Search Results ben_tcs_col_in_cat




Overview
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Overview

BEN_TCS_COL_IN_CAT is a configuration table in the Oracle Advanced Benefits (BEN) module of Oracle E-Business Suite 12.1.1 and 12.2.2. Its documented description is concise: the table "identifies the columns to be displayed in the category." In practical terms, it controls the column layout and ordering presented when a benefits category is rendered in the Total Compensation Statement (TCS) or related self-service pages. Each row associates a display column with a parent benefits category and governs whether that column appears in a chart, how it is labeled, and how it is sorted.

The metadata describes this object's Data Vault classification as "standalone." From a dimensional-modeling perspective, this suggests the table behaves as a standalone hub-like reference entity rather than a pure transactional satellite, since it carries its own surrogate key (COL_IN_CAT_ID) and is referenced by dependent child tables. It functions as a low-volume setup table maintained by benefits administrators rather than by end-user transaction activity.

Key Information Stored

The documented physical schema contains 13 columns. The most significant are listed below.

  • COL_IN_CAT_ID — The surrogate primary key, enforced by BEN_TCS_COL_IN_CAT_PK. It is also the unique business-key candidate documented through index BEN_TCS_COL_IN_CAT_U1, and it is the value propagated to child tables.
  • CAT_ID — Foreign key to BEN_TCS_CAT. Identifies the parent benefits category to which the display column belongs. This is the primary grouping attribute for the table.
  • COMP_TYPE_CD — Compensation type code, indicating the category of compensation (for example, salary, bonus, or benefit) that the column represents.
  • ORDR_NUM — The display sequence number. Determines the left-to-right (or top-to-bottom) ordering of columns when the category is rendered.
  • INCLUDE_IN_CHART_FLAG — A Yes/No indicator controlling whether the column contributes to graphical chart output versus tabular display only.
  • DISPLAY_NAME — The user-facing label shown in the rendered statement or page header, allowing administrators to override the underlying technical column name.
  • CONTRIBUTOR_TYPE_CD — Identifies the contributor type context for the column, distinguishing how different participant populations view the same category layout.
  • OBJECT_VERSION_NUMBER — Optimistic locking column used by the Oracle Forms/ADF framework to detect concurrent updates.
  • CREATED_BY, CREATION_DATE, LAST_UPDATED_BY, LAST_UPDATE_DATE, LAST_UPDATE_LOGIN — The standard Oracle EBS WHO columns recording audit and user context for each row.

Common Use Cases and Queries

The most frequent requirement is to enumerate the columns configured for a given category in their intended display order. A typical query is:

  • SELECT col_in_cat_id, display_name, ordr_num, include_in_chart_flag FROM ben.ben_tcs_col_in_cat WHERE cat_id = :p_cat_id ORDER BY ordr_num;

Related scenarios include identifying all categories that contribute to a chart by filtering on INCLUDE_IN_CHART_FLAG, and troubleshooting missing columns on a rendered statement by verifying that a row exists for the expected CAT_ID and COMP_TYPE_CD combination. Administrators performing setup migrations frequently extract these rows to reproduce a column layout across environments. Because the table is keyed by a surrogate identifier, joins are always driven through CAT_ID to the category definition rather than through natural keys.

Related Objects

  • BEN_TCS_CAT — The parent category table. Joined on BEN_TCS_COL_IN_CAT.CAT_ID = BEN_TCS_CAT.CAT_ID. This is the primary documented foreign key relationship.
  • BEN_TCS_ALL_OBJECTS_IN_CAT — Child table referencing this object via COL_IN_CAT_ID. It links each configured column to the actual TCS objects (balances, totals, or items) placed within it.
  • BEN_TCS_COL_IN_CAT_PK — The primary key constraint enforcing uniqueness of COL_IN_CAT_ID.
  • BEN_TCS_COL_IN_CAT_U1 — The unique index on COL_IN_CAT_ID, serving as the documented business-key candidate.
  • BEN_TCS_CAT_VIEW and related TCS views — Reporting views in the BEN schema that denormalize category and column configuration for statement generation.

Because the Advanced Benefits setup is maintained through the Benefits Administration forms and the Total Compensation Statement configuration pages rather than through public APIs, direct DML against BEN_TCS_COL_IN_CAT should be avoided in production; changes are normally applied through the supported configuration UI or via controlled setup migration scripts.