, and deleting an appointment, adding and removing an invitee, as well as responding to an invitation when the following conditions occur from APIs, application user interfaces (UIs) in HTML or the Oracle Applications Framework based modules:
An appointment is created, updated, and deleted
An invitee is added to or removed from an appointment
An invitee accepted or rejected an appointment
Applications that contain data directly affected by these events can subscribe to them and synchronize or modify their data accordingly.