Installation Documentation

Flows for APEX Enterrise Edition v25.1 has a single installation process (unlike v24.1, where the Ask Flo AI was optional).

Note the pre-requisites are:

  • If you are installing WITH the AI feature, you need to be running Oracle APEX v24.1 or later, and have an OpenAI API key with a pre-paid credit balance. This install will replace the Flows for APEX application with an APEX 24.1 app.

  • If you can’t meet these requirements, or choose not to run the AI feature, you can run Flows for APEX Enterprise Edition with Oracle APEX v22.1 or later. This installation does not replace the Flows for APEX application that you installed with the Community Edition.

Pre-Requisites

  • You need a working Flows for APEX v25.1 Community Edition installation before you start - the Enterprise Edition instals on top of the Community Edition.

    • If you have an existing Flows for APEX 24.1 or earlier installation, upgrade and migrate this to Flows for APEX v25.1 Community Edition first using the instructions here.

    • If you are installing a new system, start by installing Flows for APEX Community Edition v24.1. You can do this by importing the Flows for APEX Community Edition app and installing its supporting objects.

  • You should have Timers set up and working. (Unlike v24.1, these are now set up for you as part of the Community Edition installation - so this should already be the case)

  • APEX Version. Installation requires Oracle APEX v24.1 or later.

  • Database: Installation requires Oracle Database 19c or later.

  • To run the AI feature, you need to set up a Workspace-level Generative AI service for Flows for APEX, using OpenAI with the gpt-4o model with a static ID defined in APEX as F4A_AI_SERVICE. For detailed instructions, see below.

  • If you are not using / not able to use the AI features, the 25.1 Community Edition APEX app installation should have already created a dummy AI service for you named F4A_AI_SERVICE that just links to example.com and is non-functional. This is sufficient. You can edit this definition later (in Application Builder > Workspace Options), once you are ready to use AI.

Then follow one of these two paths to install a new environment or migrate an existing one.

New Enterprise Edition install.

You will need:

  1. to be running Oracle APEX 24.1 or later
  2. to be running Oracle database 19c or later
  3. have a running Flows for APEX 25.1 Community Edition installation.

You then install the Enterprise Edition on-top of the Community Edition. The installation sets up Oracle Advanced Queueing, installs some missing PL/SQL package bodies and SQL views, recompiles everything, and gives you an Enterprise Edition system. To do this:

  1. Download the Enterprise Edition package from the link given to you by Flowquest.
  2. Unzip the release into a folder on your computer.
  3. Change Directory to the folder containing the unzipped files.
  4. Using SQLcl, connect to the database as the Flows for APEX schema owner.
  5. Run the file install_all_ee.sql. This should
    1. suspend the timer job
    2. create Oracle AQ objects
    3. Upgrade your schema by adding views and packages required for Enterprise Edition.
    4. Recompile all of the Flows for APEX packages
    5. Add your licence information to the Flows for APEX configurations
    6. Restart your timer job.
  6. Flows for APEX Enterprise Edition should now be running.

Existing Enterprise Edition v24.1 User migrating to v25.1

You will need:

  1. to be running Oracle APEX 24.1 or later
  2. to be running Oracle database 19c or later

The migration path in overview is:

  1. Prevent access to the system by users.

  2. Disable Timers.

  3. Backup your System.

  4. Follow. the instructions to migrate a Community Edition v24.1 installation to a CE v25.1 one. This will temporarily make your system a v25.1 Community Edition.

  5. Install Enterprise Edition v25.1 on-top of the Community Edition. The installation sets up Oracle Advanced Queueing, installs some missing PL/SQL package bodies and SQL views, recompiles everything, and gives you an Enterprise Edition system. To do this:

    1. Download the Enterprise Edition package from the link given to you by Flowquest.

    2. Unzip the release into a folder on your computer.

    3. Change Directory to the folder containing the unzipped files.

    4. Using SQLcl, connect to the database as the Flows for APEX schema owner.

    5. Run the file install_all_ee.sql. This should

      1. suspend the timer job
      2. create Oracle AQ objects
      3. Upgrade your schema by adding views and packages required for Enterprise Edition.
      4. Recompile all of the Flows for APEX package.
      5. Add your licence information to the Flows for APEX configurations
      6. Restart your timer job.

  6. Flows for APEX Enterprise Edition should now be running.

Set up your APEX Workspace-level GenAI Service for Flows for APEX.

To set Up Your Workspace-level Flows for APEX API service in APEX.

  1. Open APEX, go into the Application Builder, and select Workspace Utilities

  2. Select Generative AI

    Generative AI Services

  3. Either edit the Generative AI service named “Flows for APEX AI Service”, with a static ID of “F4A_AI_SERVICE”, or create one if it doesn’t already exist..

    You will need to get an API Key from openai.com if you don’t already have one stored in your workspace credentials.

    Create Flows Gen AI Service.