Configure Seeded Data

Codes and Descriptions

Across all the Merchandising solutions, codes and their descriptions are used to define valid values, reason codes, labels on screens, and a number of other similar functions. These codes are loaded on initial installation of the solution; however, Merchandising supports the ability for codes to be configured in implementations to hide those not relevant, update descriptions to better suit your business, and in some cases add your own codes. These updates can be made through spreadsheet download and upload processes. These processes are accessed through the main Merchandising task list under Foundation Data > Download Foundation Data and Foundation Data > Upload Foundation Data.

To add or update codes, you will select the template type of Administration from the Download Data screen and then the template Codes and Descriptions. Click the Download button and when prompted, choose to either open the .ods file that is generated or save the file and open it separately in the spreadsheet application of your choice. Once opened, there will be three sheets that can be modified - Code Types, Codes, and Code Description Translations.

Note: code types and codes cannot be deleted. If you wish to not have certain codes displayed, then the Used flag should be set to No for the code.

Add a Code Type or Code

To add a new code type, start in the Code Types tab, and, in a blank line in the template, select the action type of Create. Next enter a unique code type (up to 4 characters) and the description for the code type in the primary language (as defined in the Merchandising system options) of up to 120 characters. The Num Code Required column, which determines whether or not the codes in this type must be numeric, must be set to either Yes or No.

Next, the codes that belong in this code type must be added. To do this, move to the Codes tab in the spreadsheet. Again, navigate to a blank row in the sheet and select an action type of Create. Enter your new code type and then the first code (up to 6 characters), along with its description. The description here should be in the primary language (as defined in the Merchandising system options) and can be up to 250 characters. For system required, this should be set to No for any new codes that are added for an implementation. The display order allows you to define in which order you want the codes in this code type displayed and is a required field and must be unique for the codes in the type. Lastly, the Used column indicates whether or not you are using this code actively in the system; valid values are Yes and No. Continue this process until all the new codes for the type have been added. If you are adding a new code to an existing code type, this same process would apply, just using the existing code type instead.

Lastly, if you wish to add translations for the codes in languages other than the primary language, this can be done in the Code Description Translations tab. Navigate to a blank row and select the action type of Create and the language in which the translated description will be entered. Then, enter the code type and code for which the translation applies. Finally, enter the translated description. The translated description can also be up to 250 characters long. This is an optional step.

Update Code Type or Code

If you would like to update any details for existing code types or codes, a similar process will be followed as that described above for creating new codes. First, download the spreadsheet, and then navigate to the tab where you would like to make your updates.

The following columns can be updated in each tab:

Code Types - Description
Codes - Description, Display Order, Used
Code Description Translations - Description

In the tab where you are going to make your updates, select the action type of Update, and then correct the value in the spreadsheet.

Upload Changes

For all actions defined above, once all the updates have been made to the data in the spreadsheet, save the file and close it. Then, return to the Merchandising screens and select Foundation Data > Upload Foundation Data from the main task list. In this screen, select the template type Administration and the template Codes and Descriptions. This will generate a process description automatically, but this can be updated if desired. Lastly, select the Browse button and navigate to the directory where you saved the updated spreadsheet.

Note: because all the tabs in this spreadsheet have a lot of rows, it's recommended that you delete any you are not updating from the template. This will not remove them from the system, but will make your updates process faster. Worksheets and columns in the spreadsheet cannot be removed, however.

To review the status of the upload and check whether any errors occurred, select the Foundation Data > Review Status task from the main task list.

For more information, see "Download/Upload Data from Spreadsheets" in the Oracle Retail Merchandising Do the Basics User Guide.

Units of Measure (UOMs)

Unit of measure is used in many transactions in the Merchandising solutions - including item setup, purchasing, and pricing - to define how items are inventoried, costed, and sold. A default list of UOMs are loaded into Merchandising on initial installation, however modifications can be done to the list to add new values, remove values that are not used, and update descriptions. All of these updates are done through a spreadsheet download and upload processes, which are accessed through the main Merchandising task list under Foundation Data > Download Foundation Data and Foundation Data > Upload Foundation Data.

