What is Enterprise Resource Planning ?? Lets take an example.

Suppose you are running a small grocery shop named "Janata Grocery", so the typical operation as a shop owner is you basically buy groceries from some big seller and stock it in your shop. Now people come to your shop for day-to-day needs and buy stuff from your shop at a slightly higher price than what you originally bought and stocked it in your shop. Ocassionally you may not be carrying items or run out of stock that people ask for so you make a note of it and promise the person to come back tomorrow and they will get their item. So far so good, now lets name some entities before we proceed and things get complicated. The big seller from whom you buy stock is called as Vendor, the people who come to your shop to buy things are known as customers, the stock in your shop is known as inventory. So far we have identified few entities that play an active role in your day-to-day operations. As time goes by, your business expands and now you take orders over the phone and provide service to deliver the items to your customers, so you hire people to help you out in maintaining the inventory, do the delivery part and all the necessary stuff to keep the business running smoothly. The people you hire are known as employees. So in this small shop, you typically manage the bookkeeping activities by hand using a notepad or something similar. Now imagine the same setup on a larger scale where you have more than 10,000 customers, have more than 1000 vendors, have more than 1000 employees and have a huge warehouse to maintain your inventory. Do you think you can manage all that information using pen and paper? Absolutely no way! Your business will come to a sudden stop sign. To facilitate big businesses, companies like Oracle Corporation have created huge software known in the category of ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) as Oracle Applications. Now coming to think of it, Oracle Apps is not one huge software, instead it is a collection of software known as modules that are integrated and talk to each other. Now what is meant by integrated? First let us identify the modules by entities. For e.g Purchasing and Account Payables deal with the vendors since you typically purchase from vendors and eventually have to pay the dues. Oracle Purchasing handles all the requisitions and purchase orders to the vendors whereas Oracle Accounts Payables handles all the payments to the vendors. Similarly Oracle Inventory deals with the items you maintain in stock, warehouse etc. Dealing with customers is handled collectively with the help of Oracle Receivables and Oracle Order Management. Order Management helps you collect all the information that your customer is ordering over the phone or webstore etc whereas Receivables help you collect the money for the orders that are delivered to the customers.

Now who maintains the paychecks, benefits of the 1000 employees? right! it is managed by Oracle Human Resources. So you get the idea by now that for each logical function there is a separate module that helps to execute and maintain that function. So all the individual functions are being taken care but how do I know if I am making profit or loss? That's where integration comes into play. There is another module known as Oracle General Ledger. This module receives information from all the different transaction modules and summarizes them in order to help you create profit and loss statements, reports for paying Taxes etc. Just to simplify the explanation, when you pay your employees that payment is reported back to General Ledgers as cost i.e money going out, when you purchase inventory items the information is transferred to GL as money going out, and so is the case when you pay your vendors. Similarly when you receive items in your inventory it is transferred to GL as money coming in, when your customer sends payment it is transfered to GL as money coming in. So all the different transaction modules report to GL (General Ledger) as either "money going in" or "money going out", the net result will tell you if you are making a profit or loss. All the equipment, shops, warehouses, computers can be termed as Assets and they are managed by Oracle Fixed Assets. Initially Oracle Applications started as bunch of modules and as time passed by

