vishnu oaug publication

THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE ORACLE APPLICATIONS USERS GROUP

SUMMER 2016

COLLABORATE 2016 34

OAUG MEMBERS’ CORNER 40

ORACLE DIRECTIONS 50

12 A BEGINNER’S GUIDE TO

Oracle Planning and Budgeting Cloud Service (PBCS)

ORACLE TRANSPORTATION MANAGEMENT: BRIDGING

LOGISTICS SILOS, AUTOMATING PLANNING AND EXECUTION

22UPDATE TO THE ORACLE

E-BUSINESS SUITE LIFETIME SUPPORT POLICY DATES

28CREATE AND CLEANSE CUSTOMER DATA THE

EASY WAY30

By Vishnu Subramanian

vissubra

Highlight

Five days of real-world education focusing on the

Oracle E-Business Suite comes to technologists

like you this summer. Mark your calendar now and

hear the latest on the topics relevant to your role.

WHO SHOULD ATTEND:

• Database Administrators• System Administrators• Oracle Applications Developers• Middleware Technologists who support

the Oracle E-Business Suite

OAUG Connection Point® AppsTech OnlineJuly 11-15, 2016

Learn more today at cp.oaug.org

POTENTIAL TOPICS INCLUDE:

• Applications Strategy and Service• Applications Development• Business Intelligence/BI Analytics• Database• Upgrade

3

With magazine pages to fill, I rely on Oracle Apps users, volunteer committee and council leaders, subject matter experts, Oracle employees and my talented colleagues to pack those pages with tips and tricks and relevant information. The biggest challenge is narrowing down all the wonderful content to fit within the page count.

The collaboration that influenced this issue of OAUG Insight magazine features “A Beginner’s Guide to Oracle Planning and Budgeting Cloud Service (PCBS)” with a glimpse into features, functionality and deployment options for Hyperion Planning. “Oracle Transportation Management: Bridging Logistics Silos, Automating Planning and Execution” ventures into the functionalities in Oracle OTM that can help customers move products through the supply chain quickly and efficiently.

The OAUG Customer Support Council shares an important announcement from Oracle in “Update to the E-Business Suite Lifetime Support Policy Dates.” “Create and Cleanse Customer Data the Easy Way” outlines an OAUG member’s use of forms and a third-party tool to maintain customer data.

“Journey Fabulous” is a summary of COLLABORATE 16. And the expansive and dynamic OAUG Geographic (Geo) and Special Interest Group (SIG) communities share news and updates.

Would you like to be a collaborator? Let me know if you have an article to share or a topic that we should explore in the pages of OAUG Insight magazine. u

Contact me at [email protected] for details.

As this issue, and every issue, of OAUG Insight magazine comes together, I have the distinct pleasure of being at the hub of an enormous collaborative effort.

Cindy Force Managing [email protected]

EDITOR’S NOTE

COLLABORATION: NOT JUST FOR CONFERENCES

5

insightFeatures22 Oracle Transportation Management: Bridging Logistics Silos, Automating Planning and Execution Key functionalities in Oracle OTM

can help you improve your global

transportation management services.

VISHNUVARTH SUBRAMANIAN, JADE GLOBAL INC.

28 Update to the Oracle E-Business Suite Lifetime Support Policy Dates Oracle recently announced changes

to Extended Support for EBS 12.1

and 12.2.

30 Create and Cleanse Customer Data the Easy Way Learn how an OAUG member uses

forms and a third-party tool to

maintain customer data.

MATT LECHNER, CENTRIC GROUP, INC.

7 OAUG 2016 Board of Directors

9 President’s Perspective

40 OAUG Geos and SIGs

45 Member Snapshot

46 Member Benefit Showcase: Your Committees, Working for You

47 New and Returning Members

For the new Oracle Hyperion Planning customer,

PBCS is an obvious option with simpler data integration

options, yet nearly the same robust functionality of core

Hyperion Planning.

34 Destination COLLABORATE 16 – OAUG ForumJourney Fabulous!The people, the education, the awards, the social events, the exhibitors, and, of course, the photos.

OAUG Leadership

Member’s Corner

SUBSCRIPTIONS: OAUG member organizations may receive up to 10 copies of OAUG Insight magazine by mail.

