Introduction

Extend your bulk-loading spreadsheet capabilities by including pre-configured and custom flexfield segments in your HCM Spreadsheet Data Loader (HSDL) templates.

Descriptive flexfields extend the base object record, so you can include one DFF context per spreadsheet row. In this tutorial you'll learn how to add DFF attributes for one context along with attributes from the global context.

Extensible flexfields are held on child records, so you can include multiple contexts by using multiple occurrences of the child object. In this tutorial you'll learn how to add EFF attributes from multiple contexts.

Objectives

In this tutorial, you will:

  • Generate attribute maps for your custom flexfield segments.
  • Create the Maintain Department template which includes descriptive flexfield segments.
  • Extend the template to add extensible flexfield segments from two contexts.

You should already be familiar with creating spreadsheet templates. If you've not used the Spreadsheet Templates task before, first complete the Creating HCM Spreadsheet Data Loader Templates tutorial.

Prerequisites

To complete this tutorial, you need:

  • Access to the View Business Objects task.
  • Access to the Spreadsheet Templates tasks with a role that's assigned access to create templates for the Organization business object.

Follow tasks 2 and 3 in the Configure Access to Design and Maintain HCM Spreadsheet Data Loader (HSDL) Templates tutorial to create such a role.

Note:

This tutorial assumes you've enabled Redwood. Follow the Release 25C version of this tutorial for the navigation and screenshots if this isn't the case.

Task 1: Update and Review Attributes for a Business Object

The View Business Objects task is the data dictionary for HCM Data Loader (HDL) and HSDL. In this task you'll learn how to update a business object's attributes to include newly configured flexfield segments and how to find the details that you'll need to add flexfield segment attributes to your spreadsheet templates.

Update Attributes for a Business Object

Attribute 'maps' are used to understand the shape of the business objects you can bulk-load data for. When you configure and deploy flexfield changes, you also need to refresh the attribute maps so both HDL and HSDL can see the attributes available to load data into your flexfield segments.

In the following steps you'll update the attributes for the Organization business object as you'll use this object for the following tasks. However, these steps apply to all HDL business objects.

Note:

Before updating a business object's attributes, ensure your custom flexfield contexts are configured and deployed.
  1. In the Oracle HCM application, navigate to My Client Groups > Data Exchange > View Business Objects.
  2. Search for the Organization business object.
    3. Search for the organizaiton object

  3. Click the Actions menu against the business object and select the Update Attributes action.
    4. Select the Update Attributes action

  4. Click Submit on the Update Business Object Attributes panel.
    Submit the process

    The panel will close, and you'll receive a message confirming submission.

  5. Refresh the table content periodically until the Last Updated On date is the current date. This confirms the request to update the attributes has completed.

Identifying Flexfield Category and Context Codes

When including flexfield segment attributes in your HSDL templates, you need to configure the flexfield context, and in the case of EFF attributes, the flexfield category for those attributes. To do this you default the flexfield context and flexfield category attributes in your HSDL template with the flexfield context code and flexfield category code.

These steps show you how to find these codes in the View Business Objects pages for the attributes used in Task 3 and Task 4.

Tip:

You can complete these steps before adding your flexfield segment attributes to your template, or alongside.
  1. On the View Business Objects page, click on the object name to navigate to the Attributes page.
    2. Navigate to the Flexfield Attributes

    Note:

    Descriptive Flexfield (DFF) segments extend the base record and so are found on the same component in the object hierarchy.
  2. Click the Flexfield Attributes tab to review the attributes available to load the DFF segments configured for the object.
    3. Navigate to the Flexfield Attributes

    Tip:

    The Flexfield Attributes tab is only available for objects that support flexfields.
  3. Use the search filters to select the flexfield context that's been updated. In Task 3 we use the Department Salary Context.
    Filter the flexfield context

  4. Use the Column Management panel to display the Context Code column.
    Include the context code column in the table.

  5. Make a note of the Context Code for the DFF context. You'll default the Flexfield Context attribute in your HSDL template to this value.
    Make a note of the context code

  6. Click on the page header to change the object in focus to Organization Extra Information. This is an example of an Extensible Flexfield (EFF). EFFs have a Flexfield Category in addition to the flexfield context.
    7. Change the object in focus to Organization Extra Information

  7. Navigate to the Flexfield Attributes tab.
  8. Use the Column Management panel to display the Category Code and Context Code columns.
  9. Search for Reporting Name.
    10. Reporting name attributes

    You'll notice that there are multiple Reporting Name attributes across multiple flexfield categories and contexts.

