Administrative-Level Personalizations

Administrative-level (admin-level) personalizations are performed by Oracle E-Business Suite administrators who are often department-level functional consultants or administrators who understand, design and tailor the functional business flows of their organization. As an Oracle E-Business Suite Administrator, you can use OA Personalization Framework to personalize the pages of OA Framework-based applications at various personalization levels without modifying any code. Refer to the Customization Primer and the discussions of Personalization Levels and OA Personalization Framework Features for an overview of what you can accomplish.

Note: The term "Administrator" used throughout this document refers to the Oracle E-Business Suite Administrator described above and not to the System Administrator who configures and maintains the application system.

Note: If you use Netscape 4.7 or earlier or if you turn Partial Page Rendering (PPR) off by setting the FND: Disable Partial Page Rendering profile value to Yes, you may see additional Go buttons rendered throughout the OA Personalization Framework user interface. These Go buttons allow you to refresh parts of the page with changes that PPR would have otherwise taken care of.

Personalization Profile Options

Before you can personalize a region at a personalization level, you must set the Personalize Self-service Defn (FND_CUSTOM_OA_DEFINTION) profile option to Yes for the user you are signing in as. Every OA Framework-based application page contains a global Personalize Page link. This profile option enables the global Personalize Page link on every page so that you can personalize any page or region. The Personalize Page link first navigates to the Choose Personalization Context page, then to the Page Hierarchy Personalization page or to the Page Layout Personalization page, where you can drill down to the region you wish to personalize.

Additionally, you may set the FND: Personalization Region Link Enabled ( FND_PERSONALIZATION_REGION_LINK_ENABLED) profile option to Yes or Minimal, to enable Personalize Region links for each region in a page. When this profile is enabled, Personalize Region links appear above each region, unless the region is a table, hierarchy grid, or table layout region, in which case the link appears below that region. Rather than use the global Personalize Page link on every page, you can use any of the Personalize Region links to first navigate to the Choose Personalization Context page, then to the Page Hierarchy Personalization page with immediate focus on the region from which you selected the Personalize Region link.

Note: Enabling the "Personalize Region" links allows users to also personalize regions that are dynamically added to the page from custom code in the controller.

For more information about the FND: Personalization Region Link Enabled profile option, refer to the Personalization section in the OA Framework Profile Options appendix of the Oracle Application Framework Developer's Guide.

Tip: You may also want to set the FND: Diagnostics (FND_DIAGNOSTICS) profile option to Yes to render the "About this page" link at the bottom of each OA Framework-based page. The About this page link takes you to the "About" page which displays information about the current page, the page's context, and the environment. The Personalization subtab on the "About" page also identifies personalizations that are in effect on the current page for the current personalization context and provides a Manage Personalization Level button that lets you navigate to the Manage Personalization Levels page directly to recover from errors that result from a personalization.

For more information about the FND: Diagnostics profile option, refer to the Logging / Diagnostics section in the OA Framework Profile Options appendix of the Oracle Application Framework Developer's Guide.

For more information about the "About" Page, refer to the Discovering Page, Technology Stack and Session Information section in the Testing and Debugging chapter of the Oracle Application Framework Developer's Guide.

Creating Admin-Level Personalizations

As an administrator, there are two ways in which you can initiate Admin-level personalizations. You can either search for the page using the Functional Administrator Home page and personalize the page without running it, or run the actual page in Oracle E-Business Suite and initiate the Personalization UI from the Personalize Page global link on the rendered page.

Important: PERSONALIZING PROGRAMMATICALLY INSERTED REGIONS - A region that is programmatically inserted into a page by a page controller is not available for personalization when you initiate the OA Personalization Framework from the Functional Administrator responsibility or by clicking the Personalize Page global link.

The page's metadata does not include a reference to the metadata of the dynamic region because the region is not a part of the page until runtime, when the controller is executed. As a result, the page is not aware of the dynamic region and cannot reference it for personalization from the Functional Administrator responsibility or from the Personalize Page global link. Instead, to personalize a dynamic region, you must set the FND: Personalization Region Link Enabled profile option to Yes or Minimal to render Personalize Region links for each region in the page. Since the Personalize Region links are displayed based on the page's current run-time status, you can then select the Personalize Region link for that dynamic region to personalize it.

