Wednesday, May 27, 2015

Oracle EBS Endeca Extension - Question and Answer


Q:  Does it require separate licensing from oracle to run it? How do we do this?
A:  Customers need to pay for two things:
·         License the desired E-Business Suite Extensions for Endeca & Endeca Discovery Foundation Endeca Discovery Foundation for Oracle license allows customers to use all the components of Endeca Information Discovery (EID) software: Endeca Server, Integrator Server, and Studio Server.

Q:  Can we install Endeca for just one module or is it applied over the application?
A:  Each Endeca Extension is licensed separately, so you can install Endeca Extension for a given module.

Q:  How can endeca be installed does it require separate tech. consultancy team?
A:  As with any implementation, this is up to the customer whether to use a system integrator.  Oracle does have existing Partners who have experience should this be the direction desired, but it is not a requirement.

Q: What does it take to integrated to Endeca? After installing Endeca patch, do we need effort from development team to integrate to existing EBS.
A:  Integration is delivered out of the box for R12.1.3 and R12.2  Be on EBS R12.1.3 or 12.2  License the EBS Extensions for Endeca products & Endeca Foundation as previously mentioned. Get additional hardware to support in-memory processing where you can deploy EBS-Endeca to setup this instance. Apply EBS-Endeca patches on the EBS instance. Download EBS-Endeca Quick Installer which contains all the EID components and EBS artifacts (ETL, UIs, EBS Security code etc.).Pair EBS instance with EBS-Endeca instance and perform the setups documented in the installation documentation.

Q:  So from iProcurement screen i can create PR? Is there any affect from work order for those items that are not in stock?
A:  This is standard eAM functionality to allow PRs to be added to the WO from iProcurement.

Q:  Is the shopping cart with images part of endeca or is it 12.2?
A:  The shopping cart has always been part of iProcurement.

Q:  Do we (Internal Employees vs. External Customers) have a vision instance to work on? Can you give us this vision link?
A:  Oracle employees can demonstrate the EBS Extensions for Endeca from their GSE instance.  For customer, once the Endeca Extensions are installed, the Vision content can be exposed in Endeca.

Q:  Does endeca need weblogic or is it a patch on EBS application server?
A:  The Endeca Extensions are delivered as an EBS patch that includes EID,  Endeca Discovery Foundation.  When you download the patches, EBS Endeca Quick Installer will include Weblogic at no additional license fee.

Q:   What is the cost for Endeca?
A:  You will need to contact your Application Sales Manager to get pricing.

Q:  Is Endeca is available for all the modules?
A:  Endeca Extensions are available for the modules as shown in the presentation. To date there are 21 Extensions and other are on the Procuct Development Roadmap.

Q:  Can you please touch base on how to pull the data from various sources for ex. Order data from Clould, istore, om and from some custom tables? also can you pl brief on the maintenance?
A:  Maintenance is like any other licensed application.  Patches are provided to fix issues whether they be EBS or Endeca.  
     Customers can add additional data content from E-Business Suite schema from the licensed product to a licensed E-Business Suite Extensions for Endeca application.
     Customers can only modify the Endeca Server datastores that are shipped by EBS (they cannot create net new ones). 
    Full use license is required if customers want to add additional data content from any other systems to a licensed E-Business Suite Extensions for Endeca application or build new content (i.e new application).

Q:  How is Endeca different than OBIEE(Oracle BI)?
A:  BI is typically about trending and about measuring against known KPIs.  Endeca-EBS integration is all about finding answers to NEW questions fast. OBIA is more about getting proven answers to known questions.

Q:  What does an install of this include?  How big of a project is it?
A:  Implementation Steps: In this example below, instructions are for eAM-Endeca, but steps are similar for other modules.
·         Step 1: Apply eAM-Endeca patches in the EBS instance (details about patches for different modules are there in the installation doc)
·         Step 2: Use EBS-Endeca quick install to setup Endeca instance. EBS-Endeca quick install is a zip file which has
·         Step 3: Enable Endeca pages for eAM
·         Step 4: Run ETL in the Endeca instance to load data from EBS (eAM Views) to Endeca Data Store in the Endeca Server.


Q:  What is the learning curve for ENDECA for new users?  How long to learn?
A:  The Endeca Extensions provide a very intuitive user interface.  Minimal training is required due to the information rich navigation experience. 

Q:  You said you can search item enterprise wide with multi org. How can you restrict certain items from end users based on global existence of application? 
A:  Endeca Extensions honor the EBS security in place. The example shown was based on Org Access Control.  If the security is part of EBS, then it will be honored in Endeca Extensions – is a user cannot see the data in EBS, they will not be able to see it in Endeca Extension pages.

Q:  Can Endeca search for data from Images (.jpg)?
A:  Out of the box, EBS Extensions will not search images.  It is possible, through full use license of Endeca.

Q:  What technology is used in building the Endeca pages?  How does Endeca handle oracle patching and possible impacts to the Endeca pages?
A:  Endeca is the technology used to build the pages.  Patching is as with any other application.  There can be EBS patches and Endeca patches that would be applied.  Patches are validated before they are released to ensure quality.

Q:  If I integrate other system using informational link, can I have ability to display message when other system is down?
A:  If you are loading data into the EBS Extensions from other sources, this requires full use license of Endeca.  In that case, if the source system is down, the next ETL will fail, so the data will not refresh.   The UI’s will still work, but the data will not be refreshed.