To modify UOMs, select the template type of Foundation from the Download Data screen and then the template UOMs. Click the Download button and when prompted, choose to either open the .ods file that is generated or save the file and open it separately in the spreadsheet application of your choice.

Once opened, there will be 4 sheets that can be modified - UOM Class, UOM Class TL, UOM Conversion, and UOM X Conversion. The UOM Class will show all the existing UOMs in the system currently with their primary language descriptions. This tab also allows for the deletion of existing UOMs or the addition of new UOM to an existing UOM Classes. The UOM Class TL tab will show the UOMs with their translated codes and descriptions in other languages, as applicable for your implementation. This tab allows for the addition of new rows, removal of existing rows, and update to existing. The UOM Conversion tab has the rules for how to convert from one UOM to another. It allows for new rules to be added, existing rules to be removed, and updates to be made to the rules. Lastly, the UOM X Conversion tab has logic to support conversion between two different UOM classes, such as between volume and mass. This tab also supports addition, update, and delete, however it is recommended that no changes be made to this tab, given the technical nature of the changes and that UOM classes are fixed.

Add a UOM

To add a new UOM, start in the UOM Class tab and in a blank line in the template, select the action type of Create and enter the code for the new UOM you wish to add, using up to 4 characters, and select the relevant UOM Class. Enter the same code in the UOM Translation column and then enter the business description for your UOM in the UOM Description Translation column. The description should be entered in the primary language as configured in the Merchandising system options and can be up to 120 characters.

Next, select the UOM Class TL tab and in a blank row select Create as the action and enter again the UOM added in the UOM Class tab. Next, select the primary language for your implementation and then enter the same translated code and description that you entered in the UOM class tab for that language. Repeat this in additional rows for any other languages that apply. Note, even if you operate in only one language, you must enter at least the primary language in this tab for new UOMs in order for descriptions to display properly.

In the UOM Conversion tab, add a row for your new UOM and any other UOMs in the same class that it can be converted into, if applicable. This is optional. If you wish to add a conversion, then select a blank row in the spreadsheet and select the action type of Create. Next, enter the UOM code for the "from" UOM and then the "to" UOM code. Select an operator from the list of values (Multiple or Divide) and then enter a factor. For example, if you wish to convert from ounces (OZ) to pounds (LB), you could enter an operator of Divide, and a factor of 16.

Update a UOM

If you would like to update any details a similar process will be followed as that described above for creating new UOMs. First, download the UOM spreadsheet, and then navigate to the tab where you would like to make your updates. Note: the UOM Class tab does not allow updates, only create or delete. The following columns can be updated in each tab:

UOM Class TL - UOM Translation, UOM Description Translation
UOM Conversion - Operator, Factor
UOM X Conversion - Convert SQL

In the tab where you are going to make your updates, select the action type of Update, and then correct the value in the spreadsheet. Once your updates are complete, save and close the spreadsheet.

Delete a UOM

If you wish to delete a UOM because it is not used by your business, update the action column to select Delete in each of the tabs where it occurs. This includes both UOM Class and UOM Class TL, and may also include UOM Conversion. There are some UOMs that cannot be deleted, as they are expected to exist in the system, such as EA - Eaches. As well, there are many areas that use unit of measure throughout Merchandising, including item setup, purchasing, deals, up-charges, importing, etc. Care should be taken before deleting a UOM to ensure it is really not used or an error could be raised on upload.

Upload Changes

For all actions defined above, once all the updates have been made to the data in the spreadsheet, save the file and close it. Then, return to the Merchandising screens and select Foundation Data > Upload Foundation Data from the main task list. In this screen, you'll again select the template type Foundation and the template UOMs. This will generate a process description automatically, but this can be updated if desired. Lastly, you'll select the Browse button and navigate to the directory where you saved the updated spreadsheet.

To review the status of the upload and check whether any errors occurred, select the Foundation Data > Review Status task from the main task list.

