Defining key flexfields

Defining Key Flexfields
You define descriptive information and validation information for each segment. You
also determine the appearance of your key flexfield window, including the size of the
window, the number and order of the segments, and the segment descriptions and
default values.
Once you set up or modify your structures and segments, you must freeze your flexfield
definition and save your changes. When you do, your flexfield compiles automatically to
improve on-line performance. You must recompile your flexfield every time you make
changes using this form, including enabling or disabling cross-validation rules. You must
also recompile your flexfield after you enable or disable shorthand entry using the
Shorthand Aliases window.
You can see your flexfield changes immediately after you freeze and recompile your
flexfield. However, your changes affect other users only after they change
responsibilities or exit your application and sign back on.
Once you freeze your flexfield definition and save your changes, Oracle Applications
submits one or two concurrent requests to generate database views of the flexfield's
combinations table. You can use these views for custom reporting at your site. One of
these views is always generated and contains concatenated segment values for all
structures of the key flexfield. You see the name of this view in a message window. The
other view is for the particular structure you are defining and freezing. This second view
is generated only if you enter a view name for your structure in the View Name field.
See: Overview of Flexfield Views.
Warning: Plan your key flexfield structures carefully, including all your segment
information such as segment order and field lengths, before you define your segments
using this form. You can define your key flexfields any way you want, but changing your
structures once you acquire any flexfield data may create data inconsistencies that
could have a significant impact on the behavior of your application or require a complex
conversion program. Changing your existing structures may also adversely affect the
behavior of any cross-validation rules or shorthand aliases you have set for your
structures, so you should be sure to manually disable or redefine any cross-validation
rules (using the Cross-Validation Rules window) and shorthand aliases (using the
Shorthand Aliases window) to reflect your changed structures.
Defining Key Flexfield Structures
Before defining your key flexfield structures, use the Value Sets window to define any
value sets you need. See: Value Set Windows
Perform the following steps to define your key flexfield structure.

1. Navigate to the Key Flexfield Segments window.
2. Select the application name and title of the key flexfield you want to define. You
cannot create a new flexfield or change the name of an existing flexfield using
this window.
3. For those application flexfields that support more than one structure (such as the
multiple charts of accounts in the Accounting Flexfield), you can create a new
structure for your flexfield by inserting a row. If you are defining the first structure
for your flexfield, select the default flexfield structure that appears automatically.
If you are modifying an existing structure, use your cursor keys to select the title
of the flexfield structure you want.
You can change the title of an existing flexfield structure by typing in a new title
over the old title. You see this name when you choose a flexfield structure and as
the window title in your key flexfield (unless the flexfield is used for a specific
purpose such as "Consolidation Account", in which case the structure title does
not appear in the flexfield window).
The code for a structure is a developer key and is used by loader programs. The
value you specify for the code will default into the title field.
If you upgraded from Release 10.7 or 11.0, the codes for your structures were
created from your structure titles during the upgrade.
4. If you want to generate a database view for this structure, enter a view name.
Your view name should begin with a letter and must not contain any characters
other than letters, numbers, or underscores ( _ ). Your view name must not
contain any spaces. See: Overview of Flexfield Views.
5. Check the Enabled check box so that this structure may be used in your key
flexfield. You cannot delete structures from this window because they are
referenced elsewhere in the system, but you can disable them at any time. A
structure must be enabled before it can be used.
You should enable at least one structure for each key flexfield. If you disable a
structure that already contains data, you will not be able to query up the existing
data or create new combinations.
6. Select the character you want to use to separate your flexfield segment values or
descriptions. This separator will appear whenever your application forms display
concatenated segment values or descriptions.
You should choose your separator character carefully so that it does not conflict
with your flexfield data. For example, if your data frequently contains periods ( . )
in monetary or numeric values, you should not use a period as your segment
separator.

