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Overview
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Overview

The IGS_FI_A_HIERARCHIES table is a core data structure within the now-obsolete Student System (IGS) module of Oracle E-Business Suite (EBS) releases 12.1.1 and 12.2.2. It serves as the master repository for application hierarchy definitions, which are critical for organizing and processing student financial applications. The table captures the complete setup information configured through the "Define Application Hierarchy" form, including a direct association to a specific credit type. This linkage is fundamental for enforcing business rules and determining the financial treatment of applications within the defined hierarchical structure. Its role is to provide a consistent, versioned framework that other financial application components reference to ensure proper workflow and data integrity.

Key Information Stored

The table stores metadata that defines the structure and validity of an application hierarchy. The primary identifier is the APPL_HIERARCHY_ID, a system-generated unique key. The logical identity of a hierarchy is defined by a composite unique key consisting of HIERARCHY_NAME, VERSION_NUMBER, and EFFECTIVE_START_DATE, allowing for multiple time-bound versions of a hierarchy with the same name. A crucial foreign key column is CREDIT_TYPE_ID, which links the hierarchy to a specific financial credit type defined in the IGS_FI_CR_TYPES_ALL table. This relationship dictates the type of credit (e.g., tuition waiver, grant) that applications within this hierarchy are associated with, centralizing a key business rule at the hierarchy level.

Common Use Cases and Queries

Primary use cases involve retrieving active hierarchy definitions for application processing, reporting, and integration. A common operational query would fetch the current effective hierarchy for a given name to validate a new financial application. For reporting purposes, a join to the credit types table is typical to display the hierarchy alongside its associated financial product. Administrators might query all versions of a hierarchy to audit changes over time. A sample SQL pattern to find the active hierarchy and its credit type would be:

  • SELECT h.hierarchy_name, h.version_number, ct.credit_type_name
  • FROM igs_fi_a_hierarchies h, igs_fi_cr_types_all ct
  • WHERE h.credit_type_id = ct.credit_type_id
  • AND h.effective_start_date <= SYSDATE
  • AND NVL(h.effective_end_date, SYSDATE) >= SYSDATE
  • AND h.hierarchy_name = '<Hierarchy_Name>';

Related Objects

IGS_FI_A_HIERARCHIES is a central reference point within the financial applications subsystem, as evidenced by its foreign key relationships. It is directly referenced by three key tables:

  • IGS_FI_APPLICATIONS: The APPL_HIERARCHY_ID in this table links individual student financial applications to their governing hierarchy.
  • IGS_FI_CR_TYPES_ALL: While the hierarchy holds a foreign key to the credit type (CREDIT_TYPE_ID), the credit types table also references back via its APPL_HIERARCHY_ID column, indicating a potential bidirectional relationship for default hierarchies.
  • IGS_FI_APP_RULES: The APPL_HIERARCHY_ID in this table associates specific processing or validation rules with a particular application hierarchy.

These relationships demonstrate that the hierarchy definition controls the setup of credit types, the creation of individual applications, and the application of business rules, forming an integral part of the obsolete financial aid data model.