Thursday, November 26, 2009

Oracle Apps Finance Functional Interview Questions

Below were the questions asked recently in an Interview for Finance Functional of 5+ years experience

General
- Tell about yourself and your experience
- How many implementations & Support projects?

Accounts Receivable
- Explain Quote to Cash Process with Accounting Entries
- What are the parameters of the Auto-Invoice Program?
- How is the GL Date derived by AutoInvoice process? Any set-ups?
- What is the use of the Default GL Date given in parameters of the Autoinvoice import program?
- Can it be set that the GL date is the Sale Order date or Ship to Date?
- Can multiple Sales Orders be invoiced under one Invoice?
- Can Adjustments be imported?
- Can Credit memo be imported and applied to the transactions via Autoinvoice?
- Grouping Rules and Line Ordering Rules
- Allow Overapplication option
- Invoice in Arrears
- Is it possible to import invoices of a specific Sales Order?
- Can closed AR Invoices be imported using AutoInvoice?

Payables
- Can Supplier numbering be set to automatic?
- P2P process along with accounting entries
- Allow Final Match option & Match PO Distribution level
- Substitute receipts and Unordered Receipts
- What is the difference between Recurring Journals and Recurring Invoices? What is the need for the Recurring Journals in GL when Recurring invoices exist in AP?
- How is a foreign currency invoice entered in AP?
- When does the Invoice price variance arise? What is the accounting entry?
- What is the concept of ERS?

General Ledger
- Set-ups required from GIS / Inter-company & the process
- Consolidation; What kind of consolidation have you worked on?
- Is there a need to have separate responsibility for MRC?
- Separate set of books required for translation?
- Can journals imported from sub-ledger, if unposted, be modified?
- What is the significance of 'Import journal references' option at journal source?
- What are the options available to import Exchange rates into Oracle Application?
- What kind of budgets have you worked on?
- How can FSG be generated to provide dynamic report i.e. current month, previous month and 2 months before balances for a given period?

Thursday, November 5, 2009

Oracle India Localization Interview Questions - TDS

Below are some interview questions with respect of TDS  functionality of Oracle India Localization:

Question Can India Tax code be defined with a back-dated effective date?
Answer No. While defining India Tax codes, the start date cannot be less than System Date.

Question What are the steps for generation of TDS certificates?
Answer The following three programs need to be run to generate TDS certificates:
-> India - Process TDS Payments
-> India - Generate TDS Certificates
-> India - TDS Certificate

Question If for a particular supplier there is no need to deduct TDS, what are the options available to ensure this?
Answer If no TDS needs to be deducted for a supplier, do not define 'Supplier Additional Information' for that supplier. This will ensure that no TDS tax codes are available for selection.

Question Is TDS deducted on Debit Memo or Credit Memo?
Answer No! TDS cannot be deducted on Debit Memo or Credit Memo. This entails recovery of TDS amount from TDS Authority; hence this functionality is not supported by India Localization.

Question What are the accounting entries when TDS is deducted?
Answer When TDS is applied on an Invoice, it creates creates two invoices (one Standard Invoice and one Credit Memo). The accounting entries are as follows:
Credit Memo (in the name of Initial Invoice's Supplier)
DR AP Liability
CR TDS Clearing Account
Standard Invoice (in the name of TDS Authority)
DR TDS Clearing Account
CR AP Liabiltity

Question A seperate check needs to be given to TDS authority for all deductions under various sections. How can this be achieved?
Answer While defining India Tax codes ensure that the Vendor Site is different for different TDS Section related Tax codes. Since, AP requires each supplier site to be paid by separate check, the above requirement can be met.

Question What do we mean by Threshholds under India Localization? Explain the concept of 'Single' and 'Cumulative' threshold.
Answer Refer India Localiation User Guide.

Question What is the naming convention of Invoices automatically created when when TDS tax codes are applied?
Answer The naming convention of TDS Invoices is
<Intial Invoice Number >- TDS - < SI or CM > - < a unique running sequence number >


 For example, for the Standard Invoice with invoice number 'INV001' the TDS invoice numbers would be
 - TDS Authority's INV001-TDS-SI-1111
- Supplier's INV001-TDS-CM-1111
(Assuming that TDS amount is payable to TDS Authority and the sequence's next value is 1111)

Question While creating AP Invoices TDS tax code can be applied either at Invoice Header or Distribution level. Is this statement correct?
Answer No! TDS Tax code can be only applied at the Invoice Distribution Level's DFF.

