Guidelines for Using Pricing Spreadsheets

Manage Your Workbook and Search Your Data

Download the workbook only one time. For subsequent uses, open the xls file directly on your local computer.
The workbook that you download doesn't contain price lists, discount lists, or customer pricing profiles. Its an empty workbook that provides an alternative to using the Pricing Administration work area to administer changes across more than one object.
Save and move the workbook file to any location on your laptop, or copy it to another computer.
Don't use the same workbook in different environments. Each workbook contains address details, such as the URL, so it can connect to a specific environment.
Don't open more than one workbook at the same time. For example, if you must manage price lists and discount lists, then open the workbook for price lists, do all your price list tasks, and close the workbook. Then open the workbook for discount lists. Opening more than one workbook might cause problems in the cache, clipboard, and other areas.
Be aware of session time out settings. For example, if your session times out after 15 minutes and you're still working in the workbook, you might not be able interact with the server. Commands to the server won't respond. Close the workbook, open the workbook, and sign in.
If you get stuck, clear the data and start over.
Enable the Active Charges option to search for all charges that are active according to date.
If you have more than one price list that have similar names, then make sure you search for the entire name. Assume you have a price list named Vision Price List A and you need to update it. Assume you also have another price list named Vision Price List B, and each list contains 1,000 records. If you search for the string Vision Price List, then the spreadsheet will download all 2,000 records, and any updates that you make will update all the records for lists A and B. To avoid this problem, search for Vision Price List A.
Keep your Desktop Integration add-in up to date. Oracle periodically modifies the add-in. Download the latest add-in with each update.
If you encounter an error, fix the error and then retry your upload. Don't upload again without fixing the error first.
Use the Active Charges option to filter your search results. This will help to improve performance and focus your update so it only considers the charges that you're currently using.
Enter the entire name of the price list when you search. For example, if you have 10 price list names that all start with Price List, but you only want the Price List for Vision Operations price list, then enter Price List for Vision Operations. Don't enter only Price List. This will help to avoid downloading a bunch of price lists that you don't want.
Each workbook contains address details, such as the URL, so it can connect to a specific environment. If you use more than one development environment, then don't use the same workbook in these environments. Instead, download a separate workbook into each environment.

Manage Your Data

• If you must process more than 200 records, then don't use ADF Desktop Integration. Use PriceListsImportBatchTemplate.xlsm instead. For details, see Import Batches of Price Lists
To make sure the data in the workbook is up to date with the data on the server, refresh the search each time after the workbook finishes processing your action.
Keep your ADF Desktop Integration plug-in up to date. The workbook usually informs you when an update is available. If the plug-in isn't up to date, then your results won't be correct.
Use ADF Desktop Integration to maintain your data and to do mass updates. Use the Price List Import Template to do a one time import for one price list. For details, see Import Price Lists.

Use Microsoft Excel

Rearrange, resize, or hide columns to meet your preferences.
Don't delete any column. Don't copy and paste any column. If you delete a column, or copy and paste a column, then you might encounter an error.
Only update attributes that display with a white background. Don't update attributes that display with a grey background. For example, here are the attributes that you can update on the Manage Pricing Charges worksheet.
- Calculation Method
- Price
- Start Date
- End Date
- Allow Manual Adjustment
- Calculation Type
- Cost Calculation Amount
Don't update any other attributes on the Manage Pricing Charges worksheet.
To create a new record, add data to an empty row. Add values to attributes that display with a white background or a grey background when you create a new record.
Copy data from another worksheet and paste it into the Oracle worksheet that you download from the Pricing Administration work area.

For example, assume you maintain your own spreadsheet that includes data about the items that you sell. Copy this data into the Oracle worksheet, then upload it to the Oracle server.
- Make sure you copy only data rows.
- Don't copy header rows.
- Don't overwrite header rows in the Oracle worksheet.
- Don't import an entire file or a very large set of data. Use file-based data import instead. For details, see Import Batches of Price Lists.
If Excel prompts you to save the file, then don't save changes in the spreadsheet because this data might become old compared to the data on the server. Instead, download data from the server immediately before each action.
Don't use CTRL+S, and don't use Save in the File menu in Excel.
You can't use the Undo command in Excel to undo changes while you're in Connected mode.
You can't select a row and then click Delete to delete it while in Connected mode. Instead, use the Delete command on the ribbon.
Don't use the Clear or Clear All command in Excel. Instead, use the Clear All Data command that displays in the ribbon after you install ADF Desktop Integration.
You must use Microsoft Excel. You can't use any other spreadsheet application.

