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Define Training Resources and Skills Key Flexfields

Step 4 Specify Key Flexfield Structures

Attention: If you have Oracle Human Resources and OTA installed in your enterprise, and you want to hold the qualifications, attributes and knowledge that students attain by attending training activities as competencies, you do not need to define the Personal Analysis flexfield. If you only have OTA, or if you want to hold the qualifications, attributes and knowledge as skills, you must define the Personal Analysis flexfield.

There are two Key Flexfield Structures you must define before you can use Oracle Training Administration. These are:

• Training Resource

• Personal Analysis

Before you begin your implementation of these key flexfields you must clearly specify your requirements. This specification must include the following details for each key flexfield:

• The Structure Name and the number of Segments

• The Flexfield Segment Names, Order and Validation Options

• The Flexfield Value Sets to be used and any lists of values

• Define Flexfield Value Sets

• Define Key Flexfield Segments

• Define Flexfield Segment Values

• Freeze and Compile Key Flexfield Structure

Training Resources

See: Resources.

Step 5 Define Training Resource Key Flexfield Structure

The sub-steps that follow show you how to perform all these steps.

1. Define Training Resource Flexfield Value Sets

If you want to validate the values which a user can enter for any segment you must define a specific Value Set.

The attributes of the Value Set controls the type of values that can be entered, and how many characters each segment can hold. The attributes of the Value Set also controls how the values are to be validated.

Value Sets can be shared by different segments of the same flexfield, or by segments of any other flexfield.

See: Defining Values and Values Sets

2. Define Training Resource Flexfield Segments

Define a structure for each resource type. The structure for the Venue resource type must be called Venue, the structure for the Trainer resource type must be called Trainer, and so on.

You must check the Allow Dynamic Inserts box. If you do not check the box, you are unable to create new resource name combinations in the Resources window.

See: Defining Key Flexfield Structures

3. Define Segment Values

If you have chosen Independent or Dependent validation for a Value Set used by a Resource Flexfield Segment, you must define your list of valid values for the Value Set.

See: Defining Segment Values

4. Freeze and Compile Your Resource Flexfield Structure

You are now ready to freeze your Job Flexfield definition. Navigate to the Define Key Flexfield Segments window. Check the Freeze Flexfield Definition box and save your changes. Oracle Training Administration now freezes and compiles your Resource Flexfield definition. Compiling the flexfield definition enables the Resources Flexfield window with the defaults, values and rules that you have defined.

See: Defining Key Flexfield Structures

Step 6 Define Resource Types

You define resource types as values for the QuickCode Type RESOURCE_TYPE. The type of a resource determines the information you can enter about the resource. Two types are seeded: Venue and Trainer.

See: Adding QuickCode Values

Step 7 Enter Trainers

Depending on how you have set up the Training Resource key flexfield structure for the Trainer resource type, you may need to enter trainers on the system before you can select them as resources.

For example, if you are implementing Oracle Human Resources and most of your trainers are internal, you should enter them as employees using the HR Person form. Your Trainer flexfield structure is likely to contain a Name segment that uses a value set based on the HR People table (PER_PEOPLE_X).

If most of your trainers are external, you might prefer to enter them as contacts for a supplier. In this case, your Trainer flexfield structure should contain a Name segment that uses a value set based on the Supplier Contacts table (PO_VENDOR_CONTACTS).

See: Resources

Step 8 Enter Resources

Use the Resources form to enter specific trainers, venues, and stocks of equipment available from your suppliers.

See: Entering Resources

Skills

You can, however, set up other structures of the Personal Analysis key flexfield to record other special personal information in Oracle Human Resources if you want.

See: Skills Information

Step 9 Define Personal Analysis Key Flexfield Structures

The Personal Analysis Key Flexfield is used to set up skills types to record the qualifications, competences and experience that students can expect to attain by attending training courses. Each type of information is defined as a separate Structure of the flexfield. Typical examples could be foreign language skills and professional qualifications.

This flexfield is used in the following areas:

• Skill Requirements

• Design your Personal Analysis Flexfield Structures.

• Define Flexfield Value Sets.