It is recommended that you do not use a character as your segment separator if
you expect that character to appear frequently in your segment values or
descriptions.
If you do use a character that appears in your segment values or descriptions,
then that character will be preceded by a backslash () when it appears in a value
or a description. A backslash in your values will be preceded by another
backslash.
Note: Do not use a backslash as your segment separator.
For example, say the segment separator is a period (.) and your values contain
periods also. The table below illustrates how the segment values would appear in
the combination.
Segment Values Concatenated Segments as Combination
"1.2", "34", "5.6" "1.2.34.5.6"
"1", "2.34", "5.6" "1.2.34.5.6"
"1.2", "34.5", "6" "1.2.34.5.6"
Warning: Some Oracle Applications tables store the segment separator as
part of your flexfield values. Changing your separator once you have data
in such tables may invalidate that data and cause application errors.
7. Select the Cross-Validate Segments check box if you want to cross-validate
multiple segments using cross-validation rules. You can define cross-validation
rules to describe valid combinations using the Cross-Validation Rules form.
Uncheck the box if you want to disable any existing cross-validation rules. See:
Cross-Validation Rules.
8. Indicate whether you want to freeze your rollup group definitions. If you do, you
prevent users from modifying rollup groups using the Segment Values form.
You can freeze rollup groups before or after you define your flexfield structure.
See: Segment Values.
9. If you want to allow dynamic inserts, check the Allow Dynamic Inserts check box.
You would allow dynamic inserts of new valid combinations into your generic
combinations table if you want users to create new combinations from windows
that do not use your combinations table. You should prevent dynamic inserts if
you want to enter new valid combinations only from a single application window
you create to maintain your specific combinations table.

You can update this field only if your application flexfield has been built to allow
dynamic inserts, and the flexfield has been defined in the Register Key Flexfields
form with Dynamic Inserts Feasible checked. Otherwise this field is display only.
10.Choose the Segments button to open the Segments Summary window, and
define your flexfield segments. See: Defining Segments.
11.Save your changes.
12.Freeze your flexfield structure by checking the Freeze Flexfield Definition check
box.
Do not freeze your flexfield if you want to set up or modify your flexfield segments
or change the appearance of your key flexfield window. You cannot make most
changes while your flexfield is frozen.
13.Compile your frozen flexfield by choosing the Compile button. Your changes are
saved automatically when you compile.
You must freeze and compile your flexfield definition before you can use your flexfield. If
you have more than one flexfield structure, you must freeze, save, and compile each
structure separately. If you decide to make changes to your flexfield definition, make
sure that you freeze and save your flexfield definition again after making your changes.
Warning: Do not modify a frozen flexfield definition if existing data could be invalidated.
An alteration of the flexfield structure once you have any flexfield data can create
serious data inconsistencies. Changing your existing structures may also adversely
affect the behavior of any cross-validation rules or shorthand aliases you have for your
structures, so you should be sure to manually disable or redefine any cross-validation
rules and shorthand aliases to reflect your changed structures.
Defining Segments
Use the Segments window to define segments for your flexfield. The window title
includes the current flexfield's name. If your flexfield definition is frozen (that is, the
Freeze Flexfield Definition check box is checked), this window becomes display-only.
You can define as many segments as there are defined segment columns in your
flexfield table. You can create a new segment for your flexfield by inserting a row.
Note: If your flexfield definition is frozen, the Segments window fields are not
updateable.
Before defining segments, use the Key Flexfield Segments window or the Descriptive
Flexfield Segments window to define your flexfield structure. For key flexfields, see:
Defining Key Flexfield Segments. For descriptive flexfields, see Defining Descriptive
Flexfield Segments

To define segments, perform the following steps.
1. Enter a name for the segment that you want to define.
Your segment name should begin with a letter and use only letters, numbers,
spaces or underscores ( _ ). The segment prompts get their default values from
this field. The flexfield view generator will use your segment name as a column
name and change all spaces and special characters to underscores (_). See:
Segment Naming Conventions.
2. Indicate that you can use this flexfield segment by checking the Enabled check
box.
Your flexfield does not display disabled segments. You can define as many
segments as there are defined segment columns in your key flexfield
combinations table.
Suggestion: To protect the integrity of your data, you should not disable a
segment if you have already used it to enter data.
3. Select the name of the column you want to use for your flexfield segment.
Suggestion: If you are defining more than one segment in the same structure at
one time, ensure that you use unique columns for each segment. If you attempt
to use a single column for more than one segment in the same structure, you
cannot save your changes or compile your structure. Columns you choose for
your segments do not disappear from your list of values until you save your work.
4. Enter the segment number for this segment.
This number indicates the relative position in which this segment appears in a
flexfield window. A segment with a lower segment number appears before a
segment with a higher segment number. Dependent segments should occur after
the segment they depend upon in the flexfield window.
You receive a warning message if you enter a segment number that is already
defined for your flexfield. This warning is only a reminder that the segment
number is in use. If you attempt to freeze a flexfield in which two segments share
the same segment number, the flexfield does not compile.
Suggestion: For most flexfields, if you give your segments widely spaced
numbers (such as 10, 20, 30...) to indicate their relative positions, you can add
segments to your structure more easily. Adding segments still disables all your
existing cross-validation rules and shorthand aliases for this flexfield structure,
however. Note that the Accounting Flexfield requires consecutive segment
numbers beginning with 1 (such as 1, 2, 3, ...).