Use Spreadsheet Elements

Spreadsheet Element	Description
Login Logout	Sign into or sign out of a session with the Oracle server.
Clear All Data	Click Clear All Data at the end of each session to clear data from the spreadsheet. This action helps to make sure the spreadsheet is up to date with data on the server during the next session.
Edit Options	This value references the server address. You can modify it to use the spreadsheet with a different server. In most situations, don't modify the value in the Edit Options dialog. Instead, use a different spreadsheet for each server.
Search	Search data on the Oracle server.
Create or Update	Upload data that you created or updated in the Oracle spreadsheet. You upload to the Oracle server.
Delete	Select one or more data rows in the spreadsheet, then click Delete to delete them from the server. This action happens immediately while in Connected mode and you can't undo it.
Status Viewer	View messages that describe the result of your actions. For example, if the Status Viewer displays `No error`, then your action was successful. If an error happens, for example you don't include a required attribute, then the Status Viewer displays an error message, such as. `The attribute Adjustment Type is required.`
Changed column	Displays an icon that indicates you modified a value in the row but haven't yet uploaded your modification to the server.
Flagged column	Double-click in the Flagged column to delete the row. The Flagged column displays an icon that indicates you plan to delete the row but haven't yet uploaded your deletion to the server. Click Delete in the ribbon to upload your deletion.
Status column	Displays the status of your action. Scan the Status column after each action to make sure the server successfully processed your request. If the Status is empty after a request or displays Row Updated Successfully, then the update was successful. If an error happens, then the Status column displays a summary of the error. Use the Status Viewer to view error details.
Key column	Displays a value that uniquely identifies the record. You can't modify this value. Make sure you don't select it when you copy a row. You can hide the Key column.

Use the Manage Pricing Charges Worksheet

Create or update items and pricing charges.
You must create a price list and associate it with a business unit before you set up pricing and charges for the item.
Update charge attributes Price, Start Date, End Date, or Allow Manual Adjustment.
You can't delete a pricing charge. Instead, use the End Date to set the date when Pricing must no longer use the pricing charge.
The Updated Pricing Rules area of the Pricing Administration work area doesn't display changes that you make in the spreadsheet.

Use the Manage Tiered Adjustment Rules Worksheet

Create, update, or delete tier rules for a pricing charge.
This worksheet processes all tier lines for each charge together in a group. It doesn't process each row individually.
You can update all tier header attributes except for Tier Basis Type, Application Method, and Enforce Adjustment. For details about the tier header, see Add Tiers to Pricing Rules.
Update all tier line attributes.
Update the minimum value and the maximum value for tier line attributes only in Connected mode.
If you use this worksheet to delete the last tier rule of any charge, then this worksheet will also delete the tier header.
You must set up the charge for the item in a price list before you manage the tiered adjustment rules that reference the item.
Make sure the discount rule attributes that your rule specifies are identical for each row in the tier group.
Make sure the tier header includes all required values.
If you set the tier basis type to an amount, then make sure you set the application method to Per Unit.

Use the Manage Matrix Adjustment Rules Worksheet

Create, update, or delete matrix rules or attribute rules for a pricing charge.
You must set up the charge for the item in a price list before you manage a matrix adjustment rule that references the item.
Do update or delete operations only in Connected mode.
You must use the yyyy-mm-dd format for date data.
You must use the yyyy-mm-dd hh:mm:ss format for time stamp data.
If you must add a condition column or a result column, then you must first add it to the matrix class in Pricing Administration, then download the workbook from Pricing Administration.

Use Connected Mode or Deferred Mode

The spreadsheet works in Connected mode or Deferred mode, but these modes are transparent to you. You don't need to take an action to use one or the other. For example, if you download data to the spreadsheet from the server, edit a row, then upload the edit, then the spreadsheet works in Connected mode. It maintains an active connection to the server.

An active connection doesn't exist in Deferred mode. For example, assume you open your spreadsheet but don't connect to the server. You intentionally cancel out of the sign in dialog that displays. Instead, you copy data into the Oracle spreadsheet from some other source, such as your own spreadsheet file. You sign into the server and are now in Connected mode. You click Create or Update to upload your changes.

You can create or update data without having to identify the action as a create or update. The spreadsheet automatically determines to update or create during upload whether you use Connected mode or Deferred mode.

Update. It finds a record that matches the data you provide, so it updates the existing record.
Create. It can't find a match given the data that you provide, so it creates a new record. For example, assume you add a new row for a pricing charge for item AS54888 in the Corporate Segment Price List. The spreadsheet examines the Oracle database during the upload. It finds item AS54888 in Product Information Management but doesn't find AS54888 in the Corporate Segment Price List in Pricing Administration, so it adds AS54888 to Corporate Segment Price List.

Troubleshoot

If an error happens, then the Status column displays a summary of the error status. Use it to read the summary.
Use the Status Viewer to read the error message.
If an error happens, then the spreadsheet displays the Download dialog. Notice the text Do you want to discard the pending changes?. Click a value.
- Yes. Discard the change that causes the error. The server doesn't update data and the spreadsheet doesn't display details about the error.
- No. The server doesn't update data, but the spreadsheet does display details about the error in the Status column and in the Status Viewer.
Use the Search command to restore the values in your spreadsheet after you encounter an error.

