Search Results hz_relationship_types

The HZ_RELATIONSHIP_TYPES table in Oracle E-Business Suite (EBS) versions 12.1.1 and 12.2.2 is a critical component of the Trading Community Architecture (TCA) module. It serves as a repository for defining and managing relationship types between parties, organizations, and other entities within the TCA framework. This table is fundamental for establishing hierarchical, associative, or transactional relationships in customer, supplier, and partner data models.

Table Structure and Key Columns

The HZ_RELATIONSHIP_TYPES table contains the following key columns:

• RELATIONSHIP_TYPE_ID: Primary key identifier for the relationship type.
• RELATIONSHIP_TYPE: A descriptive name for the relationship (e.g., "EMPLOYEE_OF," "SUBSIDIARY_OF").
• DESCRIPTION: Detailed explanation of the relationship type.
• FORWARD_REL_DESC and BACKWARD_REL_DESC: Define bidirectional descriptions (e.g., "Parent of" vs. "Child of").
• STATUS: Indicates whether the relationship type is active (A) or inactive (I).
• START_DATE_ACTIVE and END_DATE_ACTIVE: Define the validity period for the relationship type.
• OBJECT_VERSION_NUMBER: Used for optimistic locking and concurrency control.

Functional Role in TCA

The table enables:

1. Hierarchy Management: Defines parent-child relationships (e.g., corporate hierarchies).
2. Role-Based Relationships: Associates parties with specific roles (e.g., "Primary Contact").
3. Data Integrity: Enforces valid relationship combinations through validation rules.
4. Multi-Entity Relationships: Supports complex relationships across customers, suppliers, and partners.

Integration Points

HZ_RELATIONSHIP_TYPES integrates with:

• HZ_RELATIONSHIPS: Stores actual relationship instances referencing types from this table.
• AR/AP/CRM Modules: Leverages relationship data for customer/vendor hierarchies.
• Oracle Advanced Collections: Uses relationship data for contact strategies.

Implementation Considerations

Key implementation aspects include:

• Custom Relationship Types: Organizations can extend standard types to meet business needs.
• Data Security: Relationship types may drive data access policies in multi-org environments.
• Performance: Proper indexing is critical for large-scale implementations.
• Upgrade Impact: Relationship types are preserved during upgrades but require validation.

Best Practices

Recommended practices:

1. Conduct thorough analysis of business relationship requirements before configuration.
2. Document custom relationship types for maintainability.
3. Leverage the HZ_RELATIONSHIP_VALIDATIONS table to enforce valid combinations.
4. Regularly audit inactive relationship types for data cleanup.

The HZ_RELATIONSHIP_TYPES table exemplifies Oracle's flexible data model design, enabling complex business relationship management while maintaining referential integrity across EBS modules. Its proper configuration is essential for accurate customer/vendor hierarchies, contact management, and enterprise-wide relationship tracking.