Supporting AME Issues and different Diagonistics steps

1. To find AME Installation Level :

select decode(bug_number, '2614213','2614213 (pre-11.5.10)'
,'2863619','2863619 - (pre-11.5.10)'
,'3858763','AME 11.5.10'
,'3962268','AME.A'
,'4433707','AME.A RUP'
,'4428060','AME.B'
,'4873179','AME.B RUP.1'
,'5708576','AME.B RUP.2'
,'3333633','HR FP J'
,'3500000','HR FP K'
,'5055050','HR FP K RUP1'
,'3140000','Apps Release 11.5.10'
,'3640000','Apps Release 11.5.10 CU1'
,'3480000','Apps Release 11.5.10 CU2'
,'5337777','HR_PF.K.DELTA.2'
,'6699770','HR_PF.K.DELTA.3'
,'7666111','HR_PF.K.DELTA.4'
,'9062727','HR_PF.K.DELTA.5'
,'NONE') AME_LEVEL
from ad_bugs
where bug_number in ('2614213'
,'2863619'
,'3858763'
,'3962268'
,'4433707'
,'4428060'
,'4873179'
,'3333633'
,'3500000'
,'5055050'
,'3140000'
,'3640000'
,'3480000'
,'5708576'
,'5337777'
,'6699770'
,'7666111'
,'9062727'
);

2. To Find AME related Packages

select db.name, src.name, src.text
from dba_source src, v$database db
where src.name in ('AME_ENGINE'
,'AME_UTIL' ,'AME_API' ,'AME_API2' ,'AME_TEST_UI'
,'AME_TEST_PKG' ,'AME_APPROVER_TYPE_PKG'
,'AME_RULES_UI' ,'AME_RULE_PKG' ,'AME_UI'
,'AME_ACTIONS_UI‘ ,'AME_ACTION_PKG'
) and src.line=2 order by 2;

3. To Identify Invalid AME Objects

select object_name,
object_type
from all_objects
where object_name like 'AME%'
and status = 'INVALID';

4. Identifying AME Exception Log

i) Note down the output of the following query.
select max(log_id) from ame_exceptions_log;
ii) Reproduce the issue.
iii) Provide the output following query in excel format.
select * from ame_exceptions_log
where log_id > {provide above max(log_id) here}
order by log_id;

Within the AME Administration screens, it is possible to review the exceptions linked to a specific transaction type. This is especially useful if the logs above do not help, or if the messages seem to be related to the core AME processing or setup.
Details on the steps to capture this log are given in Note 365471.1 - iProcurement AME Approvals Troubleshooting Guide, Section 2.

Also within the AME Administration responsibility, it is possible to run a test to check if the approval list builds successfully for a specific Transaction Type and Document (requisition_header_id). Detailed steps are given in Note 293233.1 - 11.5.10 Trouble Shooting Tips for Approvals Management (AME).

5. Identifying Transaction Failure Using Workflow and Scripts

Processing output from a specific transaction, and therefore more details on any failure encountered using the scripts wfstatus.sql and wfstat.sql (under $FND_TOP/sql/). Details on using these can be found in many notes, such as Note 134960.1.

6. FND debug log

Whilst most of the processing is done within Workflow, when issues are encountered due to user actions within the application user interface, it makes sense to get the debug log from these actions.

From 11.5.10 onwards this can be done by setting users FND debugging to write to a file. For earlier releases, the ssp_init.txt file parameters can be set to enable similar debugging for the instance. More detailed steps on enabling this can be found in Note 290614.1 - How To Get Log Files

7. PL/SQL Steps ( Only for AME issues for PO Workflow Debugging):

The code used to perform activities within the workflow processing writes additional debug output based on the user enabling PO Workflow debugging, using the following steps:

1. Set the following User-Level Profile Option PO: Set Debug Workflow to value: ON

2. Reproduce the issue fully until get error or problem. Note the Workflow Item Type and Item Key, often displayed within errors or can be readily found from checking the Workflow Monitor pages.

3. The debug data is stored in the table: PO_WF_DEBUG. To retrieve debug data select the rows for given itemtype and itemkey of the workflow processing in the testcase.
SELECT document_id, document_number, authorization_status, debug_message
FROM po_wf_debug
WHERE itemtype = '&item_type' AND itemkey = '&item_key'
ORDER BY execution_sequence

Within the debug output, the procedure names often give a good idea what the process is trying to do, and as such can help point towards areas to investigate, For example; attritibute values, transaction data, approver setup etc.

In addition, any PL/SQL code exceptions encountered are sent as a detailed email to the POERROR workflow process (see Note 224028.1 for setup). Check this notification for further details.

8. AME Document References

AME User Guides:
Note 227391.1 - Oracle Approvals Management Implementation Guide (Note 282529.1 for 11i10 and Note 336901.1 for AME.B)
Note 289927.1 - Oracle Approvals Management Developers Guide

Oracle Approvals Management Documentation Resources for Release 12 in Note 396808.1

Note 287255.1 - Approvals Management Reporting Utility Support Tool

Note 421207.1: An 11i10 script for reporting basic AME setup information, including all Rules and their Conditions and Attributes. The script accepts only the Application ID for the Document Type, and this can be found from the SQL

Note 338508.1 - Error "Oracle Approvals Management has found parallelization configuration..."
- This note contains a script (checkAME11510Setup.sql) which can be used to validate AME setups also.

Note 428552.1. Troubleshooting approval routing issues when using AME approval.

Note 312832.1 - Encountering Error When Trying to Approve Requisitions Using AME Approval Group With FND Users (Not Associated To HR Employees)

Thanks & Regards,
S.Grace Paul Regan

Troubleshooting AME Approval Routing

1. 11i.AME.B - Review the setup

a. Navigate to AME (Approvals Management Business Analyst) responsibility /
Business Analyst dashboard
b. Click Setup Report in the bottom right of the dashboard page
c. Select Purchase Requisition Approval transaction type (or similar) and
click Go
d. * Choose Printable Page. Review the setup details to verify all conditions on the requisition have
applicable rules and valid approvers specified. The report shows Attributes,
Conditions, Groups, and Rules details.

For the same detail in 11i.AME.A review the setup under each tab: Attributes,
Conditions, Groups, Rules

2. 11i.AME.A - Capture a new exception log from a testcase

a. Select the Admin tab
b. Select transaction-type administration and click Continue
c. Select Clear the current transaction type's exception log and click Continue / OK

d. * Navigate to iProcurement and reproduce the issue (Add items to cart, proceed through checkout, and reproduce the error that the approval list is not built.
e. Navigate to AME (ensure Transaction Type is still Purchase Requisition Approval)
f. Select the Admin tab
g. Select transaction-type administration and click Continue
h. * Select View the current transaction type's exception log and click Continue
i. Search Metalink based on the exceptions shown in the exception log, and adjust the rules and groups setup accordingly

3. Do a Test Transaction

a. Navigate to AME (Approvals Management Business Analyst) responsibility /
Business Analyst dashboard
b. Specify the transation type Purchase Requisition Approval (or similar)
c. Choose Test Workbench
d. Click Create
e. Specify conditions and select starting point person, org_id, and other details to match the case that has the issue

- Name and save the test if desired for future use

f. * Run the test and review the results to confirm whether or not an appropriate rule(s) is found

Thanks & Regards,
S.Grace Paul Regan