Question At what point of time are the TDS invoice's are automatically created? When invoice is entered / validated / approved / accounted / paid?
Answer TDS invoices are automatically created when a TDS Tax is entered in Invoice distribution and Invoice is validated.

Question While entering an invoice user forgot to enter TDS tax code at the invoice distributions. What option does the user has if he doesnt want to cancel the invoice but apply TDS tax?
Answer I leave this scenario so that you can check yourself :)

Publishing FSG Reports using XML Publisher

I have found a good article on how to publish FSG Reports using XML Publisher. Below is the link for the same:

Tutorial for Publishing FSG using XML Publisher


And to find how to create FSG reports following links may be referred:
- How To Generate FSG Reports - Part I
- How to Generate FSG Reports - Part II
- FSG Reporting  (Refer to FSG via Apps section)

Oracle Payables (AP) Period End Interview Questions

Below are few of the Interview questions that can be based on AP period-end process:

Question What are the various possible period statuses in AP?
Answer Various period statuses of AP module are
- Never Opened
- Open
- Closed

Question 'Period Close Exception Report' lists some payments under the heading 'Future Dated Payments Requiring Maturity Event and Account'. What action should be taken to resolve this?
Answer To resolve this issue 'Update Matured Future Payment Status' program needs to be submitted with appropriate Maturity Date.


Question Can a period be closed if the Payment Batch in that period is in the status 'Formatted'?
Answer If a period can be closed only after the payment is accounted and transferred to GL. Since, the status of payment is not 'Confirmed'; this payment will not allow for AP period closure.

Question Will an Invoice without a Distribution Line come in the 'Period Close Exception Report'? What action will be required to resolve it?
Answer An Invoice without a distribution will not hinder period closing process. Hence, no action will be required.
However, it is recommended to enter distributions, if a valid invoice; else delete such invoices.

Question What are the most common issues encountered while AP Period Closing process?
Answer Without going to technicalility, on a broader level the most common issues are:
- Invoice (Distributions) not Validated
- Invoices on Hold
- Invoices not Accounted
- Payments not Accounted
- Invoices & Payments accounting entries not transferred to GL
- Maturity Accounting not done for Future Dated payments
 
The above issues may arise either because users forgot to run relevant programs or because of bugs (which are quite many in AP) and awaiting resolution from Oracle (after Service Request i.e SR is raised).

Question Is is mandatory to resolve the issues in All the Operating Units of a given Legal Entity? Or  the period can be closed once issues of one Operating Unit are resolved?
Answer It is mandatory to resolve all the issues of ALL the Operating of a given Legal Entity/ Set of Books (SOB).

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

Oracle Fixed Assets Interview Questions

1) How many key flexfields are there in Oracle Assets module?
Answer There are 3 Key Flexfields in Oracle assets and they are Asset Category, Asset Location and Asset Key.

2) What are the methods/ways in which an asset can be added ?
Answer There are 4 ways in which asset can be added
- Through Payables
- From external system through FA_MASS_ADDITIONS
- Quick Addition
- Detailed Addition

3) What are the various 'Asset Types' ?
Answer The various 'Asset Types' are
- Capitalized
- CIP
- Expense
- Group

4) In the multi-org structure, where does Fixed assets module operate?
Answer  Instance

5) Can we have multiple period open in Assets module?
Answer In Fixed Assets only one period can be open at any given time. Multiple periods cannot be open.

6) Is it possible to set-up Assets module in such a way that accounting entries are not transferred to GL? How? In what scenario's does such requirement arise?

7) While defining 'Depreciation Calendar' what precaution needs to be taken (if accounting entries are to be transferred to GL)?
Answer The Depreciation Calendar's period name should be same as the GL calendar's period name.

8) Can an asset added in the period OCT-09 be retired in the same month?
Answer An asset cannot be retired in the same month in which it is added. It can be retired only in next period.

9) How is a period in FA opened? Is there a form?
Answer When a period is closed, while submitting Depreciation process, the next period is automatically opened. This ensures that only One period is open at any given point of time.

10) What is the difference between 'Expense' and 'Amortize' concepts?

11) What is the difference between Prorate Calendar and Depreciation Calender?

12) Can you explain the concept of Prorate Convention? How is it different from Retirement Convention?

13) What is the accounting entry passed at the time of creation of Asset?
Answer The accounting entry is as follows:
                        DR Asset Cost
                        CR Asset Clearing

14) Is the 'Asset Numbering' manual or automatic? Can an asset number be alpha-numeric?
Answer The Asset Numbering will be automically generated if no Asset number is manually enetered; Thus, we can say it is a combination of both methods.