The electronic version of OAUG Insight magazine is available to all members on oaug.org/publications. Contact [email protected] or +1 404.240.0897 with questions about your subscription options.

50 You Don’t Have to Boil the Ocean Keep your head above water: take an incremental approach to modern marketing.

Oracle Directions

TECHNOLOGY AND APPLICATIONS FORUMFOR THE ORACLE COMMUNITY

Conferences & Events

12 A Beginner’s Guide to Oracle Planning and Budgeting Cloud Service (PBCS)PATRICK CALLAHAN, AST CORPORATION

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YOU ARE THE

O R A C L E A P P L I C A T I O N S U S E R S G R O U P

YOU FIND ANSWERS

YOU NETWORK WITH REAL USERS AND EXPERTS

YOU INFLUENCE ORACLE

S PTHE SOLUTIONS

2015-2016 EDITION

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Find products, services and implementation partners that can help you improve the use and management of Oracle Applications in your organization.

Visit oaug.org/buyersguide to access the 2015 OAUG Buyer’s Guide. Browse searchable online information.Or download a copy.

Contact [email protected] to secureyour place in the OAUG Buyer’s Guide.

7

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phone: +1 404.240.0897, fax: +1 404.240.0998

email: [email protected], oaug.org

KARL M. KIRSCH, Executive Director

CINDY FORCE, Managing Editor

JASON SAWYER, Senior Art Director

To contribute to OAUG Insight, send letters to the

editor, or obtain advertising information, contact:

Cindy Force, Director, Marketing Communications

3525 Piedmont Road, Building Five,

Suite 300, Atlanta, GA 30305

[email protected]

Photographs appearing throughout OAUG Insight

courtesy of Meeting Expectations.

OAUG Insight is designed to provide members

of the Oracle Applications Users Group with

organizational and other information. The

opinions and viewpoints published herein are

not necessarily those of OAUG. OAUG, its article

writers, directors, officers, employees, agents,

and members and Oracle Corp. make no warranty

for the accuracy, veracity, or completeness of

any information herein, nor do they have any

responsibility or liability for any losses or damages

incurred as a result of reliance on any information

provided herein or from the use of any program

or program segment discussed herein. OAUG

assumes no responsibility for any errors that may

appear herein. The information published herein

is subject to change without notice. Acceptance

of advertising is for the benefit and information of

the membership but does not constitute official

endorsement of the product or service by OAUG.

Copyright © Oracle Applications Users Group

2016. All rights reserved. OAUG is a registered

trademark of the Oracle Applications Users Group.

Oracle and Oracle Applications are trademarks of

Oracle Corporation, Redwood Shores, Calif. Any

other trademark cited herein is the property of its

owner. No part of this publication may be reprinted

or reproduced without the prior written consent

of OAUG.

SUBSCRIPTIONS: OAUG member organizations

may receive up to 10 copies of OAUG Insight

magazine by mail.

The electronic version of OAUG Insight magazine

is available to all members on oaug.org/publica-

tions. Contact [email protected] or

+1 404.240.0897 with questions about your

subscription options.

2016 BOARD OF DIRECTORSDr. Patricia DuesOAUG President University of Phoenix

Alyssa JohnsonOAUG President Elect Keste

Andrew FarberOAUG Treasurer Consumer Reports

Christine HippOAUG Secretary Los Alamos National Laboratory

Karl M. KirschOAUG Executive Director

Karen BrownfieldInfosemantics, Inc.

Lissa EnglishAlticor

Jansen HernandezFacebook

Carrie HollackNordstrom

Joseph ImbimboPPG Industries

Julie MaaGoogle Inc.

Douglas ManningJohns Hopkins University - Applied Physics Laboratory

Beth McLaughlinDunkin’ Brands

George SomogyiSociete Generale Corporate and Investment Banking

Ketan ThankiDynegy

2016 Oracle Applications Users Group (OAUG) Board of Directors. Seated: Alyssa Johnson, Dr. Patricia Dues, Ketan ThankiStanding: Julie Maa, Andrew Farber, Jansen Hernandez, Karen Brownfield, George Somogyi, Lissa English, Carrie Hollack, Douglas Manning, Christine Hipp, Joseph Imbimbo, Beth McLaughlin

A Publication of the Oracle Applications

Users Group

The OAUGPaper DatabaseConference

the answers you need

when you need them

The OAUG Conference Paper Database includes thousandsof white papers and presentations from dozens of OAUG conferences over the pastseveral years. Everyone can search the OAUG

Conference Paper Database, but only OAUG members can download the

presentations. If your organization is not a member yet, please join online or contact

the membership staff at +1.404.240.0897 or [email protected] to learn more about

the many benefits of OAUG membership.