they added new modules for different and new functions growing out of the need for today's internet world. So if you come across a module that you are trying to learn and work on, first try to understand what business need is it trying to fulfill and then try to understand what the immediate modules that it interacts with. For e.g lets say you come across Oracle Cost Management module, you will learn that it helps to maintain the costs of items in your inventory and the immediate modules that it interacts with are Oracle Inventory (ofcourse), Oracle Bills of Material, Order Management and so on.. There is more to ERP than this layman explanation of a complex beast that does not justify a single bit but I wished I had this knowledge when I was thrown into Oracle Applications right after I graduated from college. Back then the only piece of software I had known to write was implementing binary trees, infix, prefix, postfix notations in pascal and TSRs (Terminate and Stay resident) using assembly. --------------------Continuing with the simplicity and popularity of the above article, this article will try to explain the GL basics in simple terms. It assumes you have basic accounting knowledge like debit, credits, expense, accounts etc What is General Ledger Most people are familiar with their own bank statement, which shows an opening balance, transactions that occurred throughout the period, and a closing balance. That statement is a snapshot of your account at a particular point in time. A company keeps an account, like the records the bank keeps of your bank account, for every organization or customer that the company does business with. Balance Sheet The balance sheet summarizes accounts and financial activities in three broad categories: assets, which represent all the things that the company owns; liabilities, which show how much money the company owes to others; and capital/retained earnings, which show the total cash invested in the business by the owners or shareholders. Income Statement In addition, accounts are kept for all the revenues and expenses of the company. These accounts are summarized in an income statement, also called a profit and loss statement, which represents the performance of a company over time. The first step in capturing your transactions is to set up your chart of accounts. Your chart of accounts determines how your accounting information is collected, categorized, and stored for reporting purposes. In Oracle Financials, all accounts are identified by a unique Accounting key Flexfield combination, which is your chart of accounts structure. You assign each account the qualifier of asset, liability, owner's equity, revenue, or expense. Periods are identified by names such as FEB-2000 or WEEK1 2-98 and represent non-overlapping consecutive date ranges. FEB-2000 would include the date ranges O1-FEB-2000 to 29-FEB-2000 and would be followed by MAR-2000 starting on 01 -MAR-2000. You choose the names, following whatever convention you devise, and you assign the date ranges. You can even set up a one-day period for year-end adjustments that begins and ends on the same day. Double-Entry Accounting Double-entry accounting requires constant symmetry; total debits must equal total credits. Every accounting transaction results in one or more debits and credits that always remain in balance. For example, a $5000 purchase of office equipment would result in an increase to the asset account as well as an increase to a liability account. In Oracle Financials, the account number is referred to as the Accounting Flexfield, which is used throughout all of Oracle Applications whenever a transaction is entered into the system. The Accounting Flexfield consists of multiple segments, such as those for company, cost center, and account. One full Accounting Flexfield is called a combination. Each journal entry line is tagged with an Accounting Flexfield combination. For expense transactions, the AFF usually identifies who incurred the cost (for example, which company or department) and what the cost was for (for example, travel expense). If you want more detailed information, such as which region, cost center, and product

incurred the cost, you can design your AFF structure to include that information as well. Because total debits must always equal total credits in every transaction, Oracle General Ledger requires that all journals balance. If you try to enter an unbalanced journal, Oracle General Ledger will either reject the transaction or force the transaction to balance by posting the difference to a suspense account. ------------------

This is a useful alphabetical list covering most of the Oracle e-Business Suite products. There must be quite a number of products still in research and development and some will never get to see the light out of the development labs. Oracle Product Codes 1. ABM - Activity Based Management 53. CUF - CRL Financials 2. AD - Applications DBA 54. CUG - Oracle Citizen Interaction Center 3. AHL - Oracle Advanced Service Online 55. CUI - Oracle Network Logistics Inventory 4. AHM - Oracle Hosting Manager 56. CUN - Oracle Network Logistics NATS 5. AK - Oracle Common Modules-AK 57. CUP - Oracle Network Logistics 6. ALR - Oracle Alert Purchasing 7. AMF - Oracle Fulfillment Services 58. CUS - CRL Supply Chain 8. AMS - Oracle Marketing 59. CZ - Oracle Configurator 9. AMV - Oracle MarketView 60. DDD - Oracle CADView-3D 10. AN - Oracle Sales Analysis 61. DOM - Oracle Document Management and 11. AP - Oracle Payables Collaboration 12. AR - Oracle Receivables 62. DT - Oracle DateTrack 13. AS - Oracle Sales 63. EAA - Oracle SEM Exchange 14. ASF - Oracle Field Sales 64. EAM - Oracle Enterprise Asset 15. ASG - Oracle CRM Gateway for Mobile Management Services 65. EC - Oracle e-Commerce Gateway 16. ASL - Oracle Mobile Field Sales Laptop 66. ECX - Oracle XML Gateway 17. ASO - Oracle Order Capture 67. EDR - Oracle E Records 18. ASP - Oracle Field Sales/PalmTM Devices 68. EGO - Oracle Engineering Online 19. AST - TeleSales 69. ENG - Oracle Engineering 20. AU - Application Utilities 70. ENI - Oracle Engineering Intelligence 21. AX - Global Accounting Engine System 22. AZ - Application Implementation 71. EVM - Value Based Management 23. BEN - Oracle Advanced Benefits 72. FEM - Strategic Enterprise Management 24. BIC - Customer Intelligence 73. FF - Oracle Fast Formula 25. BIL - Sales Intelligence 74. FII - Financials Intelligence 26. BIM - Marketing Intelligence 75. FLM - Oracle Flow Manufacturing 27. BIS - Oracle Applications BIS 76. FND - Application Object Library 28. BIV - Oracle Service Intelligence 77. FPT - Oracle Banking Center 29. BIX - Call Center Intelligence 78. FRM - Oracle Report Manager 30. BNE - Oracle Web ADI 79. FTE - Oracle Transportation Hub 31. BOM - Oracle Bills of Material 80. FV - Oracle Federal Financials 32. BSC - Balanced Scorecard 81. GHR - Oracle Federal HR 33. CCT - Oracle Call Center and Telephony 82. GL - Oracle General Ledger 34. CE - Oracle Cash Management 83. GMA - Oracle Process Manufacturing 35. CHV - Oracle Supplier Scheduling Systems 36. CLN - Supply Chain Trading Connector for 84. GMD - Oracle Process Manufacturing RosettaNet Product Development 37. CN - Oracle Sales Compensation 85. GME - Oracle Process Manufacturing 38. CRP - Oracle Capacity Process Execution 39. CS - Oracle Service 86. GMF - Oracle Process Manufacturing 40. CSC - Customer Care Financials 41. CSD - Depot Repair 87. GMI - Oracle Process Manufacturing 42. CSE - Oracle Enterprise Install Base Inventory 43. CSF - Field Service 88. GML - Oracle Process Manufacturing 44. CSI - Install Base Logistics 45. CSL - Oracle Field Service/Laptop 89. GMP - Oracle Process Manufacturing 46. CSM - Oracle Field Service Palm Process Planning 47. CSP - Oracle Spares Management 90. GMS - Oracle Grants Accounting 48. CSR - Oracle Scheduler 91. GR - Oracle Process Regulatory Mgmt 49. CSS - Support 92. HRI - Human Resources Intelligence 50. CST - Oracle Cost Management 93. HXC - Oracle Time and Labor 51. CUA - CRL Financials Assets 94. HXT - Oracle Time and Labor Rules 52. CUE - Oracle Billing Connect 95. IBA - iMarketing

