How to import common lookups in Oracle Fusion?

Importing common lookups in Oracle Fusion is an efficient way to manage configurable lists of values across your applications, especially during initial setup or mass updates. This process involves preparing your lookup data, uploading it to WebCenter Content, and then using the Setup and Maintenance work area to initiate the import.

Understanding Common Lookups and Import Benefits

Common lookups are predefined or user-defined lists of values (LOVs) that standardize data entry and ensure consistency across Oracle Fusion applications. Examples include 'Yes/No,' 'Status,' 'Gender,' or custom values specific to your organization's processes.

Importing lookups offers several advantages:

• Efficiency: Automates the creation or update of numerous lookup values simultaneously, saving considerable manual effort.
• Consistency: Ensures uniform data across environments (e.g., development, test, production).
• Data Accuracy: Reduces human error associated with manual data entry.
• Scalability: Ideal for large-scale implementations or migrations involving many lookups.

Prerequisites for Importing Lookups

Before you begin the import process, ensure you have:

• Access to Setup and Maintenance: You need appropriate roles (e.g., Application Implementation Consultant) to access and perform tasks within the Setup and Maintenance work area.
• WebCenter Content (WCC) Account: Your Oracle Fusion environment must have a configured WebCenter Content (also known as Universal Content Management or UCM) account. This serves as the secure repository for your import files.
• Prepared Data Files: Your lookup data must be organized into specific file formats, typically CSV (Comma Separated Values), designed for bulk import. These files should be prepared according to Oracle's templates for lookup types and lookup codes.

Step-by-Step Guide to Importing Common Lookups

Follow these steps to successfully import common lookups into Oracle Fusion:

Step 1: Prepare Your Lookup Data Files

You will need two distinct sets of data: one for lookup types and another for lookup codes. While these can sometimes be in separate sheets of an Excel workbook, they are often processed as separate CSV files for direct upload to WebCenter Content.

• Lookup Type File: Defines the overarching category for your lookup values.
  • Common Columns: Lookup Type, Meaning, Description, Module, Customization Level
• Lookup Code File: Contains the individual values for each lookup type.
  • Common Columns: Lookup Type, Lookup Code, Meaning, Description, Enabled Flag, Start Date, End Date

Example Structure for Lookup Data:

Lookup Type File (e.g., LookupTypes.csv)	Lookup Code File (e.g., LookupCodes.csv)
LOOKUP_TYPE, Meaning, Description	LOOKUP_TYPE, Lookup Code, Meaning
XYZ_STATUS, XYZ Status, Status for XYZ process	XYZ_STATUS, ACTIVE, Active
XYZ_STATUS, INACTIVE, Inactive

Ensure your files are correctly formatted, contain all mandatory fields, and adhere to any character limits or data type requirements specified by Oracle.

Step 2: Upload Files to WebCenter Content

Before you can import, your prepared data files (e.g., LookupTypes.csv and LookupCodes.csv) must be uploaded to your designated WebCenter Content (WCC) account. This acts as a secure staging area from which Fusion Applications can retrieve the data.

• Access your WCC instance (usually through a specific URL provided by your administrator).
• Upload both your lookup type file and lookup code file to the appropriate folder or account within WCC.
• Note the exact file names, as you will need them in the next step.

Step 3: Initiate the Import Process

Once your files are in WebCenter Content, you can start the import process within Oracle Fusion.

1. Navigate to the Setup and Maintenance work area.
2. In the search bar, search for and open the Manage Standard Lookups task.
3. Within the Search Results region, locate the Actions menu.
4. From the Actions menu, select Import. This will open the import dialog.
5. In the import dialog, select the specific WebCenter Content account (often referred to as 'UCM Account' or similar) where your lookup files were uploaded in Step 2.
6. Carefully enter the exact file names for your lookup data:
   • Provide the name of the file containing your lookup type information (e.g., LookupTypes.csv).
   • Provide the name of the file containing your lookup code information (e.g., LookupCodes.csv).
7. Click Submit to start the import process.

Step 4: Monitor and Verify the Import

After submitting the import, a background process will run to load your data.

• You can monitor the status of the import job by navigating to the Scheduled Processes work area. Look for processes related to lookup import.
• Once the process completes successfully, return to the Manage Standard Lookups task.
• Search for the lookup types and codes you just imported to verify that they have been created or updated correctly.

Best Practices for Lookup Import

• Test Thoroughly: Always perform a test import in a non-production environment (e.g., Development, Test) before deploying to Production.
• Backup Existing Data: If you are updating existing lookups, ensure you have a backup of the current configuration.
• Review Error Logs: If an import fails or completes with warnings, meticulously review the log files generated by the scheduled process to identify and resolve any issues.
• Clear Naming Conventions: Use consistent and descriptive names for your lookup types and codes to maintain clarity.
• File Encoding: Ensure your CSV files are saved with the correct encoding (e.g., UTF-8) to prevent character issues.