Implementation Tasks for Oracle Telecommunications Billing Integrator

This chapter covers the following topics:

Implementation Tasks

Implementing Oracle TBI involves the following:

  1. Setting Up XML Gateway

  2. Setting Up Collaboration History

  3. Starting Agent Listeners

  4. Setting Up Bill Summary UI

  5. Integration with Order Management Workflow Processes

  6. Setting Up and Running the Item Publish Concurrent Program

  7. Subscribing to Account Update Events

  8. Configuring the Middleware

Setting up Profile Values

To set up profile values in TBI, select the TBI administrator responsibility.

Navigation: TBI setup > profile system values.

Notes

Unless otherwise mentioned, use the TBI administrator responsibility to complete the setups mentioned in this chapter.

Setting Up XML Gateway

You must have the TBI Administrator responsibility to access Oracle XML Gateway database and forms. Setting up XML Gateway or TBI involves the following:

  1. Defining XML Gateway Profile Values

  2. Defining Database Directories for PL/SQL File I/O

  3. Defining XML Standards

  4. Defining a Hub

  5. Defining Transactions

  6. Defining Trading Partners

Defining XML Gateway Profile Values

To set the profile options, login to Oracle Forms with the System Administrator responsibility.

Navigation: TBI Setup > Profile System Values

For details on the XML gateway profile values to be set, refer Oracle XML Gateway User's Guide.

Defining Database Directories for PL/SQL File I/O

Oracle XML Gateway uses the UTL_FILE package to read and write to the server. To use Oracle XML Gateway, create folders to store the XML message process logs and the XSLT style sheets.

Define each folder as a database directory for PL/SQL file I/O. The folder name must be the same as the value defined for the Oracle XML Gateway profile ECX_UTL_LOG_DIR file path (ECX:Log File Path).

See My Oracle Support Knowledge Document 2525754.1, Using UTL_FILE_DIR or Database Directories for PL/SQL File I/O in Oracle E-Business Suite Releases 12.1 and 12.2.

For details, refer Oracle XML Gateway User's Guide.

Defining XML Standards

Define Open Applications Group (OAG) as the XML standard.

Navigation: Oracle XML Gateway Setup > Define XML Standards.

Notes

Standard Code: This is the name or code for the standard body of the XML messages. Enter 'OAG'

Standard Type: Enter 'XML'.

Defining a Hub

A hub is defined as an integration point within your network.

Navigation: Oracle XML Gateway Setup > Define Hubs.

Notes

Name: Enter 'XNB_HUB'.

Protocol Type: Select JMS. This value identifies the type of messages that are passed through the hub and provides a method for inbound and outbound agent listeners to filter the messages from a common queue. If this value is not available in the LOV, it must be enabled for the XML Gateway. To enable the values:

  1. Select XML Gateway Setup > Define Lookup Values.

  2. Query for the lookup type 'COMM_METHOD'.

  3. Locate the lookup value with code 'JMS' and enable it.

Protocol Address: Enter 'WF_JMS_OUT'. This is the outbound queue to process outbound transactions.

Additional Information: Middleware should be configured accordingly, so that it picks up the outbound messages from WF_JMS_OUT and enqueues the inbound messages to WF_JMS_IN.

Defining Hub Users

A hub user represents an application that takes part in the message exchange.

To define middleware as a hub user, enter XNB as the user name and the hub entity code.

To define the billing application as a hub user, enter the name of the billing application as the user name and hub entity code.

Defining Transactions

Internal transactions are used by the XML Gateway Execution Engine. Internal transactions are associated with the trading partner in the trading partner setup. Each internal transaction is associated with a number of external transactions that participate in the integration.

For more information about defining transactions, see the Oracle XML Gateway User's Guide.

Navigation: Oracle XML Gateway Setup > Define Transactions.

Notes

Queue: The standard inbound queue used in TBI is APPS.ECX_IN_OAG_IN. The field is disabled for outbound messages. Default queues are defined during installation.

Standard Code: Select 'OAG'.

Transaction Type: This is the product short name for the base Oracle Application. Enter 'XNB', which is the product short code for TBI.

Transaction Subtype: This refers to particular transaction within the application specified by the Transaction Type. The last letter of the code represents the direction of the transaction, that is, ”I” for inbound and ”O” for outbound. The combination of the Transaction Type and the Transaction Subtype identifies an Oracle transaction with which the message is associated.

External Transaction Type: Enter a primary external identifier for the XML message.

External Transaction Subtype: Enter a secondary external identifier for the XML message.

Internal and External Transactions in XML Gateway

The following internal transactions have associated external transactions in XML Gateway:

Account Outbound Internal Transaction

The following table lists the attributes and values for the account outbound transaction.

