If you are new to Oracle’s E-Business Suite, the first thing you will need to know is how to login and access the application web pages and Java forms (windows).  In the post, I will review the basics of logging in, selecting your responsibility, and using the E-Business applications.

How to Login to Oracle’s E-Business Suite

You use a web browser (i.e. Internet Explorer, Firefox) to access the Oracle E-Business Suite login page.  Depending on how you have implemented your sign-on strategy.  You will either use the local login page or the single sign-on login page.  The difference between these two pages is where the login information (user name, password) is stored.  After you enter your user name and password, you will be redirected to Oracle’s home page.

Using Oracle’s E-Business Suite Home Page

The home page is divided into four sections:  the header, the footer, the navigator menu, and the work list section.  The header and footer sections contain links to favorites page, logout page, preferences page, and the help page.  The work list section contains a list of your workflow notifications (messages to approve or review transactions).  The navigator menu section contains a list of your responsibilities.  This is the list you will use to access the system functions.

How to Use Responsibilities

A responsibility is a group of application functions that you authority to access.  Responsibilities are using group by module (General Ledger, Payables, Inventory) and level (Super User, Manager, User, Inquiry).  So if you have the Inventory Super User responsibility can access all function in the Inventory module.  If you only have Inventory Inquiry, you can only view certain information in the Inventory module.  In Release 12.1.3, Oracle introduced a hierarchal navigator menu on the Oracle home page.  This menu mimics the Navigator menu used in the Java forms.  At the lowest level of the menu tree, you will see two different icons.  The icon allows you to access web-based applications and the icon allows you to access java-based applications.

Using E-Business Web-Based Applications

After you click on a <web> icon, you will be open a web page for that function.  Like the Oracle Home Page, the application web page is typically divided into four sections:  a header, a footer, a search region, and a data region.  The header and footer contains links to

1. The Navigator menu (new to release 12.1.3)
2.  Favorites page
3.  Home page
4.  Login page
5. Preference page

Most pages will have a region on the page for searches.  You can enter your search criteria and then click the Go button.  The results of the search will appear in the data region.  Most new functionality in the Oracle E-Business Suite will be in web pages.

Using E-Business Java-Based Applications

After you click on a <java> icon, you will be open a web page that contains a Java applet.  This applet will launch the Java Oracle E-Business Java application and open the window (also called form) was clicked on. The Java application has four main sections:  the menu, toolbar, Navigator menu and application window.  The menu contains the common functions like adding new record or clearing data.  The menu also can contain special functions for the specific form that is open.  This menu is the Tools menu.  Below the menu is the Toolbar, the Toolbar also contains common functions.  Below the toolbar are the Navigator and Application windows.  The Navigator window contains the menu options for your current responsibility.  When you click on the lowest level menu option, Oracle will open the application window that can perform that function.  For example when you click on the “Invoices” menu option, Oracle will open the Invoices application form so that you can enter or query invoices.  The application form will have the look and feel of a typical windows application.  And like an application web page, it can be broken into different sections.  A simple application form may only have two sections (a master/detail layout) but more complex forms have may many sections.  These complex forms are sometimes called workbenches.  You can move around the form using your tab key (the enter/return key will click the active button).  The fields colored in yellow are required fields.

Special Navigation for OTM (Oracle Transportation Management) and Demantra

Because OTM and Demantra applications were acquired from other companies, the login and navigation is different than the standard E-Business applications.