Understanding Geography Structure, Hierarchy, and Validation in Oracle HCM

1. What is Geography in Oracle HCM?

Geography in Oracle HCM represents any area with a boundary, such as countries, states, cities, and postal codes. It is essential for defining work locations, legal entities, and employee addresses in the system.

2. Key Components of Geography in Oracle HCM

• Geography Structure: Defines the hierarchical arrangement of geography types, such as Country → State → City → Postal Code.
• Geography Hierarchy: Represents the actual geographic data (e.g., United States → California → Los Angeles).
• Geography Validation: Ensures that entered addresses follow the correct format based on country-specific rules.

3. Why is Geography Important in Core HR?

• Used for creating locations linked to legal entities, divisions, and departments.
• Required for address validation when setting up employee records.
• Supports payroll tax calculations by ensuring the correct geographical data is used.

4. Additional Geography Features

• Geocoding: Converts addresses into latitude and longitude coordinates for mapping purposes.
• Address Cleansing: Corrects and standardizes address formats using an integrated data quality tool.

5. Implementation Process

1. Define Geography Structure – Establish the country’s hierarchy of geography types.
2. Create Geography Hierarchy – Enter real-world data for each level (e.g., states, cities, zip codes).
3. Enable Geography Validation – Configure rules to validate address entries and ensure accuracy.

6. Benefits of Geography in Oracle HCM

✔ Improves data accuracy for locations and addresses.
✔ Ensures tax compliance with region-based payroll validation.
✔ Enhances user experience by auto-suggesting valid addresses.

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