NRB Bearings Ltd.

Item Import thru Interface

Ver. 1.0.0

Open Item Interface

You can import items from any source into Oracle Inventory using the Item Interface.
When you import items through the Item Interface, you create new items in your Item Master
organization or assign existing items to additional organizations. You can specify values for all the item
attributes, or you can specify just a few attributes and let the remainder default or remain null.
Validation of imported items is done using the same rules as the item definition forms, so you are
insured of valid items.
The Item Interface reads data from two tables for importing items and item details. You use the
MTL_SYSTEMS_ITEM_INTERFACE table for new item numbers and all item attributes. This is the
main item interface table, and can be the only table you choose to use.
MTL_ITEM_CATEGORIES_INTERFACE table is used to attach existing categories to the newly
created Item.
Table MTL_INTERFACE_ERRORS, is used for error tracking of all items that the Item Interface fails.
Before you use the Item Interface, you must insert the new Items information using SQL Loader or any
other package.
Oracle recommends you Truncate
mtl_system_items_interface table:

all

IOI

interface

tables

before

loading

data

in

MTL_SYSTEM_ITEMS_INTERFACE
MTL_INTERFACE_ERRORS
MTL_ITEM_REVISIONS_INTERFACE
MTL_ITEM_CATEGORIES_INTERFACE
What to upload?
Prepare list of all the new item numbers required to be created based on last serial number existing in the
respective Category
Specifying the Item attributes for various categories of while loading could be cumbersome. Hence, it is
better if we specify existing Item Templates in the Interface table. However, UOM being a critical
Attribute, we will not get it defaulted from Item Template and it will be explicitly indicated.
Similarly, the Excise Attributes being part of a DFF on Item Master Form, needs to be explicitly
populated in Interface table.
Minimum required columns of MTL_SYSTEM_ITEMS_INTERFACE when creating new items are:
PROCESS_FLAG = 1
{ Changes to 7 if the items importing is Successful}
TRANSACTION_TYPE = 'CREATE' {UPDATE for updating existing item attributes}
SET_PROCESS_ID = 123
{Any number can be chosen, here we will use 123}
ORGANIZATION_ID = Master Org id.
DESCRIPTION = 'Description of the item'
ITEM_NUMBER and/or SEGMENT(n)

Prepared by: Habeeb Ali Shah, Hyd-IT

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Item Import thru Interface

Ver. 1.0.0

For attaching Categories to new Items being created, upload the required data in table
MTL_ITEM_CATEGORIES_INTERFACE.
Minimum required columns when creating new items are:
PROCESS_FLAG = 1
{ Changes to 7 if the items importing is Successful}
TRANSACTION_TYPE = 'CREATE'
{ 'UPDATE' or 'DELETE' is not supported }
ORGANIZATION_ID
ITEM_NUMBER
CATEGORY_SET_NAME
{ At NRB, can be either Inventory or Accounting }
CATEGORY_NAME
SET_PROCESS_ID=123
Note: The item and category interface records should have the same set_process_id (here 123), if you
are importing item and category assignment together.
Sample .CTL files used to import the data:
MTL_SYSTEM_ITEMS_INTERFACE
load data
infile 'c:\item\itemdataI.csv'
append into table MTL_SYSTEM_ITEMS_INTERFACE
fields terminated by ',' TRAILING NULLCOLS
(PROCESS_FLAG integer external,
TRANSACTION_TYPE
char,
SET_PROCESS_ID
integer external,
ORGANIZATION_ID
integer external,
ITEM_NUMBER
char,
DESCRIPTION
char,
PRIMARY_UOM_CODE
char,
ATTRIBUTE_CATEGORY char,
ATTRIBUTE1
char,
ATTRIBUTE2
char,
ATTRIBUTE3
char,
ATTRIBUTE15
char,
TEMPLATE_NAME
)
MTL_ITEM_CATEGORIES_INTERFACE
load data
infile 'c:\item\itemActgI.csv'
append into table MTL_ITEM_CATEGORIES_INTERFACE
fields terminated by ',' TRAILING NULLCOLS
(PROCESS_FLAG integer external,
TRANSACTION_TYPE
char,
SET_PROCESS_ID
integer external,
ORGANIZATION_ID
integer external,
ITEM_NUMBER
char,
CATEGORY_SET_NAME char,
CATEGORY_NAME
char
)

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NRB Bearings Ltd.

Item Import thru Interface

Ver. 1.0.0

Sample data in both tables shown:

MTL_SYSTEM_ITEMS_INTERFACE
select PROCESS_FLAG,TRANSACTION_TYPE,SET_PROCESS_ID,
ORGANIZATION_ID,ITEM_NUMBER,DESCRIPTION,PRIMARY_UOM_CODE,TEMPLATE_NAME,
ATTRIBUTE_CATEGORY,ATTRIBUTE1,ATTRIBUTE2,ATTRIBUTE3,ATTRIBUTE15
from MTL_SYSTEM_ITEMS_INTERFACE
order by ITEM_NUMBER,ORGANIZATION_ID

