Automating Password Resets

As a freelance EBS Consultant I can end up in all sorts of roles. Sometimes I'm the functional lead for a module, sometimes I'm doing some hard core SQL geekery, but usually, no matter what exciting bits and pieces I'll be working on there is always (unless I'm lucky enough to be working on a greenfield implementation) the background hum of disgruntled users who need supporting.

One common support task is resetting user passwords.

Most grown up websites let the user automatically request a password reset if they can't remember, or if they've locked themselves out of their account.

Since the reasonably early days of 11i Oracle Applications has also offered this functionality but at many clients it isn't enabled by default.

If, when logging in through the web page (as opposed to logging in directly to the forms - see my posting here on how to quickly get into the forms applications) you don't see an option to allow you to reset your password, you need to do the following:

• Find the system profile option called "Local Login Mask"
• Add 8 to it's current value at the Site level.
  
• Bounce the Application Server

Voila!

Oracle uses standard Workflow functionality and email notifications to ensure the user wants their password resetting and notifying them of their new password.

In order for the solution to work then, you need to make sure that Workflow Background engine is ticking along and that all your Users are mapped to email addresses - either directly through the User Define form in System Administrator, or through the user's mapping to a Person - and making sure the Person has an email address defined.

At most sites this will already be in place - so this is a quick win to reduce the volume of support calls you'll be dealing with.

A more detailed explanation can be found here.