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The Oracle EBS Complexities

ryan.alford — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 21:39:05 +0000

By Tracy Bishop

“What reporting tool should I use?”

I worked for Oracle as a sales consultant for many years before leaving to join a dedicated software “reporting tool” company. In that time, one of the hardest questions to answer for customers and prospective customers was: “What reporting tool should I use?”

Most customers would love to have an answer, which pointed them to one tool (meaning they only had to support one method and tool). All users could have the same training and there would be a nice consistent source of truth and interface for reporting across the organization.

Unfortunately, life and the ERP environment are just not like that.

Oracle E-Business Suite is an extremely complex suite of software, designed to support a wide variety of professional and operational disciplines in large, complex organizations. Users will range from the highest level executives and board members (who just want a “state of the nation” snapshot), to large numbers of data input and operational staff (who need to instantly see the results of their actions in the system).

Even in a sales demo, which focused purely on financial management, I would typically need to show users a range of tools to suit the different requirements they presented. This included, for example, Discoverer for ad-hoc transactional reports (or more recently Business Intelligence applications) for dashboards of key financial reports and ad-hoc reports. Adding to that mix, Financial Statement Generator (FSG) for statutory reports, online inquiries for quick analysis of transactional activity, and even Excel export utilities to plug the gaps.

Once it comes to implementation the landscape becomes more complex as each organization may have its own strategic reporting tools and the implementers may have their own preferred tools and skill sets for reporting purposes.

“Now what?”

The diagram below shows the typical deployment of different types of tools to different types of users. At the highest level, executives just want the sweet spots of information and need it presented succinctly in an easy-to-read, often graphical form. The less information they have to trawl the better.

Reporting Tools Evolution

The business data that is important to the executive level is summary information: For example, staff turnover, overall sickness levels, profitability, sales, cost of sales, project performance, etc. Often this can be a snapshot based on a data warehouse of modeled and aggregated data and does not need to be in real-time. Hyperion and Oracle OBIEE and BI Applications are often deployed to fill this need, as are third-party BI tools such as Cognos and Business Objects.

As you move down the organization structure the picture becomes increasingly fuzzy. The more diverse users and modules have a very wide variety of needs. While it would be impossible to list all the types of information these users would need, it is possible to describe their needs and, indeed, expectations.

Having seen the capabilities of Oracle (and designing the data they will input based on these capabilities,) users have the expectation that they will be able to easily access all of this information whether in summary or detailed form. Take for example, Oracle Financials: Users want to see information at the highest summary level. This includes how money is spent across an entire company or multiple companies, but with the capability to also access all of the supporting detail (and in real-time).

That can be extremely difficult in Oracle using the standard tools. That is why there are a plethora of tools used in the marketplace to meet different parts of those requirements. All too often, too much effort is spent exporting information to spreadsheets and then manipulating the raw data and reconciling it back. That time should really be spent analyzing the completed reports. Users are really looking for tools that can do this without having to spend vast amounts on implementation efforts and IT support.

I finally came across a tool, which would complement the high-level BI tools and support the operational users of the finance modules: Insight Software Suite for Oracle EBS. Check it out: http://www.insightsoftware.com/products/ebs.

Author: ryan.alford

Ryan is the Internet Marketing Manager for InsightSoftware.com.

Southeast RUG a Resounding Success for InsightSoftware.com

ryan.alford — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 22:10:58 +0000

Tonja Zeigler, winner of InsightSoftware.com's Kindle prize draw, and Mark Kolanach

InsightSoftware.com participated at the Southeast RUG Fall 2010 Meeting, which took place at the Marriott Atlanta Northwest on Friday, Dec. 3.

The event offered a day of education, updates and networking for JD Edwards, PeopleSoft, and Oracle E-Business Suite users. Amid the wide variety of education sessions and networking opportunities, InsightSoftware.com was pleased to participate in the event:

“These events are important to the health of the Oracle ERP user community,” said Mark Kolanach, InsightSoftware.com’s southeast sales executive. “Any time we can support JD Edwards and Oracle EBS customers, learning best practices and discussing how to be more effective at their jobs, is a good thing.”

