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1 of 16 More Tips: Oracle E-Business Suite April 2010 More Tips: Oracle E-Business Suite Additional tips and best practices for using Oracle EBS Contact Information: Purchasing Department 301-294-5643 USU/AFRRI email: [email protected] Email for others: [email protected] Oracle Help Desk: 301-294-5678 [email protected]

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Page 1: MoreTips Oracle EBS[1]

1 of 16 More Tips: Oracle E-Business Suite

April 2010

More Tips: Oracle E-Business Suite

Additional tips and best practices for using Oracle EBS

Contact Information:

Purchasing Department 301-294-5643

USU/AFRRI email:

[email protected]

Email for others: [email protected]

Oracle Help Desk:

301-294-5678 [email protected]

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Table of Contents Best Practices ...................................................................................................................... 3

General Oracle Information – All Users

Best Practice 1: Approving notifications .......................................................................... 4

Best Practice 2: Blanket Purchase Orders ....................................................................... 5

Best Practice 3: Perform funds check ............................................................................... 6

Best Practice 4: React to error messages .......................................................................... 6

Best Practice 5: Avoid escalation of workflows ............................................................... 7

Best Practice 6: Monitor workflow items ......................................................................... 8

Best Practice 7: Inform HJF customers ........................................................................... 8

Best Practice 8: Use notifications to track requisitions ................................................... 9

Best Practice 9: Use vacation rules when out of the office ............................................. 10

Notification change

Create a rule

Change worklist access

Best Practice 10: Turn off pop-up blockers ..................................................................... 11

Mozilla Firefox

Microsoft Internet Explorer

Apple Safari

Best Practice 11: Delete cookies and temporary files ...................................................... 13

Mozilla Firefox

Apple Safari

Microsoft Internet Explorer

General Oracle Information – Customers

More tips for using Oracle EBS iProcurement ................................................................ 15

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Best Practices Many agree that “best practices” must have three important characteristics that become evident upon rigorous evaluation. The practice must demonstrate success, must have a direct impact on business results and must be replicated. The idea is that with proper processes, checks and testing, a desired outcome can be delivered with fewer problems and unforeseen complications. However, some processes may not work as intended, may be applicable to a particular condition or circumstance, and may have to be modified or adapted to achieve the desired results. Best practices can address these situations. Since launching the Oracle E-Business Suite (EBS) financial management system in 2009, best practices for fine-tuning the system’s processes have been identified and documented. This document provides a sampling of best practices for users to share and build on.

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Best Practice 1: Approving notifications When reacting to notifications, specific actions must be completed to move approved invoices along the approval path. Follow these steps to view, and respond to, notifications requesting invoice approval.

1. Log into Oracle EBS at https://ebs.hjf.org 2. Access the worklist under the Requisitions tab and the Notifications sub-tab. 3. Double click on the subject of the notification requiring your approval. 4. Before taking any action, you can view the attached vendor invoice by selecting “view

additional invoice detail.” The “attachment list” can also be viewed. Use your HJFOnline username and password to log in to WebNow to view scanned vendor invoices.

5. After viewing the invoice, take the appropriate action by clicking an approval option. Here is a sample of a Notification email.

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Best Practice 2: Blanket Purchase Orders Blanket purchase orders are used to requisition and receive services paid from encumbered balances. Cell phone bills, for example, use blanket purchase orders because they are billed by amount each month. Select the “goods and services billed by amount” type when submitting requisitions that use blanket purchase orders.

Selecting “goods/services billed by quantity,” commonly used when shopping through a catalog, will stop the requisition dead in its tracks. The approval system cannot reconcile a quantity requisition against encumbered funds coded to use “amount” in the billing field.