From the Functional Administrator Responsibility

To initiate OA Personalization Framework from the Functional Administrator tool in Oracle E-Business Suite:

  1. Sign on to Oracle E-Business Suite and under the Functional Administrator responsibility, select the Functional Administration Home page. Refer to the Oracle E-Business Suite System Administrator's Guide for additional information about the Functional Administrator feature.
  2. Select the Personalization tab to display the Application Catalog.
  3. Specify an Application and optionally, a Document Path, to search for the page or pages you wish to personalize. Note: This search does not use a standard Query region -
  4. Select the pen icon in the Personalize Page column for the page you want to personalize. This icon directs you to one of the following two personalization launch pages, depending on the page you are personalizing:
  5. Select the pen icon in the Manage Personalizations column to navigate to the Manage Personalization Levels page where you can activate/inactive/delete specific personalizations or manage the translation of the personalizations made for the page in question.
  6. If you wish to personalize the Standard Footer that appears in OA Framework-based pages, select the Standard Footer link under the Personalizations Shortcuts. This link takes you to the Choose Personalization Context page, where the Scope is set to Region: Standard Footer. When you choose Apply on this page, you navigate to the Page Hierarchy Personalization page, where you can personalize the Standard Footer.

From the Personalize Page Global Link

To initiate OA Personalization Framework from the global Personalize Page link:

  1. Sign on to Oracle E-Business Suite as an administrator and navigate to the application page that you wish to personalize.
  2. Choose the Personalize Page global link.
  3. This link defaults to the current personalization context and takes you directly to one of the following two personalization launch pages, depending on your page of origin or your Accessibility mode:

Note: If there is an problem with the current personalization context, OA Personalization Framework will display the Choose Personalization Context page, showing the error message above the page.

From a Personalize Region Link

To initiate OA Personalization Framework from a Personalize Region link:

  1. Select the Personalize Region link for the region you wish to personalize.
  2. This button defaults to the current personalization context and takes you directly to the "complete" view of the Page Hierarchy Personalization page with immediate focus on the region from which you selected the Personalize Region link.

Note: If there is a problem with the current personalization context, OA Personalization Framework will display the Choose Personalization Context page, showing the error message above the page.

Using the Page Layout Personalization Page

The Page Layout Personalization page provides a WYSIWYG user interface for personalizing a configurable page or region.

Note: If you personalize a non-configurable page (a page that does not have the necessary metadata to personalize its layout) or when you run your application in Accessibility mode (profile option Self Service Accessibility Features (ICX_ACCESSIBILITY_FEATURES) is set to Standard Accessibility), you will not see the Page Layout Personalization page, as shown below. Instead, you will see the Page Hierarchy Personalization page, where you can perform the same personalization functions, using a descriptive tabular user interface.

Note: With the Page Layout Personalization page, you can launch most of the personalization operations from the Layout mode or Content mode of the page. You can also personalize individual properties of a page element through the focused version of the Page Hierarchy Personalization page that you navigate to by selecting the Personalize icon on a boxed region in the Page Layout Personalization page.

The Page Layout Personalization page has two modes, Layout and Contents, which you can access from the subtabs on the page. These modes organize the personalization tasks that you can perform so that they correlate directly to the flexible layout or flexible content regions on the page.

The View Level poplist that appears for both Layout and Contents mode, allows you to select a single personalization level from your specified context for which you wish to personalize the layout. Note that even though you can choose more than one personalization level in the Choose Personalization Context page, OA Personalization Framework only allows you to save a configurable page personalization at one level. The default value of the View Level poplist is the lowest applicable level specified in your context.

Layout Mode

The Layout mode of the Page Layout Personalization page renders boxes around each region on the page regardless of whether the region is a flexible layout or not. Control icons that allow you to configure a region, however, are displayed only for boxed flexible layout regions. The actual content of a boxed flexible layout region is not displayed. Note that in this particular example, the instruction text and region immediately below the Update Customer header is not a flexible layout region, therefore its content is fully displayed.

