Oracle® Fusion
Applications Enterprise Contracts Implementation Guide 11g Release 5 (11.1.5) Part Number E20371-05 |
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This chapter contains the following:
Importing Contracts: Explained
Files, Import Objects, Mapping, and Import Activity Components: How They Work Together
File-Based Import Processing: How it Works
File-Based Import Objects: Explained
File-Based Import Mapping: Explained
Import Activity Source File Options: Explained
Import Activity Attachment Options: Explained
Import Activity Import Options: Explained
Import Activity Field Mapping: Explained
File-Based Import Monitoring: Explained
Frequently Asked Questions for File-Based Data Import
You can import contracts into the application from a source file using file-based import. To initially set up file-based import for importing contract data, select the Manage File Import Objects and Manage File Import Mappings tasks. To schedule your contract imports, select the Manage File Import Activities task. These tasks are available by selecting Setup and Maintenance from the Tools menu and searching on the task name.
File-based import supports the import of data from an external text or xml file to interface tables and then from interface tables to target application tables.
This topic describes:
What you can import
The interface table
The import process
Contracts for import can be in Draft, Active, or Expired status but must not have lines. The import file can use names as well as IDs to identify data, for example, Party ID or Party Name. You can import only one version for each contract, with the following data:
Contract header
Primary party (supplier, customer, or partner)
One contract owner: depending on the owner role, this is either an employee or salesperson of the contract's business
One primary contract party: a supplier or partner or customer
Primary contract document as an attachment
Additional attachments: the import file lists the attachments which are imported using the file import UI, either individually or as a ZIP file.
You can import new contracts, but you cannot update or delete existing contracts through imports.
The application uses the following database table for importing contracts:
Table |
Description |
---|---|
OKC_IMP_CONTRACT_HEADERS |
The interface table used to load contract data from external systems. This table maps to logical contract data: contract header, contract party, contract party contact, contract terms, and contract attachments. |
Details about the fields and valid values for import are available from the Oracle Enterprise Repository for Oracle Fusion Applications.
To import contracts, use the file-based import feature and upload contract data into the interface table. To access this feature, select the Manage File Import Activities task, available by selecting Setup and Maintenance from the Tools menu and searching on the task name. A detailed description of how to import data using file-based import is described in a related topic.
Note
An import mapping, which details the mapping between source file columns and contract attributes, is provided in the Edit Import Activity: Map Fields page for your use, but you can define additional import mappings if required.
File-based import supports the import of data from an external text or xml file to interface tables and then from interface tables to target application tables.
File-based import includes the following:
Source files with import data
Import objects with available import attributes
Mappings between source files and interface table columns
Import Activities to define import options, a processing schedule, and monitor progress
External data can be obtained in various ways and formatted in a text or xml file. The source file data is mapped to interface table columns using a Mapping. The source file is identified on an Import Activity, along with other import processing details. The file processing component of the file-based data import consists of reading the source file, parsing the data, and inserting the data into the appropriate interface tables.
Import objects are defined where interface tables exist and external files can be used to import data into the interface tables. Import Object definitions for Oracle objects that support file-based import are predefined and can be accessed with the appropriate security privilege. Individual object attributes represent the interface table columns and are used to map source file data or constant values in Mappings and Import Activity definitions. Use the Import Object definition to manage the display of attributes that can be mapped, to indicate required mappings, and to set site level default values as required.
Import mapping enables you to predefine a mapping between the columns provided in a source file and the attributes pertaining to the objects being imported. Once you create a mapping, it can be reused in the Import Activity definition.
An Import Activity definition provides the instructions for the import processing. It includes the source file or file location and mapping, plus import processing options and schedule. You can monitor the progress of the Import Activity processing and view completion reports for both successful records and errors.
The file-based data import process includes processing the source file data and inserting it into the interface tables, moving the interface table data into the destination application tables, and then processing the attachments for the imported objects. Processing factors are subject to the settings defined for the Import Activity, Mapping, and Import Object. You can monitor the processing steps and view process reports for each Import Activity.
