This document will continue to evolve as existing sections change and new information is added. All updates appear in the following table:
| Date | Product | Feature | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25 MAY 2021 | IMPORTANT Actions and Considerations | Updated document. Added additional REST API Updates. | |
| 19 MAR 2021 | Created initial document. |
This guide outlines the information you need to know about new or improved functionality in this update, and describes any tasks you might need to perform for the update. Each section includes a brief description of the feature, the steps you need to take to enable or begin using the feature, any tips or considerations that you should keep in mind, and the resources available to help you.
Security and New Features
The Role section of each feature identifies the security privilege and job role required to use the feature. If feature setup is required, then the Application Implementation Consultant job role is required to perform the setup, unless otherwise indicated. (If a feature doesn't include a Role section, then no security changes are required to use the feature.)
If you have created job roles, then you can use this information to add new privileges to those roles as needed.
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We welcome your comments and suggestions to improve the content. Please send us your feedback at oracle_fusion_applications_help_ww_grp@oracle.com.
Optional Uptake of New Features (Opt In)
Oracle Applications Cloud delivers new updates every quarter, often containing new features for offerings. Some features are enabled by default and are readily available for use. Features that aren’t enabled by default require you to use the New Features work area to review and decide whether to opt in to them or not.
To do that, you need these privileges:
- Review Applications Offering (ASM_REVIEW_APPLICATIONS_OFFERINGS_PRIV)
- Configure Oracle Fusion Applications Offering (ASM_CONFIGURE_OFFERING_PRIV)
Here’s how you opt in to new features:
- Click Navigator > My Enterprise > New Features.
- On the Features Overview page, select your offering to review new features specific to it. Or, you can leave the default selection All Enabled Offerings to review new features for all offerings.
- On the New Features tab, review the new features and check the opt-in status of the feature in the Enabled column. For a feature already enabled, you would see a check mark. Otherwise, you would see an icon to enable the feature.
- Click the icon in the Enabled column and complete the steps to enable the feature.
For more information and detailed instructions on opting in to new features for your offering, see Offering Configuration.
Opt In Expiration
Occasionally, features delivered Disabled via Opt In may be enabled automatically in a future update. This is known as an Opt In Expiration. If your cloud service has any Opt In Expirations you will see a related tab in this document. Click on that tab to see when the feature was originally delivered Disabled, and when the Opt In will expire, potentially automatically enabling the feature. You can also click here to see features with Opt In Expirations across all Oracle Cloud Applications.
Column Definitions:
Report = New or modified, Oracle-delivered, ready to run reports.
UI or Process-Based: Small Scale = These UI or process-based features are typically comprised of minor field, validation, or program changes. Therefore, the potential impact to users is minimal.
UI or Process-Based: Larger Scale* = These UI or process-based features have more complex designs. Therefore, the potential impact to users is higher.
Features Delivered Disabled = Action is needed BEFORE these features can be used by END USERS. These features are delivered disabled and you choose if and when to enable them. For example, a) new or expanded BI subject areas need to first be incorporated into reports, b) Integration is required to utilize new web services, or c) features must be assigned to user roles before they can be accessed.
| Ready for Use by End Users Reports plus Small Scale UI or Process-Based new features will have minimal user impact after an update. Therefore, customer acceptance testing should focus on the Larger Scale UI or Process-Based* new features. |
Customer Must Take Action before Use by End Users Not disruptive as action is required to make these features ready to use. As you selectively choose to leverage, you set your test and roll out timing. |
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feature |
Report |
UI or |
UI or |
|
||
Oracle Integration Cloud Data Migration for Permit Related Information |
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Common Compliance and Regulation
Export and Import Transaction Types and Form Designs
To share transaction types and form designs, such as permits, with other implementations, you can now export the form design and the associated transaction type metadata. The exported definitions are stored in a solution package, which you can then import into another system.