In the Layout mode, flexible layout content is simply represented as a header title within each flexible layout box. This frees up screen space so that all nested levels of flexible layout regions can be represented on the page without further drilling.

The Layout Mode Task Flows section below describes the personalizations you can accomplish in the Layout Mode.

If you wish to exit from the Page Layout Personalization page, select the Return to Application link at the bottom of the page to return to the original page.

Layout Mode of the Page Layout Personalization page for the Update Customer page.

Layout Mode Task Flows

The following table lists the personalization tasks you can accomplish from the Layout Mode of the Page Layout Personalization page.

  1. Launches a focused version of the Page Hierarchy Personalization page for the selected region. The Personalization Context shown at the top of the page lists the personalization context for the top-level object, which in the case of the Oracle E-Business Suite, is the page layout.
  2. Select the pen icon from the Personalize column to navigate to the Personalize page for the page element.
  3. In the Personalize page, you can edit the personalizable properties of the element at the personalization levels specified for the current context.
  4. When you are done, select Apply to save your personalization or select Apply and Personalize Another to save your personalization and return to the focused Page Hierarchy Personalization page where you can select another element to personalize.

Note: Use this control for reordering only the immediate children of this region. To reorder contents below that level, select the region's Personalize icon to access the focused version of the Page Hierarchy Personalization page, which contains a Reorder icon for each applicable item within the region.

Contents Mode

The Contents mode of the Page Layout Personalization page displays all content in the page, including the content attached to flexible layout regions.

The Contents Mode Task Flows section below describes the personalizations you can accomplish in the Contents Mode. You can add new content to the layout, create new items in an existing boxed content region, as well as update the personalizable properties of specific elements in the page. You can also remove or reorder contents from different regions on the page. To rearrange contents across different regions, you must first remove them from their current location and then add them to the new destination region.

If you wish to exit from the Page Layout Personalization page, select the Return to Application link at the bottom of the page to return to the original page.

Contents Mode of the Page Layout Personalization page for the Update Customer page.

Contents Mode Task Flows

The following table lists the personalization tasks you can accomplish from the Contents Mode of the Page Layout Personalization page.

  1. Launches a focused version of the Page Hierarchy Personalization page for the selected region. The Personalization Context shown at the top of the page lists the personalization context for the top-level object, which in the case of the Oracle E-Business Suite, is the page layout.
  2. Select the pen icon from the Personalize column to navigate to the Personalize page for the page element.
  3. In the Personalize page, you can edit the personalizable properties of the element at the personalization levels specified for the current context.
  4. When you are done, select Apply to save your personalization or select Apply and Personalize Another to save your personalization and return to the focused Page Hierarchy Personalization page where you can select another element to personalize.

Note: Use this control only for creating immediate children of a given region. To create items below that level, select the region's Personalize icon to access the focused version of the Page Hierarchy Personalization page, which contains a Create icon for each applicable item within the region.

Note: Use this control for reordering only the immediate children of this region. To reorder contents below that level, select the region's Personalize icon to access the focused version of the Page Hierarchy Personalization page, which contains a Reorder icon for each applicable item within the region.

  1. Select the Personalize pen icon to launch a focused version of the Page Hierarchy Personalization page for a selected boxed region.
  2. Use the Hierarchy Page HGrid to identify the query region for which you wish to create an "admin-seeded user-level" personalization. (You can create seeded user-level personalizations only for a table or a HGrid in a query region.)
  3. Select the Seeded User Views icon to launch the Personalize Views page where you can create, update, duplicate or delete "Admin-seeded user level" personalizations.
  4. When you create, duplicate or update a seeded view, you navigate to the respective Create/Duplicate/Update Views page. Select Apply to save your changes when you are done.

