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Oracle EBS XML Publisher RTF Template Syntax Reference

This reference lists the RTF template tags used in Oracle XML Publisher reports in EBS 12.1 and 12.2, with a working example for each. It covers loops, grouping, conditions, formatting, aggregates, variables and page layout.

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Tag/syntax	Category	What it does	Example	Notes
<?for-each:GROUP?> ... <?end for-each?>	Loop	Repeats content for each element of the group	<?for-each:G_INVOICE_LINE?> ... <?end for-each?>	Place both tags in the same table row to repeat rows.
<?for-each-group:ELEMENT;./KEY?>	Loop	Regroups flat data by a key	<?for-each-group:ROW;./CUSTOMER_NAME?>	Close with <?end for-each-group?>.
<?for-each:current-group()?>	Loop	Loops over the rows of the current group inside for-each-group	<?for-each:current-group()?><?ITEM?><?end for-each?>	Only valid inside a for-each-group.
<?sort:FIELD;'ascending';data-type='text'?>	Loop	Sorts the loop	<?for-each:G_LINE?><?sort:LINE_NUM;'ascending';data-type='number'?>	Put directly after the for-each tag. Use 'descending' to reverse.
<?if:CONDITION?> ... <?end if?>	Condition	Shows content when the XPath condition is true	<?if:AMOUNT>1000?>Large<?end if?>	Use XPath operators such as =, !=, and, or.
<?if@inlines:CONDITION?>	Condition	Inline condition inside a paragraph	<?if@inlines:STATUS='OPEN'?>Open<?end if?>	Use when the condition must not create a new paragraph.
<?if@row:CONDITION?>	Condition	Condition applied to a whole table row	<?if@row:QTY>0?>	Hides the row when false.
<?choose:?><?when:COND?> ... <?otherwise:?>	Condition	If, else if, else	<?choose:?><?when:STATUS='A'?>Approved<?end when?><?otherwise:?>Other<?end otherwise?><?end choose?>	Each when and otherwise needs its own end tag.
<?format-date:DATE;'MEDIUM'?>	Format	Formats a date with an abstract format	<?format-date:INVOICE_DATE;'MEDIUM'?>	Masks SHORT, MEDIUM, LONG follow the report locale. Date must be canonical ISO 8601.
<?format-date:DATE;'DD-MON-YYYY'?>	Format	Formats a date with an Oracle date mask	<?format-date:INVOICE_DATE;'DD-MON-YYYY'?>	Input must still be in canonical format (YYYY-MM-DD or YYYY-MM-DDThh:mm:ss).
<?format-number:NUM;'999G999D99'?>	Format	Formats a number with an Oracle number mask	<?format-number:AMOUNT;'999G999D99'?>	G and D take the group and decimal separators of the locale. Number must be raw, without separators.
<?xdofx:to_char(NUM,'999,999.99')?>	Format	SQL style formatting through the xdofx extension	<?xdofx:to_char(AMOUNT,'999,999.99')?>	xdofx supports a set of SQL functions.
<?xdofx:nvl(FIELD,'N/A')?>	Function	Substitutes a value for null	<?xdofx:nvl(PO_NUMBER,'None')?>	SQL semantics inside xdofx.
<?xdofx:decode(FIELD,'A','Approved','Other')?>	Function	SQL DECODE	<?xdofx:decode(STATUS,'A','Approved','I','Incomplete','Other')?>	Handy for code to label mapping.
<?sum(FIELD)?>	Aggregate	Sum of all matching elements	<?sum(LINE_AMOUNT)?>	Wrap in format-number for display.
<?sum(current-group()/FIELD)?>	Aggregate	Sum within the current group	<?sum(current-group()/LINE_AMOUNT)?>	Use inside for-each-group for group subtotals.
<?count(ELEMENT)?>	Aggregate	Counts elements	<?count(G_INVOICE_LINE)?>	XPath count.
<?xdoxslt:set_variable($_XDOCTX,'name',value)?>	Variable	Sets an updatable variable	<?xdoxslt:set_variable($_XDOCTX,'v_total',0)?>	XSL variables are not updatable; this extension is.
<?xdoxslt:get_variable($_XDOCTX,'name')?>	Variable	Reads the variable	<?xdoxslt:set_variable($_XDOCTX,'v_total',xdoxslt:get_variable($_XDOCTX,'v_total')+AMOUNT)?>	Pattern for running totals.
<?param@begin:P_NAME?>	Variable	Declares a parameter passed to the template	<?param@begin:P_ORG_NAME;'Default Org'?> then <?$P_ORG_NAME?>	Parameter names must match those passed by the data definition.
<?split-by-page-break:?>	Layout	Forces a page break between loop iterations	Inside <?for-each:G_INVOICE?> just before <?end for-each?>	One document per element, for example one invoice per page set.
<?for-each@section:GROUP?>	Layout	Loop that restarts headers, footers and page numbering per element	<?for-each@section:G_INVOICE?> ... <?end for-each?>	Use for batches of invoices or statements.
<?template:NAME?> ... <?end template?>	Layout	Defines a sub template	<?template:address_block?>...<?end template?>	Can sit in the same file or an imported one.
<?call-template:NAME?>	Layout	Calls a sub template	<?call-template:address_block?>	Pair with <?template:?> definitions.
<?import:xdo://APP.TEMPLATE_CODE.lang.TERRITORY?>	Layout	Imports a sub template registered in Template Manager	<?import:xdo://XXAR.XX_ADDR_SUB.en.US?>	Use file:/// for a file path during local testing.
<?start:body?> ... <?end body?>	Layout	Marks the body when you need headers and footers that hold fields	Header content above <?start:body?>, footer content below <?end body?>	Use when Word header and footer regions cannot hold the needed fields.
<?attribute@incontext:property;value?>	Layout	Sets a formatting property on the enclosing element	<?if:AMOUNT<0?><?attribute@incontext:color;'red'?><?end if?>	Conditional formatting, for example red negatives or shaded rows.
<?for-each@column:GROUP?>	Loop	Repeats columns for crosstab layouts	<?for-each@column:G_MONTH?><?MONTH?><?end for-each?>	Use with a row loop and cell values.
<?position()?>	Function	Prints the position of the current element in the loop	<?for-each:G_LINE?><?position()?>. <?DESCRIPTION?><?end for-each?>	XPath function. Combine with if@row and mod for banded rows.
<?FIELD?>	Function	Prints a field value	<?CUSTOMER_NAME?>	Template Builder inserts these as Word form fields so the tag is hidden.

