Creating a new role in Oracle Fusion involves defining specific access permissions to tailor user capabilities within the system, ensuring they have the right level of access to perform their job functions while maintaining security and data integrity.
Understanding Roles in Oracle Fusion
Roles are fundamental to security in Oracle Fusion Applications, acting as containers for privileges that grant users access to specific functions and data. Properly designed roles enforce the principle of least privilege and help maintain Segregation of Duties (SoD).
Oracle Fusion categorizes roles into several types:
| Role Type | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Job Role | Represents a specific job function, granting access to tasks and data required for that job. | Accounts Payable Manager, HR Specialist |
| Abstract Role | Defines common privileges that apply to a broad group of users, often inherited by job roles. | Employee, Contingent Worker |
| Data Role | Combines a job role with a data security policy to restrict access to specific organizational data. | Accounts Payable Manager for US BU |
| Duty Role | Granular roles containing specific functional privileges. Job roles are composed of one or more duty roles. | Invoice Processing Duty |
Step-by-Step Guide to Creating a New Role
Creating a new role in Oracle Fusion is typically done through the Security Console, a centralized hub for managing security configurations.
1. Navigating to the Security Console
To begin, you will navigate to the Security Console from your Oracle instance homepage. This is accessible via the Tools menu, where you will then select Security Console.
2. Initiating Role Creation
Once inside the Security Console:
- Locate and click on “Roles” from the left-hand pane. This displays a list of existing roles.
- In the upper right-hand corner of the console, click “Create Role”. This action will launch a wizard to guide you through the role creation process.
3. Defining Role Details
The role creation wizard will prompt you through several steps to define your new role:
- Basic Information:
- Role Name: Provide a clear, descriptive name for your new role (e.g., "Custom AP Invoice Entry Clerk").
- Role Code: Enter a unique code, often following a standardized prefix like "CUSTOM_" (e.g., "CUSTOM_AP_INV_ENTRY_CLERK"). This code is crucial for technical identification.
- Description: Briefly explain the purpose and responsibilities associated with this role.
- Category: Select an appropriate category (e.g., "Job Role," "Abstract Role").
- Role Hierarchy:
- This is a critical step where you can add existing roles (job, abstract, or duty roles) that your new role should inherit. Inheriting roles is an efficient way to build custom roles by leveraging predefined privilege sets.
- Example: For an "AP Invoice Entry Clerk," you might inherit the standard "Accounts Payable Specialist" job role as a foundation.
- Privileges:
- Assign specific functional and data security privileges. Functional privileges control access to tasks and screens, while data security privileges control access to data records.
- You can search for and add individual privileges or add duty roles that encapsulate groups of related privileges.
- Data Security Policies:
- Define specific data access restrictions for your role. For instance, you might restrict an "AP Invoice Entry Clerk" to only process invoices for a specific Business Unit (BU).
- Users:
- While roles are often created first and then assigned to users, this step allows you to immediately assign specific users to your newly created role.
- Summary: Review all the configurations before submitting and saving your new role.
Key Considerations for Role Design
When creating new roles, keep the following best practices in mind:
- Principle of Least Privilege: Always grant only the minimum access required for users to perform their job functions. Avoid over-privileged roles.
- Segregation of Duties (SoD): Design roles to prevent a single user from having conflicting responsibilities that could lead to fraud or error (e.g., a user who can both create and approve payments).
- Naming Conventions: Establish and follow consistent naming conventions for custom roles (e.g.,
CUSTOM_JOB_ROLENAME,CUSTOM_ABSTRACT_ROLENAME). This improves organization and maintainability. - Documentation: Maintain clear documentation for each custom role, detailing its purpose, inherited roles, and assigned privileges.
- Testing: Thoroughly test new roles in a non-production environment with test users to ensure they function as expected and do not grant unintended access.
Example: Creating a Custom "AP Invoice Entry Clerk" Role
Let's say you need a role for users who can only enter Accounts Payable invoices, but not approve them or process payments.
- Navigate to Security Console: Go to Tools > Security Console.
- Initiate Role Creation: Click "Roles" on the left, then "Create Role" on the top right.
- Basic Information:
- Role Name:
Custom AP Invoice Entry Clerk - Role Code:
CUSTOM_AP_INV_ENTRY_CLERK - Description:
Allows entry of AP invoices only, no approvals or payments. - Category:
Job Role
- Role Name:
- Role Hierarchy:
- Inherit the standard Oracle job role:
Accounts Payable Specialist. This provides a baseline of AP-related privileges.
- Inherit the standard Oracle job role:
- Privileges and Data Security:
- Remove Privileges: Identify and remove specific duty roles or individual functional privileges from the inherited
Accounts Payable Specialistrole that allow for "Approve Payments" or "Manage Payments." - Add Data Security: Create a data security policy to restrict invoice entry to a particular Business Unit, such as "US Business Unit."
- Remove Privileges: Identify and remove specific duty roles or individual functional privileges from the inherited
- Review and Save: Confirm all settings and save the role.
By following these steps, you can create tailored roles that align precisely with your organization's security requirements. For more detailed information on role management, refer to the official Oracle documentation:
