1 Feature Summary

Oracle Retail Store Inventory Operations Cloud Services includes the following applications:

  • Oracle Retail Enterprise Inventory Cloud Service (EICS)

  • Oracle Retail Store Operations Cloud Service (SOCS)

This chapter describes the feature enhancements in this release.

Note:

Defect fixes from prior monthly Hot Fixes are also included in this 26.2.301.0 update.

Noteworthy Enhancements

This guide outlines the information you need to know about new or improved functionality in the Oracle Retail Store Inventory Operations Cloud Services update and describes any tasks you might need to perform for the update. Each section includes a brief description of the feature, the steps you need to take to enable or begin using the feature, any tips or considerations that you should keep in mind, and the resources available to help you.

Column Definitions

  • Feature: Provides a description of the feature being delivered.

  • Module Impacted: Identifies the module impacted associated with the feature, if any.

  • Scale: Identifies the size of the feature. Options are:

    • Small: These UI or process-based features are typically comprised of minor field, validation, or program changes. Therefore, the potential impact to users is minimal.

    • Medium: These UI or process-based features are typically comprised of field, validation, or program changes. Therefore, the potential impact to users is moderate.

    • Large: These UI or process-based features have more complex designs. Therefore, the potential impact to users is higher.

  • Delivered: Identifies whether the feature is Enabled or Disabled upon initial delivery.

  • Customer Action Required: You must take action before these features can be used. These features are delivered disabled and you choose if and when to enable them.

Table 1-1 Noteworthy Enhancements

Feature Module Impacted Scale Delivered Customer Action Required?
External Workflow Validation

SOCS

Small

Yes

No
Custom Flexible Attributes (CFA) - Dropdown SOCS Medium Yes Yes - assign permission and roles for enabled CFAs.
Transaction History Pack Component Search EICS Small Yes No
Quality of Life Changes SOCS Small Yes Assign new permission for DSD creation from PO.
REST Services EICS Medium Yes No
Technical Changes RDS/DAS Small Yes Needs to be reviewed for possible impacts.
Technical Changes Batch Management using POM Small Yes Needs to be reviewed for possible impacts.
Technical Changes SYSOP Role Small Yes Needs to be reviewed for possible impacts.
Technical Changes Price Integration Small Yes Validate configuration and update if necessary.
Technical Changes Standalone Deployment (without Oracle MFCS / RICS) Small Yes Validate configuration and update if necessary.

New Feature Descriptions

This section describes the new features.

External Workflow Validation

Many retailers have been looking for a solution on how to perform proprietary validations on a transaction, or validations that are very specific to their business process with SIOCS and cloud solutions in general. With this feature, retailers will have the ability to add their own custom validations (in addition to the Oracle base provided ones).

After much feedback from retailers, this release introduces new additional validation REST service methods.

The following functional areas are now enabled:

  • DSD
  • Transfer document
  • Transfer shipment
  • Transfer shipment container
  • Transfer receiving
  • Transfer receiving container
  • RTV document
  • RTV shipment
  • RTV shipment container
  • Pre-shipment
  • Fiscal Document

As a reminder this functionality works as follows:

After confirming/completing an inventory transaction in SIOCS, the UI will have the ability to make a REST call to an external system that allows a retailer to build a process that will allow for custom validation or other processes. The result of such a custom validation should be a valid or false response. With a false response, SIOCS will be able to get the reason for the response and prompt the user on the UI screen that the validation failed and display the custom validation message. Similar to Oracle base business validations, with a false response the transaction will not be confirmed/completed. A valid/positive validation result can also prompt the user, but is optional and will of course complete the transaction.

In addition, a timeout option can be configured so in case the external third-party extension does not operate quickly enough, SIOCS will not error out and will allow the transaction to move on, or fail, depending on the configuration setting.

A permission is added that will control access to the configuration screen.

Permission Topic Usage
Access External Workflow Validation Administration Admin With this permission, the user will have access to the External Workflow Validation Administration screen in the desktop application.

Some specific features:

  • The REST call from SIOCS should be synchronous so the transaction in SIOCS does not complete until after the custom service has a value return.
  • The REST call will happen after Oracle’s internal SIOCS validation.
  • Depending on the functional area, SIOCS will be able to provide a set of transaction data that can include, but is not limited to the transaction ID, the transaction type, item, quantity, and info attributes. This will allow for simple validation rules so that the retailer can just use the data from the REST call. In more complex validation situations, additional data may be needed from RDS or external systems.
  • No log will be kept to track the failure or calls made beyond standard cloud tracking.

  • Service return will contain a valid/invalid response and a message. The message can be an error for an invalid response or a warning/confirmation for a valid response.

    Only the failure message is prompted and in the case of a positive message, the system may or may not get the message back and just show a toast message.