The exported solution package contains all of the data and metadata the intake form requires to function in the target environment, including (but not limited to):
- Transaction type information entered on the Transaction Type page, or the Issue and Issue Subtype page for Code Enforcement.
- Workflow process applications.
- Fee models.
- User-defined fields.
Application intake form definition, layout, process definitions and fee models can be exported from their source environment and imported to a target environment to accelerate implementations and to share best practices between organizations.
Steps to Enable
You don't need to do anything to enable this feature.
Tips And Considerations
- Both the source and the target environments must be on exactly the same release and patch level for the exported form to function as expected on the target environment.
- Intake forms in both draft and published states can be exported.
- Exported forms need to be imported into an environment so that they can be upgraded along with that environment. And, to keep your exported forms current, they must be upgraded.
Key Resources
- See Implementing Community Development, Creating Intake Forms, "Exporting and Importing Intake Forms" on the Oracle Help Center.
Role Information
Agency staff can utilize this feature.
Enhanced Display Control for Intake Form Elements
Controlling custom field elements include:
- Single-item check box
- Switch
- Number field
- Date field
- Date time field
- Drop-down list
- Multi-select list
- Radio button set
- Check box set
These custom fields can control whether any one of the following controlled elements are visible during the apply online process based on the value of the controlling custom field element(s):
- Field group
- Group box
- Page
- User-defined field
In the example below, you can hide the property tax if the home value is more than $150,000.
Hidden property tax
Conditional complex logic can be configured to control custom element visibility on application intake forms based on values in other custom fields.
Steps to Enable
You don't need to do anything to enable this feature.
Tips And Considerations
- This capability is delivered for all controlling custom fields. You can configure the logic required to hide the controlled elements when creating or updating your application intake forms.
- Remember that each field on the application form is visible in all cases until logic is configured to hide an element based on a value in another custom field.
- Define the logic that controls whether a specific element is hidden outside of the system prior to attempting the configuration online.
Key Resources
- See Implementing Community Development, Creating Intake Forms, "Displaying For Elements Conditionally" on the Oracle Help Center.
Role Information
Agency staff can utilize this feature.
Associate Non-APO GIS Objects to Transaction
Support association and display of GIS objects during application intake and on the Property Information tab.
Users can associate GIS objects to a permit or planning application.
Steps to Enable
You don't need to do anything to enable this feature.
Tips And Considerations
In the Map Profile, Add a Map page, you can enable the Map Layer Display options associated with that layer can be selected on the map. Only Application Intake maps can display these options.
Key Resources
- See Implementing Your Cloud Integrations, Setting Up GIS, "Setting Up Map Profiles" on the Oracle Help Center.
Role Information
Agency staff and public users can utilize this feature.
Enable Separate Accounting for Cash and Check Payments
This feature enables agency staff to create separate accounting entries for cash and checks when fees are paid using a combination of cash and check in a cashier session.
In-person payments often include a combination of cash and checks to pay the balance due.
Steps to Enable
You don't need to do anything to enable this feature.
Role Information
Agency staff and public users can utilize this feature.
Configurable Handling of Refund for Overpayments
Agency staff can refund overpayments when the payment is made using a check in excess of the balance due.
There are times where balances are overpaid during cashier sessions.
Steps to Enable
You don't need to do anything to enable this feature.
Key Resources
- See Using Community Development Permits, Working with Payments, "Viewing and Processing Refunds" on the Oracle Help Center.
Role Information
Agency staff can utilize this feature.
Related Transactions Hierarchy
Related records functionality is extended to allow hierarchies of related records to be set up, support primary and sub-relationships in the Related Transactions tab, and support of primary and sub-relationships of permits during intake and submittal.
The related transactions hierarchy extends the current related records functionality to establish a hierarchy of related records. The agency has the ability to manually mark a linked transaction as a primary transaction or a sub-transaction.
Steps to Enable
You don't need to do anything to enable this feature.
Key Resources
- See Using Community Development Permits, Managing Permits, "Working with Related Transactions" on the Oracle Help Center.