See also "Download/Upload Data from Spreadsheets" in the Oracle Retail Merchandising Do the Basics User Guide.

Countries

Countries are used throughout the application including the importing process, countries of origin and manufacture for your suppliers, and addresses. A default list of countries are loaded into Merchandising on initial installation, however modifications can be done to the list to add new values, remove values that are not used, and update descriptions. Countries are maintained through the upload/download process. This functionality is accessed from the main Merchandising task list under Foundation Data > Download Foundation Data and Foundation Data > Upload Foundation Data.

To add, update, or remove a country, select the template type of Foundation from the Download Data screen and then the template Countries. Click the Download button and when prompted, choose to either open the .ods file that is generated or save the file and open it separately in the spreadsheet application of your choice.

Add a Country

To add a new country, select the action type of Create on an empty row on the Countries tab. Next enter up to a 3 digit code for the country, along with the country description in the primary language of up to 120 characters. The other columns in this table will generally be the same for all countries, outside of Brazil. It is recommended they be set as follows if adding a country other than Brazil:

Adding a country translation can be done in a similar manner from the Country Translations tab. This facilitates the ability to translate the country description in multiple languages.

Localized Ind = No
The following will be automatically set as follows, as they are only used when implementing in Brazil (specialized tax type):
- Item Cost Tax Include = No
- Default Purchase Cost = Base Cost
- Default Deal Cost = Base Cost
- Default Cost Comp Cost = Base Cost
Default Location and Default Location Type can be left blank

Adding a country translation can be done in a similar manner from the Country Translations tab. This facilitates the ability to translate the country description in multiple languages.

Update a Country

If you would like to update any details for countries, a similar process will be followed as that described above for creating new. First, download the spreadsheet, and then navigate to the tab where you would like to make your updates.

The following columns can be updated in each tab:

Countries - Country Description, Localized Ind, Default Location, Default Location Type
Country Translations - Description

The columns Item Cost Tax Include, Default Purchase Cost, Default Deal Cost, and Default Cost Comp Cost on the Countries tab are not used.

In the tab where you are going to make your updates, select the action type of Update, and then correct the value in the spreadsheet.

Remove a Country

If you wish to remove a country, select the Delete action on the row of the country you which to delete on the Countries tab. Removing a country translation can be done in a similar manner on the Country Translations tab. Note that removing a country is not allowed if it is still in use.

Upload Changes

For all actions defined above, once all the updates have been made to the data in the spreadsheet, save the file and close it. Then, return to the Merchandising screens and select Foundation Data > Upload Foundation Data from the main task list. In this screen, you'll again select the template type Foundation and the template Countries. This will generate a process description automatically, but this can be updated if desired. Lastly, select the Browse button and navigate to the directory where you saved the updated spreadsheet.

To review the status of the upload and check whether any errors occurred, select the Foundation Data > Review Status task from the main task list.

For more information, see "Download/Upload Data from Spreadsheets" in the Oracle Retail Merchandising Do the Basics User Guide.

States

States are defined in Merchandising for all the valid countries present in the system. They are primarily used in Merchandising while defining addresses for various entities such as supplier sites or stores. A default list of states are loaded into Merchandising on initial installation, however modifications can be done to the list to add new values, remove values that are not used, and update descriptions. To upload or maintain states the spreadsheet download and upload process is used. This functionality is accessed through the main Merchandising task list under Foundation Data > Download Foundation Data and Foundation Data > Upload Foundation Data.

To modify States, select the template type of Administration from the Download Data screen and then the template States. Click the Download button and when prompted, choose to either open the .ods file that is generated or save the file and open it separately in the spreadsheet application of your choice.

Once opened, there will be 2 sheets that can be modified - States and States TL. The States tab will show all the state IDs along with its description and the ID for the country it's associated with. This tab supports addition, update and delete of States. Next, States TL tab will show the states with their translated name in other languages, as applicable for your implementation. This tab allows for the addition of new rows, removal of existing rows, and update to existing.

