Search Results hr_audit_columns




Overview
Explore in AI Chat

Overview

The HR_AUDIT_COLUMNS table is a core data object within the Oracle E-Business Suite (EBS) Payroll module (PAY). It functions as a detailed audit trail, recording granular changes made to specific column values during payroll-related transactions. Its primary role is to support compliance, troubleshooting, and historical analysis by capturing the "before" and "after" state of individual data elements whenever an audited transaction occurs. The table operates in conjunction with the HR_AUDITS table, which stores the header-level information for each audit event. This two-tiered structure allows the system to log a comprehensive history of data modifications, which is essential for payroll integrity and auditability in complex, regulated environments.

Key Information Stored

The table stores a record for each column that was modified within a single audited transaction. While the full column list is not detailed in the provided metadata, the structure typically includes several critical fields. The AUDIT_ID column is the foreign key that links each column change record to its parent transaction header in the HR_AUDITS table. Other standard columns in such audit tables include COLUMN_NAME, which identifies the specific database column that was altered; OLD_VALUE and NEW_VALUE, which store the data before and after the change; and potentially a CHANGE_TYPE indicator. The table's design ensures a precise, queryable log of every data element modification.

Common Use Cases and Queries

This table is central to payroll audit reporting and forensic analysis. A common use case is investigating the history of a specific employee's salary or tax information to verify when and how a particular value was entered or corrected. Support personnel may query it to understand the sequence of changes that led to a payroll calculation error. A typical analytical query joins HR_AUDIT_COLUMNS to HR_AUDITS and other relevant tables like PER_ALL_PEOPLE_F to retrieve a human-readable audit trail.

Sample Query Pattern:
SELECT hac.COLUMN_NAME, hac.OLD_VALUE, hac.NEW_VALUE, ha.TRANSACTION_DATE, ha.USER_NAME
FROM HR_AUDIT_COLUMNS hac
JOIN HR_AUDITS ha ON ha.AUDIT_ID = hac.AUDIT_ID
WHERE ha.TABLE_NAME = 'PER_ALL_ASSIGNMENTS_F'
AND ha.PK_COLUMN_VALUE = :assignment_id
ORDER BY ha.TRANSACTION_DATE;

Related Objects

The HR_AUDIT_COLUMNS table has a direct, documented foreign key relationship with the HR_AUDITS table, forming the core of the payroll audit framework.

  • HR_AUDITS: This is the parent table. The relationship is defined by the foreign key constraint where HR_AUDIT_COLUMNS.AUDIT_ID references HR_AUDITS. The HR_AUDITS table contains high-level transaction data (e.g., who performed the action, when, and on which primary table), while HR_AUDIT_COLUMNS stores the column-level detail for that transaction.

This table is also referenced by standard Oracle EBS audit reports and may be accessed by custom APIs or extensions built for enhanced audit reporting or data reconciliation processes.

  • Table: HR_AUDIT_COLUMNS 12.1.1

    owner:HR,  object_type:TABLE,  fnd_design_data:PAY.HR_AUDIT_COLUMNS,  object_name:HR_AUDIT_COLUMNS,  status:VALID,  product: PAY - Payroll ,  description: Column changes for specific audit transactions. ,  implementation_dba_data: HR.HR_AUDIT_COLUMNS , 

  • Table: HR_AUDIT_COLUMNS 12.2.2

    owner:HR,  object_type:TABLE,  fnd_design_data:PAY.HR_AUDIT_COLUMNS,  object_name:HR_AUDIT_COLUMNS,  status:VALID,  product: PAY - Payroll ,  description: Column changes for specific audit transactions. ,  implementation_dba_data: HR.HR_AUDIT_COLUMNS , 

  • Table: HR_AUDITS 12.1.1

    owner:HR,  object_type:TABLE,  fnd_design_data:PAY.HR_AUDITS,  object_name:HR_AUDITS,  status:VALID,  product: PAY - Payroll ,  description: Main audit table that records the transactions carried out on an audited table from its shadow table. ,  implementation_dba_data: HR.HR_AUDITS , 

  • Table: HR_AUDITS 12.2.2

    owner:HR,  object_type:TABLE,  fnd_design_data:PAY.HR_AUDITS,  object_name:HR_AUDITS,  status:VALID,  product: PAY - Payroll ,  description: Main audit table that records the transactions carried out on an audited table from its shadow table. ,  implementation_dba_data: HR.HR_AUDITS ,