© 2003 solution beacon, llc. all rights reserved. common pitfalls with setting up and administering...

© 2003 Solution Beacon, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Common Pitfalls with Setting Up and Administering Workflow

Workflow SIGWorkflow SIG

September 14, 2003September 14, 2003

Connection PointConnection Point

Karen BrownfieldKaren Brownfield

[email protected]@solutionbeacon.comom

www.solutionbeacon.comwww.solutionbeacon.com


About the Presenter 25+ yrs experience in IT Industry 12+ yrs experience Oracle Applications 5 yrs experience Workflow OAUG Board of Directors 11 years, Past President, IOUC

Pricing Council Presenter of Training/Presentations multiple clients,

conferences Solution Beacon is a leading provider of expert-level

resources to Government Agencies and Fortune 1000 companies specializing in the Oracle Applications marketplace, providing leading expertise in the following areas:

Release 11i Upgrades/Implementations Oracle Apps Database Administration Oracle Systems Architecture Oracle Performance Tuning Oracle Workflow


Oracle Defaults Administrator to Oracle Defaults Administrator to SYSADMIN (the user)SYSADMIN (the user)

Recommend selecting ResponsibilityRecommend selecting ResponsibilitySystem AdministratorSystem AdministratorWorkflow AdministratorWorkflow Administrator

Should add ability to run concurrent Should add ability to run concurrent programsprograms

Must create Program groupMust create Program groupLogin as SYSADMIN, System Login as SYSADMIN, System

Administrator responsibilityAdministrator responsibilityWorkflow | Global PreferencesWorkflow | Global Preferences

Workflow Administrator


Notifications to SYSADMIN

Notification or Routing RulesNotification or Routing Rules Forward to new AdministratorForward to new Administrator Exceptions by workflowExceptions by workflow

Example – HR setup messagesExample – HR setup messages Re-assign any existing notificationsRe-assign any existing notifications


Vision – Notification Preference Global Preferences, Global Preferences, ‘‘Send me Electronic Notifications’Send me Electronic Notifications’

Change to ‘Do not send me mail’Change to ‘Do not send me mail’


Must use Personal Home Page 177240.1 – Self Service Profile 177240.1 – Self Service Profile

options won’t loadoptions won’t load Can’t open System Administrator – Can’t open System Administrator –

FRM-92100 – 135005.1FRM-92100 – 135005.1


Monitor – Won’t open Metalink note Metalink note

170050.1, 174820.1170050.1, 174820.1 Global PreferencesGlobal Preferences

Jinitiator ClassIDJinitiator ClassID Jinitiator VersionJinitiator Version Must match Must match

$OA_HTML/bin/ $OA_HTML/bin/ appsweb.cfgappsweb.cfg

Workflow Web Agent Workflow Web Agent – not adjusted for – not adjusted for cloned instancecloned instance


Builder Tool Can’t Access the Database SQL*Net issue – 69725.1SQL*Net issue – 69725.1 Wrong version of BuilderWrong version of Builder

2.6.2 – patch 26105072.6.2 – patch 2610507 Must use apps useridMust use apps userid


Notifications Don’t Deliver Mailer not runningMailer not running

Add startup/shutdown to database Add startup/shutdown to database startup/shutdown scriptstartup/shutdown script

Mailer quits immediatelyMailer quits immediately Remove Shutdown fileRemove Shutdown file

PO only – make sure ‘Send Notifications for PO only – make sure ‘Send Notifications for Purchasing Documents’ concurrent program is Purchasing Documents’ concurrent program is running (and restarts itself)running (and restarts itself)

Make sure background engine is runningMake sure background engine is running Problems – 174207.1Problems – 174207.1


Notifications Don’t Deliver If setup to work with Sendmail – validate If setup to work with Sendmail – validate

Sendmail setup correctlySendmail setup correctly 11i Notification Mailer Setup and Testing – 11i Notification Mailer Setup and Testing –

Definitive Step by Step Guide – An Oracle Definitive Step by Step Guide – An Oracle White Paper White Paper

Metalink - Top Tech Docs>E-Business Metalink - Top Tech Docs>E-Business Suite-ERP> Workflow>Notification Suite-ERP> Workflow>Notification Mailer. Under sub-heading Notification Mailer. Under sub-heading Notification Mailer Version 2.6X, FAQMailer Version 2.6X, FAQ


Notifications Don’t Deliver Validate setupValidate setup

MAPI compliant – 104197.1MAPI compliant – 104197.1 SendMail – 104198.1SendMail – 104198.1 OAM – 164871.1OAM – 164871.1

If person setup as employeeIf person setup as employee Link employee to FND_USERLink employee to FND_USER Specify email in PER_ALL_PEOPLE_F Specify email in PER_ALL_PEOPLE_F

recordrecord If person not setup as employeeIf person not setup as employee

Specify email in FND_USER recordsSpecify email in FND_USER records


Notifications Don’t Deliver

Check integrity of Directory ServicesCheck integrity of Directory Services $FND_TOP/sql/WFDIRCHK.sql$FND_TOP/sql/WFDIRCHK.sql