  • It is important to allowlist the service in case it is called outside of Oracle’s firewall.

Custom Flexible Attributes (CFA) - Dropdown

This update introduces the concept of drop downs and integration value to the Custom Flexible Attributes.

Drop downs allow a retailer to define pre-created values for a drop down that a user can select. A selection from a drop down allows for more consistent value selection and limitations to what can be available within a specific field.

The drop down functionality is only made available for RTV shipment, RTV Container, Transfer Shipment, and Transfer Container.

CFAs now also need to be set up as part of permissions for access. This allows for specific access to permissions based on location as well as the user role within a store.

The Editable indicator has been added to facilitate integration where in some cases the external system will want to set the value, while in other cases users within the application can set the value.

In addition, SIOCS was also enhanced to define an integration value. This value is used by our REST services to integrate to and from an external system allowing for better architected CFA application updates.

The following REST services have been enabled to carry CFA data:

  • DSD PO
  • DSD PO & ASN
  • DSD on the fly
  • DSD Dex/Nex
  • DSD Container
  • Item ISN
  • Customer Order Delivery
  • RTV Shipment
  • RTV Shipment Container
  • Transfer Receive
  • Transfer Receive Container
  • Transfer Shipment
  • Transfer Shipment Container
  • Fiscal Document
  • Pre-Shipment

Note:

CFAs are also integrated as part of direct integration into Fiscal Document Generation (FDG) and Retail Fiscal Management (RFM) to support the generation of financial documents with Oracle products.

Custom Flexible Attributes Screen

Custom Flexible Attributes screen

The Custom Flexible Attributes screen is an admin screen used to set up and maintain transaction level flexible attributes. There is a Functional Area drop down to define the mobile area for which the Custom Flexible Attribute will be available.

The flexible attributes set up here will be available in the mobile Information screens in the respective transactions. The user can capture values for these attributes. The user must have the proper data permission for the CFA functional area for the CFA to be available in that area of the mobile. Appropriate permissions are needed to access, edit, and delete flexible attributes in the setup screens on the desktop.

The flexible attributes can be set up to have values in any of the following data types: Text, Date, Decimal, Long, and Drop Down.

The Drop Down data type has an additional screen, Drop Down Values, in which the selectable values to be in the drop down list are defined. See the details below.

The retailer also has the flexibility to set up certain flexible attributes as editable. This indicator must be set to Yes, for the attribute to be editable in the functional area, otherwise it will be read only. In addition, an attribute can be defined to be mandatory. This requires the user to specify values for them before confirming the transaction in mobile.

Lastly, the retailer can also set up to publish certain flexible attributes to external systems upon functional area transaction completion. This is defined with the Publish Attributes indicator. If this indicator is set to Yes to publish, the system will publish the attributes and also publish the Publish Value. The Publish Value is an optional six character code/value.

The Publish Value and Editable indicator are both editable for existing attributes. All other fields are editable when creating a new attribute.

Note:

It is possible by design to set up a CFA that is required but not editable, thus resulting in scenarios where the user would not be able to enter the CFAs in the UI of the functional area, and not be able to complete the transaction. This would require the CFA to be populated using a REST API in order for the transaction to be completed.

Drop Down Values (Drop Down Data Type) Screen

Drop Down Values screen

Drop Down Values is accessed using the Drop Down Values button on the Custom Flexible Attributes screen for drop down data types. It is used to define the selection values for the attribute drop down list. For each value to be displayed in the list, the user defines the Selection Value, Sequence, and Publish Value.

The Selection Value is the text to be displayed. Sequence is used to define the order that the value will be displayed in the list. The Publish Value is an optional six character code/value. It will get published if the attribute‘s Publish Attribute indicator is set to Yes when that selection value is selected in the drop down attribute within the functional area.

Drop Down data types are available for the following functional areas at this time:

  • Transfer Shipment
  • Transfer Shipment Container
  • RTV Shipment
  • RTV Shipment Container

Transaction History Pack Component Search

Some retailers receive pre-packs as part of their supply chain items. Pre-packs are only used to make supply chain shipments easier. They are typically created by the supplier and their lifespan is only for the shipment into the warehouse as part of a cross dock process.

To facilitate inventory discrepancy research on the Transaction History trail, a user is now allowed to identify if pack IDs should be included when looking up an item. So if items would have arrived on a shipment as part of a pre-pack, setting this indicator allows the inclusion of the packs that item is part of.

Transaction History Search Criteria Screen

Transaction History Search Criteria screen

The Completed Transaction History dialog initially directs the user to a search criteria screen to select filter criteria for the records to be displayed before presenting the list of transactions. The default for the search is all transactions for today for the user’s store. Additional search criteria include From and To Date, Type of Transaction (that is, Customer Order Delivery, Inventory Adjustment, and so on), Reason, Item, and User.

