CREATING CUSTOMIZED ORACLE APPLICATIONS OUTPUT
WITHOUT CUSTOM PROGRAMMING
Business Summary:
THE NEED FOR CUSTOMIZED ORACLE
APPLICATIONS OUTPUT
There are billions of production documents
generated every day by Oracle Applications. . .
whether invoices, purchase orders, sales reports,
picking or packing slips, checks, bills of lading,
reports, export documents or a host of other
examples. They represent the backbone of
information on which most organizations and their
customers and business partners act and interact.
In today’s era of mass customization, creating and
distributing information based on the needs of
customers, suppliers, and other internal users is
imperative to business competitiveness. Making
that interaction as smooth, efficient and productive
as possible has become a fundamental imperative
of business survival. In addition, having the
flexibility to respond to constant changes in market
demand, at a moment’s notice is required.
The standard Oracle Applications output used to
generate those documents rarely makes provision
for customizing the information, without custom
programming, based on dynamic business
practices. The end result is all too often
manifested in five identical, inflexible, pre-printed
form parts distributed manually through the inter-
office or U.S. mail. Five identical parts designed
for the use of the “average user” or “average
customer” of the “average organization” in the
target market population for that software product.
Not much consolation, and not very optimal, for the
organization that considers their needs to be “other
than average.”
Many organizations that considered their needs to
be “other than average” have concerns that their
Oracle output documents are too generic and
inflexible to meet their needs. Having the lack of
ability to customize their information for internal
departments, vendors, customers and business
partners hinders their goal of total customer
intimacy. Enterprises are forced to cope with a
plethora of processes and resource constraints to
generate the dynamic output needed.
WORKING IN A STANDARD ORACLE
OUTPUT ENVIRONMENT
Internal users of production documents have quite
a job. They need targeted, efficient access to
appropriate information in order to do that job
effectively. Being able to have rapid, coordinated
responses to changing conditions is a competitive
necessity.
Currently within the standard Oracle Applications
environment, the pains being felt in response to
output customization include:
• the rising costs of pre-printed forms
• the rising costs associated with custom
programming changes
• having the flexibility to make changes
• controling the appearance and format of
documents based on business standards
• rapid implementation deployment
Most enterprise applications, even the latest
client/server versions, make the assumption that
pre-printed forms will be employed. This is an
assumption that often limits the user’s ability to
take best advantage of network-based printer
resources. The forms themselves are expensive
and inflexible. Implementing changes is expensive
and time-consuming and not to mention the cost
associated with the storage, management,
inventorying and handling of the forms.
In a generic approach to Oracle output
customization, custom programming is required.
Every IT department plans and budgets for custom
modification but it is increasingly becoming a major
and growing line item. Custom programming
requires an expensive commitment to ongoing
support and enhancements, and may even affect
an organization’s ability to receive “standard”
support from Oracle. Further, custom
modifications to packaged application software are,
by definition, a recurring expense. Upgrades to
new vendor releases inevitably lead to re-
investment in the same modifications of the latest
release. In addition, most IT departments have a
full schedule and the time it takes to make
modifications to the application are timely and may
still not support the required specifications originally
needed.
The output generated by Oracle Applications limits
the users ability to produce powerful interaction
tools. Information is static and restricted - limiting
line items, the inability to reformat data, the lack of