Add a State

To add a new State, select the States tab and in a blank line in the template, select the action type of Create and enter the state ID. The ID can be up to 3 characters. Next add the Country ID. This must be a valid country already defined in the system. Lastly, add the description of the state in the primary language (as defined in the Merchandising system options). The description can be up to 120 characters.

If you wish to add state descriptions in any other languages, then select the State TL tab and in a blank row select an action type of Create. Then, enter the translated description, the same state and country codes added in the States tab, and select the language the description is written in. The translated description can also be up to 120 characters long. This is an optional step.

Update a State

If you would like to update any details a similar process will be followed as that described above for creating new State. First, download the States spreadsheet, and then navigate to the tab where you would like to make your updates.

The following columns can be updated in each tab:

States - Description
States TL - Description

In the tab where you are going to make your updates, select the action type of Update, and then correct the value in the spreadsheet. Once your updates are complete, save and close the spreadsheet.

Delete a State

If you wish to delete a State, update the action column to select Delete in each of the tabs where it occurs. Note that a state cannot be deleted if it is currently associated with any entity in Merchandising, so an error will be raised if this occurs when the changes are uploaded.

Upload a State

For all actions defined above, once all the updates have been made to the data in the spreadsheet, save the file and close it. Then, return to the Merchandising screens and select Foundation Data > Upload Foundation Data from the main task list. In this screen, you'll again select the template type Administration and the template States. This will generate a process description automatically, but this can be updated if desired. Lastly, you'll select the Browse button and navigate to the directory where you saved the updated spreadsheet.

To review the status of the upload and check whether any errors occurred, select the Foundation Data > Review Status task from the main task list.

For more information, see "Download/Upload Data from Spreadsheets" in the Oracle Retail Merchandising Do the Basics User Guide.

Inventory Adjustments

Reason Codes

Whenever an inventory adjustment is made in Merchandising that impacts total stock on hand - either through integration or using online screens, a reason code must be included for the increase or decrease. Any new reason codes added can be done following the details found in Oracle Retail Merchandising Inventory User Guide section on Inventory Adjustments. Take care to synch any reason codes set up in Merchandising with those used in your warehouse management system and store inventory management system to ensure there are no errors when adjustments are interfaced to Merchandising. Additionally, there are some functions within Merchandising that will generate an inventory adjustment as part of processing. The details on how to configure reason codes to be used for these transactions is also found in the Oracle Retail Merchandising Inventory User Guide section on Inventory Adjustments. The transactions that reason codes can be configured for include:

Wastage Adjustment
Stock Count Unit Variance
Item Transformation at Finisher
Transfer Overage Sending Location
Transfer Overage Receiving Location
Transfer Short Sending Location
Transfer Short Receiving Location
Transfer Short/Close Sending Location
Transfer Short/Close Receiving Location
Late Posting: Sale
Late Posting: Return
Late Posting: Transfer Out Sending Location
Late Posting: Transfer Receipt
Late Posting: PO Receipt
Late Posting: RTV
Late Posting: Inventory Adjustment
Customer Order Return Without Inventory
Wholesale Franchise Destroy On Site Return

Status Types and Codes

Inventory status types and codes are used when performing inventory adjustments in Merchandising, or when inventory adjustments or other inventory updates are done in stores or warehouses and uploaded to Merchandising. As part of the initial install, some values are seeded into these tables, as follows

Inventory Status Type	Description
1	Trouble Merchandise
2	Customer Order

Inventory Status Code	Description	Inventory Status
ATS	Available to Sell	NULL
UTS	Unavailable to Sell	NULL
WIP	Work in Progress	NULL
DIST	Distributed	NULL
TRBL	Trouble	1
RIP	Receipt in Progress	NULL
COR	Customer Order	2

Warehouses and stores send inventory status codes with their transactions and, based on how it is mapped to a status type, may be moved to an unavailable status in Merchandising when the transaction is processed. For example, if a warehouse sent a receipt with a status code of TRBL, it would be moved to the Merchandising unavailable bucket called Trouble Merchandise. But, if the WIP status was sent, the inventory would remain in available status. As part of your implementation, you should determine which inventory statuses you want to use as part of your implementation and also make sure to synch the status codes with what is used in your warehouse and store inventory management solutions and update Merchandising as needed. For details on how to add or update the status codes and types, see "Inventory Adjustments" in the Oracle Retail Merchandising Inventory User Guide section on Inventory Adjustments.