As part of the day’s festivities, InsightSoftware.com had a raffle for an Amazon Kindle. The lucky winner of this early holiday gift was Tonja Zeigler of Toto USA. Thanks for participating Tonja, and congratulations!

For more information about the Southeast RUG, visit http://ps-srug.org.

Author: ryan.alford

Ryan is the Internet Marketing Manager for InsightSoftware.com.

The West is the Best!

ryan.alford — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 21:35:46 +0000

By Phil Walton

Quincy Ko will join InsightSoftware.com on Monday, June 28 as the company’s new sales executive for the northwest region (all the places in the West where it snows).

Quincy is based in Vancouver, Canada and comes with deep and varied experience in the Business Intelligence and ERP industries.

With experience in growing territories, short/long sales cycles, closing small/large deals, and his eye for the end-user experience, Quincy is the ideal addition to InsightSoftware. He understands our value proposition and the Insight opportunity.

Welcome to the team, Quincy!

Author: ryan.alford

Ryan is the Internet Marketing Manager for InsightSoftware.com.

InsightSoftware.com’s North American User Group meeting is now in session!

ryan.alford — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 16:57:49 +0000

More than 100 attendees have gathered at the Hyatt Regency Resort and Spa at Gainey Ranch in Scottsdale, Ariz., for InsightSoftware.com’s North American User Group Meeting. The meeting is from March 21 through the 23.

Sessions include an overview of the all-new Insight Version 10 and business optimization solutions. Danny Graham and Julie Holmes kicked-off the meeting with an extensive overview and demonstration of Version 10. During the morning session, attendees were shown numerous Version 10 screenshots. Later, Julie and Danny took questions from the audience.

The first day will continue with sessions focusing on Forecast2Budget, Advanced Formatting, Supplier Management, Advanced Hierarchies, Report Writing, Integrated Reporting and Reconciliations.

Stay tuned to Insightful for more updates from InsightSoftware.com’s NAUG in Scottsdale.

For photos, visit our Facebook page and become a fan: http://bit.ly/d62xBj.

Author: ryan.alford

Ryan is the Internet Marketing Manager for InsightSoftware.com.

Mark Kolanach in Da House!

ryan.alford — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 21:29:45 +0000

As you may already know, InsightSoftware.com hired Mark Kolanach as the U.S. regional manager for the Southeast.

Based in Raleigh, N.C., Mark has an extensive background in business intelligence. This includes roles in pre-sales and sales at Oracle and QlikTech.

Here are Mark’s top goals (and some random thoughts) for his new role:

“I plan to evangelize our solution in the Southeast. In this region of the U.S., many companies deserve the opportunity to discover the Insight difference.”

“I’ll also focus on mid-market companies. Without millions to spend on data analysis tools, they need a way to improve their margins and efficiencies. We can enable companies to identify ways to do this in days or weeks versus months – at a price point they can afford.”

“Insight’s short ‘time-to-benefit’ is key for companies needing better access to real-time data. We simply solve problems NOW, instead of selling them on a vision of what they can possibly have in six months.”

“We help organizations simplify how they measure themselves against their annual strategic objectives. How many hoops are they jumping through to gather accurate metrics now?”

So, what excites Mark about the Insight product?

“The most exciting thing for me about our product is the time-to-benefit. You can literally make the decision to work with us in addressing your data analysis needs today, and then use the tool tomorrow. Since we just plug into the ERP system, Insight is completely preconfigured to work immediately.

“Our pre-packaged solutions are functionally designed to address the areas of greatest benefit: Procure to pay, order to ship, month end close and many others. The return on investment is very short for many of our customers. That is the reason I joined InsightSoftware.com. There isn’t a lot of satisfaction in identifying areas of great need in an organization and then telling them how they can address them in a month, or even six months from now. Six months to benefit just doesn’t cut it in this economy.”

Author: ryan.alford

Ryan is the Internet Marketing Manager for InsightSoftware.com.

NAUG Earlybird Registration Deadline Extended!

ryan.alford — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 22:07:45 +0000

InsightSoftware.com extended the deadline for its North American User Group earlybird registration – now Feb. 28.

Scheduled for March 21-23, the meeting will take place at the Hyatt Gainey Ranch Resort in Scottsdale, Ariz. All users of Insight’s software are invited to attend.

Taking the meeting spotlight, NAUG attendees will receive a sneak peek of Insight Version 10. The new version features an updated (and very slick) user interface, integrated reporting enhancements, and a new community portal that incorporates social media. Attendees also receive a comprehensive update of their Insight solution and networking opportunities with other Insight users.

Author: ryan.alford

Ryan is the Internet Marketing Manager for InsightSoftware.com.

Important Industry Webinars to Attend and/or View

ryan.alford — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 20:29:30 +0000

It’s definitely the season for free Webinars. If you enjoy learning more about the goings-on in the Oracle world and beyond, it’s a good idea to keep reading.

On Wednesday, Feb. 3 (10 a.m. PT/1 p.m. ET), plan to attend the following Webinar: “JD Edwards & Oracle: The Strategic Platform for Business Growth.” Lyle Ekdahl, group vice president for JD Edwards will provide a 10-minute update on the “future of JD Edwards.”

In addition, Bill Black, chief financial officer for Arcturus Realty Corp. will join Lyle for a discussion on the ease of upgrading to 9.0 and Tools 8.98. Of course, we’re especially excited about this Webinar because Arcturus is a loyal InsightSoftware.com customer.

You will also have the opportunity to talk directly with Lyle and Bill during the Webinar’s Q&A session. Don’t miss it! To register, visit http://bit.ly/badWvo.

Recently, Oracle announced its plans to combine with Sun Microsystems. If you managed to miss all this important industry news, it’s never too late to catch up on the happenings. Oracle is offering an on-demand Webinar series called the “Oracle + Sun Product Strategy.” Learn more about the merger and what it means for you: http://bit.ly/cMaX07.

If you’re in the finance and accounting industries, you’ve probably heard a little bit about International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS), which are standards, interpretations and the framework adopted by the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB).

The United States has been slow to adopt IFRS. However, countries like Canada, India and many others are planning to adopt the standards or already have. As the pressure grows for the U.S. to use IFRS, many companies are scrambling to find out how to prepare.

The American Management Association (AMA) hosted a Webinar called “From GAAP to IFRS: How to Survive the Accounting Revolution.” The prerecorded Webinar highlights how IFRS will affect the format of financial statements and increased requirements for systems support and data tracking.

To view the Webinar, it’s required to register for a free membership with the AMA: http://bit.ly/cSvPPy.
InsightSoftware.com also has a few Webinars for your viewing pleasure – specifically the most recent Webinar, “Hierarchies – new and improved functionality in Version 9.0.3.” Check it out: http://bit.ly/aZceS6 (scroll to the bottom of the page for the most recent editions).

Author: ryan.alford

Ryan is the Internet Marketing Manager for InsightSoftware.com.

Having a Tough Day? Call InsightSoftware.com’s Customer Service!

ryan.alford — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 20:04:18 +0000

By Stefanie Uhl

Due to a recent change in my InsightSoftware.com responsibilities, I now sit very close to our customer service team. At first I thought it would be difficult to be close to them since they do talk a great deal, but it has actually turned out to be a delight.

I think some of InsightSoftware.com’s customers call our customer support team when they are having a rough day. Not only do they solve their Insight issue quickly, they keep our customers engaged and entertained along the way. If the issue needs to be reported to development they rapidly get that done. One day I thought about calling customer support for a little cheer in the middle of a long afternoon.