Use the Conference Paper Database on oaug.org and see how easy it is to find:

• Best practices• Productivity tips• Real user experiences

9

PRESIDENT’S PERSPECTIVE

Dr. Patricia Dues OAUG [email protected] Twitter: @pdues

Many of us are now evaluating the opportunities and challenges presented by the cloud. Oracle Applications running in the cloud may not be for you, or may not be for you today. But it’s important to know your options and make informed decisions. The OAUG is a great source of information and practical tips from other members. For example, see the article beginning on page 12 about the Oracle Planning and Budgeting Cloud Service (PBCS) for Hyperion Planning deployment options.

In addition to learning about the cloud, our collective evolution journeys are propelled by a long list of topics. OAUG educational opportunities exist all year long to support your individual learning path. Upcoming opportunities include:

• More than 560 white papers and presentations from COLLABORATE 16 are now available in the OAUG Conference Paper Database. These resources are free and available 24/7 to all employees of OAUG member organizations.

• The Best of COLLABORATE 16—OAUG Forum is underway. Also free for OAUG members, this popular summer eLearning series brings you top-rated content from real users and expert consultants.

• OAUG Connection Point®—AppsTech Online features sessions for DBAs, SysAdmin and Developers supporting the Oracle E-Business Suite (EBS). This virtual learning event takes place July 11-15, 2016.

If you’ve ever wondered how the OAUG develops its educational programs, see the article on page 46 for insight into how volunteer teams shape and grow education.

Education is key to your continued growth and evolution. I encourage you to use all the available OAUG resources available to fuel your voyage. u

Contact me at [email protected].

If you’ve been working with Oracle Applications for a long time, or even for a couple of years, think back. How have your organization’s business or functional area strategies changed to drive the adoption of new technologies or applications? How did you, then, evolve to gain new information and employ new skills?

EVOLUTION THROUGH EDUCATION

10 OAUG INSIGHT MAGAZINE OAUG.ORG

OAUG STAR PARTNERS (List updated as of press time.)

FIVE-STAR

The OAUG Star Partners are a vital force in supporting the OAUG’s mission of providing Oracle Applications users the tools required to enhance their productivity, maximize their investment, and influence the quality, usability and support of Oracle Applications. Participants in the OAUG Star Partner Program represent some of the most experienced and most successful providers of services and solutions to the Oracle users community.

FOUR-STAR

To Be Announced

11

THREE-STAR

TWO-STAR ELITE

The OAUG Star Partner program gives Associate members a bundled approach to active, integrated participation in the OAUG community. The program combines membership, advertising and conference benefits into a value-priced package that delivers recognition, premium advertising opportunities and outstanding conference visibility.

For more information on the OAUG Star Partner Program, please contact Christine Hilgert at +1 404.760.4234, or via e-mail at [email protected].

TWO-STAR RISING-STAR• BlackLine• Deloitte• FastPath• Flexagon• Infosemantics• interRel

• MeasureIT• SoftArt Solutions Inc. • Sunera Tech• Thirdware• Zebra Technologies

• Fulcrum Way• Project Partners• Spinnaker Support

SPECIAL THANKS• Oracle Validated Integration

from Rookery Software

DATACAPTURE

DATAINTEGRATION

TCO

OVERHEAD

BACKUPSUUPPSSUUPPSBBACKBACKKUUUPPS

PLANNING

FORECASTING

WORKFLOWAND

APPROVALS

BUDGETING

ANALYSIS

A BEGINNER’S GUIDE TO

Oracle Planning and Budgeting Cloud Service (PBCS)PATRICK CALLAHAN, AST CORPORATION

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DATACAPTURE

DATAINTEGRATION

TCO

OVERHEAD

BACKUPSUUPPSSUUPPSBBACKBACKKUUUPPS

PLANNING

FORECASTING

WORKFLOWAND

APPROVALS

BUDGETING

ANALYSIS

This article will explain the Oracle PBCS solution, highlight the features and provide recommendations for implementing.