Error Messages

Within Merchandising, error messages are maintained in a manner that allows for the message text and translations to be maintained by each customer. These error messages are loaded on initial installation of the solution; however, Merchandising supports the ability for the messages to be configured in implementations to update descriptions to better suit your business, and in some cases add your own error codes and descriptions. These updates can be made through spreadsheet download and upload processes. These processes are accessed through the main Merchandising task list under Foundation Data > Download Foundation Data and Foundation Data > Upload Foundation Data.

To add or update error messages, you will select the template type of Administration from the Download Data screen and then the template Error Messages. Click the Download button and when prompted, choose to either open the .ods file that is generated or save the file and open it separately in the spreadsheet application of your choice. Once opened, there will be two sheets that can be modified - Error Messages and Error Message Translations.

Note: error messages can be deleted but it is advised that they are not. Doing so may result in a cryptic error code being displayed to a user in the system without a business-friendly description.

Add a Message

To add a new message, start in the Error Messages tab, and, in a blank line in the template, select the action type of Create. Next select an Error Type, which is a way to classify the error based on its usage. Then, enter a unique key value (up to 25 characters, no spaces) and the description for the message in the primary language (as defined in the Merchandising system options) of up to 250 characters. The Approved column is used to indicate if the error message has been reviewed and approved. Only rows with an approved value of Yes will appear in the application but this column can be utilized to mark rows for proofreading by a second user before they're marked as approved.

If you wish to add translations for the error messages in languages other than the primary language, this can be done in the Error Message Translations tab. Navigate to a blank row and select the action type of Create and the language in which the translated text will be entered. Then, enter the error message code for which the translation applies. Finally, enter the translated text. The translated text can also be up to 250 characters long. This is an optional step.

Update a Message

If you would like to update any details for existing messages, a similar process will be followed as that described above for creating new messages. First, download the spreadsheet, and then navigate to the tab where you would like to make your updates.

The following columns can be updated in each tab:

Error Messages - Error Type, Text, Approved
Error Message Translations - Text

Note: the symbol '%s' followed by a number (for example, %s1) indicates a substitution variable. The application will substitute a value in for these variables when the error is displayed to an end user. These should not be removed or changed when updating base error message descriptions.

In the tab where you are going to make your updates, select the action type of Update, and then correct the value in the spreadsheet.

Upload Changes

For all actions defined above, once all the updates have been made to the data in the spreadsheet, save the file and close it. Then, return to the Merchandising screens and select Foundation Data > Upload Foundation Data from the main task list. In this screen, select the template type Administration and the template Error Messages. This will generate a process description automatically, but this can be updated if desired. Lastly, select the Browse button and navigate to the directory where you saved the updated spreadsheet.

Note: because all the tabs in this spreadsheet have a lot of rows, it's recommended that you delete any you are not updating from the template. This will not remove them from the system, but will make your updates process faster. Worksheets and columns in the spreadsheet cannot be removed, however.

To review the status of the upload and check whether any errors occurred, select the Foundation Data > Review Status task from the main task list.

For more information, see "Download/Upload Data from Spreadsheets" in the Oracle Retail Merchandising Do the Basics User Guide.

Domains

Domains were formerly used in integration between Merchandising and Oracle Retail RPAS applications, such as Oracle Retail Demand Forecasting (RDF). This concept is no longer used in RPAS, but is still included in some of the integrations with Merchandising. In order to support this integration, a single domain is seeded into the table on installation. There should always be one and only one record in this table. Additionally, records will be added for each new department set up that creates a cross reference to the domain.

Note:

The system option for Domain Level must be set to Department.