96. IBC - Oracle iContent 97. IBE - iStore 98. IBP - Bill Presentment & Payment 99. IBU - iSupport 100. IBY - iPayment 101. ICX - Oracle Self-Service Web Applications 102. IEB - Oracle Interaction Blending 103. IEC - Oracle Campaign Plus 104. IEM - Oracle eMail Center 105. IEO - Call Center Technology 106. IES - Scripting 107. IEU - Oracle Universal Work Queue 108. IEX - Oracle Collections 109. IGC - Commitment Administration 110. IGF - Student Systems Fin Aid 111. IGI - Oracle International Public Sector Financials 112. IGS - Oracle Student Sytems 113. IGW - Oracle Grants Proposal 114. IMC - Oracle Customers Online 115. IMT - Oracle iMeeting 116. INV - Oracle Inventory 117. IPA - CRL Financials Projects 118. IPD - Oracle Product Development Exchange 119. ISC - Supply Chain Intelligence 120. ITG - Oracle Internet Procurement Enterprise Connector 121. JA - Asia/Pacific Localizations 122. JE - European Localizations 123. JG - Regional Localizations 124. JL - Latin America Localizations 125. JTF - CRM Foundation 126. JTM - Oracle CRM Mobile Foundation 127. JTS - Oracle CRM Self Service Administration 128. ME - Maintenance, Repair & Overhaul 129. MFG - Oracle Manufacturing 130. MRP - Oracle Master Scheduling/MRP 131. MSC - Oracle Advanced Supply Chain Planning 132. MSD - Oracle Demand Planning 133. MSO - Oracle Constraint Based Optimization 134. MSR - Oracle Risk Optimization 135. MWA - Mobile Applications 136. ODQ - Oracle Data Query 137. OE - Oracle Order Entry 138. OFA - Oracle Assets 139. OKB - Oracle Contracts for Subscriptions 140. OKC - Oracle Contracts Core 141. OKE - Oracle Project Contracts 142. OKI - Oracle Contracts Intelligence 143. OKL - Oracle Lease Management 144. OKO - Oracle Contracts for Sales 145. OKR - Oracle Contracts for Rights 146. OKS - Oracle Contracts Service Module 147. OKX - Oracle Contracts Integration

