Flex Fields

usage of $FLEX$ This article illustrates the usage of $FLEX$ with an example.$FLEX$ is a special bind variable that can be used to base a parameter value on the other parameter s (dependent parameters) Syntax :$FLEX$.Value_ Set_Name Value_Set_Name is the name of value set for a prior parameter in the same parame ter window that you want your parameter to depend on. Some scenarios where $FLEX$ can be used: Example1: Say you have a concurrent program with the below 2 parameters which are valueset s : Parameter1 is Deparment Parameter2 is Employee name Let s say there are 100 deparments and each deparment has 200 employees. Therefor e we have 2000 employees altogether. If we display all department names in the valueset of parameter1 and all employ ee names in parameter2 value set then it might kill lot of performance and als o it will be hard for a user to select an employee from the list of 2000 entries . Better Solution is to let user select the department from the Department Valuset first. Based on the department selected, you can display only the employees in parameter2 that belong to the selected department in parameter1 valueset. Example2: Say you have a concurrent program with the below 2 parameters: parameter1: directory path parameter2: filename Parameter1 and parameter2 are dependent on each other. If the user doesn t enter directory path, there is no point in enabling the parameter2 i.e filename. In s uch a case, parameter should be disabled.This can be achieved using $FLEX$. Working Example of how to use $FLEX$: Let s take the standard concurrent program AP Withholding Tax Extract to explain ho w to use $FLEX$. This program has 7 parameters like Date From , Date To , Supplier From , Supplier To The requirement is to add an additional parameter called File Name where the user will give a name to the flat file where the tax extract will be written to, as a parameter. Instead of typing in the name of the file everytime you run the pro gram, the file name should be defaulted with the value that the user provides f or the parameter Date From plus .csv which is the file extension. Let us now see ho w this can be achieved using $FLEX$. Navigation: Application Developer responsibility > Concurrent > Program Query up the Concurrent Click Parameters Button

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Add the parameter File Seq: 80 (Something that is not already assigned to other parameters. It s alwa ys better to enter sequences in multiple of 5 or 10. So that you can insert any additional parameters if you want later in middle) Parameter: File Name Description: File Name Value set: 240 Characters Prompt: File Name Default Type: SQL Statement Default Value: Select :$FLEX$.FND_STANDARD_DATE|| .csv from dual

Here FND_STANDARD_DATE is the value set name of the parameter Date From as seen in the above screenshot. $FLEX$.FND_STANDARD_DATE gets the value that the user enters for the parameter Da te From select :$FLEX$.FND_STANDARD_DATE|| .csv from dual returns Date From parameter value ap pended with .csv Save your work. Now go to the respective responsibility and run the concurrent program. When you enter the value of Date From and hit tab, File Name parameter will automa tically be populated as shown in the below screenshot.