OIC - Oracle Integration Cloud (OIC): Configuring BI Publisher Data Model to Return DATA_DS, Empty XML Tags, and CSV Output

When integrating Oracle ERP Cloud reports with Oracle Integration Cloud (OIC), you may encounter situations where BI Publisher omits empty XML elements. This can create issues in OIC because expected XML nodes are missing, making mappings and XPath expressions fail.

This blog explains how to configure your BI Publisher Data Model so that:

The response contains the <DATA_DS> root tag instead of only column headers.

Blank fields are returned as empty XML tags (for example, <STATUS/>) instead of being omitted.

CSV output is enabled if required.

Problem Statement

While calling a BI Publisher report from OIC:

The XML response may contain only headers or omit the <DATA_DS> section when no data is returned.

Columns with NULL values are not included in the XML payload.

Missing XML elements can cause integration mappings, stage file processing, or downstream applications to fail.

Solution

Open the BI Publisher Data Model and configure the following properties.

1. Enable CSV Output

Check:

✅ Enable CSV Output

This allows the report to generate CSV output when required by downstream integrations.

2. Include Empty XML Tags

Under XML Output Options, enable:

✅ Include Empty Tags for Null Elements

✅ Include Open & Close Tags

These settings ensure that if a database column contains a NULL value, BI Publisher still generates the XML element.

Before

<DATA_DS>

   <G_1>

      <REQUEST_ID>12345</REQUEST_ID>

   </G_1>

</DATA_DS>

After

<DATA_DS>

   <G_1>

      <REQUEST_ID>12345</REQUEST_ID>

      <STATUS/>

      <ERROR_MESSAGE/>

   </G_1>

</DATA_DS>

This makes XML parsing in OIC much more reliable.

Why This Is Important

Using these options provides several benefits:

Ensures a consistent XML structure.

Prevents XPath and mapper failures in OIC.

Simplifies Stage File and XML parsing.

Guarantees expected tags exist even when values are NULL.

Improves compatibility with downstream systems expecting fixed XML schemas.

Configuration Screenshot

The following BI Publisher Data Model settings should be enabled:

Enable CSV Output

Include Empty Tags for Null Elements

Include Open & Close Tags

These options are available under the Properties page of the Data Model, as shown in your screenshot.

Conclusion

If your OIC integration depends on consistent XML elements, configuring the BI Publisher Data Model correctly is essential. By enabling CSV Output and selecting Include Empty Tags for Null Elements along with Include Open & Close Tags, BI Publisher always returns a predictable XML payload with the <DATA_DS> structure and empty tags for NULL values. This greatly improves integration stability and reduces mapping errors in Oracle Integration Cloud.