PeopleSoft User Personalizations

Personalize links as displayed on a PeopleSoft grid.
PeopleSoft provides individual users the ability to customize the display of various pages and grids using the "Personalize" links.  This can be useful for power users who want to streamline their pages and filter out unnecessary details.  It can, however, present some challenges for administrators.

While testing a recent PeopleTools and HCM Image update an issue was reported in which three columns of a grid were not displaying.  The component was HRS_JO_360, part of the Recruitment/Talent Acquisition module.  Of the two columns not displaying one was custom and two delivered.  In the place of two of these columns was a checkbox with the column heading "Select".

After some troubleshooting we found that the columns displayed correctly for some users, then that all three displayed correctly for a user with the same security roles as the user with the original issue.  We spent some time looking at other differences, such as issues with the customizations, recruiting roles and the recently implemented Flexible Processing rules.  Finally, after reviewing a trace I noticed the PSUSROBJTYPE table.  We looked at personalizations and found one of the missing fields was hidden!  We unhid that field so one of the three was fixed, but the others did not even appear in personalization setting window.  Instead they said "Select" and "Select (1)".  This seemed strange.  Nothing else even indicated any other personalizations at all, but there was one clue.  There was still a link on the personalization popup that said "Delete Personalizations".  So we clicked that and... they all work!

My theory is that during the upgrade, while the customized columns are removed, the personalization settings are corrupted.  I have not proved this, but we know removing the personalizations resolves the issue.  I am not sure manipulation of the personalizations tables is a good idea yet, since the format of the setting data was not readily identifiable.  In the meantime we will alert users to this issue and, if necessary, we can remove any personalization settings from customized grids.

It probably should not have taken as long as it did to identify these issues, but next time we will know.  Check for any personalizations!


Technical Information:

You can see the personalizations in the database using the following SQL.  You can review by component or by user. 

SELECT * FROM PSUSEROBJTYPE;

FIELDTYPE = -1 indicates a page personalization.
Other FIELDTYPE values denote the field number of the object that is customized.


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