148. ONT - Oracle Order Management 149. OPI - Operations Intelligence 150. OTA - Oracle Training Administration 151. OZF - Funds & Budgets 152. OZP - Trade Planning 153. OZS - Oracle iClaims 154. PA - Oracle Projects 155. PAY - Oracle Payroll 156. PER - Oracle Human Resources 157. PJI - Oracle Project Intelligence 158. PJM - Oracle Project Manufacturing 159. PMI - Process Mfg Intelligence 160. PN - Oracle Property Manager 161. PO - Oracle Purchasing 162. POA - Purchasing Intelligence 163. POM - Oracle Exchange 164. PON - Oracle Sourcing 165. POS - Internet Supplier Portal 166. PQH - Oracle Public Sector HR 167. PQP - Oracle Public Sector Payroll 168. PRP - Oracle Proposals 169. PSA - Public Sector Applications 170. PSB - Oracle Public Sector Budgeting 171. PSP - Oracle Labor Distribution 172. PV - Partner Relationship Management 173. QA - Oracle Quality 174. QOT - Oracle Quoting 175. QP - Oracle Pricing 176. QRM - Oracle Risk Management 177. RG - Application Report Generator 178. RHX - Oracle Advanced Planning Foundation 179. RLA - Oracle Release Management Integration Kit 180. RLM - Oracle Release Management 181. SHT - Applications Shared Technology 182. SSP - Oracle SSP 183. SYSADMIN - System Administration 184. VEA - Oracle Automotive 185. VEH - Oracle Automotive Integration Kit 186. WIP - Oracle Work in Process 187. WMS - Oracle Warehouse Management System 188. WPS - Oracle Manufacturing Scheduling 189. WSH - Oracle Shipping 190. WSM - Shop Floor Management 191. XDP - Oracle Provisioning 192. XLA - Oracle Common Accounting Modules 193. XNB - Oracle eBusiness Billing 194. XNC - Oracle Sales for Communications 195. XNI - Oracle Install Base Intelligence 196. XNM - Marketing for Communications 197. XNP - Oracle Number Portability 198. XNS - Oracle Service for Communications 199. XTR - Oracle Treasury 200. ZFA - Oracle Financial Analyzer 201. ZSA - Oracle Sales Analyze

What happens when you login to Apps?

Firstly and surely there is a URL for oracle applications that is structured possibly in below format, although it can vary from version of apps. http://machinename:portnumber/OA_HTML/US/ICXINDEX.htm http://machinename:portnumber /oa_servlets/AppsLogin When you join an Oracle Apps development team for an employer, you will first be given URL of the development environment. In any Oracle Apps implementation project (assuming it has gone live), there are minimum of three environments, each with different URL's and different database instances. These are:--------------Development environment Testing environment Production environment You will most probably, be given an url, username and password of the development environment. What happens when you login -------------------------------------A. Your login gets authenticated against a table named fnd_user for your username and password. The screen below is where username and password defined. This screen is called user definition screen. Only system administrators have access to this screen. B. As you can see above, this username xxpassi is attached to two responsibilities (this will be discussed in details in latter training lesson). It is this assignment to the responsibility that controls what a logged in person can do and can't do. In laymans words, a responsibility is a group of functions an user is authorized to perform.

C. When you successfully login you will see below screens. This screen below will prompt you to change your password, to a value different than that assigned by System Administrator.

Click on either of the above Responsibility Names, will initiate Oracle Apps( Note: You might be prompted to install jinitiator..just keep clicking OKOK for all Jinitiator messages). Effectively, what I mean to say is that you do not need to download jinitiator from anywhere; Oracle will do this automatically (provided your DBAs got this cofiged) for you during your first logon attempt from the PC. Once your jInitiator gets installed

Hurray, we have logged into apps. Some notes on advanced info : Oracle internally uses a login named GUEST with a password oracle, Some people regard this as a security threat, but it isnt. Your DBAs can change the guest password from its default value after installation. Oracle uses a DB User account named applsyspub to which it first connects during validation of LOGIN. This user account has very restricted privileges and has access to below objects (primarily for authentication purposes):FND_APPLICATION FND_UNSUCCESSFUL_LOGINS FND_SESSIONS FND_PRODUCT_INSTALLATIONS FND_PRODUCT_GROUPS FND_MESSAGES FND_LANGUAGES_TL FND_APPLICATION_TL FND_APPLICATION_VL FND_LANGUAGES_VL FND_SIGNON FND_PUB_MESSAGE FND_WEBFILEPUB FND_DISCONNECTED FND_MESSAGE FND_SECURITY_PKG FND_LOOKUPS