HCM Extracts FAQ for Release 5
Question
What are the database item (DBI) group
names and user entities for the following
items:
- Deduction Code
- Deduction Amount
- Deduction Factor
- Deductions Change Effective Date
Are these available in the
PER_ASG_ASSIGNMENT_DETAIL_UE user
entity?
Can Oracle Transaction Business
Intelligence (OTBI) integrate with Fusion
HCM Extract?
Is it possible to capture the data saved in
Flexfields as an extract?
For example: In order to capture the
number of contacts an employee has, you
can include one flexfield to capture the
count of contacts. Can you capture this
count in an extract?
Can you extract any element from the
underlying tables? Does it extract from
View Objects (VOs)? Are the VOs mapped
to every field in the table?
Would HCM Extracts support conversions
and inbound interfaces?
What is an extract type?
Answer
Pay element DBIs are dynamically generated once payroll
is defined. The automatically generated element DBIs
should be available in a DBI groups list, if block is created
with user entity PER_EXT_PAY_EMPLOYEES_UE
Database items (DBIs) are automatically generated when
you create elements. You can use these DBIs in data
elements directly. You must use the
PER_EXT_PAY_EMPLOYEE_UE user entity.
Do not use the PER_ASG_ASSIGNMENT_DETAIL because it
is not a valid user entity in HCM Extracts and should not
be associated to a block.
Yes. You have two options:
1: HCM Extracts can extract the data and produce an
output using CSV, XML or PDF. OTBI can then accept a
data source in excel or XML format (SaaS customers will
need Oracle to set this up for them).
2: BI Publisher can also accept a data source in excel or
XML format (again SaaS customers will need Oracles help).
HCM extracts has integration with BI Publisher.
There are database item groups available on most of the
Person and Assignment related tables, and if the number
of contacts for an employee is stored in flexfield
attributes, then yes, you can extract this information.
HCM Extracts is based on seeded fast formula meta data
(routes, user entities, database items, DBI groups, etc).
Fast formula meta data is based on seeded SQL queries,
and not based on VOs.
The HCM Extracts tool is for outbound interfaces only. You
use this tool to extract data in the supported layouts and
deliver that data in different file formats.
Here is a list of extract types and their descriptions:
1- Full Profile (FULLPRF): Use this type for complete

For a 'Changes Only' extract run, can you You can invoke a Changes Only extract run by including
include column level changes only? Or will the ‘CHANGES_ONLY’ parameter and threading details.
the extract include the whole row for a
person if the person has a change?
employee and payroll data archives. You can also use this
extract type for all custom or seeded extracts.
2- Archive Retrieval (ARCRET): Use this type for reports
based on permanently archived data. For example,
payslip. This extract type is intended for seeded extracts
only.
3- Benefits Carrier (BENCARRIER): Use this type for
providing data to 3rd party benefits service providers. You
can also use this extract type for custom or seeded
extracts.
4- EOY Archive (EOYAR): Use this type for End of Year
archives (HR, payroll, benefits etc.). You can also use this
extract type for custom or seeded extracts.
5- HR Archive (HRAR): Use this type for all HR archives,
and you can also use for custom or seeded extracts.
6- Payroll Archive (PAYAR): Use this type for payroll or
payslip archives. This extract type is intended for seeded
extracts only.
7- Payroll Interface (PAYINT): Use this type for providing
data to 3rd party payroll service providers. You can also
use this extract type for custom or seeded extracts.
8- Payments (PAYMENTS): Use this type for salary
payment method archives. For example: paid through
cheque, bank transfer. This extract type is intended for
seeded extracts only.
9- Other Payroll Archive (PAYROLLAR): Use this type for all
payroll archives. You can also use this extract type for
custom or seeded extracts.
This type of extract can generate incremental data by
comparing the previous runs. There are four modes that
we support in the following table:
Parameter
Value Description
N Extract produces full output
Performs a comparison with previous runs
and will display entire row/data under this
action if any of the data elements have
Y changed.
Will display elements that have changed
Attribute or marked as mandatory.
Will display elements that have changed
or marked as mandatory plus the previous
Attrib_Old value.
Will Changes only extract work if one of
the DFF was changed?
How does the HCM extract determine
that there are changes in the data?
What UE or DBI group do you use to
include the social security number?
