How to Create a Lookup in Oracle Fusion: Step-by-Step Guide
Learn how to create lookups in Oracle Fusion with this step-by-step guide. Understand lookup types, setup process, and best practices for managing values efficiently.
Lookups in Oracle Fusion Applications play a crucial role in managing static and semi-static values such as statuses, categories, types, and flags. They’re essential across modules like HCM, SCM, and Financials. Understanding how to create and manage lookups is a fundamental skill for any Oracle Fusion professional.
In this guide, you’ll learn what a lookup is, the different types available, and how to create a lookup in Oracle Fusion with a clear, practical approach.
What Is a Lookup in Oracle Fusion?
A Lookup is a predefined list of values that help ensure data consistency, validation, and standardization across transactions. It’s defined by creating a lookup type that contains multiple lookup codes. Each lookup code represents a specific value and includes a user-friendly meaning.
Optionally, a tag can be assigned to lookup codes for additional classification or processing purposes.
Lookup Example:
| Lookup Code | Meaning | Tag |
|---|---|---|
| CL | Casual Leave | No Pay |
| SL | Sick Leave | Half Pay |
| EL | Earned Leave | Full Pay |
This structure makes it easy to standardize values across your organization and ensures consistency in how data is entered and processed.
Types of Lookups in Oracle Fusion
Oracle Fusion supports two main types of lookups:
1. Common Lookups
- Used across multiple modules
- Managed centrally in the system
- Examples: YES/NO, ENABLED/DISABLED, ACTIVE/INACTIVE
- Useful for global reference data
2. Application Lookups
- Specific to a particular module (HCM, SCM, Financials, etc.)
- Example: Absence Reasons in HCM, Leave Types, Employment Status
- Module-specific values for specialized workflows
Understanding which type you need is the first step to creating effective lookups in your organization.
Navigation to Create or Manage Lookups
Follow this simple navigation path to access the lookup management screen:
Setup and Maintenance → Task → Search → Manage Common Lookups
This takes you to the main lookup management interface where you can create, edit, and manage all your lookup values.
Step-by-Step: How to Create a Lookup in Oracle Fusion
Step 1: Open the Lookups Page
- Navigate to Setup and Maintenance
- Click on Tasks → Search
- Search for Manage Common Lookups task and open it
- You’ll see the lookup search screen
Step 2: Search for an Existing Lookup Type
Before creating a new lookup, it’s important to check if a similar lookup already exists:
- Enter the Lookup Type in the search field
- Click Search
- Review the results to see if a suitable lookup already exists
💡 Best Practice: Always reuse existing lookup types whenever possible. This reduces maintenance overhead and ensures consistency across your system.
Step 3: Create a New Lookup Type (If Required)
If no suitable lookup exists, follow these steps:
- Click the Create button
- Enter the following information:
- Lookup Type - Enter a meaningful code (e.g.,
GCS_EMP_STATUS) - Meaning - Provide a descriptive name (e.g., “GrowCloudSkills Employee Status”)
- Description - Add detailed explanation of the lookup’s purpose
- Module - Select the appropriate module (e.g., “Global Human Resources”)
- Lookup Type - Enter a meaningful code (e.g.,
- Click Save
Step 4: Add Lookup Codes
After creating the lookup type, you need to add individual lookup codes:
- Click the + icon to add a new lookup code
- Enter the following details:
- Lookup Code - The internal code (e.g.,
ACTIVE) - Meaning - User-friendly description (e.g., “Active”)
- Description - Additional details about this code
- Enabled - Check this box if the code is currently active
- Start Date - When this code becomes effective
- End Date - When this code expires (optional, leave blank for ongoing codes)
- Lookup Code - The internal code (e.g.,
- Repeat this process for all values you need
- Click Save and Close
Practical Example: Leave Type Lookup
Here’s a complete example of creating a leave type lookup:
Lookup Type: GCS_LEAVE_TYPE
| Lookup Code | Meaning | Tag |
|---|---|---|
| CL | Casual Leave | Annual |
| SL | Sick Leave | Annual |
| EL | Earned Leave | Annual |
| LWP | Leave Without Pay | Special |
This lookup can now be used in Report Queries, Flexfields, Validations, and Custom Pages.
Where Are Lookups Used in Oracle Fusion?
Lookups are commonly used in:
- Reports - Display meaningful values instead of codes
- Value Sets - Restrict field values to predefined options
- Descriptive Flexfields (DFF) - Provide dropdown options
- Extensible Flexfields (EFF) - Enable controlled data entry
- Custom Validations - Validate data against approved values
- Page Customizations - Drive UI behavior based on lookup values
Understanding where lookups are used helps you design better solutions.
Best Practices for Lookups
- ✔ Use meaningful and standardized lookup codes - Codes should be self-explanatory
- ✔ Avoid hardcoding values in customizations - Always reference lookups in code
- ✔ Use start and end dates instead of deleting - Maintains data history and doesn’t break existing references
- ✔ Prefix custom lookup types - Use a naming convention (e.g.,
GCS_,XX_,CUSTOM_) - ✔ Document lookup usage - Maintain documentation for future reference
- ✔ Organize lookups logically - Group related lookups together
- ✔ Keep lookups focused - Each lookup should have a single, well-defined purpose
Conclusion
Lookups are one of the fundamental building blocks of Oracle Fusion configurations. Whether you’re working on HCM customizations, technical implementations, or functional configurations, understanding how to create and manage lookups is essential.
Master this skill, and you’ll have a solid foundation for handling more complex Oracle Fusion scenarios.
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