15) Is is possible to set different Asset Numbering series for various Corporate Books? If yes?
Answer Using standard functionality it is not feasible do achieve this. Since, Asset number is given at 'System Controls'. However, using form personalization this can be achieved.

Added on 07-NOV-2009
16) When defining System Parameters in Oracle Assets module, Oldest Date Placed in Service was set as 01-APR-1960. In such case should the 'Depreciation Calendar' start from 01-APR-1960? If the start period in Depreciation Calendar is taken as 01-APR-2009 will there be any implications?

17) In GL Calendar the number of periods are 24 (including 12 Adjusting periods). Should Depreciation Calendar in FA also have 24 periods?

18) What is the difference between Fiscal and Calendar Year in Oracle Assets? Will they have any implication on the naming convention of the period? Can that naming convention be overwritten?

Tuesday, November 3, 2009

GL Interface Interview Questions

1) What are the tables involved in GL Interface?
GL_INTERFACE

2) What is the program name to import journals?
Journal Import can be executed from Menu. Else Program - Import Journals program can be used.

3) What are the criteria on which journal import can be run?
 Ans) The criteria's are
          - Source Name
          - Group Id
          - Import Desc Flexfield (Y/N)
          - Create Summary Journal ( Y/N)

4) Can you give segment values or CCID in GL_Interface?
Ans) Both can be given.

5) How can we identify whether records in GL_INTERFACE are errorred records?
Ans) The status of those records will be other than NEW

6) What is the significance of Group ID?

7) If Journal import couldn't import journals because of errors, will Journal Import program end in error?
Ans) No. The Journal Import program doesnt error; but it gives details of the journal batches that have failed to import along with the error code

8) What validations are required for GL_INTERFACE?

9) Does the records get auto-purge

10) What are the errors encountered during Journal Import?
Ans)
- This date is not in any open or future enterable period
- Detail posting not allowed for this Accounting Flexfield
- Disabled Accounting Fledfield
- Invalid Currency code
- The journal entry is unbalanced and susspense posting not allowed in this et of books

Monday, November 2, 2009

AP Interface Questions

1) Explain the Interface process.
Answer The interface process starts with uploading the legacy data, which is in the form of flat file to the temporary table, and validating the data in the temporary. After that the data to be transferred to the Interface tables. From there by running the Customer Open Interface concurrent program, the data that is in the interface tables are transferred to main tables.

2) What are the various tables involved in AP Interface?
Answer AP_INVOICES_INTERFACE
AP_INVOICE_LINES_INTERFACE

3) What is the program used to import invoices from interface tables?
Answer   - Payables Open Interface Import

4) What the various validation to be done before transferring data from temporary table to interface tables?
Answer The various type of validations are:
Not null validation:
 few columns like
- Invoice Number,
- Invoice Date,
- Currency Code etc should not null

Data Type Validation:
- Invoice Amount
- Invoice Date

Business Validation:
- Is the GL date in open period? GL_PERIOD_STATUSES
- Invoice number is not repeating
- Invoice distribution total should match with Invoice header amount

Generation of CCID
GET_CCID

5)  What cases do you use Mapping? How did you achieve mapping functionality? Give some examples?

6) How can achieve that either complete files is inserted or complete file is rejected; while inserting into Open Interface tables?

7)  Can you give segment values or CCID while inserted records into AP_INVOICE_LINES_INTERFACE table?

8) Does the records in the Interface table get auto-purged after getting successfully imported into base tables?
Ans) No. We have run Payables Open Interface Purge

9) What are the errors encoutered while Importing Invoices?

Sunday, November 1, 2009

Oracle Payables (AP) Functional Interview Questions

Still in progress.....

1) Invoices vs Invoice Batches

2) Type of Invoices supported by Oracle Payables

3) Number of Tabs in Invoice Entry screen and what are they?
There are 5 Tabs

4) Where is the method of Supplier Number set? At what level is the supplier numbering controlled?

5) What are the various statuses of invoices?

6) How many key flexfileds are there in Payables
Payables doesn't have any key flexfield

7) What are AP Accounting periods? How are they different from GL periods? Are there adjusting periods in AP?

8) Can a partial payment of Prepayment be done?

9) Can you hold partial payments? And how can that be achieved?

10) How can the Invoice distributions' which can be transferred to Fixed Assets be identified in AP? Is there is any field explains/indicates the same?

11) When you return goods to supplier (RTS) whether system created Debit Memo or Credit Memo? And what is the set-up required for the system to create the relevant document automatically?

12) What does Accrual mean?

13) An invoice is entered, validated and accounted. And thereafter, the invoice is cancelled; what will be the accounting status?