This topic describes the following:
Inserting Data in the Interface Tables
Interface Table Data Validation and Error Counts
Interface Table to Destination Application Table Processing
Importing Attachments
Viewing Import Results
Data exists in various sources and in various formats. The file import processing starts with reading the source data, parsing the data, and inserting into the appropriate interface tables. The source of the data comes from the following:
Source file values mapped to target object attributes in the Import Activity.
Constant values defined for target object attributes in the Import Activity.
Default values defined for target object attributes in the Import Object.
The data is initially validated against the predefined Import Mapping and the Import Object settings as the interface tables are being populated by the initial file import process. The interface table data is validated again before importing into the destination application tables.
Validation includes:
Missing required values
Values that exceed the attribute length
Invalid values
Duplicates to existing records in the destination application tables based on the combination of attributes selected for duplicate validation in the predefined Import Mapping.
Note
For the Lead import object, the duplicate checking is only done for existing leads created within the look back days setting of the Import Activity.
Duplicates to existing records in the destination application tables for Customer Data Management objects based on Matching Configurations.
Errors
Most validation issues are recorded as errors, with the exception of Customer Data Management duplicates found during the Matching Configuration process. In this case, matched records are only considered as errors if:
Customer Management Duplicates option is set to Do Not Import for the Import Activity and
The main object of the Import Activity is a consumer, customer, or legal entity object
Allowable Error Count Threshold
The validation of the interface table occurs before any records are imported into the destination application tables. Once the validation process has completed, the count of records with errors is compared to the Allowable Error Count Threshold value specified for the Import Activity. A count above the threshold will stop the import process for all records. If the count is below the threshold, records without errors will import. In either case, records with errors will be reported in the Error and Exception files.
The import process orchestrates the import for each of the component objects that make up the overall main objects of the Import Activity.
Once the objects have imported successfully, the attachments are processed. The import process matches the source file attachment name to the file name included in the compressed file entered on the Import Activity. The attachment file is imported into Universal Content Manager and then associated as an attachment to the imported object.
You can monitor all file-based Import Activities that are currently scheduled to run, have completed successfully, or failed with errors. For each Import Activity, you can view the details pertaining to each underlying process. Once an Import Activity process has completed, the following processing reports are added as attachments to the process:
Log file. Includes the records that were successfully imported plus the unique destination application table identifiers for the objects.
Exception file. Includes the records that were not imported plus a reference to an error for each record that failed validation.
Error file. Includes all the errors for each record that failed validation.
Import objects represent the application and attribute information for business objects that can be imported using external source files.
This topic describes the following:
Import object management options
Custom objects
A single import object can have multiple associated components that are considered objects by themselves. An object and associated objects that can be imported within the same source file are grouped together within the application module class.
Note
Each object includes the Import Activity object (MktImpJobs1). The Import Activity object is a required component of the application module but is not mapped to a source file. All values for this object are derived from the Import Activity definition. Consequently, do not update the Map, Required, and Default Value settings for the Import Activity object.
The following table includes information about the import object:
Option |
Description |
---|---|
Attributes |
A view-only listing of object attributes that represent each column in the interface table for the object. |
Length |
A view-only listing of widths for the columns in the interface tables. If the source file values for the attribute have more characters than the attribute length, the source file row will not be imported. |
Default Value |
Optionally, specify an attribute value to use if a value is not available from the source file or Import Activity constant value. |
Map |
Enable the list of attributes that can be mapped to a source file or constant value in the Import Mapping and Import Activity Map Fields step. |
Required |
Specify the list of attributes that must be mapped to source file columns. Consequently, if you have selected an attribute as required, you must also enable the Map option for that attribute. When mapping the external source file, the required target attribute defined for the object are displayed with an asterisk. |
To use the file-based import feature for custom objects, you must first generate the artifacts required for import. You generate these required artifacts within Oracle Fusion CRM Application Composer, after making your object model extensions.