Here are some more troubleshooting details.

Trouble	Shoot
You receive a message. `Unable to execute the command Create or Update while a cell is in edit mode.`	Step out of the cell you're editing, then retry the update.
You receive a message. `Maximum: cannot convert the input value to the expected data type (BigDecimal).` Some messages in the Status Viewer includes details. A prefix that identifies the attribute name. In this example, the error happens in the Maximum attribute. A parenthetical that suggests a correction. In this example, (BigDecimal) is the parenthetical, and it suggests that you use BigDecimal as the data type value for the Maximum attribute.	Make sure the value in the Maximum attribute contains a BigDecimal data type.
You receive a message. `Required property UniqueAttribute missing.`	Make sure each required attribute contains a value.
You receive a message. `View row with key Oracle x is not found.`	Refresh your data. You might encounter this error if you perform an action, don't refresh your data, then do another action. For example, assume you. Download data to the Manage Tiered Adjustment Rules worksheet. Download data to the Manage Pricing Charges worksheet. Make, then upload a change on the Manage Pricing Charges worksheet. Navigate back to the Manage Tiered Adjustment Rules worksheet but don't refresh your data. Make, then upload a change on the Manage Tiered Adjustment Rules worksheet. To fix this problem, refresh your data after you navigate back to the Manage Tiered Adjustment Rules worksheet, then make and upload your changes.
You receive a message. `A tiered pricing rule with overlapping values already exists for the value range 50 - 500.` You specified a value in the Minimum attribute or Maximum attribute on the Manage Tiered Adjustment Rules worksheet.	Make sure your values don't overlap across tiers. For example, if the values for tier one are 0 through 99, then make sure the minimum value for tier two is 100, not 99 or less.
You receive a message. `Pricing could not finish the upload because the item does not exist or is not valid.`	If you add an item in the spreadsheet, and if you receive an error that the item doesn't exist, then you must make sure Product Information Management contains the item. For example, assume you add a new row on the Manage Pricing Charges worksheet and specify a value of AS54999 in the Item column. If Product Information Management specifies the AS54998 item but not the AS54999 item, then the item doesn't exist.
The workbook doesn't display the Maintain Price List Data tab. If you close the workbook, open it, then click No in the Connect dialog, then the workbook won't display the Maintain Price List Data tab.	Click Yes in the Connect dialog.

Trouble

Shoot

You receive a message.

Unable to execute the command Create or Update while a cell is in edit mode.

Step out of the cell you're editing, then retry the update.

You receive a message.

Maximum: cannot convert the input value to the expected data type (BigDecimal).

Some messages in the Status Viewer includes details.

A prefix that identifies the attribute name. In this example, the error happens in the Maximum attribute.
A parenthetical that suggests a correction. In this example, (BigDecimal) is the parenthetical, and it suggests that you use BigDecimal as the data type value for the Maximum attribute.

Make sure the value in the Maximum attribute contains a BigDecimal data type.

You receive a message.

Required property UniqueAttribute missing.

Make sure each required attribute contains a value.

You receive a message.

View row with key Oracle x is not found.

Refresh your data. You might encounter this error if you perform an action, don't refresh your data, then do another action. For example, assume you.

Download data to the Manage Tiered Adjustment Rules worksheet.
Download data to the Manage Pricing Charges worksheet.
Make, then upload a change on the Manage Pricing Charges worksheet.
Navigate back to the Manage Tiered Adjustment Rules worksheet but don't refresh your data.
Make, then upload a change on the Manage Tiered Adjustment Rules worksheet.

To fix this problem, refresh your data after you navigate back to the Manage Tiered Adjustment Rules worksheet, then make and upload your changes.

You receive a message.

A tiered pricing rule with overlapping values already exists for the value range 50 - 500.

You specified a value in the Minimum attribute or Maximum attribute on the Manage Tiered Adjustment Rules worksheet.

Make sure your values don't overlap across tiers.

For example, if the values for tier one are 0 through 99, then make sure the minimum value for tier two is 100, not 99 or less.

You receive a message.

Pricing could not finish the upload because the item does not exist or is not valid.

If you add an item in the spreadsheet, and if you receive an error that the item doesn't exist, then you must make sure Product Information Management contains the item.

For example, assume you add a new row on the Manage Pricing Charges worksheet and specify a value of AS54999 in the Item column. If Product Information Management specifies the AS54998 item but not the AS54999 item, then the item doesn't exist.

The workbook doesn't display the Maintain Price List Data tab.

If you close the workbook, open it, then click No in the Connect dialog, then the workbook won't display the Maintain Price List Data tab.

Click Yes in the Connect dialog.