    In Task 4 we add Reporting Name for the Department category, so make a note of the DEPARTMENT category code and PER_ORG_MANAGER_INFO context code for this entry.

  10. Clear the search criteria and filter the list of attributes to the Department category and Workday Information context.
    11. Reporting name attributes

  11. Make a note of the Category Code and Context Code for the Workday Information context. You'll default the Flexfield Context and Extensible Flexfield Category attributes to these values in your spreadsheet template in Task 4.

Tip:

The Understanding HCM Data Loader (HDL) Business Objects tutorial explains the View Business Objects task in greater detail.

Checklist

Values to note for the following tasks:

Value Example Used For
DFF Context Code Department Salary Context Context Value default in Task 3
EFF Category Code DEPARTMENT EFF_CATEGORY_CODE default in Task 4
EFF Context Code PER_ORG_MANAGER_INFO / PER_WORK_DAY_INFO Context Code default in Task 4

Tip:

Some context codes are descriptive text rather than uppercase code values. Use the exact value shown in the Example column.


Task 2: Create a Maintain Department Template

In this task you'll create a template to maintain departments which is then used for the following tasks.

If you already have a template, you can skip this task. Before continuing, confirm that the template has been tested successfully. For DFF attributes, it must include the object that owns the DFF. For EFF attributes, it must include the parent object for the object that owns the EFF.

Enter template information

  1. Navigate to My Client Groups > Data Exchange > Spreadsheet Templates.
  2. Click Add.
  3. On the Enter template information step enter a name of Maintain Department. Specify Organization as the business object.
    4. Create the maintain department template

  4. Click Continue

Select attributes

  1. Select the Classification Name attribute.

  2. Select Organization Classification from the Available Attributes header to view the Organization Classification attributes.
    3. Select Organization Classification

  3. Add these attributes to your template:
    • Status
    • Set Code
    Select Organization Classification attributes

    Tip:

    The Set Code attribute is mandatory when creating departments.
  4. Click Continue.

Choose record identifiers

You've selected attributes from the Organization and Organization Classification objects. These are both shown on the Choose record identifiers step.

Review record identifiers

We'll leave the attribute type to User Key as this template creates new records and Surrogate Keys can only be used to maintain existing records.

There are no additional user key options for these objects, so no action to take.

  1. Click Continue.

Configure attributes

  1. Click the Classification Name attribute heading to open the Edit panel.
  2. Configure a constant default of Department and uncheck the Display checkbox.

  3. Click Save.
  4. Edit Set Code to configure a constant default of COMMON.
  5. Configure a constant default for the Status attribute of A and uncheck the Display checkbox.
  6. Click Save.

    You now have a template that can be extended to include descriptive and extensible flexfield segment attributes.


Task 3: Descriptive Flexfield Segments

DFF segments are defined on the same record as the base attributes so you can't have multiple DFF contexts for the same spreadsheet row. You're therefore restricted to including segments from one flexfield context in addition to segments from the Global Data Elements context.

  1. Navigate to the Select attributes step in your template.
  2. Set the Object filter to Organization.

    3. Tip:

    As the Organization object has a descriptive flexfield, the Flexfield Name filter is displayed.
  3. Set the Flexfield Name filter, so only flexfield segment attributes are shown and provide any search criteria required.

  4. Click the attribute label link for any flexfield segment in your chosen flexfield context.

    5. The Flexfield Context Code for flexfield segment attributes is available here. You may have already found this information using the View Business Objects pages.

