Question about BIP Integration with JDE 9.0

Mariano Greis

Member
Hi.

For the past few years we've been using a customized layout-generating solution that allows us to remap the fields on the PDF generated by JDE to wherever we want, add custom literals, images, etc by use of a simple select-and-drag GUI. It can take us less than ten minutes to make a minor positioning change to a report, even if that report hasn't ever had a custom layout associated to it, since all of the fields in the original PDF are preserved, and it takes us about one to three hours to produce a fully customized template to our report, similar (but not quite as pretty, if I may say so) to the ones used as examples by Oracle to promote BIP.

We've been contemplating the possibility of using BI Publisher, mainly due to a couple of features our custom solution doesn't provide (i.e., graphics generation), however, we cannot find a way to make a small change to a particular report without having to map ALL of its fields in a layout first. On top of it all, on the contrary to the easily-understood XML fields you can have by way of custom queries using the standalone BIP client, the embedded solution relies on the extremely cryptic XML data generated by JDE.

Is there something we are missing? Is there a way to:

1) make a small, custom change to a report without having to manually map all the fields?

2) somehow modify the XML output generated by JDE to make it more human-friendly?

Thanks in advance!
 
Hi,

How are you generating the XML file? When you say cryptic I guess u many be using the XML generated by OSA. The simpler XML that will be used by the BI has to be generated by creating a Report Definition Object.

Satish
 
Hi,

I have tried creating a Report Definition Object (P95620) for a sample Purchase Order Print (R43500), and viewing the RD Source using the Report Definition Jobs application gave me the following XML output:

