5. Will customers need to move to the Oracle E-Business Suite before upgrading to Oracle Fusion Applications?
No, customers will not be forced to move to the Oracle E-Business Suite prior to an upgrade to Fusion Applications. There will be no forced upgrades, and customers can count on Oracle’s unique Lifetime Support Policy to protect and support their existing applications.
6. Is Oracle taking on too much; that is, can you really continue to enhance the current applications while investing in the next-generation applications?
When Oracle acquired PeopleSoft, JD Edwards, and Siebel, a vast majority of their development and support teams were retained. In addition, we plan to leverage our Fusion Middleware platform and infrastructure investments across all product lines. Prior to the acquisitions, each of the product lines had significant resources allocated to individual next-generation initiatives. The combined companies have more resources than the acquired companies had separately. These resources can be focused on functional enhancements instead of overlapping development on infrastructure for each of the product lines. Oracle is moving toward establishing separate business units for each product line.
7. How is Oracle taking input from customers as it develops the next product releases?
Oracle is working closely with our customer communities - including our CIO Advisory Board, Product and Industry Strategy Councils, and Customer Advisory Boards (CABs) - and with individual customers to determine product direction. We are also dedicating extensive time to analyzing customer enhancement requests, across all product lines. In addition, Oracle's independent global User Groups have created a single "Fusion Channel", through which user group members worldwide can assist and provide feedback directly into our development effort. To learn more about how to get involved with the Fusion Channel initiative, contact your local User Group, or go to www.iouc.org for more information.
8. How does this announcement impact the 2013 support timeline?
Oracle has already announced the Lifetime Support Policy for all product lines. The Lifetime Support Policy provides access to technical experts for as long as you license your Oracle products, and it consists of three support stages: Premier Support, Extended Support, and Sustaining Support. It delivers maximum value by providing you with rights to major product releases, so you can take full advantage of technology and product enhancements. Oracle’s Lifetime Support Policy also puts you in control of your upgrade strategy. Our flexible support policy stages make it easier for you to plan and budget for Oracle’s exclusive product upgrades. We plan to maintain all our families of products as long as they remain viable. This means that there is no longer a minimum 2013 support date.
Friday, March 14, 2008
Oracle Siebel Applications Unlimited (FAQ:1)
1. What is Oracle Applications Unlimited?
Applications Unlimited is Oracle’s plan to continue providing ongoing enhancements to current Oracle Applications beyond the delivery of Oracle Fusion Applications. Applications Unlimited will provide customers with more visibility into our existing product roadmaps and help them derive continual success with their current applications by delivering dedicated, world-class development and support for years to come. Applications Unlimited is driven by Oracle’s commitment to protecting customer’s investments.
2. How is the Applications Unlimited strategy beneficial to Oracle customers?
Oracle is giving customers the option to choose what is best for their business. Customers can continue to derive value from their existing applications, which we plan to continuously update or they can upgrade free of charge to future technologies if there is a business case to do so. It is entirely the customer’s choice.
3. How will the Applications Unlimited announcement impact the Oracle Fusion timeline?
Applications Unlimited will not impact the scheduled 2008 delivery of Fusion Applications. In addition to providing ongoing enhancements to the current Oracle Applications, Oracle has dedicated development teams designing the first release of Oracle Fusion Applications and working through upgrade scenarios with customer advisory boards and user groups. The scale of our applications business allows us to continue investing in all existing products, which in turn allows us to address a wide range of customer requirements. Oracle Fusion Applications, which is built completely on industry standards, will simply represent another addition to the Oracle Applications family.
4. Will I have to wait for Fusion Applications to get new functionality?
Dedicated development teams will work closely with customer advisory boards and user groups to design new releases and functional enhancements to current Oracle Applications product families. As part of these enhancements, Oracle plans to deliver next-generation application capabilities, such as XML reporting, data hubs, Business Process Execution Language (BPEL), business activity monitoring (BAM), and industry-specific analytics to the current Oracle Applications. These next-generation enhancements will leverage the same industry standards and technologies that we plan to use in Oracle Fusion Applications, preserving your investments.
Applications Unlimited is Oracle’s plan to continue providing ongoing enhancements to current Oracle Applications beyond the delivery of Oracle Fusion Applications. Applications Unlimited will provide customers with more visibility into our existing product roadmaps and help them derive continual success with their current applications by delivering dedicated, world-class development and support for years to come. Applications Unlimited is driven by Oracle’s commitment to protecting customer’s investments.