  5. Select the flexfield segment attributes from the DFF context you want to use and add them to the template, along with any Global Data Elements context attributes you need.

  6. Click Continue until you are on the Configure attributes step.

    Tip:

    Adding flexfield segment attributes for an object will automatically add the Context Value attribute for that object.
  7. Edit the Context Value to default its value to the DFF context code. This attribute can be hidden.

    8. Your template can now be used to upload data into the selected DFF segments.


Task 4: Extensible Flexfield Segments

Extensible flexfields are held on a child record, allowing for multiple contexts to be supplied for the same parent.

In this task you'll add EFF segments from two contexts to your template.

Add Extensible Flexfield Segments

We'll first add the Reporting Name flexfield segment from the Department category to our template.

  1. In the Spreadsheet Templates guided process for your template, navigate to the Select attributes step.
  2. Search for Reporting Name.
    Search for your attribute

    Tip:

    There are only two occurrences of the Reporting Name attribute seen, one for each Flexfield Context. There is only one Reporting Name attribute available on the Organization Manager Information context, but it's configured on multiple flexfield categories. The Select attributes table only shows the available attribute and doesn't understand the flexfield category configurations.

    The flexfield category and context codes seen on the View Business Objects page will be specified in the template configuration to ensure data is uploaded to the correct EFF category and context.

  3. Select the Reporting Name attribute that is defined on the Organization Manager Information flexfield context.
    4. Select Reporting Name from the Organization Manager Information context

  4. Click Continue.

    You've now added attributes from the Organization Extra Information object in the Organization hierarchy and you'll see that this is added to the list of objects used by this template.


  5. Click Continue.

    Mandatory attributes are automatically added when selecting your first attribute for an object.

    Manadatory attributes are automatically selected.

    Attributes to identify the parent record are automatically defaulted to the parent record values and hidden.

    Other mandatory attributes for extensible flexfields are:

    Mandatory EFF attributes for Organization Extra Information
    Attribute Description
    Context Code The flexfield context code of the flexfield segments selected.

    It's automatically added to business object definitions that have flexfield segment attributes.

    OrgInformationContext The flexfield context code of the flexfield segments selected for the Extra Organization Information object. This attribute is specific to this object and can be defaulted to the same value as the Context Code.
    EFF_CATEGORY_CODE The extensible flexfield category code.
    Sequence Number The sequence of the flexfield context record.

    Tip:

    These attributes identify which EFF category and context the spreadsheet row should create or maintain; they are usually hidden from the spreadsheet user after you configure their defaults.
  6. Edit the Context Code attribute to define a constant default value of the Context Code for the Reporting Name attribute.

  7. Make a note of the Attribute Key; you'll need this to configure the default for the OrgInformationContext attribute which copies the value of this attribute.
    8. Find the attribute key for the Context Code attribute.

  8. Uncheck the Display checkbox to hide the attribute from your template spreadsheets and click Save.
  9. Configure an Existing selected attribute default for the OrgInformationContext attribute, specifying the attribute key of the Context Code attribute.
  10. Hide this attribute and save your changes.
  11. Edit the EFF_CATEGORY_CODE attribute, defining a default of the flexfield Category Code for the Reporting Name attribute and hide it.

  12. Edit the Sequence Number attribute, defining a constant default value of 1 and hide it.
  13. Add any other flexfield segment attributes you need from the same flexfield context.

    14. Tip:

    Only the flexfield segment attributes on the Organization Extra Information component will be shown as columns in spreadsheets generated from this template. All other attributes have defaults configured and are hidden to simplify data entry for the end-user.


Adding Flexfield Segments from another Context

When you supply flexfield segments from other contexts you need to supply a different occurrence of the Organization Extra Information object.

To achieve this in a Spreadsheet Template you first duplicate the attributes for this object, add the flexfield segment attributes for the next context, and configure the flexfield context for the duplicated object. By the end of this task, you'll have the following attributes in your template for the Organization Extra Information object.