• Define Personal Analysis Flexfield Segments.

• Define Personal Analysis Flexfield Segment Values.

• Freeze and Compile your Personal Analysis Flexfield Structures.

1. Design your Personal Analysis Flexfield Structures

You need to design a Personal Analysis Flexfield Structure for each Special Information Type you want to hold in Oracle Training Administration. For each structure you must include the following:

• The Structure Name and the number of Segments.

• The Flexfield Segment Names, Order and Validation Options.

• The Flexfield Value Sets to be used and any lists of values.

2. Define Personal Analysis Flexfield Value Sets

If you want to validate the values which a user can enter for any segment you must define a specific Value Set.

The attributes of the Value Set controls the type of values that can be entered, and how many characters each segment can hold. The attributes of the Value Set also control how the values are to be validated.

Value Sets can be shared by different segments of the same flexfield, or by segments of any other flexfield.

See: Defining Values and Values Sets

3. Define Personal Analysis Flexfield Segments

Define a structure for your Personal Analysis Flexfield which contains the segments you want to use. You use this structure to enter details in the Special Information Types window.

You must check the Allow Dynamic Inserts box. If you do not check the box, you are unable to enter new details in the Skill Provisions window (or the Special Information window in Oracle Human Resources).

See: Defining Key Flexfield Structures

4. Define Segment Values

If you have chosen Independent or Dependent validation for a Value Set used by a Personal Analysis Flexfield Segment, you must define your list of valid values for the Value Set.

See: Defining Segment Values

5. Freeze and Compile Your Personal Analysis Flexfield Structure

You are now ready to freeze your flexfield definition. Navigate to the Define Key Flexfield Segments window. Check the Freeze Flexfield Definition box and save your changes. Training now freezes and compiles your Personal Analysis Flexfield definition. Compiling the flexfield definition enables the flexfield window with the defaults, values and rules that you have defined.

See: Defining Key Flexfield Structures

Step 10 Register Special Information Types for the Business Group

After you have defined your Personal Analysis Flexfield Structures you must link them to your Business Group.

For each information type, select one or more categories to control on which windows the information type is visible. The categories you see depend upon which products you have installed:

• Job for Job Skill Requirements (only if HR installed)

• Position for Position Skill Requirements (only if HR installed)

• Skills for use in Oracle Training Administration to record the skills provided by training activities

• Other for miscellaneous special information types in Oracle Human Resources (only if HR installed)

• ADA for use only in the US, for special information types set up to record information about employees with disabilities.

• OSHA for use only in the US, for a special information type set up to record information about employees' work-related injuries or illnesses.

Accounting

Step 11 Define Dummy Accounting Key Flexfield Structure

Attention: You need to create a dummy Accounting Flexfield Structure if you do not have Oracle Financials in your enterprise. You need this dummy structure for Suppliers and Customers windows to operate. If you already have Oracle Financials, the flexfield structure you require already exists.

1. Define Dummy Accounting Flexfield Value Sets

If you want to validate the values which a user can enter for any segment you must define a specific Value Set.

The attributes of the Value Set control the type of values that can be entered, and how many characters each segment can hold. The attributes of the Value Set also control how the values are to be validated.

Value Sets can be shared by different segments of the same flexfield, or by segments of any other flexfield.

Create the following three value sets for your dummy accounting flexfield structure:

• Company

• Department

• Account

Note: You must create the value sets with the validation type Independent.

Value Set	Format Type	Maximum Size
COTA_COMPANY	Char	11
COTA_DEPT	Char	11
COTA_ACCOUNT	Char	11
Table 1 - 2. Value Sets

See: Defining Values and Values Sets

2. Define Dummy Accounting Flexfield Segments

Define a structure for your Accounting Flexfield which contains the segments you want to use. Name your structure something like OTA Accounting Flexfield. You can then distinguish this dummy structure from the Accounting Flexfield structure used by Oracle Financials. This may be useful if your enterprise later buys Oracle Financials and you want to set up full accounting functionality.

Note: You must check the Allow Dynamic Inserts box.