2. How is the Applications Unlimited strategy beneficial to Oracle customers?
Oracle is giving customers the option to choose what is best for their business. Customers can continue to derive value from their existing applications, which we plan to continuously update or they can upgrade free of charge to future technologies if there is a business case to do so. It is entirely the customer’s choice.
3. How will the Applications Unlimited announcement impact the Oracle Fusion timeline?
Applications Unlimited will not impact the scheduled 2008 delivery of Fusion Applications. In addition to providing ongoing enhancements to the current Oracle Applications, Oracle has dedicated development teams designing the first release of Oracle Fusion Applications and working through upgrade scenarios with customer advisory boards and user groups. The scale of our applications business allows us to continue investing in all existing products, which in turn allows us to address a wide range of customer requirements. Oracle Fusion Applications, which is built completely on industry standards, will simply represent another addition to the Oracle Applications family.
4. Will I have to wait for Fusion Applications to get new functionality?
Dedicated development teams will work closely with customer advisory boards and user groups to design new releases and functional enhancements to current Oracle Applications product families. As part of these enhancements, Oracle plans to deliver next-generation application capabilities, such as XML reporting, data hubs, Business Process Execution Language (BPEL), business activity monitoring (BAM), and industry-specific analytics to the current Oracle Applications. These next-generation enhancements will leverage the same industry standards and technologies that we plan to use in Oracle Fusion Applications, preserving your investments.
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Oracle Unveils Oracle Application Integration Architecture
| Oracle Unveils Oracle Application Integration Architecture Oracle Enables Application Agility with Open Architecture, Packaged Integrations and Industry Reference Models |
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The Oracle Application Integration Architecture will be open to the industry so ISV's can use it to integrate with Oracle Applications and customers can extend the platform to their legacy applications. The common object model is the same object model to be used in Oracle Fusion applications. Additionally, customers will be able to extend the object model and have those extensions protected during upgrades.
"Oracle Application Integration Architecture will help us solve our problem of managing processes that rely on several different applications," said CIO of Subaru Brian Simmermon. "By leveraging an open, standards-based architecture, we will have the flexibility to make discrete changes without disrupting the entire business process."
Pre-Built Integration Using Standard Business Process Execution Language (BPEL)
As part of the Oracle Application Integration Architecture, Oracle plans to deliver horizontal and industry specific Process Integration Packs, which provide pre-integrated business flows across Oracle's portfolio of applications. Each Process Integration Pack will leverage the Oracle Fusion Middleware SOA Suite and use a methodology that should enable a quick implementation by customers or partners. By offering pre-built, integration packs, Oracle intends to help significantly reduce the cost to deploy and maintain integrations, while supporting a more adaptive application infrastructure.
The initial process integration packages that will be available include:
* Oracle's Siebel CRM On Demand Integration Pack for Oracle E-Business Suite, which is intended to support the opportunity-to-quote process and includes auto conversion of opportunities to quotes and quotes to orders; and,
* Oracle's Siebel CRM Integration Pack for Oracle E-Business Suite Order Management, which is expected to support the order-to-cash process lifecycle, including capabilities for complex product configuration, inventory availability, automated order processing, price synchronization and real time order status.
The following Process Integration Packs are planned for subsequent releases:
* Oracle's Siebel CRM Integration Pack for i-flex FLEXCUBE Account Originations, which is intended to provide an integrated front-to-back-office banking solution that gives banks a single view of the customer and a streamlined account opening and fulfillment process;
* Oracle's Siebel Call Center Integration Pack for Oracle Adverse Event Reporting System, which is intended to support a complete closed-loop adverse event and complaint solution from the moment of notification through reporting and monitoring, which is critical for the life sciences industry;
* Siebel CRM Trade Promotions and Deductions Integration Pack for Oracle E-Business Suite, which is expected to provide a closed-loop trade promotional process for consumer goods companies, encompassing trade promotion creation and settlement flows;
* Communications Integration Packs for Siebel CRM, Oracle Billing and Revenue Management and Oracle Financials, which is intended to support the concept-to-launch and order-to-cash processes enabling product and price synchronization, account hierarchy management, billing activation for sales orders, bill presentation, payments, adjustments and revenue accounting;
* Multi Order Channel Management Integration Pack for Siebel CRM, Oracle E-Business Suite and Oracle Retail, which is expected to provide a uniform customer experience regardless of sales channel, and will enable customer-service and sales representatives in the retail industry to view and manage orders across sales channels;
* Siebel CRM On Demand Integration Pack for Oracle's JD Edwards EnterpriseOne, which is planned to include support for the lead-to-order process, new account creation and maintenance process and product look up synchronization;
* Oracle Transportation Management Integration Pack for JD Edwards EnterpriseOne, which is planned to include support for rate and route shopping during sales order entry, optimized shipment planning and consolidation, freight audit and settlement processing and carrier payment;
* Oracle's PeopleSoft Financials Integration Pack for Oracle Financial Services Accounting Hub, which is expected to allow users in the financial services industry to consolidate information from back-office systems into the Oracle Financial Services Accounting Hub and PeopleSoft General Ledger.