Using the Page Hierarchy Personalization Page

In the Page Hierarchy Personalization user interface, the entire layout of a configurable page is displayed in a hierarchy table (HGrid). The Page Hierarchy HGrid displays nodes for all the structures that make up the page. The initial focus of the Page Hierarchy is at the page layout level. As in all HGrids, you can change the focus of the Page Hierarchy HGrid, as well as drill in or out of the various page structure nodes. The HGrid location indicator keeps track of where you are within the page structure.

Note: If the page you personalize is a configurable page (a page that contains metadata to personalize its layout) and you are not running your page in Accessibility mode (profile option Self Service Accessibility Features (ICX_ACCESSIBILITY_FEATURES) is set to None), you will not see the Page Hierarchy Personalization page, as shown below. Instead, you will see the Page Layout Personalization page, where you can perform the same personalization operations, using a more graphical user interface.

Page Hierarchy Personalization page for the Update Customer page in Accessibility mode

Personalization Context

The Personalization Context shown at the top of the page lists the context for the top-level object, which in the case of the Oracle E-Business Suite, is the page layout. It identifies the scope of the personalizations you are about to make, as well as to what personalization level(s) and value(s) these personalizations apply.

Personalization Structure

The Simple View and Complete View radio buttons in the Personalization Structure region allow you to toggle between a Simple or Complete view of the page structure in the HGrid below. When you select the global Personalize Page button, you automatically navigate to the Simple view of the page structure hierarchy. The Simple view does not show some of the layout elements that create unnecessarily complex nesting within the page structure hierarchy. This simplified structure allows you to quickly locate the region or item you wish to personalize.

If you initiate personalizations by selecting a Personalize Region link, you always navigate to a Complete view of the page hierarchy, with focus on the region from which you selected the Personalize Region link.

Both Simple and Complete views remember their status when you switch from one type of view to another. For example, if you focus on a particular page element node in the Complete view, then switch to the Simple View, and finally return to the Complete view, the focus will be on the same node from which you first left the Complete view. There are, however, exceptions:

When you display the Simple view of the Page Hierarchy Personalization page, a column called Show in Complete View is displayed in the HGrid. If you select the icon in this column for a page element node, the page switches to the Complete view, with the focus on that page element node.

If the Page Hierarchy Personalization page is in the Simple view, and the children of a node do not reflect the actual hierarchy structure of the children (because some layout elements are not shown), the Reorder and Create icons will be disabled. To enable the Reorder and Create icons for the children of that node, select the Show in Complete View icon for that node, so that the correct hierarchy of the children is shown in the Complete view.

Personalization Structure HGrid

The Shown column in the HGrid indicates whether the page element is rendered after applying all existing personalizations for the current context. The User Personalizable column indicates whether the page element is user personalizable.

The Page Hierarchy Task Flows section describes how to accomplish your personalization needs using the various launch controls on this HGrid.

If you wish to exit from the Page Hierarchy Personalization page, select the Return to link at the bottom of the page to return to the original page.

Page Hierarchy Task Flows

The following table lists the personalization tasks you can accomplish from the Page Hierarchy Personalization page. Each task starts from a single launch point on the page. Note that all tasks take you to different pages within the Personalization user interface. From these launched pages, you specify and save your personalization changes. No changes are ever committed on the Page Hierarchy Personalization page itself.

  1. Expand the Search region.
  2. Specify criteria to search for specific nodes based on a particular style or a particular title, prompt, or text and display these nodes in a flat table.
  3. Separately or additionally, check Personalized Only, to filter the hierarchy to display already-personalized nodes in a flat table.
  1. Locate the page element you wish to personalize in the Page Hierarchy HGrid.
  2. Select the pen icon from the Personalize column to navigate to the Personalize page for the element.
  3. In the Personalize page, you can edit the personalizable properties of the element at the different personalization levels specified for the current context.
  4. When you are done, select "Apply" to save your personalization and return to the previous page.

Note: Although a region may be personalizable, not all region items in a region are personalizable. Each region item in a region has an ADMIN_CUSTOMIZABLE property associated with it. If the property is set to false by the developer of the region, the region item is not personalizable at the personalization level. For example, a developer would very likely set ADMIN_CUSTOMIZABLE to false for the vertical spacer item in a table layout region to prevent disruption of the spacing in a table.