Object Occurrence Attribute Default Displayed
1 Reporting Name Yes
1 Standard Working Hours
1 Standard Working Hours Frequency
1 Work Start Time
1 Work End Time
1 Context Code PER_ORG_MANAGER_INFO
1 EFF_CATEGORY_CODE DEPARTMENT
1 OrgInformationContext OrgInformation_OrgInformationContext
1 Sequence Number 1
2 Reporting Name
2 Standard Working Hours Yes
2 Standard Working Hours Frequency Yes
2 Work Start Time Yes
2 Work End Time Yes
2 Context Code PER_WORK_DAY_INFO
2 EFF_CATEGORY_CODE DEPARTMENT
2 OrgInformationContext OrgInformation_1_OrgInformationContext
2 Sequence Number 2

Note:

The attributes that exist on each occurrence of a record must be the same. You'll configure the defaults appropriate to each context and hide attributes that aren't applicable to a context.

Duplicating Organization Extra Information

  1. On the Configure attributes table toolbar click More actions > Duplicate Attributes.
    2. click duplicate

  2. Edit the Organization Extra Information record and specify 1. Save the change.

  3. Click Create. This creates a copy of every attribute you selected for the Organization Extra Information component.

    4. Tip:

    The new attributes will have a number appended to their column heading, attribute name and attribute key to identify which new occurrence they belong to.
  4. Edit attribute Reporting Name | 1 to hide it.

    This duplicate of Organization Extra Information is for a different flexfield context. You must hide all attributes for flexfield segments defined on the original Organization Extra Information record.


  5. Click Save.

Adding Segments for Another Context

  1. Navigate to the Select attributes step in the guided process.
  2. Filter the attributes to the Organization Extra Information object, Organization Information EFF flexfield name and Workday Information flexfield context.
  3. Add these attributes from the Workday Information context to your template:
    • Standard Working Hours
    • Standard Working Hours Frequency
    • Work Start Time
    • Work End Time
    Select the listed Workday Information attributes

    Note:

    Sometimes there are two attributes with the same name. One accepts a lookup code or ID, the other accepts a meaning or value. Use the Attribute Name to determine which is which; the attribute name that ends with _Display accepts the meaning or value.
  4. Click Continue until you are on the Configure attributes step.
  5. Filter Object to Organization Extra Information.

    There will be two occurrences of each of the new flexfield segment attributes. When you add attributes to a duplicated component, the attributes are added to every occurrence.

  6. Hide the Workday Information attributes from the original occurrence of Organization Extra Information.

    7. Tip:

    These are the attributes that don't have a number appended to the attribute name.

    The list of attributes for the Organization Extra Information object should now look something like this.

    Flexfield segment attributes now included on spreadsheets

  7. Edit each of the Workday Information attributes from the duplicated occurrence of Organization Extra Information. Change the Column Heading to remove the appended number and optionally add or change the column tip.
    8. Change the Column Heading and Column Tip

  8. Click Show Hidden Attributes.
  9. Edit these hidden attributes on your duplicated record to specify the correct flexfield context and sequence:
    Extensible Flexfield Mandatory Attributes for Organization Extra Information
    Attribute Description Default Type Value
    Context Code | 1 The flexfield context code for the second flexfield context. Constant PER_WORK_DAY_INFO
    Sequence Number | 1 The sequence of the flexfield context record. Constant 2
    OrgInformationContext | 1 The flexfield context code for the second flexfield context. Copy the Context Code | 1 attribute value. Existing selected attribute OrgInformation_1_OrgInformationContext
  10. Save your changes.
  11. Clear all filters and reorder the rows into the order in which you want the columns to be displayed in your spreadsheets. For example, click on Work Start Time and drag it above Work End Time.

    You've now created a template to maintain departments whilst populating multiple flexfield contexts.


Related Tutorials

The latest tutorials for HDL and HSDL are published in this topic on Cloud Customer Connect:

Acknowledgements

  • Authors - Ema Johnson (Lead Principal Product Manager, HCM Data Loader & AI)

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