Industry Reference Models Enable Process Integration across Multiple Applications
As part of the Oracle Applications Integration Architecture, Oracle plans to deliver Industry Reference Models, which will give customers and partners tools and documented business processes to create unique, integrated process flows across heterogeneous environments. With these models, customer and partners are expected to more easily adopt industry best practices and implement unique processes that meet specific business needs and should be protected through upgrade cycles. Additionally, Oracle is working with the leaders in the systems integrator community to co-develop best practice industry processes and model.
Value Extended through Partner Ecosystem
To provide customers access to a broader set of pre-integrated best-in -class processes, Oracle is expanding the Oracle PartnerNetwork Applications Integration Initiative by providing Independent Software Vendors (ISVs) with industry process content, governance methodology, testing and validation. By developing a formal program for third parties, Oracle intends to give partners access to specialized resources that can help develop supported industry specific solutions that best-fit customers� unique needs.
Path to Oracle Fusion Applications
With the announcement of the Oracle Application Integration Architecture, Oracle has met another commitment in providing an evolutionary approach to Oracle Fusion Applications. The processes, objects, services and methodology planned as part of this architecture are expected to be leveraged in Oracle Fusion Applications, allowing customers to quickly address their integration needs and start adopting a standards-based, SOA architecture to prepare for the next generation of applications.
"The Application Integration Architecture will satisfy customer demands for integration of its acquired applications, while creating a gradual migration path to the future Fusion Applications. The Process Integration Packs combined with BPM tools will give customers an opportunity to implement cross-functional business processes and then create a unique competitive advantage on top of standard enterprise applications." Bill Swanton, AMR Research, "Oracle Application Integration Architecture: We Love It When A Plan Comes Together," April 16, 2007.
Oracle Business Accelerators
Oracle Business Accelerators are powerful, easy-to-use rapid implementation solutions for Oracle E-Business Suite and JD Edwards EnterpriseOne customers through Oracle's approved partner channel or Oracle Consulting.
Oracle Business accelerators bring proven, best-in-class business flows to reduce the time and costs of implementing enterprise-wide solutions. Using intellectual property from both Oracle and our partners, business accelerators reduce implementation discovery, setup, and testing project phases. The result is predictable and expedited access to proven solutions that minimize the risk of new technology adoption.
Get Real Results
Best-in-class applications
Leading industry expertise
Proven methodologies
See What Customers Are Achieving
"Oracle Business Accelerators have allowed DAZ Systems, Inc. to take a client from answering the set-up questionnaire to testing and training on their conference room pilot instances with lightning speed—in one day. That�s much quicker than a typical implementation." (Source: Deborah Arnold, Partner, DAZ Systems, Inc., Oracle E-Business Suite implementation partner in the United States)
"Just by our leveraging the Oracle Business Accelerators, we have been able to deliver a high-quality Oracle E-Business Suite implementation while cutting the implementation duration and implementation costs by 30 percent." (Source: Mike Smith, principal and officer, Delivery Specialists, Baytree, Oracle E-Business Suite reseller and implementation partner servicing the United States)
"We leverage the Oracle Business Accelerator assets on every engagement to manage complexity and reduce time to implement. At Towers Perrin, for example, we were able to utilize the Business Accelerator�s business flows and pre-packaged scripts to quickly develop automated regression testing scripts and dramatically reduce the overall time to complete the functional prototype." (Source: Tom Connolly, president, director of Technical Services, BizTech, Oracle E-Business Suite reseller and implementation partner)
"We find that the Oracle Business Accelerator allows us to provide our clients a lower-cost, lower-risk implementation option. Oracle's systematic approach provides rapid installation, and enables our subject matter experts to begin working in a client's personalized instance much earlier than with traditional consulting approaches. The result — happier customers and a quicker time to benefit for their investment." (Source: Hal Hawisher, principal and chief marketing officer, Baytree, Oracle E-Business Suite reseller and implementation partner servicing the United States)
Oracle Financials delivered to a an expanding business in three weeks. Using Oracle Business Accelerators Explorer allows a rapidly growing business to implement enterprise-class applications in under one month. (Source: Explorer UK Limited, implementation partner for multiple Oracle Business Accelerators for Oracle E-Business Suite projects)
Siebel Universal Customer Master
Part of Siebel Customer Data Integration solutions, Oracle's Siebel Universal Customer Master is a comprehensive customer data hub that unifies customer data across multiple business units and functionally disparate systems. It's a software solution that takes the complexity out of maintaining clear, accurate customer data to provide a trusted, authoritative source of customer information across the enterprise. Using prebuilt integration components, the application takes the complexity out of the manual maintenance of clear, accurate customer data. | ||
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FEATURES | ||
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Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Siebel Workflow
Workflow Processes Configuration Overview
♦ Workflow Processes allows you to define your company’s business processes using the Process
Designer in Siebel Tools. Using Workflow Processes, you can define a process that consists of process steps such as start steps, decision points, subprocesses, or business services steps to complete tasks.
