unlocking the power of oracle fast formula

7/28/2019 Unlocking the Power of Oracle Fast Formula

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OAUG Spring 2002 i

Unlocking the Power of Oracle Fast Formula

Prepared by Thomas Russell

Xcelicor, Inc.


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Document Control Page ii

Contents

Introduction.............................................................................................................................1

Purpose .............................................................................................................................1Summary...........................................................................................................................1

Advantages of Using Fast Formula / Rules .......................................................................2

How To Use Fast Formula (Rules) - Naming .....................................................................3

How To Use Fast Formula (Rules) - Syntax ........................................................................4

How To Use Fast Formula (Rules) - Conditional Logic ....................................................6

How To Use Fast Formula (Rules) - Functions...................................................................8

How To Use Fast Formula (Rules) - DBitems.....................................................................9

How To Use Fast Formula (Rules) Return Statement...................................................10

Fast Formula / Rules Where can they be used and how .............................................11

Payroll Run Time calculations.....................................................................................12Payroll Element input validation edits ....................................................................13Payroll Skip Rules.......................................................................................................14PTO Accruals Calculations for accrual and carryover ..........................................15Benefits Enforce client specific eligibilities, coverage rates, inception of coverage,etc. ....................................................................................................................................16Benefits System Extract data selection.....................................................................17HRMS Quickpaint for displaying employee information ....................................18

Conclusion.............................................................................................................................19

Questions ........................................................................................................................19


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Introduction

Purpose

Oracle Fast Formula are extremely versatile. The purpose of thisdocument is to focus on that versatility. It is notmeant to be an all encompassing how to guide. Instead, standard Oracle fast Formula documentation and

functionality will be referred to rather than re-defined.

Summary

Oracle Fast Formulae are most often thought of as a payroll feature and something too technical for the average userto use. It is generally known by Oracle payroll clients that fast formulae are programs that calculate earnings,deductions and taxes. This is a fairly narrow scope. Oracle has been inserting this technology in other applicationswithin the HRMS umbrella.

This presentation will dispel the misguided notion that fast formulae are for payroll only and that they are only forthe super technical. It will present fast formulae uses in payroll, benefits and system extract. It will unlock the power

of these applications; with fast formulae one can truly be free to enforce ones own client rules.

In payroll, fast formulae are used to determine if and when an element is processed , how it is processed and theresult of that processing. In benefits each comp object is furnished with a rule window that allows one to createcustom fast formulae for all benefit requirements including eligibilities, post processing edits, etc..

Additionally in the standard benefits product system extract enables one to extract prescribed data from theapplication and fast formulae explodes this realm in such a way that many extract files can be created by this feature

This presentation is not intended to present payroll, benefits or system extract but rather the underlying oftmisunderstood tool that can make implementing and maintaining client rules a routine task .


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Advantages of Using Fast Formula / Rules

Easy for the non technical to use

Knowledge of SQL not necessary

Integrated into Oracle HR, Payroll, Benefits : easy access to data (including balances)

An easy way to implement client specific rules


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How To Use Fast Formula (Rules) - Syntax

Improper syntax results in fast formula compilation errors. Formula like these will not execute. Syntax and usageguidelines are defined by Oracle in the Fast Formula documentation.

/****************************************

FORMULA NAME: mass transit

FORMULA TYPE: Payroll

Change History

22-FEB-2001 T Russell Created .

****************************************/

/* Alias Section */

ALIAS SCL_ASG_US_WORK_SCHEDULE AS Work_Schedule

/* Defaults Section */

default for tax_free_amount is 0

default for taxable_amount is 0

/* Inputs Section */

Inputs are tax_free_amount,

taxable_amount

IF taxable_amount WAS DEFAULTED or

tax_free_amount WAS DEFAULTED

THEN

( mesg =

'Mass transit requires both tax free and taxable amounts to be inputted'

RETURN mesg )

ELSE


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(

nottaxed = tax_free_amount

istaxed = taxable_amount

RETURN nottaxed, istaxed, mesg )


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How To Use Fast Formula (Rules) - Conditional Logic

If-Then-Else , conditional and nested logic allows great versatility in coding.

/********************************************************************

FORMULA NAME: MILEAGE_FLAT_AMOUNT_NONRECUR

FORMULA TYPE: Payroll

DESCRIPTION: calculate $ mileage using global

**********************************************************************

Change History

17-APR-01 T Russell Created.