Import mapping enables you to predefine a mapping between the columns provided in a source file and the attributes pertaining to the objects being imported. Once you create a mapping, it can be reused in the Import Activity definition.
This topic contains the following sections:
Import options
Source file options
Target options
The following attributes pertain to the import mapping.
Attribute |
Description |
---|---|
Object |
The business object to be imported. |
Name |
The name that identifies the mapping in the Import Mapping and Import Activity UIs. If the mapping was initially created while mapping fields directly in the Import Activity user interface and automatically saved without providing a user-defined mapping name, the mapping name is derived from the Import Activity name and date. |
Decimal Separator |
The format of the fractional portion of numerical values in columns mapped to attributes with a decimal attribute type. |
Date Format |
The format of values in columns mapped to attributes with a date attribute type. |
Timestamp Format |
The format of values in columns mapped to attributes with a time stamp attribute type. |
Lock |
If selected, prevents any user, other than the creator of the mapping, from editing the mapping. |
Map each column that the source file is expected to contain with a specific attribute.
The following table describes the details pertaining to columns provided in the source file:
Source Column |
Description |
---|---|
Sequence |
The sequence number in which the columns are expected to be provided in the source file. Two rows cannot have the same sequence number. |
Column Name |
The column name expected in the source file if a header row is included, or more generic values such as Column A, Column B, and so on, if the header row is not included for Text file types. The tagging structure is represented for XML file types. |
Column Width |
Use when the delimiter value is fixed width for Text file types only. |
Ignore |
Ignore the source file column to exclude the data from being imported. |
Required |
If selected, a value must exist in the source file or the row will not be imported. |
The following table describes the details pertaining to corresponding attributes in the target application table:
Target Attributes |
Description |
---|---|
Object |
The group of import objects that represent the components of the business object being imported. |
Attribute |
The attribute name that represents the corresponding interface table column for the object. |
Duplicate Validation |
If selected, the attribute, along with other selected attributes, determines what constitutes a duplicate object when comparing objects in the interface tables and existing objects in the target application tables. For example, to validate the uniqueness of an object in the target application tables by the combination of an object's name and date, select Duplicate Validation for both attributes in the mapping. |
The Import Activity consists of a step by step guided process to assist you with creating an import activity for a given object.
This topic describes the source file options defined in the Import Activity that are used by the import process to locate and parse the source file data.
Enter attribute details pertaining to the source file as follows:
Option |
Description |
---|---|
File Type |
Source file must be either Text or XML. |
Data Type, Delimiter, and Header Row Included |
A Text file type can further be defined based on how the data is delimited and if the source file is expected to include a row of headings for each column. |
Import Mapping |
Displays a list of predefined mappings for the object selected for this import activity. The selected mapping will be used as the basis for mapping your source file in the next Import Activity step. |
The following outlines the options that are available to you when locating your source file for import.
Option |
Description |
---|---|
File Selection |
Select from the following file selections:
|
Upload From |
You can upload the source file from three locations:
If you select Desktop, a File Name field with an associated Update button is displayed. Click Update and browse to search for and select the file you want to upload. If you select URL, enter the address location as in
the following example format: If you select Network, enter the file name path as
in the following example format: Note If you selected the Specific File as your file selection option, then you will have to include the file name for both URL and Network file path locations. |
Once the objects have imported successfully, the attachments are processed. The import process matches the source file attachment name to the file name included in the compressed file entered on the Import Activity. The attachment file is imported into Universal Content Manager and then associated as an attachment to the imported object.
This topic includes the following:
Provide attachment information in the source file columns for the corresponding object record row
Select all the attachment files referenced in the source file in the Import Activity definition
Attachments are processed after the associated objects have imported successfully. Attachment related source file columns are not mapped to target attributes but used to directly associate the attachments to the corresponding import objects by the import process. Consequently, the source file column names must have specific values for the import process to identify the attachment information. If an object has multiple attachments, the set of columns must be repeated for each attachment. For example, if the imported objects have a maximum possibility of two attachment files, at a minimum, you must have two columns labeled ATTACHMENT_FILE_NAME.
