15 PeopleSoft Interview Questions and Answers

PeopleSoft is a suite of applications designed for comprehensive business and human resource management. Known for its robust functionality and flexibility, PeopleSoft is widely used by organizations to manage their enterprise operations effectively. Its modules cover a range of areas including human resources, finance, supply chain, and customer relationship management, making it a critical tool for large-scale business operations.

This article provides a curated selection of PeopleSoft interview questions and answers to help you prepare thoroughly. By familiarizing yourself with these questions, you will gain a deeper understanding of PeopleSoft’s capabilities and be better equipped to demonstrate your expertise during the interview process.

PeopleSoft Interview Questions and Answers

1. Explain the purpose and use of Application Designer.

Application Designer is an integrated development environment (IDE) in PeopleSoft for creating and managing application objects. It enables developers to design, build, and customize applications efficiently through a graphical interface. Key features include object management, a PeopleCode editor, page and component design tools, project management, and security management.

2. What are Component Interfaces and how are they used?

Component Interfaces (CIs) in PeopleSoft provide a programmatic way to interact with application components. They allow external systems or custom processes to access and manipulate data without directly interacting with the underlying logic. CIs are used for data integration, automation, and data validation, ensuring that business logic and validation rules are enforced.

3. Write a PeopleCode snippet to validate a field value on save.

PeopleCode is an object-oriented programming language in PeopleSoft for implementing business logic. It controls application behavior, including field validation, data manipulation, and user interface customization. Validating a field value on save ensures data meets specific criteria before being committed to the database.

/* PeopleCode snippet to validate a field value on save */
If None(Record.FieldName) Then
   Error MsgGet(0, 0, "Field value cannot be empty.");
End-If;

This code checks if a field value is empty and displays an error message if it is, halting the save operation.

4. How do you implement row-level security?

Row-level security in PeopleSoft restricts data access based on user roles and permissions. To implement it, define permission lists, assign them to roles, and then assign roles to users. Configure security views to filter data based on user permissions and set up row-level security in components to ensure data is displayed or manipulated according to user access rights.

5. Write a PeopleCode function to calculate the factorial of a number.

To calculate the factorial of a number in PeopleCode, use a loop to multiply numbers from 1 to the given number:

Function CalculateFactorial(&num As integer) Returns integer
   Local integer &result = 1;
   Local integer &i;

   For &i = 1 To &num
      &result = &result * &i;
   End-For;

   Return &result;
End-Function;

6. Describe the use of Application Engine.

Application Engine is a PeopleSoft tool for batch processing and background task execution. It creates, tests, and runs batch programs for database updates, report generation, and system integration. Programs consist of sections, steps, and actions, and can run in batch, online, or as a web service.

7. Explain the concept of Effective Dating.

Effective Dating in PeopleSoft manages data changes over time by storing multiple record versions with different effective dates. It tracks historical, current, and future data within the same record, useful for scenarios like employee job history or salary changes. Effective Dating provides a comprehensive audit trail by allowing users to view data as it was at any point in time.

8. Describe the process of creating and using Workflow.

Creating and using Workflow in PeopleSoft automates business processes by routing tasks and information to appropriate users. The process involves defining workflow maps and steps, creating workflow rules, assigning roles and users, configuring notifications, testing, and deploying the workflow.

9. Write a PeopleCode snippet to send an email notification.

To send an email notification in PeopleSoft using PeopleCode, use the SendMail function:

Local string &sender, &recipient, &subject, &body;

&sender = "[email protected]";
&recipient = "[email protected]";
&subject = "Notification Subject";
&body = "This is the body of the email notification.";

&ret = SendMail(&sender, &recipient, "", &subject, &body, %UseSystemDefaults);

10. How do you handle exceptions in PeopleCode?

In PeopleCode, handle exceptions using the try-catch construct. The try block contains code that might throw an exception, while the catch block handles it.

try
   /* Code that might throw an exception */
   &file = GetFile("non_existent_file.txt", "r");
   &line = &file.ReadLine();
catch Exception &ex
   /* Handle the exception */
   MessageBox(0, "", 0, 0, "An error occurred: " | &ex.ToString());
end-try;

11. Describe the process of tuning performance.

Performance tuning in PeopleSoft involves identifying and resolving performance bottlenecks. Steps include optimizing SQL queries, configuring system parameters, using caching, performing regular maintenance, and conducting load testing to ensure the system runs efficiently.

12. Explain the role of Integration Broker.

Integration Broker in PeopleSoft facilitates integration with other systems, managing communication and data exchange. It consists of the Integration Gateway, which handles message transmission, and the Integration Engine, which processes messages. Key functionalities include message routing, transformation, monitoring, and error handling.

13. Describe the security architecture.

PeopleSoft’s security architecture ensures authorized access to data and functionalities. It includes user profiles, roles, permission lists, row-level security, query security, data encryption, and single sign-on (SSO).

14. Explain the use of Application Package PeopleCode.

Application Package PeopleCode in PeopleSoft creates reusable, modular code components. It encapsulates related functions, procedures, and data structures into a single package, promoting code reuse and reducing redundancy. Organized into classes and methods, it supports inheritance and polymorphism for flexible and scalable applications.

15. Describe the Fluid User Interface and its benefits.

The Fluid User Interface (Fluid UI) in PeopleSoft is a responsive interface for a consistent user experience across devices. It features responsive design, tiles and homepages, mobile compatibility, and a modern look. Benefits include improved user experience, accessibility, customization, and consistency.