Interfaces in Oracle

Any business implementing oracle will generally make use of the available interfaces for integration.
Interfaces are the points in the system from where the data generally enters the system.
Oracle EBS consists of a number of modules each of which interact with each other sharing data and other business information. All the data flow between the modules is done via the interfaces provided by Oracle. For Eg: Data Between Order Management and Account Receivable is shared via the AR Interface , between AR and GL via the GL Interface etc.

Interfaces are tables which can be provided in the oracle package or created as a part of some customization in the system.

Interfaces are extensively used:

•  in times of data conversion
• daily interfacing of data from non-oracle and feeder systems
• seamless integration between different oracle modules

Types of Interfaces on the basis of Data Flow:

1. Inbound Interface : An inbound interface in the system is the gateway from where data comes into an Oracle module from other oracle modules or from non-oracle systems. The data in this interface is then processed and included into the oracle system. These interfaces might be standard or custom
2. Outbound Interface : The way oracle system receives data from non-oracle system , similarly the business might also be sending out data out  , for this the system will generate data files which are sent across to other systems. These are outbound interfaces which are again standard of custom.

Interfaces on the basis of standards

1. Standard Interface/Open Interface: These are the standard interfaces provided by oracle  for data import
2. Custom Interface: These are custom programs developed as a part of business requirements for data integration and import

                      

Open Interface: 

Oracle Open Interfaces are the standard interfaces provided by oracle for integrating the oracle system to other oracle modules and to interface it with other data sources. Each of the Open interface will be processing the incoming data.

There are some steps in which the data will be processed

1. Source System Creates Data :  The source system will create the data , this might be in the form of flat file.
2. Data Load: The flat file having the data needs to be loaded into the open interface tables
3. Data Processing : The business might have some custom program to pre-process the incoming data and see if all the mandatory fields are there or not
4. Call the Open interface program : Once the pre-processing if required is done , the open interface program is called , this program will perform all the validations which have been defined by oracle , derive the related fields required on the basis of the data provided process the data and load into the oracle base tables or error them out
5. Correction: If the record is errored out during the validation by the Open interface, the data needs to be corrected and re-processed

Custom Interface

For business requirements the system might have custom interfaces which take in data from third party systems and process them as per the business customization's

There are some steps in which the data will be processed

1. Source System Creates Data :  The source system will create the data , this might be in the form of flat file.
2. Data Load: The flat file having the data needs to be loaded into the open interface tables
3. Data Processing : The business might have some custom program to pre-process the incoming data and see if all the mandatory fields are there or not
4. Call the interface program : Once the pre-processing if required is done , the interface program is called , this program will perform all the validations which have been defined by oracle , derive the related fields required on the basis of the data provided process the data and load into the oracle base tables or error them out
5. Correction: If the record is errored out during the validation by the Open interface, the data needs to be corrected and re-processed