The following table describes the source file column names:
Column Name |
Description |
---|---|
ATTACHMENT_FILE_NAME |
The only required column for each attachment file. This column is for the attachment file name and must match exactly to the file name that will be added to the Import Activity. |
ATTACHMENT_FILE_TITLE |
An optional column to provide a file title. |
ATTACHMENT_FILE_DESC |
An optional column to provide a file description. |
ATTACHMENT_CATEGORY_NAME |
An optional column for the Category Name. If one is not provided, the Oracle defined category for the object is used. |
The Import Activity requires a single compressed file that includes all the attachment files referenced in the source file. The selection method can occur in two ways:
Select a compressed file in zip or jar format that contains all the individual attachment documents. A compressed file that contains a hierarchy of folders that organizes the individual documents is acceptable.
Alternatively, if the Universal Content Management Applet Enabled profile is set to Yes, you can select individual attachment documents and the applet will compress the selection into a single compressed file. Select Multiple Files and then click Browse to display the file selector. Browse through the file system and select multiples files from across various folders.
Note
You must select all attachments in one operation. For example, you cannot select few files now and then return later to select more attachments files. If more than one row in the source file references the same file, you only need to select it once.
The File Import Activity consists of a step by step guided process to assist you with creating an import activity for a given object.
This topic describes the import options defined in the Import Activity that are used by the import process to interpret source file data and import interface table data into the target application tables.
The following options are used to identify the formatting of source file data so the data can be correctly interpreted and transformed by the import process:
Option |
Description |
---|---|
Decimal Separator |
The format of the fractional portion of numerical values in columns mapped to attributes with a decimal attribute type. |
Date Format |
The format for values in columns mapped to attributes with a date attribute type. |
Time Stamp Format |
The format for values in columns mapped to attributes with a time stamp attribute type. |
File Encoding |
The overall encoding of the characters within the file. |
The following options are used when importing the interface table information to the target application tables:
Option |
Description |
---|---|
Import Mode |
Determines if the Import Activity process should create new records or update existing records. If updating existing records, the record IDs must be provided in the source file. If an existing record is not found, a new record is created. Update mode is not supported for all import objects. Consequently, the Import Mode is set to Create and is not updatable for those objects. If creating new records, the import process evaluates the data in the interface tables with existing objects in the target application tables for possible duplicates. Customer Data Management objects are evaluated using the rules defined in the set of Matching Configurations. All other objects are evaluated using the combination of attributes selected for duplicate validation in the predefined Import Mapping. |
Allowable Error Count |
An error count above the threshold will stop the import process for all records. If the error count is below the threshold, records without errors are imported. In either case, records with errors will be reported in the Error and Exception files. Validation errors include:
Duplicates found using matching configurations for Customer Data Management objects do not contribute to the error count. |
Notification E-Mail |
The e-mail of the intended recipient of import processing notifications. |
Customer Data Management Duplicates |
Consumer, customer, and legal entity objects imported by themselves or as components of another object are subject to duplicate verification. The duplicates are determined using the following matching configurations:
You can select from one of the following:
|
Duplicate Look Back Days |
This option applies only to the Lead import object. Only existing leads created within the period determined by the look back days value are evaluated for duplicates based on the attributes selected for duplicate validation in the predefined import mapping. If a duplicate is found, the lead will not be imported and the duplicate record will be reported on the Exception report. Duplicate leads are included in the calculation of the allowable error count threshold. |
After entering your import options, the second step of the import activity process is to map fields in the source file to the corresponding target attributes.
This topic explains:
Map Fields
Saving the Import Mapping
Constant Values
The Map Fields section can be subdivided into source file columns and target attribute columns.
