XML/BI Publisher Overview

What is XML 

XML extensible Markup Language is similar to HTML but designed be extended or expanded, it contains using special markup tags that are defined by the document creator

XML Data Structure

 

• UTF-8 (Unicode Transformation Format) is a variable-length character encoding for Unicode.

• It is able to represent any character in the Unicode standard, compatible with ASCII.

• preferred encoding for web pages and data flow in between systems

What is XML Publisher

XML Publisher / BI Publisher is a standalone Oracle product and an E-Business Suite integrated application module.

It is "a template-based publishing solution...that provides a new approach to report design and publishing by integrating familiar desktop processing tools..."

XML Publisher is a tool which enables the users to produce

• Flexible
• High quality
• Template-based

Reports from E-Business Suite data 

The Concept

The main feature of XML Publisher is that it separates the Data Source from the presentation/Layout

• Greater Flexibility
• Lesser maintenance
• Rapid Development

Why XML Publisher

 Business Requirements

• Rich Formatted Reports
• Partner Reports
• Financial Statements
• Government forms
• Marketing materials
• Contracts
• Checks
• Labels
• XML / EFT / EDI
• Multiple destinations

     No single system can currently do all this, you need to invest in 3^rd party software and often a dedicated server to achieve this. This leads to an increase in costs and very complex systems

   XML Publisher meets your business needs and they can be met directly out of the box and you can rapidly deploy it into your own environments.

XML Publisher will reduce your total cost of ownership and increase the return on your investment.

Using XML Publisher

XML Publisher enables user to design the check layout using Microsoft word or Adobe Acrobat.

The logo and signature just need to be inserted into the document. The MICR fonts can be purchased and included in the template like any other font.

• Meet Business Requirements
• Removes Complexity
• Reduces Maintenance Cost
• Reduces Total Cost  

How do I get my XML data?

• eBusiness Suite

                   Oracle Reports

                   A concurrent program designed to generate XML 

                   Data Template

• Peoplesoft (PeopleTools 8.48)

                    PS Query

                    People Code XML Doc

                    Web Services

• JDE (EnterpriseOne 8.96)

                   EnterpriseOne Reports

Process Overview  

• Set up the XML Publisher responsibility
• Set the E-Business Suite report to generate XML output.
• Register the E-Business Suite report as a Data Definition with XML Publisher.
• Design the template and Register the template in the Template Manager.             
• Run the Concurrent program to obtain the XML data and Publishing output

XML Publisher Responsibility

   
Concurrent Program

            Set the  output type format program to XML

XMLP Data Definition 

Navigation: XML Publisher Administrator-> Data Definition-> Create Data Definition Need to give Concurrent program short name in Code filed   

 

Name: Enter a user-friendly name for your data definition.

Code:  The data definition Code must match the concurrent program short name of the report

Application: Select the report's application from the LOV.

Start Date: Enter the date from which the data definition will be active (System Defaults the sysdate).

End Date You cannot delete data definitions from the Template Manager. To make the data definition inactive, enter an end date.

Data Template If you are using an XML Publisher data template to generate the data for this data definition, use the Add File button to upload your data template.

XMLP Template

Navigation: XML Publisher Administrator-> Template -> Create Template

Name: Enter a user-friendly name for your template.

Code: Assign a template code using the product short name and a descriptive ending.

Application: Select the report's Application.

Data Definition:  Select your report's data definition. The data definition must already exist in the Template Manager.

Type: Select the file type of the template.

Start Date:  Enter the date from which the template will be active.

End Date:  To make the template inactive, enter an end date.

Subtemplate:  If this is a subtemplate, select "Yes" from the drop list.

A subtemplate is referenced by other templates, but cannot be run on its own.

File: Use the “Browse” button to upload your template layout file.

Language: Select the template language.

Territory: Select the language territory.

Translatable (check box): Select this check box if you want this template to be translatable. Only RTF templates are translatable.