**********************************************************************/

/* Input Value Defaults */

Default for MILEAGE_00_ADDITIONAL_ASG_GRE_ITD is 0

Default for MILEAGE_00_REPLACEMENT_ASG_GRE_ITD is 0

Default for MILEAGE_00_ASG_GRE_RUN is 0

Default for MILEAGE_00_ASG_GRE_YTD is 0

Default for Distance is 0

/* Inputs */

INPUTS ARE Distance

Amount=Distance * cents_per_mile_00 /* global */

mesg = 'amount='+to_text(amount) +' global='+to_text(cents_per_mile_00)

IF MILEAGE_00_REPLACEMENT_ASG_GRE_ITD WAS DEFAULTED OR

MILEAGE_00_REPLACEMENT_ASG_GRE_ITD = 0 THEN

(flat_amount = Amount + MILEAGE_00_ADDITIONAL_ASG_GRE_ITD

+ MILEAGE_00_ADDITIONAL_ASG_GRE_ITD)


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ELSE

(flat_amount = MILEAGE_00_REPLACEMENT_ASG_GRE_ITD

+ MILEAGE_00_ADDITIONAL_ASG_GRE_ITD

clear_repl_amt = -1 * MILEAGE_00_REPLACEMENT_ASG_GRE_ITD

mesg = 'MILEAGE_00 Amount overridden by Replacement Amount.')

IF MILEAGE_00_ADDITIONAL_ASG_GRE_ITD 0 THEN

clear_addl_amt = -1 * MILEAGE_00_ADDITIONAL_ASG_GRE_ITD

if (1 = 1) then (

)

RETURN flat_amount, clear_addl_amt, clear_repl_amt, mesg


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How To Use Fast Formula (Rules) - Functions

These are PL/SQL scripts that are catalogued for and made available to fast formula. These perform complex datamanipulations and allow one to be more economical in the coding of a fast formula. Oracle delivers many useful

functions and clients can define their own. The standard / delivered functions are documented by Oracle in theUsing Fast Formula manual. Some of the delivered functions are:

To_Char : used to transform character data to numeric

To_Num : used to transform data from char to numeric

Trunc: to truncate decimals

Days_Between : to return the days between two dates

Months_Between : to return the months between two dates

Years_Between : to return the years between two dates

Greatest : returns the greatest in a string

Least : returns the least in a string

Calculate_Payroll_periods

Get_Absence

Many More.


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How To Use Fast Formula (Rules) - DBitems

The data that is accessed in fast formula are registered as dbitems (data base items). Dbitems have context whichdetermine where they can be accessed. For example a dbitem for payroll may not be accessible to benefits. The client

can define dbitems automatically when a element, earning,deduction, balance, globals, person, etc. is defined. Onoccasion though a dbitem needs to be defined technically; this entails technical support to update those Oracle tablesdefining the dbitem and its context(s).

Automatically defined dbitems are called dynamic dbitems. Those dbitems pre-defined within the application arecalled static dbitems.

Dynamic Dbitems

Elements (earnings, deductions, information)

Element input values

Balances

Flex Fields

Global Values

Static Dbitems

Accrual Plans

Applicant

Employee

Contact

Location

Address

Date

Payroll

etc


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How To Use Fast Formula (Rules) Return Statement

Every fast formula should have a return statement. This fast formula statement when processed ends execution of theformula and passes the result of its execution to the appropriate destination.

Payroll uses the formula results form to map return variables as direct feeds (the result of thecalculation or indirect feeds (pass data to another element for subsequent processing or balanceprocessing or message processing). The client is free to name their own results, passing them thru thereturn statement and mapping them as desired.

Benefits There are prescribed returns predefined within the benefits application. So, in addition todetermining the type of fast formula one must also select the corresponding return. Failure to do thiswill result in the benefit rule not performing as desired..it will appear that the formula did notexecute.


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Fast Formula / Rules Where can they be used and how

A Fast Formula or Rule is only valuable when it can be executed. The following lists some of the places in OracleHRMS/Benefits where these rules can be executed

Payroll Payroll run time calculations

Payroll Element input validation edits

Payroll Skip Rule

PTO Accruals Calculations for accrual and carryover

Benefits Enforce client specific eligibilities, coverage rates, inception of coverage, etc.

Benefits System Extract data selection

HRMS Quickpaint for displaying employee information

HRMS Assignment Sets


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Payroll Run Time calculations


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Payroll Element input validation edits


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Payroll Skip Rules


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PTO Accruals Calculations for accrual and carryover


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Benefits Enforce client specific eligibilities, coverage rates, inception of coverage, etc.


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Benefits System Extract data selection


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Conclusion

Fast Formula (Rules) empower the non technical super user

Fast Formula (Rules) are versatile

Fast Formula (Rules) are integrated in the HRMS suite of applications

Future enhancements to Oracle HRMS/Benefits will continue to include Fast Formula (Rules)

Questions

?

unlocking the power of oracle fast formula

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