Role Information
Agency staff can utilize this feature.
Ability to Edit an Application
Designated agency staff will have the ability to edit an application after completion or closure.
Common actions that an agency may need to allow subsequent to completion or closure include:
- Adding a comment.
- Adding an attachment.
- Adding or changing property information.
Agency staff often need to edit a completed or closed application.
Steps to Enable
You don't need to do anything to enable this feature.
Role Information
Agency staff can utilize this feature.
For each condition, agency can configure it to be inheritable to a transaction. If the condition 'Apply Condition to Transactions' switch is enabled, the condition will be applied to the permits and planning applications associated with that address or parcel.
Apply Conditions to Transactions
Lock, hold, and notice conditions can be applied to an address. Address condition inheritance allows the address condition to be cascaded to the permits and planning applications that are associated to the address.
Steps to Enable
You don't need to do anything to enable this feature.
Key Resources
- See Using Community Development Permits, Managing Property Information, "Applying Conditions to Parcel Addresses" on the Oracle Help Center.
Role Information
Agency staff can utilize this feature.
Workflow Displayed in Worklist Tab Filter
Manage your daily workflow task assignments with the Worklist. Workflow tasks provide additional information pertaining to the application, property and description. You can drill-down from the Worklist to update the workflow tasks.
Worklist
Workflow task can now be managed using Worklists. Worklists provide tabs to filter and organize your assignments for quick and easy access.
Steps to Enable
You don't need to do anything to enable this feature.
Tips And Considerations
- See Using Community Development Planning and Zoning, Using the Agency Springboard and Worklists, "Using the Planner Worklist" on the Oracle Help Center.
Role Information
Agency staff can utilize this feature.
Workflow Task Status Displayed on Task List
View the current workflow task and that current status of that task while accessing the task list.
The worklist tab displays 'information requested' along with the task whenever 'Request Info' operation is performed. This eliminates the need to navigate to the transaction to find out about the transaction/task status.
Steps to Enable
You don't need to do anything to enable this feature.
Role Information
Agency staff can utilize this feature.
Limit Contractor Selection During Intake to Agency's List
Agencies can limit contractor selection during intake to only contractors enabled in the contractor agency-maintained contractor management list. When the Limit to Contractor List option is selected, you can only select licenses from your agency's contractor records in the intake form, regardless of if there's an active integration with an external source.
Using this option limits an applicant's selection in an intake form, to only contractors that are reflected as approved in the Contractor Management pages and lists. These lists and pages are set up and modified by the your agency.
Steps to Enable
You will need to enable the Limit to Contractor List field on the Contractor License Options page to limit contractor selection during intake. Navigate to Contractor Setup, Contractor Options. Enable the Limit to Contractor List field.
Tips And Considerations
Additionally, to use the Ownership Type and Insurance Type, you must set up those tabs and enable the feature on the Contractor Options page.
Key Resources
- See Implementing Your Agency, Setting Up Contractor Licenses, "Setting Up Contractor License Options" on the Oracle Help Center.
Role Information
Agency staff and public users can utilize this feature.
Contractor Management by Batch Load
Batch loading contractor and related trade license information allows agencies to maintain contractors available for use in permit, and planning and zoning transactions. Oracle provides a prebuilt Oracle Integration Cloud (OIC) integration to load licenses from a manually provided file, or you can get licenses from a contractor licensing body.
Agencies maintain current information and status of contractors in the Contractor Management pages and lists with the batch load process.
Steps to Enable
You don't need to do anything to enable this feature.
Key Resources
- See Implementing Your Agency, Setting Up Contractor Licenses, "Preparing to Load Contractor Licenses" on the Oracle Help Center.
- See My Oracle Support, Document ID: 2759502.1 for information regarding the Contractor Batch Load.
Role Information
Agency staff can utilize this feature.
Oracle Integration Cloud Data Migration for Permit Related Information
Data migration through Oracle Integration Cloud (OIC) is available for permit related information.
