Search Results ak_category_usages




Overview
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Overview

The AK_CATEGORY_USAGES table is a core data object within the Oracle E-Business Suite (EBS) Application Object Library (AK) module. It functions as a configuration and mapping table that defines the permissible relationships between specific user interface components and document categories within the attachment framework. Its primary role is to govern which categories of attachments (e.g., "Invoice," "Contract," "Specification") can be associated with a particular item or field (attribute) in a given application region. This enforcement ensures data integrity and contextual relevance for the extensive attachment functionality across the EBS suite, enabling users to link relevant documents directly to business objects like orders, suppliers, or assets.

Key Information Stored

The table's structure is defined by a composite primary key that uniquely identifies each allowed category usage. The key columns are REGION_CODE and REGION_APPLICATION_ID, which identify the specific application region (or page). The ATTRIBUTE_CODE and ATTRIBUTE_APPLICATION_ID columns pinpoint the exact item or field within that region. Finally, the CATEGORY_NAME column specifies the attachment category that is permitted for use with that region-item combination. This design allows for fine-grained control, where multiple categories can be assigned to a single item, and the same category can be used across different items and regions.

Common Use Cases and Queries

A primary use case is troubleshooting or auditing attachment configuration. Developers or functional consultants query this table to verify which categories are enabled for a specific field, which is essential when an expected category is unavailable to end-users. A typical diagnostic query would join AK_CATEGORY_USAGES to AK_REGION_ITEMS and FND_APPLICATION for descriptive names. For example:

  • SELECT acu.category_name, ari.attribute_label, fa.application_name FROM ak_category_usages acu JOIN ak_region_items ari ON acu.region_code = ari.region_code AND acu.attribute_code = ari.attribute_code JOIN fnd_application fa ON ari.application_id = fa.application_id WHERE ari.attribute_label LIKE '%PO%';

Another common scenario involves data migration or patching, where scripts may need to insert new category usages for custom regions or items to extend attachment functionality.

Related Objects

AK_CATEGORY_USAGES has a direct and critical foreign key relationship with the AK_REGION_ITEMS table, which defines the items themselves. The foreign key constraint ensures that a category usage cannot exist without a valid corresponding region item. The join is performed on the composite key: (REGION_CODE, REGION_APPLICATION_ID, ATTRIBUTE_CODE, ATTRIBUTE_APPLICATION_ID). This table is also intrinsically linked to the AK_CATEGORIES table (which stores the definition of the CATEGORY_NAME) and the FND_ATTACHED_DOCUMENTS table, where the actual attachment instances are stored, referencing both the entity (e.g., a transaction header) and the category.