Oracle® Fusion
Applications Customer Data Management Implementation Guide 11g Release 5 (11.1.5) Part Number E20433-05 |
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This chapter contains the following:
Relationships Types: Explained
Relationship Groups: Explained
A relationship type categorizes relationship phrases and roles that determine the nature and purpose of a relationship. A relationship type defines the aspects of a relationship such as the roles of the subject and object, business rules, and phrases that describe the relationship. A relationship, uses the relationship type, to define how a party is related to another party.
The components of a relationship type are:
Relationship phrase pair and role pair
Relationship characteristics
A relationship type contains a relationship phrase pair and a role pair. Relationship phrase pair and role pair define the mutual roles that the two parties play in a relationship. For example, for relationship type Employment the phrase pair contains Employee of and Employer of; and, the role pair contains Employee and Employer.
The role pair describes the roles of the entities immaterial of the direction of the relationship. For example, in an Employment relationship Bill has the role of an employee and Oracle Corporation has the role of an employer.
The phrase pair describes the roles of the entities in the relationship. For example, in an Employment relationship if Bill is the subject and Oracle is the object, then the phrase would be Employee of. Similarly, if Oracle is the subject and Bill is the object, then the phrase would be Employer of.
Relationship types include characteristics or rules that define how the relationship type can be used.
While defining a relationship type, you can define if the relationship can be:
Circular
Related to self
Circular relationships have two parties related in a circle of relationships. For example, you can create a Competitor relationship type to link two organization parties. In this scenario, ABC Corp is a competitor to XYZ Corp, and XYZ Corp is also a competitor to ABC Corp.
You can create a self-relating relationship type, where the subject and the object of the relationship are the same. For example, you can create a Subsidiary relationship type, where a subsidiary organization ABC is linked to a parent organization XYZ. The parent organization XYZ, in turn, could be linked to itself as a subsidiary using the same relationship type.
Relationship groups categorize relationship phrase and role pairs for functional purpose. For example, you can assign the relationship phrase Subsidiary Of to a group, and assign the phrase Headquarters Of to a different group.
Relationship groups are used to determine which relationship roles and phrases are displayed in specific user interfaces of the Oracle applications. A relationship group can correspond to one or more Oracle Applications user interfaces. For example, you can configure an Oracle application to display only the relationship types that pertain to the Party Contacts information.
This example demonstrates how to create a relationship type, and add relationship roles and phrases to the relationship type.
The following table summarizes key decisions while relationship types.
Decisions to Consider |
In This Example |
---|---|
What are the subject and object party types for the relationship? |
The subject type and object type is organization. |
Is the relationship circular? |
Yes |
Can the subject related to self in this relationship? |
No |
You must search for the relationship type to make sure it does not already exist, before you create a relationship type.
Field |
Operator |
Value |
---|---|---|
Relationship Type |
Equals |
Vendor |
Subject Type |
Equals |
Organization |
Object Type |
Equals |
Organization |
Review the search results. Ensure that there is no existing Relationship Type for the criteria.
Field |
Value |
---|---|
Subject Type |
Organization |
Subject Phrase |
Vendor of |
Subject Role Singular |
Vendor |
Subject Role Plural |
Vendors |
Object Type |
Organization |
Object Phrase |
Vendee of |
Object Role Singular |
Vendee |
Object Role Plural |
Vendees |
This example demonstrates how to edit a relationship type, including adding relationship roles and phrases to the relationship type, and assigning the relationship to a group.
In this example, you will add a role and phrase pair to the relationship type Employment. You will also add the Employment relationship type to the Party Contacts group.
Field |
Value |
---|---|
Subject Type |
Organization |
Subject Phrase |
Has contract employees |
Subject Role Singular |
Contractor |
Subject Role Plural |
Contractors |
Object Type |
Person |
Object Phrase |
Contract Employee of |
Object Role Singular |
Contract Employee |
Object Role Plural |
Contract Employees |
This example demonstrates how to create a relationship group. Relationship groups are used to categorize relationship roles and phrases, based on the user interfaces they appear in.
In this scenario, you will create group for relationship types that link an organization to an external organization.
Field |
Value |
---|---|
Name |
Related External Organizations |
Code |
REL_EXT_ORGS |
Description |
Indicates a group of relationships that link the organization to external entities. |
Subject Type |
Subject Role |
---|---|
Organization |
Supplier |
Organization |
Vendor |
Organization |
Competitor |