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Best Practice 3: Perform funds check Before an individual submits a requisition, a requisitioner should perform the action “Check Funds” to ensure the budget has sufficient funds to support the requisition. One of the first steps of the requisition workflow is to verify the availability of the funds. The system places a requisition on hold because of insufficient funds. As a result, the approval process stops. Verifying available funds before submission helps ensure the requisition continues along its designated approval path Best Practice 4: React to error messages Oracle EBS workflows send emails to notify the next approver in the chain that the requisition failed fund check and provide options for fixing the issue. Users who are uncertain about how to address the email should inquire at the Oracle EBS Help Desk or ask a supervisor about the next steps. Often, items are stalled in workflows because the process is waiting for someone in the approval chain to resolve the issue. More descriptive messaging on these error notifications will be implemented as the system is molded to fit HJF approval process needs.

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Best Practice 5: Avoid escalation of workflows Oracle EBS workflows allow users to receive, analyze and respond to notifications requiring their attention via email. In most cases, approvers are sent reminders after a period of time has elapsed since receiving the first request for action. Promptly taking action on the first request keeps the approval from escalating to the next level approver, avoiding delays in the approval chain.

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Best Practice 6: Monitor workflow items Oracle EBS users have the flexibility to query which tasks to work on and to define and organize work in the way they prefer. Monitoring work and responding to business process notifications can be done from a central window or worklist. The feature allows users to manage and monitor exceptions, instead of transactions; be aware of error messages; and keep items moving ahead.

This screen provides a status of where your requisition is in the Approval Workflow process. Best Practice 7: Inform HJF customers Inactivity by approvers can stall workflow if nonemployees do not want to be involved in the approval process. To avoid a delay, HJF recommends that Award, Project and Task Managers identify and inform workers about the roles delegated to individuals within their program. This can help ensure participation by all involved in the approval chain.

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Best Practice 8: Use Notifications to Track Requisitions As part of the Oracle EBS workflow, the notifications feature allows users to authorize requisitions and invoices and read any messages sent between users. The feature also allow users to check the status of orders, process approvals or request additional information about an approval request. Notifications help users keep informed of pending actions and track the progress of items, such as requisitions, in a workflow. Oracle EBS users can set the messaging feature to automatically notify a role owner whenever a certain action needs to occur within the workflow.

If you do not see a notification for your requisition, select the dropdown menu next to “View” and select “All Notifications” from the list of values.

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Best Practice 9: Use vacation rules when out of the office Before heading out of the office on a holiday or business trip, be sure to set your out-of-office preferences for Oracle EBS. The system allows you to delegate approval authority when you are away from the office. The system offers three ways to handle workflow approvals while you are out of the office. The first step for all alternatives is to go to http://ebs.hjf.org and sign in to the Oracle EBS system.

1. Notifications change: Under “Notifications,” click on “Subject” to open the notification. Then, click on “Reassign” and “Delegate your response.” Use the “All Employees and Users” drop-down menu to find the individual who can handle notifications while you are out of the office. It is important that your security role matches the security role of your designee. For instance, if you are an administrator, your designee must also be an administrator or higher in the Oracle EBS hierarchy. Note that “Transfer notification ownership” does not work in the iProcurement and AP invoice workflows.

2. Create a rule: Click “TIP Vacation Rules” under “Notifications” and then on the

“Create Rule” button. Next, choose “All” or any of the items listed under “Item type.” Click on the “Next” button. A dialog box will appear asking for a start date, end date and message, as well as the “Reassign” section (see below). Fill in the appropriate information and click on “Delegate your response.” Finally, click on the “Apply” button. Note that by leaving the end date blank, you can continue the reassignment indefinitely.

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3. Change Worklist access: Click on “TIP Worklist Access” under “Notifications.” Next, click on the “Grant Worklist Access” button. Choose the individual who will perform your workflow duties, as well as start and end dates, item types, and a description. Finally, click on the “Apply” button.

Best Practice 10: Turn off popup blockers Popup blockers, cookies and temporary Internet files can hamper efficient operation of Oracle EBS. Here’s some advice on how to ensure smooth operation of the new financial management system. Be sure to turn off the pop-up blocker on your web browser. Activating your pop-up blocker can have several effects on the financial management software. One effect is the magnifying glass that displays a list of values will not work. Here’s how to turn off the pop-up blocker in browsers:

• Mozilla Foxfire: Click on the “Firefox” tab in the upper toolbar. Next, click on “Preferences” and then “Content.” Next, click on “Block pop-up windows.” When the check mark next to “Block pop-up windows” disappears, pop-ups are enabled.