MTL_ITEM_CATEGORIES_INTERFACE
select PROCESS_FLAG,TRANSACTION_TYPE,SET_PROCESS_ID,ORGANIZATION_ID,ITEM_NUMBER,
CATEGORY_SET_NAME,CATEGORY_NAME
from MTL_ITEM_CATEGORIES_INTERFACE
order by ITEM_NUMBER,ORGANIZATION_ID

Note: Both types of Categories are being assigned simultaneously during new Item Creation
Starting the Item Import Process for Creation:
Very Important: Use Change Organization function to make Item Master as your current
organization before running the Import Items as the request runs defaulting the current organization
Run the IOI process. Navigate --> Inventory: Items: Import Items
There are 6 parameters to enter to begin the process:
1. Specify one or all organizations.
{ We will select No here }
2. Validate items, yes or no.
{ Always Yes}
3. Process items, yes or no.
{ Always Yes}
4. Delete processed rows, yes or no.
{ No for Item Master and Yes for select org}
5. Process set (null for all)
{123}
6. Create or update items
{ 1 for create, 2 for update }
Populating set_process_id is mandatory for categories import
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Item Import thru Interface

Ver. 1.0.0

Verify the proper Item creation:

Prepared by: Habeeb Ali Shah, Hyd-IT

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Item Import thru Interface

Ver. 1.0.0

Assigning to Child Organisation:

Since we selected, No as parameter value for Delete Processed rows, we can use that data to assign
the newly created items to a particular Organization. But first, we update the IOI tables as:
UPDATE MTL_SYSTEM_ITEMS_INTERFACE
SET PROCESS_FLAG=1,TRANSACTION_ID=null,ORGANIZATION_ID=108,
TEMPLATE_NAME='GS_P07_GS_OTHERS' WHERE SET_PROCESS_ID=123
UPDATE MTL_ITEM_CATEGORIES_INTERFACE SET PROCESS_FLAG=1, ORGANIZATION_ID=108
WHERE SET_PROCESS_ID=123

Use Change Organization function to make targeted Organization (say Hyderabad) as your current
organization. Submit and Run the IOI request:

Prepared by: Habeeb Ali Shah, Hyd-IT

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Date: 10-OCT-10

NRB Bearings Ltd.

Item Import thru Interface

Ver. 1.0.0

Once the concurrent process completes, check the mtl_interface_errors table for any error(s) during the
item and category import. Correct those error conditions in the interface tables and run the item import
again. If the process_flag is 7, that means the item category interface records were successfully imported
Finally, apply the respective VAT template for the newly created Itemcodes
Item Import Process for Attribute Updation:
To update existing item(s),run the Item Open Interface In Update Mode, i.e. set
TRANSACTION_TYPE = 'UPDATE'.
( Note: Creating and updating items in a single run of the Item Open Interface is not a supported
functionality)
Every attribute updateable from the Item form is updateable through the interface, and all required
validations are performed to enforce:
Item Attribute Interdependencies
Master - Child Attribute Dependencies
Status Controlled Attributes
This could be effectively used to apply particular Item Template for bulk items instantaneously.
Master level controlled attributes are correctly propagated to the Child records when the Master Item
record is updated and IOI request is submitted with parameter All Organisations entered as Yes.
When launching items into the Master Item Org, the Child records are copied into
MTL_SYSTEM_ITEMS_INTERFACE for validation, and are identified with a transaction_type of
'AUTO_CHILD'.
Updating Item Attributes to NULL
The method to update columns to NULL is to use the following values:
for Numeric fields: insert -999999
for Character fields: insert '! '

Prepared by: Habeeb Ali Shah, Hyd-IT

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Date: 10-OCT-10

NRB Bearings Ltd.

Item Import thru Interface

Ver. 1.0.0

Item attribute:
To demonstrate, we will update the COSTING_ENABLED_FLAG, INVENTORY_ASSET_FLAG,
DEFAULT_INCLUDE_IN_ROLLUP_FLAG attributes for itemcode 9107011-0152.
Before

After

Prepared by: Habeeb Ali Shah, Hyd-IT

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NRB Bearings Ltd.

Item Import thru Interface

Ver. 1.0.0

Item Category:
For importing item category assignments for already existing items, you do not need to populate
MTL_SYSTEM_ITEMS_INTERFACE table. Populate only the item categories interface table
(mtl_item_categories_interface). Through the import process, we can only create item category
assignment(s). Updation or Deletion of item category assignment is not supported.
Required columns are:
PROCESS_FLAG = 1
{Changes to 7 if the items importing is Successful}
TRANSACTION_TYPE = 'CREATE' only {UPDATE is not supported }
SET_PROCESS_ID = 123
{Any number can be chosen, here we will use 123}
ORGANIZATION_ID = Org id
ITEM_NUMBER
CATEGORY_SET_NAME
CATEGORY_NAME

Before

After

Notes:
As per newly initiated Item Inventorisation process, Items attributes Cost flag and Inventory flag
should have value ticked for all items except Capital (86) and Service items (85)
For updating Attributes across all organisations, Select All Organisations Yes along with selecting
Update in the last parameter while submitting Item Import Request.
Prepared by: Habeeb Ali Shah, Hyd-IT

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Date: 10-OCT-10