Overview of PBCSOracle PBCS is a subscription-based planning and budgeting solution built for and deployed on Oracle Cloud, using a proven, flexible planning and reporting best-in-class architecture. It offers immediate value and greater productivity for business planners, analysts, modelers and decision makers across all lines of business of an enterprise. PBCS is built to scale and perform, using industry-standard Oracle Cloud infrastructure.

Key highlights include:• Most Complete

u Broad: spans Oracle’s application and platform portfolio.u Best-in-class: based on Oracle’s industry-leading cloud products.u Integrated: built on a common, unified platform.

• Most Flexible and Modernu Standards-based: built on industry standards: Java, SQL, HTML5, Web.u Extensible: build and deploy new apps or extend existing apps.u Portable: migrate apps to and from on-premises.

• Enterprise-Gradeu Secure: strict controls and policies to ensure data protection.u Elastic: self-service, capacity on-demand with monthly subscription.u Managed: fully automated operations and management.

Overall, the solution is robust with the industry-leading Hyperion Planning base, solid workflow and integration options, and a user experience that extends nicely for mobile (tablet) use (Figure 1).

Oracle’s Planning & Budgeting Cloud Service (PBCS) rolled out early last year and has truly changed the deployment options for Hyperion Planning for many customers. Directed to the new Oracle Hyperion Planning customer, PBCS is an obvious option with simpler data integration options, yet nearly the same robust functionality of core Hyperion Planning. Sure, there are minor differences and some limitations, but it’s worth a look.

FEATURES Summer 2016


Why Consider the Cloud?Oracle’s EPM Cloud usage has sky-rocketed since it was released, and this aligns with the findings outlined in Oracle’s “EPM Top Trends for 2015” report. This report highlights that EPM Cloud user base, including PBCS, is nearly doubling in size each year (12 percent in 2014, then 22 percent in 2015). This has been driven by the user community being comfortable with its success as a SaaS solution, along with some existing customers moving to PBCS instead of upgrading.

Other reasons for this growth and expansion of the PBCS user base align with those more common to SaaS solutions. The same Oracle report finds that 65 percent of respondents are persuaded by the ability to get up and running quickly— an obvious benefit without the need of new infrastructure and IT support to set it up. Moreover, 53 percent of respondents are motivated to avoid large, upfront investments. Either driven by shrinking budgets themselves or the sometimes enormity of procuring Hyperion Planning licenses, the PBCS subscription model significantly reduces the year-one costs. As such, considering PBCS is a must.

The Trade-Offs of the Cloud and PBCSThe cloud and PBCS are not for everyone. Sometimes, security requirements, integration models or the size of architected solutions make PBCS an inadequate option. Until Oracle releases the “Enterprise” PBCS pre-built solutions, the availability of those existing solutions within

on-premises or hosted deployments may outweigh the pros of PBCS. Here is how we assess the cloud and PBCS:

First, the “Good”:• Lower operational expense.• Limited infrastructure overhead.• Lower short-term TCO.• Faster implementation.• Potential for increased innovation.• Upgrades managed by SaaS provider.

Then, the “Bad”:• Loss of control.• Security and compliance concerns.• Longer-term TCO uncertain.• Integration with other systems.• Frequent automatic upgrades.

You can see that some topics, like upgrades, are on both lists and truly are in the eye of the beholder—some folks like control, while others prefer ease of mind.

Oracle PBCS: Built from the Foundational Hyperion PlanningFirst, Oracle PBCS is Hyperion Planning at its core, so you benefit from having nearly the same robust features and functionality as the on-premises software. These include:

Figure 1

15

• Best-practice planning, budgeting and forecasting capabilities.

• Spreadsheet-like interactivity with larger data sets.u Rapid loading of large forms. u Quick cell-to-cell navigation and scrolling. u Support for shortcuts.u Auto-calculations.u Sandboxing. u Excel-like formulas.

• End users able to extend the model. • Add a member on the fly. • Embedded Advanced Predictive Planning.• Time-series forecasting with even more history.• Microsoft Office support and integration.