Oracle WorkflowsOracle Workflows Performers that are Item Attributes Performers that are Item Attributes

– Attribute has default value (see – Attribute has default value (see setup in each module for which setup in each module for which performers must be definedperformers must be defined



Custom WorkflowsCustom Workflows Performer name must equal Performer name must equal

Display_Name in WF_ROLESDisplay_Name in WF_ROLES If Type=Item Attribute, type of If Type=Item Attribute, type of

Item Attribute = RoleItem Attribute = Role If Type = Constant, must load If Type = Constant, must load

from Directory Services in Builder from Directory Services in Builder ToolTool



Top Tech Docs / e-Business Suite-Top Tech Docs / e-Business Suite-ERP/WorkflowERP/Workflow ScriptsScripts

WFSUPPORT.sqlWFSUPPORT.sqlWFDebugMailer115.zipWFDebugMailer115.zip

•Apply suggested patchesApply suggested patches•Fix any errorsFix any errors



Note 172174.1Note 172174.1 Supptest26.wflSupptest26.wfl ftp://oracle-ftp.oracle.com/apps/ftp://oracle-ftp.oracle.com/apps/patchsetspatchsets

/AOL/SCRIPTS/WORKFLOW/GENERIC/11i//AOL/SCRIPTS/WORKFLOW/GENERIC/11i/


ORA-600 error Wfqclean – if on database < 8.1.5, drop user

or tablespace w/o previously running wfqed Symptom – ORA-600 error when recreate

queues Paramater – username of schema that

experiences the error Wfqed – drops queues – run before dropping

user or tablespace


Seeded Workflows Don’t work Verify all required setups specific Verify all required setups specific

to workflow are doneto workflow are done Documented in each module’s Documented in each module’s

users guideusers guide PerformersPerformers TimeoutsTimeouts Profile OptionsProfile Options PA Account GeneratorsPA Account Generators


Performance is Sluggish

Purge Runtime History – set purge Purge Runtime History – set purge to repeat periodicallyto repeat periodically Special purge needed for Special purge needed for

FAFLEXWF – persistance type = FAFLEXWF – persistance type = PermanentPermanent

Ensure ‘Abandoned’ workflows are Ensure ‘Abandoned’ workflows are purgedpurged WFRMTYPE.sql – will end all WFRMTYPE.sql – will end all

running copies and then purgerunning copies and then purge


Periodic Scripts

All in $FND_TOP/sqlAll in $FND_TOP/sql WFDIRCHK.sqlWFDIRCHK.sql WFREFCHK – check for invalid WFREFCHK – check for invalid

workflow data that is missing workflow data that is missing primary key data for a foreign keyprimary key data for a foreign key

WFSTDCHK – check and report any WFSTDCHK – check and report any problems in Workflow data modelproblems in Workflow data model


Periodic Scripts

Wfverchk – identifies errors in Wfverchk – identifies errors in versions of activities that cause versions of activities that cause multiple versions to appear to be multiple versions to appear to be active at onceactive at once

Wfverupd – correct problems due to Wfverupd – correct problems due to multiple versions of activities active multiple versions of activities active at same timeat same time


Stuck Workflows

End node not an end nodeEnd node not an end node In Monitor must look like notIn Monitor must look like not Resultout not set to Internal Resultout not set to Internal

Name of lookup typeName of lookup typeN or Y, not No or YesN or Y, not No or Yes

Spaces between : and resultSpaces between : and result Block Functions that don’t have Block Functions that don’t have

timeouts timeouts


Metalink Notes

Top Tech Docs – e-Business Suite:ERP – Top Tech Docs – e-Business Suite:ERP – WorkflowWorkflow All Sections - All Sections - Oracle Workflow Oracle Workflow

Troubleshooting/Resolution Flow Troubleshooting/Resolution Flow Chart (Embedded WF 2.6)Chart (Embedded WF 2.6)

Diagnostics – e-Business Suite Diagnostics – e-Business Suite Release 11i – e-Business Suite:ERP – Release 11i – e-Business Suite:ERP – Application Core Technology - Application Core Technology - WorkflowWorkflow


Metalink Notes

A System Administrators’ Guide: A System Administrators’ Guide: Oracle Workflow Applications 11i Oracle Workflow Applications 11i Workflow Workflow 284811 – revised May 2003284811 – revised May 2003

E-Business 11i – Documentation – E-Business 11i – Documentation – Workflow Workflow


Thank you!

If you have any questions or comments please contact If you have any questions or comments please contact us:us:

Karen Brownfield [email protected] Brownfield [email protected]

For free Release 11For free Release 11ii Tools please visit our Tools please visit our website at:website at:

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