Search Results usage_markup

Overview

CSI_CTR_ESTIMATE_METHODS_VL is a language-seeded (MLS) view owned by the APPS schema within the Oracle E-Business Suite Install Base (CSI) product. It exposes the counter estimation methods defined for an enterprise — the rules that govern how meter or counter readings are estimated when actual usage data is missing, delayed, or unreliable. In ETRM 12.2.2 this object is documented with a status of VALID and is classified as a VIEW. The "_VL" suffix follows the standard Oracle Applications convention for a "view language" object, which joins a base (non-translated) table with its translated (_TL) counterpart and filters the translation rows by the session language.

Counter estimation methods are fundamental to service contracts, preventive maintenance, and usage-based billing, where charges or scheduling may depend on estimated counter values. The view provides a read-only, language-appropriate presentation of these methods and is the object that forms and reports typically query rather than the underlying tables directly.

Underlying Base Objects

The ETRM metadata records the referenced base objects as two synonyms: CSI_CTR_ESTIMATION_METHODS_B and CSI_CTR_ESTIMATION_METHODS_TL. As confirmed by the documented view text, the view is defined as an inner join between these objects:

• CSI_CTR_ESTIMATION_METHODS_B — the base table holding the non-translatable attributes of each estimation method, keyed by ESTIMATION_ID.
• CSI_CTR_ESTIMATION_METHODS_TL — the translation table supplying the language-dependent NAME and DESCRIPTION columns.

The join predicate is CCEB.ESTIMATION_ID = CCET.ESTIMATION_ID, combined with the language filter CCET.LANGUAGE = USERENV('LANG'). This ensures each query returns exactly one row per estimation method, rendered in the caller's current session language. All columns other than NAME and DESCRIPTION originate from the base table.

Key Columns

• ESTIMATION_ID — Primary identifier for the estimation method, joining the base and translation records.
• NAME / DESCRIPTION — Language-specific text from the _TL table.
• ESTIMATION_TYPE — The category of estimation logic applied.
• FIXED_VALUE — A constant used when the method relies on a fixed estimate.
• USAGE_MARKUP — The markup percentage or factor applied to usage during estimation.
• DEFAULT_VALUE — Value applied when no other input is available.
• ESTIMATION_AVG_TYPE — The averaging approach used to derive the estimate.
• START_DATE_ACTIVE / END_DATE_ACTIVE — The effective date range for the method.
• SECURITY_GROUP_ID — Multi-org security group association.
• OBJECT_VERSION_NUMBER — Optimistic locking token used by the OAF/BC4J stack.
• MIGRATED_FLAG — Indicates whether the record arrived through a data migration.
• ATTRIBUTE_CATEGORY and ATTRIBUTE1–ATTRIBUTE15 — Descriptive flexfield columns.
• Audit columns — CREATED_BY, CREATION_DATE, LAST_UPDATED_BY, LAST_UPDATE_DATE, and LAST_UPDATE_LOGIN.

Common Use Cases and Queries

Typical applications include validating the estimation methods configured before contract or billing cycle processing, reporting on which methods are currently active, and joining estimation methods to counter or meter definitions for downstream analysis. A representative query is:

SELECT estimation_id, name, estimation_type, fixed_value, usage_markup, default_value, start_date_active, end_date_active FROM csi_ctr_estimate_methods_vl WHERE SYSDATE BETWEEN NVL(start_date_active, SYSDATE) AND NVL(end_date_active, SYSDATE + 1) ORDER BY name;

Because the view resolves NAME and DESCRIPTION according to USERENV('LANG'), the same SQL returns translated text appropriate to each user's session. To inspect the estimation logic in detail, the METHOD.ESTIMATION_TYPE, FIXED_VALUE, USAGE_MARKUP, and ESTIMATION_AVG_TYPE columns are commonly projected. Note that since this is a view, it is read-only and should not be used for DML; direct inserts or updates must target the underlying _B and _TL tables through supported APIs.