The Oracle Hyperion solutions have been industry-leading for some time and regular Gartner “Magic Quadrant” members for Corporate Performance Management (Oracle

calls it Enterprise Performance Management, or EPM). Part of Oracle’s strength in this position is in fact the viability and success of Oracle PBCS.

Getting Started with PBCSOracle makes is incredibly easy to get started. You can easily go through your Oracle sales representation (recommended) to purchase subscriptions or buy online at the Oracle Store.

Here is a good place to start (Figure 2): http://docs.oracle.com/cloud/latest/pbcs_common/index.html

The “Getting Started” content is shown here, with links for learning about PBCS, obtaining trial subscriptions and the initial steps of getting your PBCS environments up and running. Overall, you will find the amount of online documentation and other content for Oracle PBCS is tremendous and far superior to any of the on-premises options.

Figure 2



Your access to environments, after your subscriptions have been processed, is typically just a few days. It is great to “jump in” to Hyperion Planning, especially if you’re used to the “old” way of cumbersome installs and base configurations. What you get with PBCS is the following:• The Planning application itself.

u This includes two (2) environments (i.e. PROD and TEST).

• All hardware infrastructure to run the application.u You don’t see it or have direct access, but it’s obviously

there, supporting your application.• Regular patches and upgrades.

u Administrators decide timing within prescribed windows.• Nightly backups.• Guaranteed performance.• Support is included.

It is important to note that there are pre-requisites for PBCS, however, there are not many. As a Web-based application,

it primarily relies on the browser. Still, the Calculation Manager and Smart View components do rely on and require compatibility for Shockwave Flash (Firefox) or Adobe Flash Player and Microsoft Office.

The supported browsers are:• Firefox ESR 38+.• Internet Explorer 11.• Google Chrome 29 and later.• Apple Safari 6 and later.

Also note that only Google Chrome (on Android mobile devices) and Apple Safari (on iPads and iPhones) are supported for mobile devices.

For Smart View (Release 11.1.2.5.500 or newer), you need Microsoft Office 2007/2010/2013 and .NET Framework 4.0. For Calculation Manager, Shockwave Flash (Firefox) or Adobe Flash Player (Internet Explorer) is needed. Otherwise, you really just need Internet bandwidth.

Figure 3

17

De-Constructing PBCSIn an effort to explain what comprises the PBCS solution, I wanted to touch on a handful of core components.

First, there are “Application Wizards” that make creating a Planning application about as easy as possible. The wizard takes you through the core configuration steps, asking questions on how the application will be used, and offering you additional options on how the application should be set up. With the first screen, you can choose to install the sample application or one of your own with these options:• Simple: Basic applications with one (1) Hyperion Planning

plan type (e.g. dimensional model).• Advanced: More complex applications with multiple

plan types.

Next, a critical change is the fact that there are user-interface options. Aside from the “Classic Workspace” look and feel that we are all used to within Hyperion Planning, Oracle released a new “Simplified Interface,” specifically optimized for mobile or tablet use.

Figure 3 presents a screenshot of the Task Lists within the new “Simplified Interface”—a much cleaner and simpler view into the Planning application and solution features.

This “Simplified Interface” will soon become the standard (and only option) for Oracle in the cloud.

As highlighted above, and aside from the new “Simplified Interface,” much of the core (and robust) Hyperion Planning functionality remains.

You do have the ability to create complex Web (data) forms for centralized data capture that helps eliminate spreadsheets. Features include inherent data entry features for “spreading” changes, locking data, adding commentary, capturing supporting detail, attaching files to cells and applying validation rules, all the while enforcing data security (Figure 4).

As has been the case in more recent versions of Hyperion Planning, you have the ability to create impressive dashboard-type Web forms with charts, tables and other graphics to be available on both mobile and desktop (Figure 5).

Figure 4



Figure 5

Figure 6

19

Moreover, there is a powerful feature for administrators to author Web forms via the new interface and save them as a functioning Financial Reporting report. This feature is not perfect but definitely a nice, new way to transition from a well-received Web form by users to a well-received report.

Data security is still driven by “planning units” against the Entity dimension, but the setting of “user variables” has changed. A simple settings menu for “user variables” allows you to specify/change what data you are looking at, again, applying data security appropriately (Figure 6).