Warning: Changing the order of your segments invalidates all existing cross-
validation rules and shorthand aliases for this flexfield structure.
5. Indicate whether you want this segment to appear in the flexfield window. If your
segment is not displayed, you should provide a default type and value so that the
user does not need to enter a value for this segment. If you do not display a
segment but also do not provide a default value for it, your users may see error
messages when using this flexfield.
Warning: If you are defining the Accounting Flexfield, you must display all
segments. Hiding segments will adversely affect your application features such
as Mass Allocations.
6. If you are defining the Accounting Flexfield, decide whether you should check the
Indexed check box. For details on the Accounting Flexfield, see the Oracle
General Ledger Implementation Guide. If you are defining any other Oracle
Applications (key) flexfield, you can skip the Indexed check box.
The Oracle General Ledger applications use the Indexed field for the
Optimization feature. What you enter here does not affect Oracle Applications
key flexfields other than the Accounting Flexfield, but the value may or may not
affect key flexfields in custom applications (depending on whether those
applications have logic that uses the value of this field).
Indicate whether you want the database column in the combinations table used
to store this key segment to have a single-column index. You should create
indexes on segments you expect to have many distinct values (instead of just a
few distinct values). The Oracle General Ledger products' Optimizer does not
drop existing indexes. See the Oracle General Ledger documentation for more
information.
If you set up a new structure of the same flexfield, this value defaults to the value
in the first structure you set up.
7. Enter the name of the value set you want your flexfield to use to validate this
segment. See: Choosing Your Value Set.
8. Indicate whether you want to require a value for this segment. If you do, users
must enter a value before leaving the flexfield window. If not, the segment is
optional.
Attention: All segments in your Accounting Flexfield must be required.
If this segment is required but depends on an optional segment, then this
segment will become optional if a user leaves the depended-upon segment
blank.

9. Indicate whether to allow security rules to be used for this segment. Otherwise
any defined security rules are disabled.
If the value set for this segment does not allow security rules, then this field is
display only.
10.If you want your flexfield to validate your segment value against the value of
another segment in this structure, then choose either Low or High in the Range
field. Segments with a range type of Low must appear before segments with a
range type of High (the low segment must have a lower number than the high
segment). For example, if you plan two segments named "Start Date" and "End
Date," you may want to require users to enter an end date later than the start
date. You could have "Start Date" be Low and "End Date" be High. In this
example, the segment you name "Start Date" must appear before the segment
you name "End Date," or you cannot compile your flexfield.
If you choose Low for one segment, you must also choose High for another
segment in that structure (and vice versa). Otherwise you cannot compile your
flexfield.
If your value set is of the type Pair, this field is display only, and the value
defaults to Pair.
11.Enter the display size and prompt information for the segment. See: Segment
Prompts and Display Lengths.
Choosing Your Value Set
If you do not want your flexfield to validate this segment, you can use the Value Sets
window to define a value set with a Validation Type of None, or you can leave this field
blank.
If you do not choose a value set, your segment behaves as if it were using a value set
with validation type None, format type of Char, width the same as the underlying key
flexfield segment column, with mixed-case alphabetic characters allowed and no right
justification or zero fill. You must use a value set for any segment whose underlying
column is not a Char column, or you will not be able to compile your flexfield. You must
use a value set for the Accounting Flexfield.
Initially this field only lets you select from independent, table, and non-validated value
sets, and you do not see dependent value sets in your list. If you want to define your
structure to have a dependent segment that depends on an independent segment, you
should define your independent segment first by selecting an independent value set in
this field. Then save your changes before you start to define your dependent segment.
Once you save your independent segment, you can also select from the dependent
value sets that depend on your chosen independent value set.