Here’s the best part: They are real people working during their own time zone and speaking their native languages. Oh what I wouldn’t give for that level of support when I need to call my Internet, software or printer provider for support.

Insight customers, please add your comments and experiences with customer service (InsightSoftware and otherwise). And then go visit: http://www.insightsoftware.com/jde.

Author: ryan.alford

Ryan is the Internet Marketing Manager for InsightSoftware.com.

Want to go shopping?

ryan.alford — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 16:37:39 +0000

By Lynda Huebsch

You could be a lucky winner and receive $100 in Best Buy gift cards. We invite you to submit your list of “Top 10 Reasons to Attend the InsightSoftware.com North American User Group (NAUG).”

We will sort through the entries and announce the winner during our opening session in Scottsdale on March 22.

Below is a top 10 list I created. I know our customers can do better. Go ahead and take the plunge – be creative and original. Good luck!

Top 10 Reasons to Attend NAUG 2010

Be the first to hear about Insight Version 10 features and functionality
Make your colleagues jealous: Get a sunburn in March
Relax on a gondola while being serenaded by a gondolier
Mix and mingle with partners under the palms
Share success stories with other customers
Make a co-worker happy: Bring materials back for their business function
Earn your CPE credits while honing your Insight skills
Impress your boss with increased efficiencies learned from “tips and tricks”
Be an insider; InsightSoftware.com plans to share their company and product roadmap
Take the early flight. Sunday’s welcome reception includes an open bar.

Submit “Top 10″ entries to marketing@insightsoftware.com. For more information about our NAUG, visit www.insightsoftware.com/naug.

Author: ryan.alford

Ryan is the Internet Marketing Manager for InsightSoftware.com.

Does Your JD Edwards Data Require Top-Notch Maid Service?

ryan.alford — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 21:13:59 +0000

By Stefanie Uhl

Just like a house or office that has many wonderful features and supplies that are difficult to find or are broken (rendering them useless), your JDE data is much less valuable to you if it’s not 100 percent accurate and integral. JD Edwards’ database is a true gem packed with endless useful information, but it is only highly valuable if the data is “squeaky clean.” The JDE integrity programs are not 100 percent complete and often take a long time to run – making it frustrating to run them frequently.

Did you know that there is a solution available that provides high level, easy-to-use “maid service” for your JD Edwards data? Of course, the solution is called Insight and is available from InsightSoftware.com for both World and E1.

Insight can quickly and easily check the following, just to name a few areas:

Are all companies in balance
Are all required category codes filled in
Are there accounts with the same code but different descriptions
Does the Accounts Receivable account balance to the A/R system
Does the Received but not Vouchered account balance reconcile to the PO system
Does your PPV (purchase price variance ) tie to your GL
Does your cycle count tie to your inventory
Are you certain that your purchasing department is only using preferred vendors and thereby gaining significant savings

Here’s how I see it: Insight can help identify areas that require attention, but it can often also help resolve the issues easily. Years ago when I was a JD Edwards application consultant, I can distinctly recall spending several days trying to help a German JDE customer determine why their GL was out of balance by .01 “Pfennig.” Insight could have helped me resolve this issue in hours, if not minutes, and would have saved the customer a significant amount of time and money.

In another engagement a customer was extremely frustrated by a report where the numbers did not seem to accurately be reporting regional revenues and expenses. It took them days to finally determine that the category codes were not accurately complete on all business units. With Insight’s drill down feature, this would have been identified and resolved quickly. Insight also has a hierarchy feature where it is easy to be certain that all business units and accounts are included.

An InsightSoftware.com customer (Courtney Robinson, 4Front Assistant Controller) recently said, “I’ve used Insight to find missing tax codes and category codes, and I plan to do even more integrity checking with the solution.”

Let the story unfold: http://www.insightsoftware.com/jde.

Author: ryan.alford

Ryan is the Internet Marketing Manager for InsightSoftware.com.