Supported completed permit objects to be migrated include:
- Permit header
- Permit Field Groups
- Permit APO
- Permit Applicant
- Permit Fee records
- Permit Conditions
- Permit Comments
- Permit Attachments
For in-flight records, additional support is included for updating and advancing workflow.
Data migration is supported for specific permit objects using Oracle Integration Cloud. This includes both completed and in-flight records.
Steps to Enable
You don't need to do anything to enable this feature.
Key Resources
- See My Oracle Support Document ID: 2757199.1 "Migrating Data for PSCR Using OIC," for more information.
Role Information
Agency staff can utilize this feature.
The plan review console provides a consolidated console that enables plan coordinators to access and manage plan review cycles, plan reviews, and plan reviewers across all permits and planning applications. This page displays only the plan review cycles associated with the permit types, planning application types, and plan reviewer departments specified in the job attributes for the plan coordinator's job function.
Plan Review Console
The plan review console extends current enabled functionality for plan check coordinators, to allow a plan check coordinator to view a dashboard containing important information for managing plan review assignments.
Steps to Enable
You don't need to do anything to enable this feature.
Key Resources
- See Using Community Development Permits, Managing Manual Plan Reviews, "Assigning Reviewers Using the Plan Review Console" on the Oracle Help Center.
Role Information
Agency staff can utilize this feature.
Plan Review Assignment Workload
When adding a new reviewer to the plan review, the number of plan reviews that each reviewer has across permits and planning applications is displayed to facilitate plan review assignment. You can see the number of plan reviews each reviewer has in the "Count" column.
Plan Reviewer Count
A plan check coordinator can now use the number of plan reviews assigned to each plan review for reference when assigning / re-assigning plan reviewers.
Steps to Enable
You don't need to do anything to enable this feature.
Key Resources
- See Using Community Development Permits, Managing Manual Plan Reviews, "Managing Manual Plan Review Cycles" on the Oracle Help Center.
Role Information
Agency staff can utilize this feature.
Create New Inspections in Oracle Inspector
Inspectors can now create new, same-day inspections while working online in the Oracle Inspector mobile application. They can also cancel inspections, overriding business rules such as cut-off times.
By allowing inspectors to create new inspections and cancel inspections from the field using the Oracle Inspector mobile application, an inspector can create an inspection if the original inspection was requested for the wrong inspection type or if upon arriving at the site the inspector may become aware of additional inspections that are needed.
Steps to Enable
You don't need to do anything to enable this feature.
Key Resources
- See Using Community Development Permits, Using Oracle Inspector, "Managing Scheduled Inspections" on the Oracle Help Center.
Role Information
Agency staff can utilize this feature.
Supervisor Calendar Inspector Filter
The supervisor calendar can be filtered on by inspector.
By allowing the supervisor calendar to be filtered on inspector an inspection supervisor can more efficiently assign and reassign inspectors.
Steps to Enable
You don't need to do anything to enable this feature.
Role Information
Agency staff can utilize this feature.
Request Inspection Up to 21 Days in Advance
Inspections requested up to 3 weeks in advance can now be scheduled and assigned by an inspection supervisor.
By extending the inspection request calendar from 1 week ahead to 3 weeks ahead, contractors and homeowners have more flexibility in planning ahead for inspections.
Steps to Enable
You don't need to do anything to enable this feature.
Role Information
Agency staff can utilize this feature.
Scheduling an Inspection After Cut Off Time
Now, an inspection can be scheduled after cut off time for the following day. However, inspections cannot be scheduled after the cut off time, for the same day.
Agencies often use inspection cut off time to prevent inspections from being scheduled after the cut off time on the same day but allow inspections to be scheduled on the next day.
Steps to Enable
You don't need to do anything to enable this feature.
Role Information
Public users can utilize this feature.