This field prevents you from choosing a value set which is not valid for that segment.
You will get an error message if you choose a value set that is not valid for the segment.
You should ensure that the total of the value set maximum sizes for all of the segments
in a given structure, plus the number of segment separators you need (number of
segments in your structure minus one), does not add up to more than 32000. If your
structure's concatenated length exceeds 32000, you may experience truncation of your
flexfield data in some forms. See: Value Set Windows, Defaulting Segment Values.
Defaulting Segment Values
Perform the following steps to set a default segment value:
1. If you want to set a defaultvalueforthis segment,identifythe type of valueyouneed.
If you want to set a default value for this segment, identify the type of value you need.
Your list contains only the default types that have formats that match your value set
format type.
Valid types include:
Constant The default value can be any literal value.
Current Date The default value is the current date in the format DD-MON-RR or DD-MON-
YYYY, depending on the maximum size of the value set.
If the maximum size is 9, the date format is DD-MON-RR.
If the maximum size is 11, the date format is DD-MON-YYYY..
See the table below for Current Date default date formats for different value set
format types.
Current
Time
The default value is the current time or the current date and time, depending on
the maximum size of the segment.
See the table below for Current Time default date/time formats.
Field The default value is the current value in the field you designate in the Default
Value field. The field must be in the same form as the flexfield.
Profile The default value is the current value of the user profile option defined in the
Default Value field.
Segment The default value is the value entered in a prior segment of the same flexfield
window.
SQL The default value is determined by the SQL statement you define in the Default

Statement Value field.
The following table lists Current Date default date formats for different value set format
types.
Current Date Default Date Formats
Value Set Format Type Value Set Maximum Size Date Format
Standard Date 11 User date format
Standard DateTime 20 User date/time format
Date 11 DD-MON-YYYY
Date 9 DD-MON-RR
Char Greater than or equal to 11 DD-MON-YYYY
Char 9, 10 DD-MON-RR
The following table lists Current Time default date/time formats for different value set
format types.
Current Time Default Date/Time Formats
Value Set Format Type Value Set Maximum Size Date/Time Format
Standard DateTime 20 User date/time format
DateTime 20 DD-MON-YYYY HH24:MI:SS
DateTime 18 DD-MON-RR HH24:MI:SS
DateTime 17 DD-MON-YYYY HH24:MI
DateTime 15 DD-MON-RR HH24:MI
Time 8 HH24:MI:SS

Time 5 HH24:MI
Char Greater than or equal to 20 DD-MON-YYYY HH24:MI:SS
Char 18, 19 DD-MON-RR HH24:MI:SS
Char 17 DD-MON-YYYY HH24:MI
Char 15, 16 DD-MON-RR HH24:MI
Char Between 8 and 14 (inclusive) HH24:MI:SS
Char Between 5 and 7 (inclusive) HH24:MI:SS
If you choose Current Date or Current Time, you skip the next field.
Attention: If you are using flexfields server-side validation, you cannot use form field
references (:block.field). You must either remove your field references or turn off
flexfields server-side validation using the profile option Flexfields:Validate on Server.
2. Enter a defaultvalueforthe segment.
Enter a default value for the segment. Your flexfield automatically displays this default
value in your segment when you enter your key flexfield window. You determine
whether the default value is a constant or a context-dependent value by choosing the
default type.
Your default value should be a valid value for your value set. Otherwise, when you use
your flexfield for data entry, your flexfield displays an error message and does not use
your invalid default value in your flexfield segment.
For each default type chosen in the Default Type field, the valid values for the Default
Value field are:
Constant Enter any literal value for the default value.
Field The default value is the current value in the field you specify here. The field must
be in the same form as the flexfield. Use the format :block.field.
The value of the field must be in the format of the displayed value for the segment.
Profile The default value is the current value of the user profile option you specify here.
Enter the profile option name, not the end-user name.
The value of the profile option must be in the format of the displayed value of the