company individualization, the visual appealing
graphics, and the ease of use. Squinting in the dim
light of a dark warehouse to verify part numbers
printed in 10 point type makes order-picking
inefficient and error prone. And because the
information is static and not based on “user needs,”
it employs the user to create and distribute
documents manually. Having to manually select
and complete export documentation to accompany
an international order is cumbersome, time-
consuming, inefficient and error prone. Yet these
are typical daily challenges of organizations.
Figure 1
Figure 1 is an example of a standard Oracle Purchase
Order. It is easy to see that the output is very generic
and does not meet the expectations and needs of
customers.
STANDARD ORACLE INFORMATION
• Lack of company identification and standards
• No visual images – logos, barcodes, lines,
boxes, shaded areas, etc.
• Limited line items
• Lack of document reformatting
• Manual document process
THE SOLUTION FOR CUSTOMIZED
ORACLE APPLICATIONS OUTPUT
WITHOUT CUSTOM PROGRAMMING
The solution is a software engine designed for the
purpose of document or output customization,
which utilizes user-defined “business rules” to
configure the document formatting and distribution
process for Oracle Applications. This document
customization solution intercepts and interprets
standard Oracle print streams from unmodified
Oracle Applications. It identifies and encapsulates
data elements and “objects” represented in the
output, and then utilizes business rules templates
to customize the output documents. The full range
of digital document attributes may be modified in
real-time at “print time.” The end result is:
• Dynamic control over document parameters
without the need to modify the Oracle
Applications;
• Elimination of pre-printed forms requirements
in production;
• Elimination of the manual distribution of critical
business documents;
• Reduced IT work load to customize Oracle
Applications for forms-data formatting changes
during implementation.
Optio develops, implements and supports a suite of
integrated output customization and delivery
solutions that facilitates the integration,
individualization and delivery of information
throughout the enterprise and beyond. The
technology provides an enterprise-wide foundation
for ongoing output management that enables users
to customize information, as business needs
change. The solution has been developed with a
component-based open systems architecture,
allowing easy, seamless integration with disparate
information systems and Oracle Applications. The
technology provides a gateway between legacy and
client/server applications and their output
management. Users can import legacy data into
customized forms without reprogramming the
original application.
 WORKING IN A CUSTOMIZED ORACLE
Input APPLICATIONS ENVIRONMENT
F Channel
OptioDCS (Document Customization Server)
U integrates seamlessly with Oracle Applications
N enabling users to take advantage of the
C sophisticated capabilities of both a best-of-breed
T document and output customization solution and
I world-class Oracle Applications. The integration
O Data between the products is achieved through setting
N Maps Format Devices up new printer definitions in the Oracle
S Applications. When an Oracle Applications user
executes a print routine, the Oracle Application will
pass the standard Oracle printer “spool file” or print
Output stream into the OptioDCS software. This process
Channel will take place whether the print job of spool file(s)
which contain print output for multiple transactions,
or if the print job contains output to be printed for a
single transaction. The process of capturing the
standard Oracle “spool file” or database print
Figure 2
stream and reformatting it and then sending it to
the desired print or output destination(s) is
Input Channel: Where data comes from: stdin, transparent to the end-user who originally launched
file, odbc the print job from the Oracle Applications and
requires no modifications to the Oracle
Set Dimensions: page size, rows, columns Applications.
Delimited Data Structure
Data Maps: Location of data, set data to variables
and regions
O ra c le D B