<font class="small">Code:</font><hr /><pre> <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-16" standalone="no" ?>
- <!-- Generated by EnterpriseOne Universal Batch Engine
-->
- <R43500>
- <Properties>
<Version>QBIT0001</Version>
<Title>Purchase Order Print</Title>
<Machine>QENT90</Machine>
<Host>QENT90</Host>
<Environment>JPY900</Environment>
<User>GCONSOLINI</User>
<Role>*ALL</Role>
<Company>Worldwide Company</Company>
<OneWorldRelease>E900</OneWorldRelease>
<Date>09/02/09</Date>
<Time>15:30:22</Time>
</Properties>
- <Purchase_Order_Print_S42_Column_Headings Language="">
<PageHeaderNumber>1</PageHeaderNumber>
<Line_Number_ID2>Line</Line_Number_ID2>
<Change_Order_ID4>Rev</Change_Order_ID4>
<Description___Supplier_Item_ID38>Description /Supplier Item</Description___Supplier_Item_ID38>
<Quantity_ID26>Ordered</Quantity_ID26>
<UoM___As_Input_ID36>UOM</UoM___As_Input_ID36>
<Unit_Cost_ID24>Unit Price</Unit_Cost_ID24>
<PU__UM_ID34>PU UM</PU__UM_ID34>
<Extended_Price_ID28>Extended Price</Extended_Price_ID28>
<Request__Date_ID18>Request Date</Request__Date_ID18>
<Original_Order_Number_ID20>Order No</Original_Order_Number_ID20>
<Original_Order_Type_ID22>Ty</Original_Order_Type_ID22>
<Ord__Suf_ID30>Ord Suf</Ord__Suf_ID30>
<Ship_To__Number_ID32>Ship To Number</Ship_To__Number_ID32>
</Purchase_Order_Print_S42_Column_Headings>
- <PageHeaders>
- <Page_Header_S43>
<PageHeaderNumber>1</PageHeaderNumber>
<R43500_ID1>R43500</R43500_ID1>
<Variable_000004_ID4>2009-02-09</Variable_000004_ID4>
<szCompanyDescription_ALPH_ID17>Financial/Distribution Company</szCompanyDescription_ALPH_ID17>
<Page___ID7>Page -</Page___ID7>
<Variable_000006_ID6>1</Variable_000006_ID6>
<szReportDescription_ALPH_ID18>Purchase Order Print</szReportDescription_ALPH_ID18>
</Page_Header_S43>
</PageHeaders>
- <Purchase_Order_Print_S42_Group>
- <On_Ship_To_S45>
<PageHeaderNumber>1</PageHeaderNumber>
<DocumentOrderInvoiceE_ID135>Order Number</DocumentOrderInvoiceE_ID135>
<OrderSuffix_ID140>000</OrderSuffix_ID140>
<OrderType_ID138>OP</OrderType_ID138>
<DocumentOrderInvoiceE_ID136>4888</DocumentOrderInvoiceE_ID136>
<__ID17>-</__ID17>
<Branch_Plant_ID18>Branch/Plant</Branch_Plant_ID18>
<Business_Unit_ID19>10</Business_Unit_ID19>
<__ID16>-</__ID16>
<OrderType_ID8>OP</OrderType_ID8>
<Order_Suffix_ID6>000</Order_Suffix_ID6>
<DocumentOrderInvoiceE_ID2>4888</DocumentOrderInvoiceE_ID2>
<CompanyKeyOrderNo_ID142>00001</CompanyKeyOrderNo_ID142>
<Ship_To_ID23>Ship To</Ship_To_ID23>
<Sold_To_ID22>A Project Management Company</Sold_To_ID22>
<Shipped_From_ID20>Shipped From</Shipped_From_ID20>
<Ship_To_ID25>Western Distribution Center</Ship_To_ID25>
<Clause_ID_ID144>0</Clause_ID_ID144>
<Sold_To_Address_Line_1_ID27>Stanford Office Center, #200</Sold_To_Address_Line_1_ID27>
<Ship_To__Address_Line_1_ID41>1324 E. Smith</Ship_To__Address_Line_1_ID41>
<Sold_To_Address_Line_2_ID29>University Office Park</Sold_To_Address_Line_2_ID29>
<Ship_To_Address_Line_2_ID43>Modesto CA 95350</Ship_To_Address_Line_2_ID43>
<Sold_To__Address_Line_3_ID31>2520 East University Boulevard</Sold_To__Address_Line_3_ID31>
<Sold_To_Address_Line_4_ID120>Parker CO 80134</Sold_To_Address_Line_4_ID120>
<Freight_Desc_ID67>.</Freight_Desc_ID67>
<Freight_ID62>Freight</Freight_ID62>
<Ordered_ID60>Ordered</Ordered_ID60>
<Order_Date_ID61>2009-02-09</Order_Date_ID61>
<Requested__ID68>Requested</Requested__ID68>
<Currency_Code_ID102>USD</Currency_Code_ID102>
<Currency_Code__ID101>Currency Code</Currency_Code__ID101>
<CurrencyConverRateOv_ID97>Exchange Rate</CurrencyConverRateOv_ID97>
<Requested_ID69>2009-02-09</Requested_ID69>
<Order_Taken_By__ID70>Order Taken By</Order_Taken_By__ID70>
<To_Currency_Code_ID77>USD</To_Currency_Code_ID77>
<Base_Currency_ID76>Base Currency</Base_Currency_ID76>
<Delivery_ID78>Delivery</Delivery_ID78>
<_Original__ID103>*Original*</_Original__ID103>
- <On_Order_Suffix_S58>
- <On_Line_Number_S47>
- <Purchase_Order_Print_S42>
<PageHeaderNumber>1</PageHeaderNumber>
<Line_Number_ID1>1.000</Line_Number_ID1>
<Change_Order_ID3>0</Change_Order_ID3>
<DescriptionLine1_ID37>Bike Rack - Trunk Mount</DescriptionLine1_ID37>
<UnitsTransactionQty_ID25>1001</UnitsTransactionQty_ID25>
<UoM___As_Input_ID35>EA</UoM___As_Input_ID35>
<PurchasingUnitPrice_ID23>8.0000</PurchasingUnitPrice_ID23>