segment.
Segment The default value is the value entered in a prior segment of the same flexfield
window. Enter the name of the segment whose value you want to copy.
The default value can be one of three values associated with the prior segment.
The three choices are: ID, VALUE, and MEANING. The ID is the hidden ID value
for the segment. VALUE is the displayed value for the segment. MEANING is the
description of the segment.
To use the displayed value of the prior segment, specify segment_name.VALUE in
this field. Specify segment_name.MEANING for the description of that segment.
Specify segment_name.ID for the hidden ID value of the segment. If you specify
segment_name only, the hidden ID value of the segment is the default value.
For Standard Date and Standard DateTime value sets you should use
segment_name.VALUE of the prior segment.
SQL
Statement
The default value is determined by the SQL statement you enter here. Your SQL
statement must return exactly one row and one column in all cases.
For date values, the SQL statement must return the value in the correct displayed
format. Use the FND_DATE package for date conversions.
Attention: If you are using flexfields server-side validation, you cannot use form field
references (:block.field). You must either remove your field references or turn off
flexfields server-side validation using the profile option Flexfields:Validate on Server.
Segment Prompts and Display Lengths
The lengths you choose for your segments and prompts affect how the flexfield
displays.
You should ensure that the total of the value set maximum sizes (not the display sizes)
for all of the segments in a given structure, plus the number of segment separators you
need (number of segments in your structure minus one), does not add up to more than
32000. If your structure's concatenated length exceeds 32000, you may experience
truncation of your flexfield data in some forms.
The display size of the segment must be less than or equal to the maximum size that
you chose in the Value Sets window. If you enter a display size that is shorter than the
maximum size, you can still enter a segment value of the maximum size since the
segment field in the window can scroll.
The default for the display size of a segment when you first enable the segment is the
maximum size of the segment based on the size of the underlying column, or 50,

whichever is less. Once you choose a value set for your segment, the default for
Display Size is the maximum size of the value set. See: Value Set Windows.
DescriptionSizesforSegmentValueDescriptions
Your application uses Description Size when displaying the segment value description
in the flexfield window. Concatenated Description Size specifies the number of
characters long a segment value description should be when a window displays it as
part of a concatenated description for the concatenated flexfield values. Your flexfield
may show fewer characters of your description than you specify if there is not enough
room for it in your flexfield window. However, your flexfield does not display more
characters of the description than you specify.
The value you specify for Description Size also affects the length of a value description
that appears in a list of segment values for the segment (if the segment uses a validated
value set). However, the width of the description column in a list will not be less than 11
for English-language versions of the Oracle Applications (the length of the word
Description in English). This width may vary for other-language versions of the Oracle
Applications.
Some flexfields, particularly the Accounting Flexfield, display a special multicolumn
format in some forms (for example, the Define MassBudgets window in the Oracle
General Ledger products). In these forms, your flexfield window may scroll horizontally if
the longest description size (plus the longest prompt and display sizes) is large.
Suggestion: For ease of use, we recommend that you set the Description Size for each
of your Accounting Flexfield segments to 30 or less so that your flexfield window does
not scroll horizontally.
SegmentPrompts andList of Values
Enter prompts for the segment (as it should appear in the flexfield window) and its list of
values (if this segment uses a validated value set) and in reports your application
generates. Do not use special characters such as +, -, ., !, @, ', or # in your prompts.
If your List of Values prompt is longer than the segment length, you see a warning
displayed after you leave this field. This warning is for cosmetic considerations only;
your flexfield will still compile normally.
Suggestion: Keep your segments' prompts short and fairly uniform in length wherever
possible.
Flexfield Qualifiers
Use this window to apply flexfield qualifiers to your key flexfield segments. The window
title includes the current flexfield and segment names.

For each qualifier, indicate whether it is enabled for your key flexfield segment.
Since you can set up your key flexfields in any way you prefer, Oracle Applications
products use flexfield qualifiers to identify certain segments used for specific purposes.
You should consult the help for your key flexfield to determine whether your key flexfield
uses qualifiers and what purposes they serve.
Some qualifiers must be unique, and you cannot compile your flexfield if you apply that
qualifier to two or more segments. Other qualifiers are required, and you cannot compile
your flexfield until you apply that qualifier to at least one segment.
You should consult the Key Flexfields in Oracle Applications section for your key
flexfield to determine whether your key flexfield uses qualifiers and what purposes they
serve.
Descriptive Flexfield Segments Window
Use this window to define your descriptive flexfield structures.
Defining Descriptive Flexfields
To define your descriptive flexfield, you define the segments that make up your
descriptive flexfield structures, and the descriptive information and validation information
for each segment in a structure. You also determine the appearance of your descriptive
flexfield window, including the size of the window, the number and order of the
segments, and the segment descriptions and default values. The maximum number of
segments you can have within a single structure depends on which descriptive flexfield
you are defining.
To take advantage of the flexibility and power of descriptive flexfields in your
application, you must define your flexfield structure. If you do not define any descriptive
flexfield segments, you cannot use descriptive flexfields within your windows, but there
is no other loss of functionality.
Once you define or change your flexfield, you must freeze your flexfield definition and
save your changes. When you do, Oracle Applications automatically compiles your
flexfield to improve online performance.
Once you freeze your flexfield definition and save your changes, Oracle Applications
submits a concurrent request to generate a database view of the table that contains
your flexfield segment columns. You can use these views for custom reporting at your
site. See: Overview of Flexfield Views.

