Oracle SLA Interview Questions and Answers

Oracle Subledger Accounting (SLA) is an important topic that often comes up in interviews for Oracle ERP roles. In this article, we will look at some common Oracle SLA interview questions and sample answers.

What is Oracle Subledger Accounting (SLA)?

Oracle Subledger Accounting is a new accounting feature introduced in Release 12. It allows users to define accounting rules and processes at the subledger level to generate accounting entries for subledger transactions.

Some key features of Oracle SLA

• Provides a centralized framework to define accounting rules
• Allows accounting rules to be defined at subledger application level like AR, AP etc.
• Helps generate accurate subledger journal entries without manual intervention
• Supports multiple accounting representations through ledgers
• Enables customized accounting representations through Secondary Ledgers

Why was Subledger Accounting introduced?

Prior to Release 12, accounting rules and derivations were embedded in each subledger application making it rigid. With constantly changing business scenarios, there was a need for more flexible accounting rules.

Some key benefits of the subledger accounting approach:

• Accounting configurations are centralized and outside of applications
• Changes can be incorporated quickly through accounting method setups
• Reduced risk of incorrect accounting
• Flexible to support multiple reporting requirements
• Ease of maintenance during upgrades

What are the key components of Subledger Accounting?

The key components of Subledger Accounting are:

• Accounting Class: Transaction attributes based on which accounting rules are defined
• Accounting Configuration: Rules defined through Accounting Methods, Accounts, Application Accounting Definitions
• Accounting Program: Derives accounting based on accounting configurations
• Accounting Representation: Output accounting representation like journal entries

What are some popular Subledger Accounting interview questions?

Here are some common SLA interview questions that test your conceptual knowledge:

• What is the difference between Accounting Class and Application Accounting Definition?
• Can you modify a seeded Subledger Accounting method?
• How are secondary ledgers handled in SLA?
• What are some setup steps for implementing SLA?
• How can you troubleshoot issues with Subledger Accounting?
• What are some key validations in SLA?

Let’s look at sample answers to some of these questions:

Q: What is the difference between Accounting Class and Application Accounting Definition?

Accounting Class captures subledger transaction attributes like party, product, account etc. Application Accounting Definition defines the source for deriving each accounting class attribute.

For example, the Party accounting class can be derived from Customer ID for AR transactions and Supplier ID for AP transactions.

Q: Can you modify a seeded Subledger Accounting method?

No, seeded SLA methods like Standard Accrual, Standard Cash cannot be directly modified. If changes are needed, you can copy the seeded method and modify the copy as required.

Q: How are secondary ledgers handled in SLA?

A secondary ledger can have its own accounting representation by assigning it a separate accounting method. Accounting entries will be generated for primary and secondary ledgers based on their respective methods.

What are some SLA implementation steps?

Typical steps for implementing Subledger Accounting:

• Identify accounting requirements
• Choose appropriate seeded accounting method or create a new method
• Perform accounting method setups like rules, accounts, application accounting options
• Define transaction and accounting chart of accounts
• Enable SLA accounting generation and validate method
• Perform necessary testing and validation

What are some key validations in Subledger Accounting?

Some key validations performed by Subledger Accounting:

• Chart of accounts mapping validation
• Duplicate application accounting options validation
• Accounting method validation to ensure valid and complete setup
• Accounting balances validation for matched debits and credits

How can you troubleshoot Subledger Accounting?

Some techniques for troubleshooting SLA:

• Review Subledger Accounting Report for errors
• Check interface tables like SLA_Distributions_INTF for incorrect accounting
• Trace accounting derivation using accounting trace report
• Validate setup components like accounting rules
• Check status of accounting method as active or frozen

In this article, we looked at some frequently asked Oracle Subledger Accounting interview questions along with detailed sample answers. Knowledge of key SLA concepts like accounting methods, secondary ledgers, validations, troubleshooting will help you tackle the SLA questions effectively. Preparing responses for the common questions listed here will ensure you are well prepared for any SLA discussion during your Oracle apps interview.