Siebel REST API Interview Questions

Question 1 : What are REST APIs? 

Answer: REST stands for Representational state transfer. It is a protocol for data transfer using HTTP methods.

Usually REST API uses JSON format to communicate as it is simpler and lightweight than XML.

How to calculate age from date of birth using calculated fields?

Hi Readers,

This is a new series, where I will show you how things are done in Siebel and how the same thing can be done in Salesforce. Will leave the decision upto you to tell me which one is easier and which one is better.

Step 1: Create first calculated field to output date in YYYYMMDD Field Type: DTYPE_NUMBER

ToChar(Today(),’YYYY’) + ToChar(Today(),’MM’) + ToChar(Today(), ‘DD’)

Step 2: Create second calculated field to convert birth date field in YYYYMMDD  : Field Type: DTYPE_NUMBER

ToChar([Date Of Birth], ‘YYYY’) + ToChar([Date Of Birth], ‘MM’) + ToChar([Date Of Birth], ‘DD’) 

Step 3 : Create another field to use the fields created above as : Field Type: DTYPE_TEXT

The Under Age flag : IIf(([Step1] – [Step2]) < “180000”, “Y”, “N”)

We are doing these three steps mainly because :

1. Siebel does not have good list of functions supported in calculated fields. 
2. Siebel does not have data type conversion in calculated fields. 

Lets don't refer to invoke service method due to its own complication and performance issues it can cause.

In Salesforce if you have to do this activity, you just need one formula field with following calculation.

IF( NOT( ISBLANK( Birthdate ) ) ,
  IF( DATE( 2000 , MONTH( Birthdate ) , DAY( Birthdate ) ) <= DATE( 2000 , MONTH( TODAY() ) , DAY( TODAY() ) ),
     YEAR (Today()) - YEAR ( Birthdate ),
     YEAR (Today()) - YEAR ( Birthdate ) -1 ),
  null)

Learn more about list of functions available in Siebel here: https://docs.oracle.com/cd/B40099_02/books/ToolsDevRef/ToolsDevRef_Operators8.html

and Full list of salesforce functions are here: https://help.salesforce.com/articleView?id=customize_functions.htm&type=5

State of Siebel in 2020?

Hello Readers,

It has been a while since I have posted on this blog. I have moved on from Siebel the second time. Still see some of my friends working in Siebel and keep getting furious.

Just wondering what are my readers are doing in 2020? Please take some time out and let us know the actual state of Siebel this year.


Live results





Many things have happened since I last posted.
Siebel unleashed vanished :(

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No more posts on Impossible Siebel :(

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No more posts on Siebel Mantra :(

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And such a once a wonderful blogging community just vanished.

I have stopped reading siebelhub.com,  hope it is doing great. I hope you all are doing great. Would love to read your comments and connect.

 -Jim