Account Outbound Transaction Values
Attribute Value
Party Type Customer
Transaction Type XNB
Transaction Subtype AO
Transaction Description XNB TCA Account Outbound

External Transactions for Account Outbound

The following table lists the details of the external transactions for account outbound message.

External Transactions for Account Outbound
STD CODE DIR EXT. TXN. TYPE EXT. TXN. SUBTYPE QUEUE
OAG OUT ACCOUNT SYNC -

Internal Transaction for Sales Order Outbound

Sales Order Outbound
Attribute Value
Party Type Customer
Transaction Type XNB
Transaction Subtype SOO
Transaction Description XNB OM Sales Order Outbound

External Transactions for Sales Order Outbound

External Transactions for Sales Outbound
STD CODE DIR EXT. TXN. TYPE EXT. TXN. SUBTYPE QUEUE
OAG OUT SALESORDER ADD -

Internal Transactions for Group Sales Order Outbound

Group Sales Order Outbound
Attribute Value
Party Type Customer
Transaction Type XNB
Transaction Subtype GSOO
Transaction Description XNB OM Group Sales Order Outbound

External Transactions for Group Sales Order Outbound

External Transactions for Group Sales Order Outbound
STD CODE DIR EXT. TXN. TYPE EXT. TXN. SUBTYPE QUEUE
OAG OUT GRP_SALESORDER ADD -

Internal Transacations for Inventory Item Outbound

Inventory Item Outbound
Attribute Value
Party Type Customer
Transaction Type XNB
Transaction Subtype IO
Transaction Description XNB Inventory Item Outbound

External Transactions for Inventory Item Outbound

External Transactions for Inventory Item Outbound
STD CODE DIR EXT. TXN. TYPE EXT. TXN. SUBTYPE QUEUE
OAG OUT ITEM SYNC -

Internal Transaction for Confirm BOD Inbound

Confirm BOD Inbound
Attribute Value
Party Type Customer
Transaction Type XNB
Transaction Subtype CBODI
Transaction Description XNB Confirm BOD Inbound

External Transactions for Confirm BOD Inbound

External Transactions for Confirm BOD Inbound
STD CODE DIR EXT. TXN. TYPE EXT. TXN. SUBTYPE QUEUE
OAG IN BOD CONFIRM APPS.ECX_IN_OAG_Q

Transactions Enabled for TBI

The following table lists the transactions enabled for TBI. A (XNB, CBODI) transaction must be enabled for each hub user representing a billing application with the correct Source Trading Partner Location Code. All transactions must be set as ENABLED.

Transactions Enabled for TBI
TXN TYPE TXN SUB TYPE MAP CONN/HUB USERNAME SRCT P LOC CODE DOC CONF
XNB AO XNB_TCA_ACCOUNT_OAG72_OUT XNB_HUB XNB XNB 2
XNB SOO XNB_OM_SALESORDER_OAG72_OUT XNB_HUB XNB XNB 2
XNB GSO XNB_OM_GRPSALESORDER_OAG72_OUT XNB_HUB XNB XNB 2 (If GSO)
XNB IO XNB_INV_ITEM_OAG72_OUT XNB_HUB XNB XNB 2
XNB CBODI XNB_CLN_CBOD_OAG72_IN - - <Hub Entity Code of Billing Applications> 0

Defining Trading Partners

A trading partner is an entity which exchanges messages with the XML Gateway. The trading partner has many transactions enabled for each hub user. The transactions enabled for each hub user determines the type of messages generated and the direction of the message. The Protocol Type is populated for outbound messages from the hub protocol type. Protocol Type is not applicable for inbound messages.

For more information about setting up trading partners, see the Oracle XML Gateway User's Guide.

Party and Location for the Hub must be created in TCA. For details, see Oracle Trading Community Architecture User Guide.

Navigation: XML Gateway Setup > Define Trading Partners.

Notes

Company Admin Email: Enter the System Administrator's e-mail ID. The System Administrator will receive notifications regarding warnings and errors

Connection/Hub: Enter 'XNB_HUB'. This is required only for outbound messages.

Destination Trading Partner Location Code: Leave this field blank.

Document Confirmation: Specifies if the trading partner would like to send or receive a confirmation. Select 2 (Always send a confirmation) for outbound messages and select 0 (Never send a confirmation) for inbound messages.