Note: Add Content is available only if the page you are personalizing is a configurable page.

Note: Remove Content is available only if the page you are personalizing is a configurable page.

Note: You can only create a new item if you have your personalization context set to include the Site level.

Note: Delete Item is available only if the page element is an item that was created at the Site level using the Create Item page.

  1. Use the Hierarchy Page HGrid to identify the query region for which you wish to create an "admin-seeded user-level" personalization. (You can create seeded user-level personalizations only a table or HGrid in a query region.)
  2. Select the Seeded User Views icon to launch the Personalize Views page.
  3. In the Personalize Views page, where you select different buttons or icons to create, duplicate or update a seeded view, you navigate to the respective Create/Duplicate/Update Views page.

Examples: Creating New Items Using the Personalization UI

You can declaratively add new items or fields to regions using the Personalization UI.

Since you can only add new items to an OA Framework application page at the Admin-level, you need to first enable Admin-Level personalizations for your application by setting the Personalize Self-Service Defn (FND_CUSTOM_OA_DEFINTION) profile option to Yes. From the Functional Administrator responsibility, or in the page you wish to personalize, select the Personalize Page global link to navigate to the Create Item page in the Personalization UI.

Example: Adding a URL Link to the Advanced Worklist Page

The Personalization UI provides you with the ability to add new items as well as include other sources of information to a personalizable region. This example illustrates how to create a URL link in the Advanced Worklist page for all users of the site that displays additional information. This example creates the URL link within the page layout level

Important: Be sure that in the page you wish to link to, you also create a URL link back to the source page.

  1. Enable Admin-Level personalizations for your application by setting the Personalize Self-service Defn (FND_CUSTOM_OA_DEFINTION) profile option to Yes at the user level for the user who has access to the Workflow User Web Applications responsibility.
  2. Log in to the Personal Home Page as that user and select the Workflow User Web Applications responsibility. Navigate to the Advanced Worklist.
  3. Select the Personalize Page global link.
  4. In the Choose Personalization Context page, set the Scope to the current page and check Include for Site. Leave all other fields blank. Choose Apply.
  5. In the Personalize page, select the Create Item icon for the Page Layout: (WFNTFWORKLISTFNPAGE) page element.
  6. In the Create Item page that appears, set the Item Style as Static Styled Text. Set the following properties for the new Static Styled Text item as indicated:
    • ID - NtfAddInfo
    • Prompt - Additional Information
  7. If you want to navigate to some arbitrary URL from this region item, you should specify the Destination URI property as: protocol>:// : /. such as http://www.abcompany.com/home/page1.htm. If you want to call an Oracle E-Business Suite function, set the Destination Function property to the function name, for example to call the PL/SQL General Preferences page, you would enter ICX_USER_PREFERENCES for the Destination Function. Note: If you wish to call a secured function, please refer to the Oracle E-Business Suite System Administrator's Guide - Security for additional information.
  8. Choose Apply on the Create Item page when you are satisfied with the changes. The new item, Static Styled Text: Additional Information is created after the Stack Layout: Notifications Worklist Function page element within the Page Layout level. If you choose Return to Application, the new Additional Information link renders after all the content for the Notifications Worklist Function.
  9. If you wish to move the Additional Information link so that it renders above the Notifications Worklist Function content, choose the Personalize Page link to return to the Personalization UI and navigate back to the Personalize page. Select the Reorder icon for Page Layout: (WFNTFWORKLISTFNPAGE). In the Reorder Contents page, select Additional Information from the Site list and select the up arrow to move the Additional Information page element so that it appears before Notifications Worklist Function. Choose Apply on this page. Then choose Return to Application on the Personalize page to see the change.
  10. When you select the new Additional Information link that appears in the Advanced Worklist, you navigate to the URL or function that you specified in the Create Item Page.

Note: If you add a new item to a region and it does not appear on the page, it is likely that the region you added the item to does not have the Add Indexed Children property in OA Extension set to True in by the developer. If this occurs and adding the new item to a different region within the region hierarchy is not an option, contact Oracle Support for assistance.

