Purging Process Overview

You purge project batches by following these steps:

For detailed instructions, see Purge Procedures.

Caution: Purging information from Oracle Projects is a powerful function. The system administrator must set up a special responsibility with appropriate security for purging data. For information on assigning the responsibility and other information about applying business rules to the archive and purge feature, see: Purging Safely and Efficiently.

Archiving Data

When you create a purge batch, you can also specify that you want to archive certain data. The archive function is available only for project information that you are purging. You cannot archive data without purging it.

Note: The archive function saves information about specific projects. It is not intended to be a general backup system for your database. You cannot use the archive and purge feature to restore projects that have been archived.

Purging Data

There are four categories of data that can be purged and archived.

Data That You Can Purge

The data you can archive and purge depends on the Project Type Class and Project Status. The table below shows the combinations of Project Type Class and Project Status that allow purging for each type of data.

Type of Data Project Type Class Project Status
Summary data All Closed
Capital data (asset line details) Capital Closed
Actuals:
- Cost distribution lines
- Expenditure items and related tables
- Cross charge transactions
- Staffing transactions
All Closed
Actuals:
- Customer invoices
- Revenue distribution lines
Contract Closed
Actuals:
- Cost distribution lines
- Expenditure items and related tables
- Cross charge transactions
- Staffing transactions
Note: For open indirect projects, expenditure items and staffing transactions are purged based on the transaction date.
Indirect Open

Querying and Reporting

You cannot query purged records. Purged records are not displayed on standard reports, or in applications that can drill down to project details. For example, you cannot drill down from Oracle Assets to purged asset line details for project assets.

You cannot use the drill down feature for inter-company invoices if the source expenditure items are purged. Adjustments such as cancellation of invoices and write-offs are not allowed.

Data That Is Not Purged

The archive and purge function does not purge project setup information (such as work breakdown structures), budgets, status reports and team templates.

Purging Adjusted Expenditure Items

You can also purge adjusted expenditure items.

Expenditure Items That Resulted from a Transfer

If the expenditure item being purged resulted from a transfer, the purge process creates a record in the PA_EXPEND_ITEM_ADJ_ACTIVITIES table for the original expenditure item. This record is flagged to indicate that the new expenditure item has been purged.

Expenditure Items That Have Been Transferred

If the expenditure item being purged has been transferred (and therefore has a matched negative expenditure item associated with it), the purge process does the following:

See also: Adjusting Expenditures.