The source column header value is derived from one of the following:
Predefined mapping, if one is selected
The source file, if the Header Row Included option is selected in the first step of the Import Activity definition (for Text file type only)
Generic values of Column A, Column B, and so on, if the Header Row Included option is not selected (for Text file type only)
XML tagging structure (for XML file type only)
The following table outlines the source columns:
Source Column |
Description |
---|---|
Column Header |
Represents the column header for Text file types and the tagging structure for XML file types. |
Example Value |
Values are derived from the first source file saved with the predefined mapping. If you did not select a predefined mapping, the example values are taken from the first data row in the source file selected in the first step of the Import Activity definition. |
Ignore |
Select this option if you do not want to import the source file data in that column. |
The following table outlines the target columns:
Target Column |
Description |
---|---|
Object |
The group of import objects that represent the components of the business object being imported. |
Attribute |
The attribute name that represents the corresponding interface table column for the object. |
The mapping between source file information and target attributes is saved as a reusable mapping when the Import Activity is saved, using the import activity name and date to derive a mapping name. If you selected a predefined mapping, modifications made in the Import Activity to an unlocked mapping will update and save to the predefined mapping. If the predefined mapping is locked, a modified mapping will be saved as a new mapping. To specify a mapping name for new mappings, select the Save As option from the Map Fields Actions menu.
Constant values provide a way to specify a value for a target attribute that all imported objects will inherit. For example, if a source file does not contain a column for business unit and all of the objects in the file belong to the same business unit, enter a constant value for the object and business unit attribute.
You can monitor all file import activities that are currently scheduled to run, have completed successfully, or failed with errors. For each import activity, you can view the details pertaining to each underlying process and make necessary updates for any failed records to import again.
You can view the list of import activities from the Manage Import Activities page. Select the import activity that you want to monitor by clicking on the hyperlink in the corresponding Status column. The View Import Status results page is displayed which contains the following sections:
Files Processed
Import Processes
The Files Processed section displays a row for each source file that is processed.
The import processing details are summarized and displayed for each source file and include the following:
File Processing Summary Information |
Description |
---|---|
Records Read From File |
The number of records read from the source file. |
Format Errors |
The number of errors found when processing data to insert into the interface tables from the source file, Import Activity constants, and Import Object value default values. View the error details in the Exception and Error files attached to the process. |
Load Errors |
The number of errors found when importing data from the interface tables to the destination application tables. View the error details in the Exception and Error files attached to the process. |
Successfully Loaded |
The number of import objects imported to the application destination tables. If the import object is made up of multiple components, each component is counted as successfully loaded. Consequently the Successfully Loaded count may be larger than the Records Read From File count. View the successful record details in the Log file attached to the process. |
Attachments |
Once an Import Activity process has completed, processing reports are included in the Attachments column. The Log file includes the records that were successfully imported plus the unique destination application table identifiers for the objects. The Exception file includes the records that were not imported plus a reference to one of the errors for each record that failed. The Error file includes all the errors for each record that failed validation. |
From the Import Processes section, you can view details pertaining to each process involved in importing the objects in the source file. A listing of brief messages provides information on processing steps within each underlying process.
A single import object can have multiple associated components that are considered objects by themselves. Whether or not an associated object can be grouped as a component of another object for the purpose of file import is determined by the complexity of the object structure and how it is stored in the data model. Oracle Fusion provides import objects predefined to meet the file processing import requirements. Consequently, in some cases, more than one source file may be required to capture all associated components of an object.
The Import Activity will not stop the currently running process. However, it will stop the next process that has not started plus any future repeating file import activities. You can always activate the process at a later stage.
File-based data import enables you to record consumers and organization contacts in a marketing list when importing consumer, lead, and response import objects. Select an existing list or create a new one. A marketing list is assigned the list type value of Imported if created while defining an import activity. After the objects are imported successfully, the consumers and contacts are added as members of the marketing list.