<UnitOfMeasurePurchas_ID33>EA</UnitOfMeasurePurchas_ID33>
<Extended_Price_ID27>8008.00</Extended_Price_ID27>
<Requested_ID17>2009-02-09</Requested_ID17>
<Original_Order_Number_ID19>00004887</Original_Order_Number_ID19>
<Original_Order_Type_ID21>OP</Original_Order_Type_ID21>
<OrderSuffix_ID29>000</OrderSuffix_ID29>
<AddressNumberShipTo_ID31>6015</AddressNumberShipTo_ID31>
- <Purchasing_Ledger_Inquiry___Pur43_S46_Group>
- <Lots_Grades_Sub_S52>
<Purchasing_Ledger_Inquiry___Pur43_S46 />
</Lots_Grades_Sub_S52>
</Purchasing_Ledger_Inquiry___Pur43_S46_Group>
</Purchase_Order_Print_S42>
<UITMItemNumber_ID2>1001</UITMItemNumber_ID2>
<Tolerance_ID44>0.00</Tolerance_ID44>
<__ID34>-</__ID34>
<Lot_Potency_Range_ID8>Lot Potency Range</Lot_Potency_Range_ID8>
<__ID7>-</__ID7>
<Lot_Grade_Range_ID5>Lot Grade Range</Lot_Grade_Range_ID5>
<PurchaseLineCode01_ID49>Category Code 01</PurchaseLineCode01_ID49>
<PurchaseLineCode03_ID55>Category Code 03</PurchaseLineCode03_ID55>
<PurchaseLineCode02_ID51>Category Code 02</PurchaseLineCode02_ID51>
<PurchaseLineCode04_ID57>Category Code 04</PurchaseLineCode04_ID57>
</On_Line_Number_S47>
- <On_Line_Number_S47>
- <Purchase_Order_Print_S42>
<PageHeaderNumber>1</PageHeaderNumber>
<Line_Number_ID1>2.000</Line_Number_ID1>
<Change_Order_ID3>0</Change_Order_ID3>
<DescriptionLine1_ID37>Mountain Bike, Red</DescriptionLine1_ID37>
<UnitsTransactionQty_ID25>200</UnitsTransactionQty_ID25>
<UoM___As_Input_ID35>EA</UoM___As_Input_ID35>
<PurchasingUnitPrice_ID23>35.0000</PurchasingUnitPrice_ID23>
<UnitOfMeasurePurchas_ID33>EA</UnitOfMeasurePurchas_ID33>
<Extended_Price_ID27>7000.00</Extended_Price_ID27>
<Requested_ID17>2009-02-09</Requested_ID17>
<Original_Order_Number_ID19>00004887</Original_Order_Number_ID19>
<Original_Order_Type_ID21>OP</Original_Order_Type_ID21>
<OrderSuffix_ID29>000</OrderSuffix_ID29>
<AddressNumberShipTo_ID31>6015</AddressNumberShipTo_ID31>
- <Purchasing_Ledger_Inquiry___Pur43_S46_Group>
- <Lots_Grades_Sub_S52>
<Purchasing_Ledger_Inquiry___Pur43_S46 />
</Lots_Grades_Sub_S52>
</Purchasing_Ledger_Inquiry___Pur43_S46_Group>
</Purchase_Order_Print_S42>
<UITMItemNumber_ID2>210</UITMItemNumber_ID2>
<Tolerance_ID44>0.00</Tolerance_ID44>
<__ID34>-</__ID34>
<Lot_Potency_Range_ID8>Lot Potency Range</Lot_Potency_Range_ID8>
<__ID7>-</__ID7>
<Lot_Grade_Range_ID5>Lot Grade Range</Lot_Grade_Range_ID5>
<PurchaseLineCode01_ID49>Category Code 01</PurchaseLineCode01_ID49>
<PurchaseLineCode03_ID55>Category Code 03</PurchaseLineCode03_ID55>
<PurchaseLineCode02_ID51>Category Code 02</PurchaseLineCode02_ID51>
<PurchaseLineCode04_ID57>Category Code 04</PurchaseLineCode04_ID57>
</On_Line_Number_S47>
</On_Order_Suffix_S58>
<Total_Order__ID12>Total Order</Total_Order__ID12>
<Order_Extended_Price_ID13>15008.00</Order_Extended_Price_ID13>
- <Grand_Total_S50>
<PageHeaderNumber>1</PageHeaderNumber>
<Sales_Tax_ID2>Sales Tax</Sales_Tax_ID2>
<Total_Order_ID3>Total Order</Total_Order_ID3>
<Term_ID4>Term</Term_ID4>
<Payment_Terms_Desc_ID5>Net 30 Days</Payment_Terms_Desc_ID5>
<Tax_Rate_ID6>Tax Rate</Tax_Rate_ID6>
<_NA__ID8>*NA*</_NA__ID8>
<Tax_Order_Amount_ID9>.00</Tax_Order_Amount_ID9>
<Order_Total_ID10>15008.00</Order_Total_ID10>
</Grand_Total_S50>
</On_Ship_To_S45>
</Purchase_Order_Print_S42_Group>
</R43500> </pre><hr />

...which is really hard to work with.

Is there something I am missing?
 
I guess the first question is how familiar you are with XML code. The first demo that I ever saw on BI Publisher included the line "you really do not have to know XML to work with BIP". That is not really true; while it is not a prerequisite, knowing XML will help, especially when you get into more intricate reports. Let us know where you are on the journey, and we can better help you along...
 
Also, some users created a BI Special Interest Group within Quest (note: you do not have to be a Quest member to participate!)
We are building a consortium of knowledgeable consultants and seasoned end users. The intent is to create a "one stop (information) shop" for all things BI, including BI Publisher. If you are interested, I can give you dial-in information on the next conference call, which will include time for Q & A (which may be just what you need).
 
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