Stop Using OCI Functions: Generate Excel Files Directly in OIC with BI Publisher

The Ultimate OIC Guide to Excel File Generation Using BI Publisher

No OCI Functions Required

Generating Excel files from (OIC) is a common business requirement for reporting, data exports & integrations with external systems.

Many implementations rely on OCI Functions to transform data into Excel format, which introduces additional infrastructure, security & maintenance overhead.

Why Avoid OCI Functions?

While OCI Functions are powerful, they may not always be the best fit for simple Excel generation requirements.

Challenges include:

• Additional OCI infrastructure
• Function deployment and maintenance
• Monitoring and troubleshooting complexity
• Higher operational overhead
• Security and networking considerations

For many use cases, BI Publisher already provides everything needed to generate Excel files.

In this approach:

1. OIC invokes a BI Publisher report.
2. BI Publisher generates the output as Excel.
3. OIC receives the generated file.
4. The file is delivered to the target destination. No OCI Functions required.

Prerequisites

Before implementing this solution, ensure that:

• BI Publisher is enabled in your Oracle environment.
• A BI Publisher data model exists.
• A BI Publisher report exists.
• OIC has connectivity to BI Publisher.
• Required user permissions are assigned.

Step 1: Create the BI Publisher Report

• create BIP report, make sure the output format is *CSV *

Step 2: Call BIP in OIC

• Call that report in OIC using soap connections. FYR

here attribute format csv

Step 3: Cooking with stage file 😁

• Now add the stage file action in oic. -Chose the write operation as below

• prefer the as below

-upload the OpaqueSchemaFile.xsd

-Check the mapper of stage file-write
FYR

Last setp: Added to OIC mails

• Time to added to oic notify & attached as below

Conclusion

For most reporting and export scenarios, BI Publisher can act as your Excel generation engine, while OIC handles orchestration and delivery.

The result is a simpler architecture, lower maintenance costs, and faster implementation timelines without writing a single line of custom code.