Formats: Draw – constant text, images, barcodes,

lines combs, boxes and segments

Devices: PCL 4, 5 & GL2, postscript, 1 & 2, RTF,

GDI, thermals, text
O p tio
O racle
Output Channel: Laser printers, file, fax server, S o ftw are
A p ps O racle
SMTP (e-mail), thermal printers cold document DCS
S p oo l File
imaging

Functions: Can be used anywhere in the Figure 3

document – Anything that is done more than once.
OptioDCS (Document Customization Server) Solution
provides the customer access to their SQL database
Example: Mathematical Calculations
from within Optio Document Customization Language
(DCL). Customers can write DCL statements that will
retrieve information from the database, insert
information into the database, update information
already in the database or delete information from the
database. Optio is a Certified Oracle CAI partner on
R10.7SC, R10.7 NCA and R11.0.1.
After executing “print” from within the Oracle
Applications, the elements of the print stream are
identified by location based on the “spool data
map.” Once identified, it is tested against pre-
defined business rules. The data is then placed in
the appropriate location required by the recipient
and merged with the static graphical elements of
the documents – including logos, graphics,
barcodes, etc. Once the content and the style of
the document have been created, OptioDCS will
deliver the document to the predefined output
destination(s), which could include laser or thermal
printers, OptioFAX, SMTP compliant e-mail
systems, COLD storage devices, imaging systems,
or to a file. The end result is custom-formatted
documents tailored to, and automatically delivered
to the recipients. The implementation of dynamic
document formatting and delivery will allow users
to leverage the value of the investment made in
Oracle Applications and help enterprises
accelerate implementation cycles by eliminating
custom programming. In addition, it will increase
enterprise efficiency by distributing custom
information quickly, improve customer satisfaction
through more personalized, readable
communications, and lower costs through the
elimination of pre-printed forms.
Figure 4
Figure 4 demonstrates how OptioDCS can process the
information and using conditional formatting and
business rules, produce a quality, professional looking
document.
FOUR KEY FUNCTIONS
• Create documents on your system. With
OptioDCS, you access datastreams from your
Oracle Applications and automatically format
the data in new document layouts that you
create, without modifying your applications.
• Choose custom layouts based on application
content. Customize unique document layouts
for each individual form, depending on the
content contained on it. Automatically create
custom-tailored invoices and other documents
with customer logos, select a unique form
layout with unique data content requested by a
customer or business partner:
- Consistent logo placement.
- Shading, lines, boxes and text.
- Line and page compression.
- Print conditionally. OptioDCS can read the
data you've defined and automatically print
the necessary forms or sets of forms
based on your parameters. For example,
you can automatically generate completed
export documents with bills of lading based
on destination information. You can also
identify particular data fields so that it can
print, not print, print in a different location,
print as a barcode, or calculate. You
decide, based on your specific business
rules.
- Shipping address prints as barcode.
• Distribute documents automatically throughout
your organization. With OptioDCS, you no
longer need to manually route forms. Our
distributed printing capability lets you print
forms or form sets to any compatible laser
printer in your organization. You can also e-
mail forms via your intranet, or send them via
network-attached fax servers for electronic
delivery to customers, business partners and
others.
- Invoice printed on laser printer in
accounting department.
- Packing slip faxed and shipping label
printed in shipping department.
- Invoice e-mailed to customer.
OPTIO APPLICATIONS:
ABOUT OPTIO & ORACLE
• Purchase Orders • R.F.Q.s
• Invoices • Export Documents Optio Software is a certified Oracle Cooperative
• AP Checks • MSDS Documents Applications Initiative (CAI) partner helping Oracle
• Packing Slips • Quotes develop and market the first complete integrated
• Work Orders • W2s & 1099s document and output management solution. Optio
• Bills of Lading • Payroll Checks is certified on Oracle Release 10.7 (SC & NCA)
• Barcode Labels • Statements and Oracle Release 11.0.
• Picking Tickets • Shipping Labels
• Packing Slips The CAI program provides our common customers
with a comprehensive selection of “best-in-class”
applications integrated with Oracle Applications,
THE VALUE OF OPTIO IN AN ORACLE including Oracle Financials, Oracle Distribution,
APPLICATIONS ENVIRONMENT Oracle Manufacturing, Oracle Projects, and Oracle
Human Resources.
Companies look to satisfy their business objectives
by purchasing enterprise resource planning (ERP) The Optio – Oracle Partnership
applications, since it is more cost effective than
building their own and it provides an integrated, VALUE ORACLE OPTIO
enterprise-wide foundation for information.
However, it is important that the software chosen is Flexible, Scalable, X X
flexible enough to differentiate them in the Manageable
marketplace. Optio and Oracle Applications
enable that differentiation by: supporting the unique First With Technology X X
business requirements of users, enables seamless Greatest Portability
integrations, provides ability to build custom Best Support of Dynamic, X X
extensions, flexibility to change with developing Changing Business
business requirements and protection against Requirements
technology changes in the marketplace.
“Best-of-Breed” X X
Optio’s tight integration with Oracle provides
customers an industry leading document and
output customization solution. Optio’s solution
integrates with all of Oracle’s Applications
enterprise solutions, enabling users to take full
advantage of the sophisticated capabilities of both
a best-of-breed document and output
customization software solution product and world-
class Oracle financial and manufacturing systems.

Optio’s software suite will complement and

leverage the investment made in Oracle
Applications. It will keep the implementation of
Oracle Applications “on-time” and “on-budget,”
streamline business processes, provide the ability
to have complete control of document design and
production, and provide a single source solution for
all your document formatting and delivery needs.

Optio Software, Inc.

4800 River Green Parkway
Duluth, GA 30096
Tel: +1.770.283.8500
Fax: +1.770.283.8699
www.optiosoftware.com
Email: info@optiosoftware.com