You can see your flexfield changes immediately after you freeze and recompile your
flexfield. However, your changes do not affect other users until they change
responsibilities or exit the application they are using and sign back on.
Suggestion: Plan your descriptive flexfield structures carefully, including all your
segment information such as segment order and field lengths, before you set up your
segments using this window. You can define your descriptive flexfields any way you
want, but changing your structures once you acquire flexfield data may create data
inconsistencies that could have a significant impact on the performance of your
application or require a complex conversion program.
Defining Descriptive Flexfield Structures
Before defining your descriptive flexfield structures, use the Value Sets window to
define any value sets you need. See: Value Sets.
ApplicationandTitle
Use View > Find to select the title and application name of the descriptive flexfield you
want to define. You cannot create a new flexfield using this window. See: Identifying
Descriptive Flexfields in Oracle Applications.
You can change the flexfield title by typing in a new name over the old name. You see
this name whenever you select a descriptive flexfield and as the window title whenever
a user enters your descriptive flexfield.
FreezeFlexfieldDefinition
The default value for this field is unchecked (flexfield definition not frozen).
Do not freeze your flexfield if you want to define new structures, set up or modify your
flexfield segments, or change the appearance of your descriptive flexfield window. You
cannot make most changes while the flexfield is frozen.
Freeze your flexfield after you set it up. Then save your changes. When you do, this
window automatically compiles your flexfield. You must freeze and compile your flexfield
definition before you can use your flexfield. If you decide to make changes to your
flexfield definition, make sure that you freeze and save your flexfield definition again
once you have made your changes.
Warning: Do not modify a frozen flexfield definition if existing data could be invalidated.
An alteration of the flexfield structure can create data inconsistencies.

SegmentSeparator
Enter the character you want to use to separate your segments in a concatenated
description field.
You should choose your separator character carefully so that it does not conflict with
your flexfield data. Do not use a character that is used in your segment values. For
example, if your data frequently contains periods ( . ) in monetary or numeric values, do
not use a period as your segment separator.
Warning: Some Oracle Applications tables store the segment separator as part of your
flexfield values. Changing your separator once you have data in such tables may
invalidate that data and cause application errors.
ContextFieldRegion
Enter information for your context field here.
Prompt
The context field automatically displays any existing context window prompt for this
flexfield. You can change this prompt by typing a new prompt over the current prompt.
Your flexfield displays this prompt in a flexfield window if you can choose the context-
sensitive flexfield structure you want to see when you enter the flexfield (that is, if you
have permitted Override).
When you choose a prompt, you should keep in mind that the context field in the
flexfield window appears as just a normal field or segment to a user. For example, if you
have a Client Type descriptive flexfield with two different segment structures called
Customer (for external clients) and Employee (for internal clients), you might define your
prompt as "Client Type".
Value Set
If you have context field values contained in an existing table, you can create a value
set that includes those values, and enter the name of that value set here. Using a value
set for the context field allows you to have valid context field values without specifically
defining context-sensitive segments for those context field values.
For example, if you have a list of countries where you want all the countries to be valid
context field values, but only a few of the countries have related context-sensitive
segments, you would use a value set that includes your entire list of countries. You
would then define context-sensitive segments for just those countries that need context-
sensitive segments.