Setting Up Oracle Collaboration History

Oracle Collaboration History maintains a history or record of the communication between EBS and the billing applications. Using Collaboration History, you can track all the events and messages exchanged during a collaboration including exceptions and the XML Payloads where available. Setting up Oracle Collaboration History involves the following:

  1. Defining Collaboration History Profile Values

  2. Defining Lookup Values

  3. Setting up Collaboration Events

  4. Setting up Final Collaboration Event

Defining Collaboration History Profile Values

Log into Oracle Forms and navigate to TBI Setup > Profile System Values and set up profile values for Collaboration History.

Notes

The profile values for Collaboration History are:

  1. CLN: Enable_History_Tracking

  2. CLN: Debug Level

  3. CLN: Debug Log Directory

Defining Lookup Values for Collaboration

Lookup values are used to integrate XML Gateway with the Supply Chain Trading Connector to enable Collaboration History Tracking. Use the applications Developer responsibility to define the lookup values

Navigation: Application : Lookups > Application Object Library

Notes

The following table lists the lookup values.

Lookup Types
Lookup Type Lookup Code Description Enabled?
CLN_APPLICATION_ID 881 Oracle Telecommunications Billing Integrator Y
CLN_COLLABORATION_TYPE XNB_ITEM TBI Item Y
CLN_COLLABORATION_TYPE XNB_ACCOUNT TBI Account Y
CLN_COLLABORATION_TYPE XNB_SALESORDER TBI Sales Order Y
CLN_COLLABORATION_DOC_TYPE XNB_SYNC_ITEM TBI Sync Item Y
CLN_COLLABORATION_DOC_TYPE XNB_SYNC_ACCOUNT TBI Sync Account Y
CLN_COLLABORATION_DOC_TYPE XNB_ADD_SALESORDER TBI Add Sales Order Y

Additional Information: After updating the lookup values, bounce the Apache server on the environment only if the values are not reflected in the Collaboration Setup UI.

Setting Up Collaboration Events

A Collaboration Event represents a system component acting on information in a message or XML Payload.

Navigation: Workflow Administrator : Collaboration Monitor : SetUp > Collaboration Event Definition

Notes

Application: Select the Oracle Application that owns the collaboration.

Document Type: Select the Document Message Payload identified for the event.

Setting up the Final Collaboration Event

The final collaboration event must be set up in Collaboration History to record the final status of the overall collaboration. The final event is generally the occurrence of an inbound or outbound message in the XML Gateway. After the collaboration is created or updated from the business flow, the collaboration can be tracked using the Collaboration History function.

Navigation: Workflow Administrator : Collaboration Monitor : SetUp > Collaboration Final Event Definition

Checking Status of Agent Listeners

The following Agent Listeners must be running for TBI to function:

Navigation: Workflow Administrator : Oracle Applications Manager > Workflow Manager. Click the Agent listeners icon.

Setting Up Bill Summary UI

The Bill Summary UI is integrated with Oracle Contact Center and can be accessed from Oracle Contact Center through a special menu. Oracle TBI uses the OA Framework for Bill Summary UI.

Setting up Bill Summary UI involves the following:

  1. Defining Bill Summary UI Profile Options

  2. Providing Access to Bill Summary UI to a Responsibility

  3. Personalizing the Form

  4. Accessing the Bill Summary UI from Oracle Contact Center

  5. Loading Bill Summary Data

Defining Bill Summary UI Profile Options

The following table lists the profile values for Bill Summary UI.

Bill Summary UI Profiles Values
Profile Option Value
XNB: Bill Image Source Specifies the source of the image displayed on the bill. The values are:

  • Application: The source of the bill image is application specific. The billing application provides the URL to the bill details and the bill summary.

  • File System: The bill image can be retrieved from the file system.
XNB: Bill Image Location Specifies the location of the bill image in the file system. 'XNB: Bill Image Source' must be set to 'File System'. The path specified must be a relative path accessible to the application web server.
The path specified is appended to the $OA_HTML path of the web server to retrieve the bill image.
XNB: Bill Image Format Specifies the format of the bill image. This value is used as the file extension for the image name, which is same as the bill number. For example: gif, jpeg.

Providing Access and Enabling the Bill Summary UI

To access Bill Summary UI from Oracle Contact Center, select a responsibility that has access to Oracle Contact Center. Use the System Administrator responsibility.

Navigation: Security : Responsibility > Define

Steps

  1. Query for 'Menu' to identify the root level menu attached to the responsibility.

  2. Navigate to Application > Menu. Query for the menu identified in the previous step.

  3. Add the seeded function XNB_OA_ACCT_BILL_DETAILS to the menu with the following values:

    • Function: XNB_OA_BILL_DETAILS

    • Description: XNB Account Bill Details OA Page

  4. To enable the Bill Summary UI, add the seeded function XNB_OA_ACCT_BILL_DETAILS to the menu with the following values:

    • Function: XNB_OA_ACCT_BILL_SUMMARY

    • Description: XNB Account Bill Summary OA Page

Personalizing Oracle Contact Center for TBI

TBI allows personalization in Oracle Contact Center to invoke the Bill Summary UI. You can do this from the Contact Center form

Navigation: Help > Diagnostic > Custom Code > Personalize.