From Date will be defaulted with a date based on the value of system configuration parameter Search Date Range Default for Transaction History. For example, if the system config parameter value is set to 90, the From Date will be defaulted with <today's date> - 90.

When searching by item, if the user selects the Include Packs indicator and sets it to Yes, the system will return:

  • All transactions that the entered item exists on.
  • All transactions that include pack items that the entered item is a part of.
  • Example:
    • Data:
      • Item 123 Cola.
      • Item 456: 6 pack of 123 Cola
      • Item 789 12 pack of 123 Cola
    • User enters item 123 Cola, and selects the Include Packs switch (Yes).
    • The system returns all transactions for the user's store that are for item 123, 456, and 789.

    Note:

    If Include Packs is set to Yes, and an item is not entered, this indicator will be ignored.

Quality of Life Changes

The following small changes have been introduced to improve usability, and to make operations and find data easier:

  • When a message fails in the MPS_STAGE_MESSAGE table, the Operational Issue screen shows a different number than the detail screen. This has been brought in line. In addition, the screen will now also show the update date time.
  • Barcode updates:
    • Upper and lower case characters from the barcode will now have to match upper and lower case characters in the database.
    • VPLU barcode resolution should validate the VPLU existence as a non-transaction-level item first before checking its Type 2 configuration against the item within the barcode. If found, it should roll up to the transaction level item and return the transaction level item as found. If not found, the VPLU should validate the transaction level item also checking against Type 2 configuration against the transaction level. If found, return the item. If not found, the item did not match the barcode.

  • MFCS UIN item setup integration.

    For both single and bulk processing, the product has been enhanced to update Capture Time and UIN Required for items when item location records are updated after import.

  • When scanning a QR code that is configured for the printer ID, verify that it connects to the printer and shows on the Direct Print list as an external connected scanner with its ID.
  • After selecting the Select Printer screen and selecting the print button during the mobile printing ticket process in Item Lookup, the Select Printer screen now stays open instead of closing. So multiple prints can be done if desired.

REST Services

Similar to prior releases, SIOCS put extra work into REST services and their documentation. In this release, the following updates have been made:

  • Changes have been made to a variety of REST services:
    • Inclusion of CFAs (see above).
    • External validation services (see above).
    • New Custom Data Attribute Service for find(), create(), update(), and import() endpoints of the REST service.
    • New ISN import service. This is different from the regular service since it allows bulk creation of ISNs while the existing service only allowed for single ISN creates or updates.

Technical Changes

This section describes the technical changes in this release.

General Updates

As with all updates for SIOCS, there are several technical changes that have been made:

Several purging batches have had minor modifications to improve performance and reliability.

Batch Management using POM

Auto Retry Restriction:

Batch jobs with RETRYABLE = 'N' in the BATCH_JOB table will not be automatically retried by POM if they fail. Batch jobs with RETRYABLE = 'Y' will continue to be automatically retried by POM, per the existing behavior. By default, all Export and Import jobs are configured with RETRYABLE = 'N'.

Batch Job Reviewed Status:

When a previously failed batch job is started again, manually re-tried, or automatically re-tried by POM, all corresponding previously failed records in the BATCH_ACTIVITY table are updated by setting REVIEWED = 'Y'.

SYSOP Role

The Sysop role is no longer supported in SIOCS starting with release 26.2.301.0. It is recommended that customers remove the Sysop role assignment from all existing users. Anyone logging in with the sysop role will not have access to restricted UI configurations. Those restricted settings (such as system configs and MPS purge settings) are now backend-only.

Price Integration

  • In order to handle pricing volumes better, SIOCS added a system configuration to enable a database parallel task for itemprice to history batch.

  • Action for Retailers/ implementers: Please disable ItemPriceIclImport_OpsJob batch process and enable respective DCS (ItemPrice) and MPS ( Dcsprice) workers. This change is needed since direct DB integration has been the default model for integrating pricing data from Pricing (RPCS) into SIOCS

Standalone Deployment

  • For handling standalone deployments (without Oracle MFCS/RICS), a check is added to validate RICS deployment. So integration messages do not get generated in the MPS queue for publishing to the RIB. Retailers/implementers should review and disable the RIBMessagePublisher if they are not using RICS and want to stop SIOCS from staging outbound messages.

Database, Retail Data Store (RDS), and Golden-Gate DAS Updates

The following tables have been added:

  • ITEM_ISN
  • ITEM_ISN_TYPE
  • CONFIG_STORE_DEFAULT
  • BATCH_EXECUTION
  • BATCH_ACTIVITY
  • BATCH_DATA_ERROR
  • PURGE_ERROR_LOG

A Service Request (SR) needs to be submitted to obtain the new tables to be configured for replication in DAS. For more information, see the following document on My Oracle Support: KB544326.