Overview of Oracle Applications

Oracle Applications is a tightly–integrated family of application
products that share a common look and feel. Using the menus and
windows of Oracle Applications, you have access to all the functions
you need to manage your business information.
Oracle Applications is highly responsive to users, supporting a
multi–window graphical user interface (GUI) that provides you with
full point–and–click capability. You can use your mouse or keyboard to
operate graphical controls such as pull–down menus, buttons, poplists,
and check boxes.
In addition, Oracle Applications offers many other features such as
field–to–field validation and list of values to help you simplify data
entry and maintain the integrity of the data you enter.
The best way to familiarize yourself with the common look and feel of
Oracle Applications products is to log in and use the products. This
chapter describes how to get started with Oracle Applications and
provides you with the basic information you need to explore Oracle
Applications in greater depth.

Basic Business Needs

Oracle Applications provides you with features you need for your
business. With Oracle Applications you can:
• Learn how to use the system quickly. Oracle Applications uses
familiar and easy–to–use menus so you, your staff, and your new
employees can be productive after a few minutes of coaching
from a colleague.
• Be productive even if you are a novice user. A simple, intuitive
graphical user interface (GUI) lets you use all of the power of
Oracle Applications.
Getting Started 1 – 3
• Increase your productivity as a power user. When you become
familiar with Oracle Applications, you can use shortcuts in the
graphical user interface to quickly navigate and work with
multiple windows at once.
• Get help when you need it. Context–sensitive online help is
always available whenever you need assistance.
• Secure your application data from unauthorized access. You
can control access to your application data and customize the
windows available for each user based on that user’s level of
authority

Basic GUI Terminology
Before using Oracle Applications, you should familiarize yourself with
the specifics of your GUI environment and how to perform basic tasks,
such as using a menu or selecting an item. In doing so, you should
come across and become familiar with the following generic terms:

desktop - The part of your computer monitor that displays
information and where your work takes place.
This is also referred to as your screen.

window - A box around a set of related information on your
desktop

menu - A list that appears in a bar across the top of a
window that consists of commands or actions you
can perform.

click - Quickly press and release a mouse button while the
mouse pointer is on a particular item.

double–click - Rapidly click a mouse button twice while the
mouse pointer is on a particular item.

drag - Move the mouse while holding down a mouse
button.

select - Mark an item. Examples include highlighting text,
or clicking on a value from a list.

choose - Select an item and initiate the action associated
with the item. Examples include choosing a menu
item or choosing a button.

scroll bar - A vertical or horizontal bar that appears on a
window whose contents are not entirely visible.

Starting Oracle Applications
To start Oracle Applications, you need to:
• Start up your computer system
• Start your Web Browser
• Start the Oracle Applications program
• Log on to Oracle Applications
• Choose a responsibility (if necessary)
• Navigate to an application window (if necessary)

Starting and Logging On
The first step in starting Oracle Applications is to enter the appropriate
URL for your site in an Oracle Applications certified browser.
After starting Oracle Applications, the first window you see is the
sign–on window.