By selecting a parcel genealogy transaction type (split, combine or lot line adjustment), you can create new parcels by using a step-by-step guide that allows you to define parcel numbers and to manage parcel attributes including address, owner, districts, and size. Parcel genealogy supports the creation of active and/or provisional parcels. Once submitted, new parcels are created or retired in the parcel reference. Agency staff can view parcel genealogy from the reference parcel history tab.
Parcel Genealogy
Parcel genealogy is used to keep a history and relationship between parent parcels that are retired and child parcels. Once a parcel genealogy transaction is established, you can view the relationship in the parcel genealogy tab within the parcel reference.
Steps to Enable
You don't need to do anything to enable this feature.
Key Resources
- See Using Community Development Permits, Managing Property Information, "Working with Parcel Genealogy Transactions" on the Oracle Help Center.
Role Information
Agency staff can utilize this feature.
Imported Parcel Reconciliation
Review provisional parcels using Parcel Reconciliation. You can search for matches based on address, owner, and other related information. Once reconciled, the provisional parcel is retired and a cross reference is available to the active parcel. Provisional parcels are also automatically updated whenever they are created using parcel genealogy.
Parcel reconciliation enables agencies to track parcels with provisional status awaiting a final parcel number.
Steps to Enable
You don't need to do anything to enable this feature.
Key Resources
- See Implementing Your Cloud Integrations, Setting Up Additional Integrations, "Setting Up Oracle Search Cloud Service" on the Oracle Help Center .
Role Information
Agency staff can utilize this feature.
Planner Worklist for Planning and Zoning
View workflow tasks, plan review tasks, and assigned inspections. The planner worklist provides a central location for performing planning-related activities. Separate tabs list unassigned applications, applications that are assigned to the current user, and activities that are assigned to the current user.
Planner Worklist
Worklists are designed for planning staff to quickly view and work tasks planning applications and tasks assigned to them. Planning staff can now access workflow tasks, plan review tasks, and inspections that are assigned to them on the Planner Worklist.
Steps to Enable
You don't need to do anything to enable this feature.
Key Resources
- See Using Planning and Zoning, Using the Agency Springboard and Worklists, "Using the Planner Worklist" on the Oracle Help Center.
Role Information
Agency staff can utilize this feature.
Link from Transaction Parcel to Reference Parcel
The parcel attached to a transaction is now hyperlinked so that you can easily click and open the parcel reference in a new tab.
Parcel Link
Agency staff can now easily navigate from a transaction property tab directly to the parcel reference for additional information.
Steps to Enable
You don't need to do anything to enable this feature.
Role Information
Agency staff can utilize this feature.
Generate Reports and Notices for Planning and Zoning
Reports can be automatically generated or agency staff can generate agency-defined reports on demand for Planning and Zoning.
Reports and Notices can be automatically generated based on the planning application status. Planning staff can also generate ad hoc reports to generate reports on demand.
Steps to Enable
You don't need to do anything to enable this feature.
Key Resources
- See Implementing Your Agency, Setting Up Analytics, "Public Sector Compliance and Regulation Analytics" on Oracle Help Center.
Role Information
Agency staff can utilize this feature.
Appeal Due Date Displayed in Case Details
View an appeal due date more easily, directly from the case overview. An appeal due date uses the appeal time rule set for that specific issue sub-type. Exact appeal due dates can now be used in Notice of Violations and Citations.
Appeal due dates are now displayed in the case details overview and appeal details.
Steps to Enable
You don't need to do anything to enable this feature.
Role Information
Agency staff can utilize this feature.
IMPORTANT Actions and Considerations
UPGRADE ACTIONS
With every upgrade, make sure to complete the following steps in the Initial Set Up functional area in Functional Setup Manager. This process ensures all new security definitions, such as job roles, duty roles, privileges, and so on, are included in your implementation.