14) What is the Debit Memo and Credit Memo?

15) What are the invoice interface tables in AP?

16) Can you explain 2-way, 3-way and 4-way matching?

17) What is a Payable document?

18) How can we link an Employee to Supplier?

19) Can you explain the concept of Automatic Offset in Payables? And how is this different from Autoaccounting in AR?

20) How can a range of Document numbers be voided in one go ?

21) Can two users use same payable document simultaneously? If yes, which user will get the document number assigned first?

22) What are the various statuses of payment batch?

25) Explain the concept of the ERS. Also give relevant set-ups and programs related to it.
Answer Evaluated Receipt Settlement (ERS) also referred to as 'Pay on Receipt'. While defining supplier site in Purchasing tab, the "Pay on" field should be 'Receipt'.
26) Can the payment date be before invoice date?

27) Can accounting of Payment be done before accounting invoice?

28) Explain the concept of Proxima payment terms.

29) What are the various type of Distribution sets? And what is thier purpose?

30) Can an invoice be accounted if there are holds applicable to the invoice?
Answer Yes! An invoice can be accounted even if the holds are applied against it provided, Accounting Allowed check-box is enabled while defining the Invoice Hold.

31) Can an Invoice in INR be paid in USD currency? What are the alternatives available?

32) Can multiple currency payments be done using same bank account? If yes, what are the relevant set-ups required?

33) Can PO level DFF be transferred to AP Invoice? Any set-ups are required for the same?

34) What is the name of program which is used to transfer accounting entries from AP to GL and what are the options available during submitting the program?

35)  Explain the concept of withholding tax along with relevant set-ups.

36) Which expense report templates are available in iExpense Modules?
Answer All those Expense Report Templates are available in iExpenses modules for raising Expense Reports for which "Enable for Internet Expenses" is enabled.

37) What is the name of the program used to import expense reports into AP? And what are the tables from where the expense reports are imported?
Answer The name of the concurrent program is "Expense Report Import". The tables where expense reports are maintained are AP_EXPENSE_REPORT_HEADERS and AP_EXPENSE_REPORT_LINES

38) Can the same Invoice Number be entered for two different suppliers in Payables?
Answer The invoice number should be unique for a given supplier; hence, the same Invoice Number can be used by multiple suppliers


39) Control of Payables (AP) periods is at what level? At Operating Unit?
Answer Though Payables (AP) operates at Operating Unit level, the control of period is at set of books level.

40) Can the same bank account be assigned to multiple suppliers? What is the alternative if same bank account is to be shared across multiple suppliers (e.g. part of same group)?
Answer While defining Internal bank accounts, "Allow Assignment to Multiple Suppliers" check-box should be enabled.

41) What is "Zero Payment"? And what are the set-ups required to make a Zero Payment? Is it possible to ensure that only zero payments are allowed using a payable document?
Answer While defining Bank Accounts, in Payable Options tab "Allow Zero Payments" check-box to be enabled. To ensure that only zero payments are allowed using a payable document, attach a payment format to the same which has "Zero Amount Payments Only" check-box enabled.

42) A supplier is available in Invoice Inquiry; however, the supplier is not available while entering Invoices. What are the possible reasons for the same?
Answer The possible for the unavailability of supplier are
- The 'Pay' check-box at supplier site (General tab) is disabled
- 'Inactive On' date is entered at the supplier site level i.e. supplier site is end-dated.

43) While doing future dated payments, is the future dated payment account at the supplier site used?
Answer It depends on the Payable Options's Accounting tab. There we have option to select whether the future dated payments account should be selected either from Supplier site or Payable documents.

44) When the 'Payment Method' at invoice level is given as 'Electronic', sytem requires some additional details? What are they?
Answer When the 'Payment Method' is selected as 'Electronic' system additionally requires a Bank account in the invoice currency to be assigned to the supplier.

45) If there is a requirement that for specific supplier, each invoice should be paid by a separate check? Can that be achieved? If yes, how?
Answer While defining supplier site in the Payments tab, the "Pay Alone" need to be checked so that each invoice is paid by a separate check.

46) Let us assume that a check issued to supplier has become time-barred. And supplier returns it requesting for a new check. Can the existing check be voided and a new check be issued simultaneously?
Answer

47) Can the payment date be before the system date i.e, is it possible to issue back-dated checks?
Answer

48) While defining payable documents, document number is given as 1 to 4999. And an user has issued checks till 4999. What happens when 5000th check is being created using the same payable document?
Answer

49) Can you create an Invoice in USD, while the Standard PO has been created in EUR?
Answer