Search Results fnd_form_functions




The FND_FORM_FUNCTIONS table in Oracle E-Business Suite (EBS) 12.1.1 and 12.2.2 serves as a critical repository for defining and managing form functions within the application framework. Form functions are reusable components that enable navigation to specific forms, pages, or external URLs, facilitating seamless user interactions across Oracle EBS modules. This table is part of the Oracle Application Object Library (FND) and plays a pivotal role in the security, navigation, and customization of the EBS environment. ### **Structure and Key Columns** The FND_FORM_FUNCTIONS table contains metadata that defines form functions, including their attributes and execution parameters. Key columns include: - FUNCTION_ID: A unique identifier for each form function. - FUNCTION_NAME: The internal name used to reference the function. - USER_FUNCTION_NAME: The display name visible to end-users. - DESCRIPTION: A detailed description of the function's purpose. - TYPE: Specifies the function type (e.g., 'FORM' for Oracle Forms, 'SSWA_JSP_FUNCTION' for web pages, or 'URL' for external links). - FORM_ID: References the FND_FORM table if the function launches a form. - PARAMETERS: Custom parameters passed to the form or URL. - WEB_HOST_NAME and WEB_AGENT_NAME: Used for web-based functions to specify host and agent details. - CREATION_DATE, CREATED_BY, LAST_UPDATE_DATE, and LAST_UPDATED_BY: Audit columns tracking changes. ### **Functional Role in Oracle EBS** 1. **Navigation and Access Control**: Form functions are assigned to menus (FND_MENUS) and responsibilities (FND_RESPONSIBILITIES), dictating what users can access. The FND_FORM_FUNCTIONS table ensures proper linkage between these entities, enabling role-based security. 2. **Integration with Oracle Forms and Web Apps**: For Oracle Forms, the FORM_ID column maps to the FND_FORM table, while web-based functions use TYPE='SSWA_JSP_FUNCTION' to launch OA Framework pages. External URLs (TYPE='URL') are also supported. 3. **Customization and Extensibility**: Developers can extend EBS by registering new form functions in this table. For example, a custom form can be integrated into the system by inserting a record with the appropriate TYPE and PARAMETERS. 4. **Security via Function Exclusions**: The table interacts with FND_RESP_FUNCTIONS to exclude specific functions from responsibilities, enforcing granular access control. ### **Technical Considerations** - **Performance**: Queries against FND_FORM_FUNCTIONS should be optimized, as it is frequently accessed during user navigation. - **Patching and Upgrades**: Custom entries must be preserved during EBS upgrades. Oracle's patch utilities often reference this table for conflict resolution. - **Dependencies**: The table has foreign key relationships with FND_FORM, FND_MENUS, and FND_RESPONSIBILITIES, requiring careful data integrity management. ### **Example Use Case** To create a custom form function for a new invoice approval screen: 1. Insert a record into FND_FORM_FUNCTIONS with TYPE='FORM' and the corresponding FORM_ID. 2. Assign the FUNCTION_ID to a menu via FND_MENU_ENTRIES. 3. Link the menu to a responsibility in FND_RESPONSIBILITY. ### **Conclusion** The FND_FORM_FUNCTIONS table is foundational to Oracle EBS's modular architecture, enabling flexible navigation, security, and extensibility. Proper understanding of its structure and relationships is essential for system administrators and developers working on customization, security, or performance tuning in EBS 12.1.1 or 12.2.2.