What UE or DBI group do you use to
include the legal entity name?
Which DBI do you use to gain access to
the Termination Reason at the
relationship level? ‘Person Termination
Action Reason’ is the only attribute
available for a leaving or termination
reason.
What is the difference between the
‘Assignment Status Type’ and the ‘Extract
Employee Assignment Status Type’
attributes?
How do you know which one to use?
Can you hard code a space using a data
element? Do you have to select the
'String' type element?
How do you extract person ID?
How do you attach lookups to
Yes, this will work.
Changes only program compares current output (XML)
with previous run (output XML) and deliver the entire
changed record.
When you run a Changes Only extract with parameter
value as Y, Attribute, Attrib_Old, the extract program
compares current output with previous output, and
identifies the changed items and extracts the result.
Use the 'Person Primary NID' DBI. The DBI groups listed
while creating data elements are derived from the User
Entities you selected in the block definition.
The PER_EXT_PAY_EMPLOYEES_UE and
PER_EXT_SEC_ASSIGNMENT_UE
user entities set the context of the person_Id and
therefore you can use the ‘Person Primary NID’ DBI group
with either of them.
Use the 'Assignment Legal Employer Name’ DBI. The
PER_EXT_PAY_EMPLOYEES_UE and
PER_EXT_SEC_ASSIGNMENT_UE user entities set the
context of Assignment_ id and therefore you can use the
‘Assignment Legal Employer’ DBI group with either of
them.
You can use the 'Person Termination Action Reason'
database item group because it provides you with the
termination reason details at the relationship level.
The 'Extract Employee Assignment Status Type' attribute is
a DBI group which is directly associated with the user
entity when defining the block. The 'Assignment Status
Type' attribute is a DBI group which is associated with a
different user entity, and is accessible because of contexts
that have been set (indirectly derived).
Directly associated DBI groups are more efficient
compared to indirect. Therefore, it would be better to use
the 'Extract Employee Assignment Status Type' attribute
rather than the 'Assignment Status Type' attribute
because of performance considerations.
No. You can include a space in the EFT/RTF template
directly, rather than creating a data element.
You can use the 'Extract Employee Person Number' DBI
group to extract person ID information. Do not use the
'Person ID' DBI group because it is an invalid DBI.
You can add lookups to parameters using the Refine HCM
parameters?
What is the threading database item and
what is the connection with the extract
block?
How do you determine the threading
database item for each UE? Do you have
to provide a unique element as the
database item? Can this be any unique
item? For example, any ID in that entity?
What is the context in which you identify
the ‘threading action type’?
Can you create a user entity?
How do you display flexfield values in an
extract?
How do you schedule an extract?
Extract task.
A threading database item is required for implementation
of the Changes Only feature. The threading database item
is a unique ID in the chosen user entity.
Generally for Pay Employee UE, Assignment UE it would
be DBI with %ASSIGNMENT%ID. For Person UE, it would
be DBI with pattern %PERSON%ID.
You can declare one threading database item for one
extract. You can declare the threading database item at
the root block or any child block level. For example, you
declare the threading database item from the location
where you need changes only.
It is implicit. For example, for the Job UE, the threading
database item would be: ‘%JOB%ID’, for the Contact UE,
the threading database item would be’ %Contact%ID’.
You should always use “Object Actions” for Adhoc
reporting purpose.
No.
Refer to the HCM Extracts User Guide with the attachment
document on HCM Entity Attributes for Extracts for a
complete list of user entities and associated attributes.
(Available in My Oracle Support, Doc ID 1559127.1).
You can configure registered HCM flexfields to add
contexts and segments for your business requirements.
After you deploy the flexfield, you can generate database
items for the flexfield for use in your formulas and
extracts by submitting the Generate Flexfield Database
Items process from the Payroll Checklist or Payroll
Calculation work areas.
Refer to the HCM Extracts User Guide for more
information on generating DBIs for flexfields. (Available in
My Oracle Support, Doc ID 1559127.1).
You can schedule an extract using a fast formula with
‘Flow Schedule’ as the type. You can select the following
options for recursive scheduling: Daily, Weekly, and
Monthly.
Refer to the HCM Extracts User Guide for more
information on scheduling an extract. (Available in My
Oracle Support, Doc ID 1559127.1).