♦ A task can be completed with either a predefined business service or a custom business service. Predefined tasks include updates to the Siebel database, notifications (such as an email or page), integration messages to external systems, and calls to invoke server tasks. Custom tasks can be defined by using Siebel VB or Siebel eScript.
Workflow Processes Administration Overview
♦ Workflow Processes can vary from a simple process such as entering a product order to a complex process such as managing call center workflow. Complex processes can comprise multiple smaller processes.
♦ Workflow Processes are administered through the Administration - Business Process views in the Siebel Client.
Using Workflow Processes
♦ Workflow processes can be invoked from events in the Siebel application or from external systems. Within the Siebel application, a process can be invoked from a workflow policy, an event (such as an insert of a record or a button click), or a server component.
Steps in Siebel Workflow:
■ Start. This is the start step initiating the process instance. The work item is the new service
request.
■ Assign Service Request. This is a subprocess task. The service request is assigned to the
appropriate agent based on the assignment rules defined in the Assign Service Request
subprocess.
■ Severity. This is a decision step. The service request severity determines the next step in the
process instance of the three possible paths: Critical, High, or Medium.
■ Send Email. This is an automated business service task. If the service request priority is critical,
an email is sent to the assigned agent. This task calls the Outbound Communications Manager
business service.
■ Priority High. This is a Siebel Operation update task. This step updates the service request
priority to High.
■ Substatus Assigned. This is a Siebel Operation update task. This step updates the sub status
to Assigned.
■ Email Error Activity. This is a Siebel Operation insert task. This task is triggered if an error is
returned in the Send Email task.
■ Priority Very High and Dispatch. This is a Siebel Operation update task. This step changes
the service request priority to Very High and the sub status to Dispatch.
■ End. This step defines the completion of the process.
♦ Workflow Processes allows you to define your company’s business processes using the Process
Designer in Siebel Tools. Using Workflow Processes, you can define a process that consists of process steps such as start steps, decision points, subprocesses, or business services steps to complete tasks.
♦ A task can be completed with either a predefined business service or a custom business service. Predefined tasks include updates to the Siebel database, notifications (such as an email or page), integration messages to external systems, and calls to invoke server tasks. Custom tasks can be defined by using Siebel VB or Siebel eScript.
Workflow Processes Administration Overview
♦ Workflow Processes can vary from a simple process such as entering a product order to a complex process such as managing call center workflow. Complex processes can comprise multiple smaller processes.
♦ Workflow Processes are administered through the Administration - Business Process views in the Siebel Client.
Using Workflow Processes
♦ Workflow processes can be invoked from events in the Siebel application or from external systems. Within the Siebel application, a process can be invoked from a workflow policy, an event (such as an insert of a record or a button click), or a server component.
Steps in Siebel Workflow:
■ Start. This is the start step initiating the process instance. The work item is the new service
request.
■ Assign Service Request. This is a subprocess task. The service request is assigned to the
appropriate agent based on the assignment rules defined in the Assign Service Request
subprocess.
■ Severity. This is a decision step. The service request severity determines the next step in the
process instance of the three possible paths: Critical, High, or Medium.
■ Send Email. This is an automated business service task. If the service request priority is critical,
an email is sent to the assigned agent. This task calls the Outbound Communications Manager
business service.
■ Priority High. This is a Siebel Operation update task. This step updates the service request
priority to High.
■ Substatus Assigned. This is a Siebel Operation update task. This step updates the sub status
to Assigned.
■ Email Error Activity. This is a Siebel Operation insert task. This task is triggered if an error is
returned in the Send Email task.
■ Priority Very High and Dispatch. This is a Siebel Operation update task. This step changes
the service request priority to Very High and the sub status to Dispatch.
■ End. This step defines the completion of the process.
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