End-users connect to the Oracle E-Business Suite using a variety of clients: desktops, laptops, and mobile devices.  Those clients run third-party operating systems (Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X, Apple iOS, Android) and third-party products (Microsoft Office, Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, Safari, and Chrome).

What happens when you have client-related issues?  What are our support policies when issues involve third-party components as well as Oracle components?

EBS components affected by third-party client products

A number of E-Business Suite components or products are affected by third-party client components.  These include:

  • OA Framework (OAF: the user interface infrastructure that underlies most HTML/web-based self-service EBS products)
  • Oracle CRM Technology Foundation (JTT: the infrastructure that underlies EBS CRM products such as Sales, Marketing, Service, eCommerce, Contracts, and Interaction Center)
  • Oracle Forms (Forms-based EBS products running in Java)
  • Web Application Desktop Integrator (Web ADI: provides integrations with Microsoft Office products such as Excel)
  • Report Manager

Support options partly depend upon the third-party

Our support policy for EBS client issues depends upon whether those third-party operating systems and products are supported by the third-party vendor.

You can search Microsoft, Apple, Mozilla, and Google websites for support timelines for their products.

How to interpret this information 

We provide updates to the E-Business Suite when both of the following are true:

  1. The E-Business Suite release is eligible for Error Correction Support
  2. The third-party operating system or product is actively supported by the third-party

If a reported issue is isolated to the third-party component, Oracle will attempt to issue a fix or find a workaround.  Oracle may not be able to provide fixes for all reported issues.  For example, if a browser vendor changes their browser’s behavior or chooses to remove a particular feature, customers may need to contact that vendor directly.  

It is important to keep track of support dates for third-party products.  We do not provide new EBS patches, certifications, and documentation updates for combinations that involve obsolete third-party products.

Example 1: Windows version obsoleted by Microsoft
  • It is September 1, 2015
  • You see a listing in the Certifications system for EBS 12.1.3 + IE 6 on Windows XP
  • Error Correction Support for EBS 12.1.3 continues to December 2019
  • Microsoft supports IE 6 as part of its Windows XP policy
  • Microsoft desupported Windows XP in April 2014
  • You cannot request new patches for this combination

Example 2: Office version obsoleted by Microsoft

  • It is September 1, 2015
  • You see a listing in the Certifications system for EBS 12.1.3 + Microsoft Office 2003
  • Error Correction Support for EBS 12.1.3 continues to December 2019
  • Microsoft desupported Office 2003 in April 2014
  • You cannot request new patches for this combination

Example 3: Firefox version obsoleted by Mozilla

  • It is September 1, 2015
  • You see a listing in the Certifications system for EBS 12.1.3 + Mozilla Firefox ESR 31
  • Error Correction Support for EBS 12.1.3 continues to December 2019
  • Mozilla desupported ESR 31 in August 2015
  • You cannot request new patches for this combination

Example 4: Chrome version obsoleted by Google

  • It is September 1, 2015
  • You see a listing in the Certifications system for EBS 12.1.3 + Google Chrome 35
  • Error Correction Support for EBS 12.1.3 continues to December 2019
  • The latest Chrome release available is 45
  • Google only supports the latest Chrome release
  • You cannot request new patches for this combination

Still confused?

If you’re still having trouble, log a Service Request with Oracle Support.  A Support Engineer can help with these types of questions.

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