EBS 12.1 and 12.2 run the embedded XML Publisher (XDO) 5.6.x engine, which is older than standalone BI Publisher Enterprise. Later BI Publisher Enterprise releases add tags that the EBS engine does not support, so test each tag in Template Builder preview and in the instance.

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The date format gotcha

format-date only works on dates in canonical ISO 8601 form, such as 2026-10-22 or 2026-10-22T00:00:00.000-05:00. Data templates emit DATE columns in canonical form. Oracle Reports (RDF) XML output, and any query or PL/SQL that converts the date with TO_CHAR before it reaches the XML, emits a string like 22-OCT-26, and format-date then fails or prints the raw string. Keep dates as DATE in the query so the engine writes them in canonical form, or emit TO_CHAR(date, 'YYYY-MM-DD') explicitly. Date parameters of concurrent programs arrive as strings in the FND canonical format YYYY/MM/DD HH24:MI:SS, so convert them in the data layer before you format them in the template.

Template Builder for Word and preview

Build templates in Microsoft Word with the Template Builder add-in (part of BI Publisher Desktop). Load sample XML from the concurrent program (run it with output XML and save the output), then insert fields, tables and repeating groups. Template Builder writes the tags into hidden Word form fields, so the layout stays readable. Use Preview with PDF, Excel or HTML output to test before upload. Validate Template catches unbalanced tags. In EBS, register the data definition and template in XML Publisher Administrator, with the data definition code equal to the concurrent program short name, and set the program output format to XML.

Worked invoice template

A custom invoice prints one invoice per page set with lines, a subtotal and a red balance when overdue. The structure: <?for-each@section:G_INVOICE?> opens the loop so page numbers restart per invoice. The header block prints <?CUSTOMER_NAME?> and <?format-date:TRX_DATE;'DD-MON-YYYY'?>. A table row wraps <?for-each:G_LINE?><?sort:LINE_NUMBER;'ascending';data-type='number'?> and <?end for-each?> around <?DESCRIPTION?>, <?QUANTITY?> and <?format-number:EXTENDED_AMOUNT;'999G999D99'?>. Below the table, <?format-number:sum(G_LINE/EXTENDED_AMOUNT);'999G999D99'?> prints the total. The balance cell holds <?if:DAYS_LATE>0?><?attribute@incontext:color;'red'?><?end if?>. Close with <?end for-each?>.

Common mistakes

Unbalanced tags (a for-each without its end in the same table cell or row) cause errors that point to the wrong line. Group names are case sensitive and must match the XML exactly. Numbers formatted in SQL as strings with commas cannot be summed or reformatted, so send raw numbers. Paths are relative to the current loop context: inside a for-each, refer to parent fields with ../FIELD. Finally, an RTF built with tags from a newer BI Publisher release may preview in a new Template Builder but fail in EBS; keep to tags documented for the XDO version on your instance.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I format a date in an Oracle RTF template?

Use <?format-date:FIELD;'MEDIUM'?> for a locale based format or <?format-date:FIELD;'DD-MON-YYYY'?> for an Oracle mask. The value must be a canonical ISO 8601 date in the XML. If the XML holds a string like 22-OCT-26, fix the data source rather than the template.

What is XML Publisher in Oracle Apps R12?

It is the reporting engine in EBS (product short name XDO) that merges XML data from a concurrent program or data template with a layout template, usually RTF, to produce PDF, Excel, HTML or RTF output. Templates and data definitions are managed in the XML Publisher Administrator responsibility.

How do I group data in an RTF template?

Use <?for-each-group:ROW;./KEY?> to group, then <?for-each:current-group()?> inside it to loop over the rows of each group. Use <?sum(current-group()/AMOUNT)?> for subtotals and close each tag with its matching end tag.

How do I keep a running total in an RTF template?

Use the updatable variable extensions: initialize with <?xdoxslt:set_variable($_XDOCTX,'v_total',0)?>, then inside the loop add to it with set_variable and get_variable, and print it with <?xdoxslt:get_variable($_XDOCTX,'v_total')?>. Plain XSL variables cannot be updated.

If you want report requests answered without building a template each time, a private AI layer on your EBS data can answer them directly on your own servers, and we can set that up.

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