About Flex Fields

Types of flex fields:

            Depending on the above mentioned requirements the flex fields are classified into two types: Key Flexfields and descriptive Flexfields.

Key Flexfields (KFF):

            Most businesses use codes made up of meaningful segments to identify accounts, part numbers, and other business entities. For example, a company might have a part number”PAD– NR– YEL– 8 1/2x14” indicating a notepad, narrow– ruled, yellow, and 14” by 8 1/2”. A key flexfield provide users with a flexible ”code” data structure that users can set up however they like using key flexfield segments. Key Flexfields lets the users customize the application to show their ”codes” any way they want them. For example, a different company might have a different code for the same notepad, such as ”8x14– PD– Y– NR”, and they can easily customize your application to meet that different need. Key Flexfields let you satisfy different customers without having to reprogram your application.

Descriptive Flexfields (DFF):

Descriptive Flexfields provides "customizable fields" on the forms that can be customized for different user requirements without reprogramming.

For example, suppose you have a retail application that keeps track of customers with fields such as Name, AddCustomer Number, and so on. This retail application, can be used for a tool company, just by customizing all the necessary fields. In additional fields are required, add a descriptive flexfield to your form so that your users have the desired expansion space.

The DFFs can be context sensitive, where the information your application stores depends on other values your users enter in other parts of the form. Each descriptive segment has a name, valid segment values or set up criteria to validate the entry of any value. For example, In Oracle GL module, to capture additional information about each journal entry, uses a descriptive flexfield.

           

Flex field Customization

Flexibility is important. Using key and descriptive Flexfields, you give end users the ability to customize your application to match their business needs, without programming.

Customizing a flexfield means specifying the prompt, length and data type of each flexfield segment, specifying valid values for each segment, and the meaning of each value.

Cross– validation rules to specify valid combinations of segment values.

As a developer, one can customize flexfields while you are developing your application. End users never change a flexfield once you have customized it, they can take advantage of useful flexfield features such as automatic segment validation, automatic segment cross– validation, multiple segment structures, and more.

Multiple Structures for a Single Flexfield

In some applications, different users need different segment structures for the same flexfield. Or, want different segments in a flexfield depending on the value of another form or database field. Flexfields lets you define multiple segment structures for the same flexfield. Flexfield displays different prompts and fields for different users based on a data condition in the form or application data. For example, Oracle GL provides different Accounting Flexfield structures for users of different sets of books. Oracle GL determines which flexfield structure to use based on the value of a Set of Books user profile option.

Standard Request Submission Parameters

Most of the features used with your flexfield segments also apply to your parameter window for Standard Request Submission programs. For example, you can define security rules and special value sets for your report parameters.

Definitions

Segment

For a kff, a segment is a single piece of the complete code. For a dff, a segment is a single field or a single attribute of the entity. A segment is represented by a single column in a table.

Combination

For a kff, a combination of segment values that makes up the complete code or key. You can define valid combinations with simple cross– validation rules when you customize your key flexfield. Groups of valid combinations can be expressed as ranges.

Structure

A flexfield structure is a particular arrangement of flexfield segments. The maximum size of the structure depends on the individual flexfield. A flexfield may have one or more structures. Both key and descriptive Flexfields can have more than one structure. Users can tailor structures for specific needs.

Combinations Table

For a key flexfield, a database table you include in your application to store valid combinations of key flexfield segment values. Each key flexfield must have a combinations table. It contains columns for each flexfield segment, as well as other columns. This is the same table you use as your entity table.

Combinations Form

For a key flexfield, a combinations form is the form whose base table (or view) is the combinations table. The only purpose of the combinations form is to maintain the combinations table. Most key flexfields have one combinations form, although some key flexfields do not have a combinations form. Key flexfields without combinations forms are maintained from other forms using dynamic insertion.

Dynamic Insertion

Dynamic insertion is the insertion of a new valid combination into a key flexfield combinations table from a form other than the combinations form. For key flexfields whose combinations table does not contain any

mandatory columns other than flexfield and WHO columns, you can choose to allow dynamic inserts when you set up your key flexfield. If you allow dynamic inserts, your user can enter new combinations of  segment values using the flexfield window from a form other than the combinations form. If your end user enters a new combination that satisfies cross– validation rules, your flexfield dynamically inserts it into the combinations table. Otherwise, a message appears and the user is. required to correct the segment values that violate the cross– validation rules. If you create your key flexfield using a combinations table that contains mandatory columns other than flexfield or WHO columns, you cannot allow dynamic inserts, and your end user cannot enter new combinations through the flexfield window from any form other than the combinations form.