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• Microsoft Internet Explorer: Open Internet Explorer, and then click “Internet Options” on the “Tools” menu to open the “Internet Properties” dialog box. Click the “Privacy” tab, and then click “Block pop-ups” to turn pop-up blocker off. Ensure that no check mark appears next to “Block pop-ups.”

• Apple Safari: Click on the “Safari” tab in the upper toolbar. Then click on “Block Pop-Up Windows.” When the check mark disappears, pop-ups are enabled.

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Best Practice 11: Delete cookies and temporary files Cookies and temporary Internet files collected during website visits can affect viewing of reports. Delete cookies and temporary Internet files in your browser to ensure proper operation. Here’s how to accomplish that task:

• Mozilla Firefox: To remove cookies, click on “Firefox” in the top navigation bar and then on “Preferences.” Then click on “Privacy” and “Remove All Cookies.” To remove temporary Internet files, click on “Tools” in the top navigation bar and then “Clear Private Data.”

• Apple Safari: Click on “Safari” in the top navigation bar and then on “Reset Safari.” In

the drop-down menu, select “Empty the Cache” and “Remove all Cookies.”

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• Microsoft Internet Explorer: Click on “Tools” in the top navigation bar and then

“Internet Options.” In the “General” tab under “Temporary Internet Files,” select “Delete Cookies” and “Delete Files.”

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More tips for using Oracle EBS iProcurement Oracle EBS iProcurement is designed to streamline the requisitioning process and ensure that users can order necessary items efficiently using a simple and widely available web browser interface. Numerous tedious tasks are now automated to deliver needed items in a timely manner. Coupled with the Oracle EBS workflow, iProcurement facilitates a paperless, automated approval process for purchase requisitions. A requisition in Oracle EBS is an authorized request for the purchase of goods or services through the HJF Purchasing Department. The Purchasing Department has collected a number of helpful tips that will help users avoid common errors when working with EBS iProcurement. Authorized buyers: Only HJF authorized buyers are able to place, change or cancel purchase orders. Contact HJF Purchasing Department to arrange returns and exchanges. Be sure to keep all original packaging. Purchase order number requests: If a customer orders directly from the vendor, use the “note to buyer” field to request that the purchase order number be emailed to the end user. Be sure to include the email address of the person that needs the purchase order number. Delivery address: When requesting an additional address or to change the default “delivery to” address, email the request to [email protected]. The “one time address” feature should be used only if the address will not be used more than once. New supplier button: Using this button flags the requisition as using a new supplier, but does not automatically add the vendor to the vendor list. Do a thorough search for existing vendors prior to using this feature. Urgent button: Using this feature authorizes payment of overnight shipping charges. The cut-off time to request an urgent requision is 2 p.m. Eastern time. Check vendor cut-off times to ensure prompt delivery. Bill to field: The Foundation’s Accounts Payable Department will not pay an invoice that is not payable to HJF. The “bill to” field must list HJF. Users do not have to obtain quotes to place an order. Attachments: Attachments are affixed to requisitions. When using attachments, reference the “quote number” in the “note to buyer” field. All quotes and invoices need to be payable to HJF. When using the attachment feature, make sure the quote is “Bill to HJF.”

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Note to buyer field: Use this field when the default “deliver to” field does not have this information. Make sure to enter the complete address, including the building number, room number and name of the recipient.

Unusual items: Users must provide a brief justification for unusual items as they relate to the research program for which they are procuring the items. These justifications should be added to the “note to buyer” field. Any unusual item or service must be justified. Requisitioners are required to properly document program costs, ensuring the purchase meets the guidelines in OMB Circular A-122: Cost Principles for Non-profit Organizations. Examples of unusual items include digital cameras, DVD players, video games, food or drink items from online vendors, and items for personal use.