For each user variable, the selection of desired “members” is not too dissimilar to the interface in the “classic” view. I think this is definitely an area for improvement for PBCS.

The workflow and approval process also has not changed significantly, other than the “simplified interface” look and feel (Figure 7). It remains best practices-based and offers a visualized approvals process with workflow status dashboards that really do help manage progress against your budgeting (and budget cycle) deadlines. You will see the steps of the approval workflow and their ownership, along with a graphical representation of the status.

For reporting, you continue to leverage Financial Reporting Studio or FR. Interestingly, we see our customers and end users essentially use Web (data) forms for analysis and reporting (their words), others primarily use Smart View (Figure 8), and some embrace FR. Financial Reporting Studio is soon to be transformed into a lighter cloud solution, but until then, we essentially have the same options.

With regard to Smart View, you can further utilize this great tool to manage dimension members. To do so, you must connect to the

Figure 7

Figure 8



Planning server, open the dimension and begin adding or updating members and properties as seen to the right. What a nice option to have.

Integrating DataAgain, the data integration model changes a bit with PBCS, as the data needs to be moved into the cloud. This is primarily done with files, whereby they are produced and transported via FTP. REST APIs do exist and are being leveraged more and more, but the core approach is to use files.

Yes, FDMEE exists for PBCS, but I would call it a “lite” version. Pre-built adapters and ERP Integrator are not available, but the data mapping facilities of FDMEE are still quite helpful, and “drill-through” into your ERP can be configured (Figure 9).

Here are the steps for setting up FDMEE in PBCS: 1. Set up the source and target systems.2. Create an import format.3. Define the location, period and category.4. Set up the data load mappings.5. Create and execute a data load rule to import and validate

the source data.6. Export the data to Oracle Planning and Budgeting Cloud.

Then, in the PBCS target app, you must verify that the data was loaded and that you can drill through to the source system (if configured).

Additionally, it is likely that you will want to automate the data loads. For this, Oracle has provided a File Transfer Utility (EPMCopy.exe). Upon installation, you can easily create a batch file that contains an EPMCopy command to load data into your Oracle PBCS target application (Figure 10).

Reviewing the PBCS SolutionWe’ve seen several customers implement PBCS, and we truly see the value, but we also see where it may not be the right fit.

The advantages are numerous. Here are a few we see:• Many online training videos and tutorials.• Helpful, guided application demos.• Many wizards for setting up applications and

underlying functionality.• Best practices for Planning are built in.• Built-In performance and validation tools.• Choice of Oracle data center. • Ability to “lift and shift” current Planning applications to

the cloud.u Uses common LCM migration facilities.

• New functionality first.u Oracle’s “Cloud First” strategy.

• Reduced reliance on IT and internal infrastructure.

Figure 10

Figure 9

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Indeed, there are limitations to be aware of. Here are a few to consider:• Only one application is supported per subscription.

u The application can contain up to three block storage (BSO) plan types (cube models) and up to four ASO (aggregate) cubes.

u Each additional application requires an additional subscription.

• The file system is currently limited to 150GB.u Includes space for your Essbase database, reports and

any exported Life Cycle Management content.• EPM Architect (EPMA) is not supported

(Classic Mode only).• Data is loaded via flat file using FTP.• Pre-built Hyperion modules are not currently supported.

(“Enterprise PBCS” options are coming soon.)

Moving to Oracle PBCSUltimately, if you are considering Oracle PBCS, you are either targeting a new implementation or a migration from on-premises (or hosted) to the cloud. Oracle calls this a “lift and shift.”

Here are some of the highlights and considerations of a New Implementation:• Eliminate the normal start-up activities:

u Hardware procurement and setup.u Software procurement, install and base configurations.

• Access is provided in days with new subscription.• Leverage new application wizard and configure

applications.• Focus on data and FDMEE up front, then functionality.• Can be accomplished in a few months.

u Dependent on availability of requirements, number of applications and their design complexity, extent of data integration needed, and end user (super user) involvement.

Here are some of the highlights and considerations of “Lifting and Shifting” your current Hyperion Planning applications to the cloud:• Investigate Oracle’s “Customer to the Cloud” program.• Pre-built modules (e.g. CapEx, etc.) do not yet port.• May need to change data integration approach.

u Shift to simplified, file-based approach.• Regression testing is still needed.• Can be accomplished in weeks.

u Again, this is dependent on the number of applications and their complexity, components needing testing (reports, forms, etc.), extent of data integration changes needed and availability of regression test scripts.