Segment Number	Segment Name	Column	Value Set
1	Company	SEGMENT1	COTA_COMPANY
2	Department	SEGMENT2	COTA_DEPT
3	Account	SEGMENT3	COTA_ACCOUNT
Table 1 - 3. Accounting Flexfield

You must enter flexfield qualifiers for each segment in turn.

See: Defining Key Flexfield Structures

3. Define Dummy Accounting Flexfield Segment Values

As you have chosen Independent validation for the Value Sets used by a Accounting Flexfield Segment, you must define your list of valid values for the Value Sets.

See: Defining Segment Values

4. Freeze and Compile Your Accounting Flexfield Structure

You are now ready to freeze your Accounting Flexfield definition. Navigate to the Define Key Flexfield Segments window. Check the Freeze Flexfield Definition box and save your changes. Oracle Training Administration now freezes and compiles your Accounting Flexfield definition. Compiling the flexfield definition enables the Accounting Flexfield window with the defaults, values and rules that you have defined.

See: Defining Key Flexfield Structures

Define Descriptive Flexfields

Step 12 Specify Descriptive Flexfield Contexts for Additional Details

Use descriptive flexfields in Oracle Training Administration to define your own additional fields to the standard windows. For example, if you want to record a Cost Center for any internal student enrollment, you can define a segment of the Additional Enrollment Details flexfield to record this information.

See: User Definable Descriptive Flexfields

Attention: The descriptive flexfield is defined at the level of the base-table. This means that any window which uses the base-table will display the same descriptive flexfield segments.

For each descriptive flexfield, specify your requirements, including the following details:

• The Context and the number of Segments for each Context

• The Flexfield Segment Names, Order and Validation Options

• The Flexfield Value Sets to be used and any lists of values

• Global Segments

Segments always appear in the flexfield window.

• Context-Sensitive Segments

Segments appear only when a defined context exists. You can prompt a user to enter the context, or you can provide the context automatically from a reference field in the same block.

Suggestion: Often you can choose between using a code, a 'base-table' field, and a field which contains a meaning or description. You should always use base-table fields as reference fields for Context-Sensitive segments. These fields usually have the same name as the column in the base table.

Some of the Standard Reports supplied with the system include descriptive segment values. If you follow this suggestion, these reports will be able to use the prompts you define; otherwise they will apply a generic prompt to the data.

Step 13 Define Descriptive Flexfields

To implement each descriptive flexfield:

1. Register a Reference Field

If you want to use a reference field from the same block on the form to provide the context automatically for context-sensitive segments, you must register this field. Use the Application Developer responsibility to update the definition of the descriptive flexfield.

In the Descriptive Flexfields window, query the flexfield you want to update, choose the Reference Fields button, and enter the name of the Reference Field you want to use.

2. Define Flexfield Value Sets

If you want to validate the values that a user can enter for any segment you must define a specific Value Set.

• The attributes of the Value Set control the type of values that can be entered, and how many characters each segment can hold.

• The attributes of the Value Set also control how the values are to be validated.

See: Defining Values and Values Sets

Note: Value Sets can be shared by different segments of the same flexfield, or by segments of any other flexfield.

You do not need to use a Value Set to validate a segment. If you do not specify a Value Set then a user can enter any alphanumeric value up to a limit of 150 characters.

3. Define Descriptive Flexfield Segments.

Define the segments of your descriptive flexfield for each Context.

• Use Global Context to define any segments that always appear in the flexfield window.

• Enter your own Context Name to define segments that appear only for that context.

Uncheck the Override Allowed box, then freeze and compile your descriptive flexfield definitions.

See: Defining Descriptive Flexfield Structures

Attention: If you define a segment as 'Required', it will be required for every record on the system. There are two common problems you can encounter:

• If you define a 'Required' segment after you have entered records: Existing records will not have any value in this segment and the system will prompt you with an error when you query an existing record.

• Some descriptive flexfields are used in more than one block.

4. Define Flexfield Segment Values

If you have chosen Independent validation for a Value Set used by a descriptive flexfield Segment, you must define a list of valid values for the Value Set.

See Also