  1. Create a Function. Name the function 'Bill Summary Function' or as appropriate.

  2. Select the 'Enabled' check box to enable the function.

  3. Select the Condition tab and enter the following details.

    • In the Trigger Event field, enter 'WHEN-NEW-FORM-INSTANCE.'

    • In the Processing Mode field, enter 'Not in Enter-Query Mode'.

  4. Select the Actions tab and enter the following details.

    • From the Type list, select Menu.

    • From the Menu Entry list, select 'SpecialXX'. XX represents the number that is not used by any other entry.

    • In the Menu Label field, enter Bill Summary.

    • To separate menu items with a line, enable Render Line Before Menu.

  5. Create another function. Name the function 'OA Bill Summary Page' or as appropriate.

  6. Select the 'Enabled' check box to enable the function.

  7. Select the Conditions Tab and enter the following details.

    • Select the Trigger event. It must be same as the one specified in the Menu, SpecialXX.

    • From the Type list, select Builtin.

    • For Builtin Type, select Launch a Function.

    • In the Function Code field, enter XNB_OA_ACCT_BILL_SUMMARY.

    • In the Parameters field, enter ='AccountNumber='||:CUSTOMER_HEADER_BLK.CUST_ACCOUNT_NUMBER

Accessing the Bill Summary UI from Oracle Contact Center

To access the Bill Summary UI, select an account from Oracle Contact Center. From the Tool or More Tools menu, select the menu that you had set up in the previous procedure. The Bill summary UI appears.

Loading Bill Summary Data

Data must be uploaded at required intervals to the XNB_BILL_SUMMARIES table for billing details to be displayed accurately in the Bill Summary. Load the data at the end of every billing cycle. To upload the data, call the bill summary APIs. Refer Bill Summary Bulk Insert APIs for details.

Integration with Order Management Workflow Processes

Oracle TBI works in conjunction with the following Order Management Workflow processes:

Integrating Workflow Process for Publishing Account Information

When an order is created for a new account (an account that has not been published to the billing system) in Order Management, the Order Management header flow uses the Business Event System to trigger the TBI account publish process. The TBI account publish process generates the XML and loads it into the AQ. You must create the workflow function for publishing accounts. The figure below shows the workflow process for publishing account information.

Workflow Process for Publishing Account Information

the picture is described in the document text

Navigation: In WorkFlow Builder, open the OM Order Header (OEOH) workflow.

Notes

Enter the following parameters:

Integrating Workflow Process for Publishing Sales Order Information

When an order is created in Oracle Order Management, the Order Management order line flow uses the Business Event System to trigger the TBI sales order publish process. Each Sales Order line is an individual XML message because each order line corresponds to an item ordered by a customer. The figure below gives the workflow process for publishing sales order information.

Workflow Process for Publishing Sales Order Information

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Integrating Workflow Process for Publishing Sales Order Information involves the following:

  1. Defining Sales Order Line Profile Values

  2. Creating the Workflow Function

Additional Information: GSO and Sales Order Line are mutually exclusive.

Defining Sales Order Line Profile Option

The profile option to set the sales order line is XNB: Account Republish. The values are:

Creating the Workflow Function

Create the workflow function for publishing sales order information.

Navigation: In WorkFlow Builder, open the OM Order Line (OEOL) workflow.

Notes

Integrating Workflow Process for Publishing Group Sales Order Information

Create the workflow function for publishing group sales order information. The figure below shows the workflow process for publishing Group Sales Order Information.

Workflow Process for Publishing Group Sales Order Information

the picture is described in the document text

Navigation: In Workflow Builder, open the OM Order Header (OEOH) workflow.

Notes

Enter the following parameters for the new function:

Setting Up and Running the Item Publish Concurrent Program

You must have the System Administrator responsibility and the Telecommunications Billing Integrator Administrator responsibility to setup and run the concurrent program for Oracle TBI.

Setting up and running the item publish concurrent program involves:

  1. Defining Item Batch Export Profile Values.

  2. Submitting the Item Publish Request.

Item Batch Export Profile Values

The following table lists the profile values for Item Batch Export Profile.

Item Batch Export Profile Values
Profile Option Value
XNB: Items Batch Message Type The values are:

  • CSV Batch File: Generates a batch file in Comma Separated Values format.