- Run Public Sector Security Setup Process
- Manage Custom Roles
REST UPDATES 21A to 21B
Public Sector Compliance and Regulation updates REST APIs from release to release. Our goal is to not create APIS that are incompatible from one release to the next. However, due to circumstances and security impacts this may not be feasible. In the 21B update, there are some APIs that are altered and may impact the performance of the API. This documentation lists the changes so you can plan and alter your usage prior to upgrading to 21B.
Documentation for all REST APIs included in Public Sector Compliance and Regulation can be found on the Oracle Help Center.
Records (publicSectorRecords)
The following are child APIs to Records. See documentation on the Oracle Help Center.
Record Authorized Agents (publicSectorRecords/child/RecordAuthorizedAgent)
Validation logic was changed to make it more restrictive.
- RecordID must be the same as the parent RecordID
- “Is the applicant an authorized agent” can only be “YES” when “Are you either a contractor or contractor’s authorized agent” is “YES”
RecordContractorLicenses (publicSectorRecord/child/RecordContractorLicense)
Validation logic was changed to make it more restrictive.
- RecordID must be the same as the parent RecordID
- You cannot have a duplicate license number for the same application
- The reissue date cannot be earlier than the issue date
- The expire date cannot be earlier than the issue or reissue dates
- Applications with a status of “Pending” or “Submitted” the license must be in the contractor list when the option “Select Only from Contractor List” is selected (on)
- “Is the applicant an authorized agent” can only be “YES” when “Are you either a contractor or contractor’s authorized agent” is “YES”
- A license number is required
RecordContractorLicFacts (publicSectorRecords/child/RecordContractorLicense/child/RecordContractorLicFact)
This API is a child of RecordContractorLicenses.
Validation logic was changed to make it more restrictive.
- RecordID must be the same as the parent RecordID
RecordContractorLicInsurances (publicSectorRecords/child/RecordContractorLicense/child/RecordContractorLicInsurance)
This API is a child of RecordContractorLicenses.
Validation logic was changed to make it more restrictive.
- RecordID must be the same as the parent RecordID
Record Types (publicSectorRecordTypes)
The following fields have been removed from the REST API but the information will still be displayed in the user interface:
- FormDesignStatus
- IsClonable
Plan Reviewer Comments (publicSectorPlanReviewerComments)
The following validations have been added:
- For a manual plan review, an error will be given if the PlanReviewUserKey is null.
- For electronic document review (EDR), an error will be given if DocumentUserKey and/or DocumentFileKey is null.
Payments (publicSectorPayments)
The following new mandatory “NOT NULL” columns have been added:
- psc_bnp_payment_hist_lin
- PAYMENT_REFERENCE ID
- FEE_REFERENCE_PUID
- psc_bnp_payment_hist_hdr
- PAYMENT_REFERENCE_ID
- psc_bnp_checkout_lin
- FEE_REFERENCE_PUID
Checkouts (publicSectorCheckouts)
The following new mandatory “NOT NULL” columns have been added:
- psc_bnp_payment_hist_lin
- PAYMENT_REFERENCE ID
- FEE_REFERENCE_PUID
- psc_bnp_payment_hist_hdr
- PAYMENT_REFERENCE_ID
- psc_bnp_checkout_lin
- FEE_REFERENCE_PUID
User References
The following fields were updated in the REST API to match the user interface:
- UserName must match EmailID
- Maximum number of characters for emailID is reduced to 64 characters
NOTE: Existing users can still log in using their user name but new users must register with their email address and the user name and email ID must match. This update is back-ported to 21A and 21B.
Status Histories (publicSectorStatusHistories)
The following WHO columns were removed:
- LastUpdatedBy
- LastUpdateDate
- CreatedBy
- CreationDate
Project Lists (publicSectorProjects)
The following WHO columns were removed:
- CreatedBy
- LastUpdatedBy
Project Records (publicSectorProjectRecords)
The following WHO columns were removed:
- CreatedBy
- LastUpdatedBy
Inspection Communications (publicSectorInspectionCommunications)
The column title “Inspection Type Description” was changed to “Inspection Type”.