IBM BPM, V8.0.1, All platforms > Authoring services in Integration Designer > Services and service-related functions > Access external services with adapters > Configure and using adapters > IBM WebSphere Adapters > Oracle E-Business Suite > Overview of IBM WebSphere Adapter for Oracle E-Business Suite > Technical overview > Business objects

Business object hierarchies

Define the relationships between database tables using parent-child relationships and data ownership in hierarchical business objects.

Business objects can either be flat or hierarchical. In a flat business object, all attributes are simple and represent one row in the database table. Hierarchies can contain related or unrelated business objects. Related business objects have parent-child relationships, with or without ownership.

The term hierarchical business object refers to a complete business object, including all the child business objects that it contains at any level. The term individual business object refers to one business object, independent of child business objects that it might contain or parent business objects that contain it. The individual business object can represent a view that spans multiple database tables. The term top-level business object refers to the individual business object at the top of the hierarchy, which does not itself have a parent business object.

A hierarchical business object has attributes that represent a child business object, an array of child business objects, or a combination of the two. In turn, each child business object can contain a child business object or an array of child business objects.

A single-cardinality relationship occurs when an attribute in a parent business object represents one child business object. In this case, the attribute is of the same type as the child business object. The adapter supports single-cardinality relationships, and single-cardinality relationships and data without ownership.

A multiple-cardinality relationship occurs when an attribute in the parent business object represents an array of child business objects. In this case, the attribute is of the same type as the child business objects.

Use the following types of relationships between business objects to define a hierarchy that represents your database tables:

In each type of cardinality, the relationship between the parent and child business objects is described by the application-specific information of the key attributes in the business object storing the relationship.

Business objects


Related tasks:

Selecting and configuring tables, views, and synonyms or nicknames for outbound processing

Configure the module for inbound processing

Selecting and configuring tables, views, and synonyms or nicknames for inbound processing


Related reference:

Business object attributes