Q:  How will the search criteria change, if we are using punchout process in iProcurement where we don't have any catalogs locally?
A:  Endeca search will work exactly the same whether internal or external catalogs.

Q:  What are the development tools utilized for Endeca?
A:  Endeca has its own tools.  We use browser to design UI with Admin Access.  To design or modify ETL there is an Integrator Designer. There is a YouTube video available for illustration: http://youtu.be/MBTQXNYBaBc?list=PLEOdbv_KaxnvbKypiUDfhSW6agJvJ30ds

Q: Does EBS admin user make global changes across their particular Endeca extension?
A:  Only Admin User can change the pages, but other users with the same responsibility will have the same change impact.

Q:  We have Exadata machine, so do we need exalytics to run endeca?
A:  Endeca Extensions can be run in any Linex machine.  Refer to installation document: Installing Oracle E-Business Suite Extensions for Oracle Endeca, Release 12.1 V5 (Doc ID 1614014.1) 

Q:  I was trying to look some Endeca Implementing documents, all tries were giving me only the installation process. Where can I find the Endeca user documentation for iProcurement?
A:  Document Reference Links R12.1.3
·         Oracle E-Business Suite Extensions for Oracle Endeca Integration and System Administration Guide
Release 12.1 V5                                                                      
Part Number E37993-08                                                
·         Installing Oracle E-Business Suite Extensions for Oracle Endeca, Release 12.1 V5 (Doc ID 1683053.1)
·         Oracle E-Business Suite Extensions for Oracle Endeca Release Notes for Release 12.1 V5 (Doc ID 1920133.1)
A:  Document Reference Links R12.2
·         Oracle E-Business Suite Extensions for Oracle Endeca Integration and System Administration Guide
Release 12.2 V5                                                                 
Part Number E49519-09                                                
·         Installing Oracle E-Business Suite Extensions for Oracle Endeca, Release 12.1 V5 (Doc ID 1614014.1)
·         Oracle E-Business Suite Extensions for Oracle Endeca Release Notes for Release 12.1 V5 (Doc ID 1663193.1)

Q:  In today presentation it mentioned " Replace some customization " what do u mean by this?
A: In the example I spoke of, the customer shared with us that they had some planned customization for inventory, Item compare, as I recall.  After seeing the functionality provided with the Endeca Extensions, they no longer needed to develop this.

Q:  Once Endeca Foundation is installed, can it be used across EBS and Data Warehouse?
A: The Data Warehouse can be considered another external data source from which you can load data into the Endeca Data Domain (Store).

Q:  Can we integrate one Endeca install with multiple EBS instances?
A:  Not out of the box. However, through custom ETL this could be accomplished.

Q:  Is it possible to install Endeca standalone and connect to various system sources as EBS, PeopleSoft etc.?
A: The Endeca Extensions are an EBS product.  However, Oracle sells Endeca as a technology that can be licensed for development of applications.

Q:  Can we just purchase the Endeca extension without the Discovery foundation?
A:  No. License requirements include the Endeca Extension for the respective application and EID, Endeca Discovery Foundation.


Oracle EBS Endeca Extension - Error encounter in new Installation


If integration is not done properly below are the list of possible errors which you might encounter :


1.     Endeca Menus are not enable:
Error Message/Description:
Endeca related menus are not available/ visible in EBS application.
Cause:
Required roles are not assigned to responsibility and grant are not given to the role to view Endeca pages.
Solution:
Add roles to responsibilities and provide grants as well. Refer oracle note id Doc ID 1614014.1 -> APPENDIX B: adding roles to responsibilities and setting security.
2.     Profile option FND_ENDECA_INTEGRATOR_URL is not defined:
Error Message /Description:
When we run concurrent program from EBS it got error out saying Profile value is not set for FND_ENDECA_INTEGRATOR_URL.
Cause:
Profile option is not set.
Solution:
Set value: Clover URL.
3.     Concurrent Program Completed with Error :
Error Message/Description:
Server returned HTTP response code: 401 for URL:
Cause:
Not able to ping URL from EBS.
Solution:
 Validate clover login credential stored in FND vault.
SQL to validate credential in FND vault:
select fnd_vault.get ('endeca_integrator_admin','clover_userName') from dual;
                select fnd_vault.get ('endeca_integrator_admin','clover_password')  from dual;

(Note: If there is no data in above sql queries then you have to run script to store clover credential in FND vault. For more information please refer Document ID: 1470151.1 )
        
       4.         Graphs are Finished but no Data in EBS Endeca pages:

                         Error Message/Description :

 Unable to execute the EQL query that generates the chart data. See the application log for details, or contact a system administrator.
Cause:
Configuration issue.
Solution:
Validate EidConfig.properties , portal-ext.properties and Studio.log and confirm each values mention to build EBS – Endeca integration.
Check value for FND_SESSION_MANAGEMENT using below Sql query value is case sensitive.
Select FND_SESSION_MANAGEMENT.getsessioncookiename() from dual .
Verify same in portal-ext.properties and eidconfig.properties file if any discrepancy found update value and bounces studio manager.
File location:
/u01/Oracle/quickInstall/EidConfig.properties
/u01/Oracle/Middleware/user_projects/domains/portal-ext.properties.
5.     Clover graph fail to load data for sandbox: AP

Error Message/Description:

                Clover graph failed to load data for AP.

Cause:

Endeca Aging Template not set to any templatei.e “AP: Endeca Aging Template”.

Solution:

Perform Setup for Template and set profile option value “ AP: Endeca Aging Template”