Tip: If you make a mistake when you create a new item, such that it causes the base page to display an error, you can sign on to the Oracle E-Business Suite as the Functional Administrator responsibility and remove the personalization using the Manage Personalization Levels page.

Example: Adding New Instruction Text to a Page

You can use OA Personalization Framework to add additional instructional text for your users in the form of tips. This example illustrates how to add a new tip to a page at the Site level.

  1. Enable Admin-Level personalizations for your application by setting the Personalize Self-service Defn (FND_CUSTOM_OA_DEFINTION) profile option to Yes at the user level.
  2. Log in to the Personal Home Page as that user and navigate to the page you wish to personalize.
  3. Select the Personalize Page global link.
  4. In the Choose Personalization Context page, set the Scope to the current page and check Include for Site. Leave all other fields blank. Choose Apply.
  5. In the Personalize page, select the Create Item icon for the region or page element where you want to add the tip.
  6. In the Create Item page that appears, set the Item Style as Tip, and set the following properties:
    • ID - specify an ID, such as HRPageTip.
    • Text - set the text that you want to display on the page, next to the tip. For example: HR Page Tip.
    • Tip Message Appl Short Name - specify the application short name of the tip. For example, HR.
    • Tip Message Name - specify a message name. For example, HR_BIS_PERIOD.

Choose Apply when you are done. Then choose Return to Application on the Personalize page to see the change.

Note: If you add a new item to a region and it does not appear on the page, it is likely that the region you added the item to does not have the Add Indexed Children property in OA Extension set to True in by the developer. If this occurs and adding the new item to a different region within the region hierarchy is not an option, contact Oracle Support for assistance.

Tip: If you make a mistake when you create a new item, such that it causes the base page to display an error, you can sign on to Oracle E-Business Suite as the Functional Administrator responsibility and remove the personalization using the Manage Personalization Levels page.

Function-Level Personalizations

A function in the Oracle E-Business Suite is a piece of application logic or functionality that is registered under a unique name for the purpose of assigning it to, or excluding it from, a responsibility. You can create standard personalizations for a region at the Function level so that the personalizations are effective only for users of a specific function. Once you create a function-level personalization, you can update it or delete it.

Note: Oracle may deliver predefined Function-level personalizations. Customers can view but not update or delete "Oracle-seeded" Function-level personalizations.

Function-level personalizations are the highest level of personalizations you can make. Any further personalizations you make to the same region at lower Admin-levels always override the personalizations you make at the Function level.

To maintain function security, the function for which you are personalizing the region must be included in the responsibility from where users launch the page containing the region.

Once you create a function-level personalization, you can pass the function name corresponding to the personalized region by specifying the function name on the URL using the parameter OAFunc. For example:

http:// : /OA_HTML/OA.jsp?OAFunc= &.

OAFunc can be used in two different ways:

  • If OAFunc is used without akRegionCode/akRegionApplId, then the function corresponding to it is launched.
  • If OAFunc is used in addition to akRegionCode/akRegionApplId or page, then it is used for setting the function context for that page. A function context should be set for the function personalization to take effect.

Suppose you have the following URL that launches an Oracle E-Business Suite page that is defined as the web_html_call of function XYZ:

OA.jsp?OAFunc = XYZ
OA.jsp?page=oracle.apps.fnd.framework.webui.TestRegion

If you want a function-level personalization of ABC (defined using OA Personalization Framework) to apply to this page, you should change the web_html_call of function XYZ to:

OA.jsp?page=oracle.apps.fnd.framework.webui.TestRegion&OAFunc=ABC

Please refer to the "Personalizable Pages" topic in Chapter 4 of the Oracle Application Framework Developer's Guide for details of other ways you can pass a function name to a corresponding personalized region.

Known Issues

See a summary of key Personalization issues with suggested workarounds if available.

Related Information

  • BLAF UI Guideline(s) None
  • Javadoc Files None
  • Sample Code None