Default Value
Enter a default context field value for your flexfield to use to determine which descriptive
flexfield structure to display. You must define the default context field value as a
structure in the Context Field Values zone before you can compile your flexfield. Your
flexfield automatically uses this default context field value if you do not define a
reference field.
If you do not have any context-sensitive segments, or you want the context field to
remain blank unless filled in by a reference field, you should leave this field blank.
Required
Indicate whether a context field value is required. If a context field value is required,
your flexfield does not allow you to leave the flexfield window without entering a valid
value. Otherwise, you do not have to choose a value for your context field. In this case,
you leave the flexfield window without seeing any context-dependent structures.
Reference Field
Enter the name of the reference field from which your flexfield can automatically derive
the context field value. You can select from a list of potential reference fields that have
been predefined. Some descriptive flexfields may not have any reference fields
predefined. See: Reference Fields.
Displayed
If you have any context-sensitive segments for your flexfield, you should always check
the Displayed check box if you do not specify either a default value or a reference field.
Without the displayed context field, your flexfield must determine the context field value
from the reference field or your default value.
If you check the Displayed check box, a user can see and change the context field
value that your flexfield derives from a reference field or obtains as a default value.
Suggestion: You should leave the Displayed check box unchecked only if the context
field value derives from a reference field or a default value that you specify using this
region, or you have only global segments. If you do derive your context field value from
a reference field, however, we recommend that you do not allow your user to see or
change that value in the flexfield window.
Note: In earlier versions of Oracle Applications, you allow users to see and modify the
value in the context field by checking the "Override Allowed (Display Context)" check
box. This check box is now called "Displayed" though its effect is unchanged.

Synchronizewith ReferenceField
Check this box if you want the context field value to be synchronized always with the
reference field value for this descriptive flexfield.
See: Synchronizing the Context Field Value with the Reference Field Value.
Context Field Values
Use this block to define valid context field values (that also serve as structure names)
for this descriptive flexfield. You can set up a different descriptive flexfield segment
structure for each value you define.
A Global Data Elements value always appears in this block. You use Global Data
Elements to set up global segments that you want to use in every segment structure.
These segments appear before any context field or context-sensitive segments in the
flexfield window.
For example, suppose you have a Client Type flexfield. You have two context-sensitive
structures, Employee (internal client), and Customer (external client), for which you
want to have different segments to capture different information. However, you also
want to capture certain information for both structures. You define global segments for
the common information, using the Global Data Elements value. You also define
context-sensitive segments for each of your two structures, Employee and Customer, to
capture the two sets of different information. See: Planning Your Descriptive Flexfields.
Code
Enter a unique context field value (also known as the flexfield structure name) under the
Code column. Your flexfield uses this value, either derived from a reference field or
entered by your user in an initial descriptive flexfield window, to determine which
flexfield structure to display. This value is written out to the structure column of the
underlying table.
This value must be thirty (30) characters or fewer.
Once you save your context field value, you cannot delete or change your context field
value because it is referenced elsewhere in the system. You can disable a value,
however.
Suggestion: Choose and type your context field values carefully, since once you save
them you cannot change or delete them later.

If you are using a reference field, the values you enter here must exactly match the
values you expect your reference field to provide, including uppercase and lowercase
letters. For example, your reference field may be a displayed field that provides the
values "Item" and "Tax", so you would specify those. However, those would not be valid
if you were using a corresponding hidden field as your reference field and that field
provides the values "I" and "T".
If you are using a value set for the context field, any values you enter here must exactly
match the values you expect your context field value set to provide, including uppercase
and lowercase letters. All the values you enter in this field must exist in the value set, or
they will not be valid context field values, even if you define context-sensitive segments
for them. You only need to enter those values that require context-sensitive segments. If
the value set is a table-validated value set, the values in this Code field correspond to
the values in the ID column of the value set.
Name
Enter a name for this descriptive flexfield context value.
The context code will default in to this field. For a descriptive flexfield that is set up so
that the context field is displayed, the context name would be entered in the displayed
context field, and the context field value code will be stored in the hidden context field.
The list of values on the context field will show the context name and description.
If you use a value set for the context field, the displayed value in the value set overrides
the corresponding value name you type in this field (for the same hidden ID value or
context code).
Description
Enter a description for this descriptive flexfield context field value. You can use this
description to provide a better explanation of the content or purpose of this descriptive
flexfield structure. You see this description along with the context name whenever you
pick a descriptive flexfield context from inside the flexfield window. When you navigate
to the next zone, this window automatically saves your pending changes.
Attention: The width of your descriptive flexfield window depends on the length of the
longest description you enter in this field, if this description is longer than the longest
description size you choose for any of your segments in a given structure.
Enabled
You cannot enable new structures if your flexfield definition is frozen.

SegmentsButton
Choose the Segments button to open the Segments window, and define your flexfield
segments. See: Defining Segments.

Defining key flexfields

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Defining key flexfields