  • XML Batch File: Generates a batch file in XML format.

  • XML Message: Generates an XML message for each inventory item and is published through the middleware.
XNB: Items Batch File Location Name of the folder in which TBI generates the Inventory Items Batch file (XML or CSV). The file is generated by the Item Batch Export Concurrent Request. This is required if the XNB: Items Batch Message Type profile value is set to CSV Batch File or XML Batch File.

The following table lists the seeded values for Item Batch Export concurrent program.

Seeded Values for Item Batch Export Concurrent Program
Name Value
Program Telecom Billing Integrator Items Publish
Short Name XNB_ITEMS_PUBLISH
Application Telecommunications Billing Integrator
Executable XNB_ITEMS_PUBLISH

Submitting the Item Publish Request

Update the billing application each time an item is added or updated in the inventory. You can do this in two ways:

  1. Use the batch mode which supports CSVs and XML files.

  2. Publish the details in a real time asynchronous mode using Item Publish Flow 'XNBFLOWS.ITEM_PROCESS'. TBI uses the workflow process to publish the item/product information.

For both options, use the Item Batch Export concurrent program. Select the items that need to be published based on the parameters of the concurrent program which initiate the item publish flow. Only the items that are invoiceable (INVOICEABLE_ITEM_FLAG = N) by the external billing applications are published.

Select the TBI Administrator responsibility to submit an item publish request.

Navigation: Requests > Submit Request.

Notes

Request Name: Select 'Telecommunications Billing Integrator Items Publish'.

Billing Application: Name of the hub entity code of the billing application.

From Date: Publishes all items updated between the from date and the current date.

Inventory Organization: Inventory organization of the items to be published/exported.

Inventory Category Set: Inventory category set of the items to be published/exported.

Inventory Category: Inventory category of the items to be published/exported.

Subscribing to Account Update Events

TBI allows you to subscribe to a set of TCA events. When the subscribed event occurs, TBI verifies if the account updated in TCA is relevant to the billing system. If so, TBI publishes the account XML message to the billing system. The qualifier within the XML message is marked with a "U" next to the updated information.

Navigation: TBI Setup > Subscribe to Events > Account Update Events.

Supported Events

The following table lists the supported events.

Sl. No Event Name Event Display Name Description
1 oracle.apps.ar.hz.CustAcctSiteUse.create CustomerAccount Site Usage Create Triggered when a new customer account site usage is created.
2 oracle.apps.ar.hz.CustAcctSiteUse.update CustomerAccount Site Usage Update Triggered when a customer account site usage is updated.
3 oracle.apps.ar.hz.CustAcctRelate.create Related Accounts Create Triggered when a new customer account relation is created.
4 oracle.apps.ar.hz.CustAcctRelate.update Related Accounts Update Triggered when a customer account relation is updated.
5 oracle.apps.ar.hz.CustProfileAmt.create Customer Profile Amounts Create Triggered when a new customer profile amount is created.
6 oracle.apps.ar.hz.CustProfileAmt.update Customer Profile Amounts Update Triggered when a customer profile amount is updated.
7 oracle.apps.ar.hz.CustAccount.update Customer Account Update Triggered when a customer account information is updated.
8 oracle.apps.ar.hz.Person.update Person Update Triggered when Party Details of type Person is updated.
9 oracle.apps.ar.hz.Organization.update Organization Update Triggered when Party Details of type Organization is updated.
10 oracle.apps.ar.hz.CustomerProfile.update Customer Profile Update Triggered when Customer Profile details are updated.
11 oracle.apps.ar.hz.ContactPoint.update Contact Points Update Triggered when Contact Point details are updated.

Configuring the Middleware

Oracle TBI uses generic XML gateway compatible Advance Queues (AQ) for all outgoing and incoming messages. They are:

  1. WF_JMS_IN: This inbound queue is used for all inbound messages that are sent to TBI. Once the billing application receives the message, it sends a Confirmation Business Object Document (CBOD) with appropriate status to the Middleware, which queues it onto the WF_JMS_IN. The Workflow Agent configured on the WF_JMS_IN queue picks up the message and calls the workflow handlers to process the message.

  2. WF_JMS_OUT: This is the JMS Outbound queue that processes outbound transactions. The Account XML message generated in JMS Format is published to the JMS Outbound queue (WF_JMS_OUT). The Collaboration history is updated to reflect the account message publish status.

Additional Information: If Oracle Applications Interconnect (OAI 9.0.4) is used as the middleware, refer Appendix A for details on configuring OAI 9.0.4. If a non-OAI middleware is used, refer to the respective documentation for the configuration details.