Overview Of Lookups

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In Oracle Cloud Applications, Lookups are a way to provide lists of values that users can select from in various forms and fields. They help standardize data entry, improve data consistency, and allow for easy customization of certain fields to match business requirements. Lookups are commonly used in areas like procurement, human resources, payroll, and financials.

Key Concepts of Lookups in Oracle Cloud:

1. What Are Lookups?

Lookups are predefined lists of values that are associated with specific fields or attributes in Oracle Cloud. These values can be selected by users when filling in forms or updating records. Lookups are often used for fields like status, types, categories, or any field that requires standardized input.

For example, in a procurement module, you might have a lookup list for the status of a purchase order with values like:

  • Draft
  • Approved
  • Rejected

2. Types of Lookups

There are two main types of lookups in Oracle Cloud:

  • Standard Lookups: These are delivered by Oracle and are preconfigured with system values. They generally cannot be deleted but can sometimes be edited (e.g., you can add additional values).
  • User-Defined Lookups: These are custom lookups created by the organization to meet specific business needs. You have full control over these lookups and can create, edit, or delete them as necessary.

3. Lookup Code Components

Each lookup code typically includes the following elements:

  • Lookup Type: A category that defines the type of lookup. For example, “PO_STATUS” for purchase order statuses.
  • Lookup Code: The specific code or value that will appear in the list (e.g., “APPROVED” for approved status).
  • Meaning: A more user-friendly label for the lookup code (e.g., “Approved” as the label for the code “APPROVED”).
  • Description: An optional, more detailed explanation of the lookup value.
  • Effective Dates: These allow you to set start and end dates for when a particular lookup value is valid or available.
  • Enabled: A flag that indicates whether the lookup code is active and can be used.

4. Managing Lookups

You can manage (create, edit, and delete) lookups through the Setup and Maintenance area in Oracle Cloud.

Steps to Manage Lookups:
  1. Log in to Oracle Cloud: Access the system with the necessary permissions.
  2. Navigate to Setup and Maintenance:
    • Go to “My Client Groups” or “Tools” depending on the module you’re using.
    • Select “Setup and Maintenance”.
  3. Search for Lookups:
    • In the Setup and Maintenance work area, use the search bar to find the task “Manage Standard Lookups” or “Manage Common Lookups” depending on the application you are working with.
  4. Select the Lookup Type:
    • In the Manage Lookups page, search for the lookup type you want to manage. For example, if you’re looking to modify purchase order statuses, search for “PO_STATUS”.
  5. Edit or Add Lookup Codes:
    • Click on the lookup type to view the existing codes. You can then add new codes, edit existing ones, or disable outdated codes.
  6. Save Changes:
    • After making any changes, ensure you save the lookup so it becomes available for use across the system.

5. Use Cases for Lookups

Lookups are used across multiple modules in Oracle Cloud, including:

  • Procurement: To categorize purchase orders, invoices, supplier statuses, etc.
  • Human Resources (HCM): To define employment statuses, job types, or reasons for termination.
  • Financials: To categorize payment statuses, transaction types, or accounting classifications.
  • Payroll: For defining payroll elements like earnings, deductions, or tax types.

6. Customization and Localization

Oracle allows customization of lookup values to fit your business’s needs. For example:

  • Adding New Values: You can add custom values to a lookup list that fits your organization’s specific requirements. For example, you can add a new employment status like “Contractor” to the “EMPLOYMENT_STATUS” lookup.
  • Localization: Lookups can be translated into different languages based on the region or language requirements of your business.

7. Common Lookups in Oracle Cloud

Here are some common lookup types you might encounter in different Oracle Cloud modules:

  • PO_STATUS: Purchase order statuses like Draft, Approved, or Rejected.
  • EMPLOYEE_TYPE: Types of employees such as Full-time, Part-time, Contractor.
  • PAYMENT_METHOD: Payment methods like Check, Direct Deposit, or Wire Transfer.
  • EXPENSE_STATUS: Expense report statuses like Submitted, Approved, or Rejected.
  • TAX_TYPE: Types of taxes like Sales Tax, Value Added Tax (VAT), or Withholding Tax.

Benefits of Lookups:

  • Consistency: Ensures that users across the organization use standardized values, which improves data quality.
  • Customization: Flexibility to adapt the system to your specific business needs by adding or modifying lookups.
  • Efficiency: Speeds up data entry by providing predefined values to select from, reducing errors and inconsistencies.

Summary:

Lookups in Oracle Cloud are essential for maintaining data standardization and consistency across various fields and modules. They allow users to select from predefined lists of values, which can be customized to suit the business’s needs. Managing lookups is straightforward and allows for easy modification, creation, or deletion of lookup values.

Overview Of Lookups

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