Results for “mtl_descriptive_elements”

AI-generated from documented ETRM metadata — verify critical details on the linked pages.

Overview

MTL_DESCRIPTIVE_ELEMENTS is an Inventory (INV) module table that stores descriptive element definitions for an item catalog group. It belongs to the Oracle E-Business Suite inventory schema (INV) and is valid in both 12.1.1 and 12.2.2. Descriptive elements define the additional attribute fields — such as color, size, voltage, or material — that an organization wants to capture for items assigned to a particular item catalog group. Each row represents a single descriptive element belonging to a specific catalog group, making the table the metadata backbone behind the user-defined descriptive flexfield-style attributes used during item definition, item search, and reporting. In a heuristic Data Vault classification the table leans toward a satellite: it holds descriptive attribute definitions attached to the catalog group parent rather than acting as a transactional hub or association link. This is a modeling suggestion only, intended to guide integration design, not a mandate.

Key Information Stored

The table is keyed by a composite primary key, MTL_DESCRIPTIVE_ELEMENTS_PK, spanning ITEM_CATALOG_GROUP_ID and ELEMENT_NAME. A unique index, MTL_DESCRIPTIVE_ELEMENTS_U1, covers the same two columns and serves as the business-key candidate, enforcing that element names are unique within a catalog group.

• ITEM_CATALOG_GROUP_ID — foreign key to MTL_ITEM_CATALOG_GROUPS_B, identifying the parent catalog group that owns this element.
• ELEMENT_NAME — the internal name of the descriptive element, unique within the group.
• REQUIRED_ELEMENT_FLAG — indicates whether the element is mandatory when users assign items to the group.
• DEFAULT_ELEMENT_FLAG — identifies whether the element should be defaulted on new item assignments.
• ELEMENT_SEQUENCE — controls the display order in which elements appear in the item setup and search forms.
• DESCRIPTION — human-readable text describing the purpose or meaning of the element.
• LAST_UPDATE_DATE, LAST_UPDATED_BY, CREATION_DATE, CREATED_BY, and LAST_UPDATE_LOGIN — standard EBS audit columns maintained by the WHO columns framework.
• REQUEST_ID, PROGRAM_APPLICATION_ID, PROGRAM_ID, and PROGRAM_UPDATE_DATE — concurrent program context columns populated when rows are created or updated through batch processes.

The surrogate identity is effectively the composite of the catalog group identifier and element name, while the same pair constitutes the documented business key; no separate single-column surrogate key exists.

Common Use Cases and Queries

Typical scenarios include identifying which descriptive attributes are defined for a catalog group, determining mandatory fields during item creation, and building reports on item attribute coverage. A common query retrieves all elements for a group in display order:

• SELECT element_name, description, element_sequence, required_element_flag FROM mtl_descriptive_elements WHERE item_catalog_group_id = :group_id ORDER BY element_sequence;
• Joining to MTL_ITEM_CATALOG_GROUPS_B to resolve the catalog group name for reporting: WHERE mde.item_catalog_group_id = micg.catalog_group_id.
• Filtering for mandatory elements only: WHERE required_element_flag = 'Y' to audit item setup requirements.
• Extracting element sequences to validate form layout or migration mapping for descriptive attribute customizations.

Because the table stores definitions rather than values, it is frequently used alongside item assignment tables when building descriptive attribute reports or supporting data conversions between environments.

Related Objects

• MTL_ITEM_CATALOG_GROUPS_B — parent table referenced through MTL_DESCRIPTIVE_ELEMENTS.ITEM_CATALOG_GROUP_ID.
• MTL_ITEM_CATALOG_GROUPS_TL — translated catalog group names joined via CATALOG_GROUP_ID.
• MTL_DESCRIPTIVE_ELEMENTS_PK / MTL_DESCRIPTIVE_ELEMENTS_U1 — primary key and unique indexes enforcing element uniqueness.
• MTL_ITEM_ASSIGNMENTS and MTL_CATALOG_GROUPS style membership objects — used in conjunction when examining item-level attribute values, joined through ITEM_CATALOG_GROUP_ID.
• Item setup and catalog group definition forms in the Inventory responsibility, which read and write these element definitions.
• Concurrent programs that populate REQUEST_ID and program columns during batch maintenance of descriptive element records.