RecommendationsAs you consider and/or begin your endeavor with PBCS, here are a few recommendations:• Understand the limitations.• Get multiple subscriptions.

u For more than two environments (lower numbers for secondary subscriptions).

• Embrace the simplified integration model with FDMEE.u Know that Oracle wants you to succeed; ask for help/

support as much as needed.• Leverage Oracle’s valuable online content:

u Tutorials: http://docs.oracle.com/cloud/latest/ pbcs_common/pbcs_tutorials.htm.

u Videos: http://docs.oracle.com/cloud/latest/ pbcs_common/pbcs_videos.htm.

u Initial Documentation: http://docs.oracle.com/cloud/ latest/pbcs_common/CSPGS.pdf.

ConclusionIn summary, PBCS is a fantastic solution from Oracle and a great option for folks considering a move to the cloud. With robust features and functionality, a large subscription base and the ease of implementing, PBCS gives Hyperion Planning customers and others interested in it a viable deployment option in the cloud.

Finally, special thanks to several folks on the EPM team at AST Corporation for their contributions to this article, as well as Oracle EPM solution consultants, including Kapil Garga. u

Patrick Callahan is the vice president of EPM at AST Corporation. Mr. Callahan maintains Oracle Specializations for Oracle EPM, BI and BI Applications, and is active on the Oracle EPM and BI Partner Advisory Councils. His experience is centered in EPM, BI, data warehousing, program management, Oracle Applications and core technologies. He has presented at numerous regional and industry-specific

events, including Oracle OpenWorld, COLLABORATE, Oracle Tech Days and the North Central Oracle Apps User Group (NCOAUG).

ORACLE TRANSPORTATION MANAGEMENT:BRIDGING LOGISTICS SILOS, AUTOMATING PLANNING AND EXECUTION VISHNUVARTH SUBRAMANIAN, JADE GLOBAL INC.

23

In addition to the many details of organizing the logistics function, today’s transportation organizations face a myriad of additional issues that further threaten profitability, from rising fuel costs and a labor shortage to increasing regulatory requirements. To better execute transportation management, you need a wealth of information and easy access to that information. You also need to know where your trucks are, what is in the trucks, when and where shipments need to be delivered, which routes are most profitable, which shipments are running late and much more.

There are a few industries—and not just process manufacturing industries—in which transportation is more complex or where it constitutes a greater percentage of product costs. Oracle Transportation Management (OTM) has been crafted to address the special logistic needs and business challenges of managing the logistics in the supply chain network.

In this article, I will walk you through some of the key functionalities in Oracle OTM that you can use to improve your global transportation management services.

Pain Points in Transportation Management: 1. Rising fuel costs.2. Shipment delays/incorrect shipments.3. High cycle times. 4. Lack of real-time visibility of assets and freight.5. Lack of synchronization between logistic planning and

execution processes. 6. Limited sharing of logistics information between the

involved systems. 7. Limited support to predict and handle unexpected events.

Regardless of whether you use your own trucking fleet or contract the services of a third-party logistics provider to move your products from the warehouse to your customer, many of the business challenges are the same. The end goal is to move all the products through the supply chain as quickly and efficiently as possible. The less efficiently the product moves, the more it costs, thus reducing profitability and the ability to transport services at competitive rates.

Transportation Management Challenges by Industry:

Industry Typical Challenges

Process Manufacturing

• Manage operations across common carriers and private fleet.

• Price-sensitive products.• Container selection based on temperature controls

and environment control.• Products have short shelf life.

Consumer and High Tech

• Streamline/centralize planning.• Enforce business rules and provide cost visibility.• Maximize trailer volume utilization and operational loading.• Multi-mode and multi carrier planning.• Track materials and finished products by order, SKU lot

or serial number.

Logistic Service Provider• Optimize the route and mode selection.• Trade Compliance.• Collaboration with trading partner.

Retail and Wholesale• Space utilization.• Need frequent and easy replenishment.



What is Oracle Transportation Management (OTM)? OTM delivers robust transportation planning and execution capabilities to shippers and third-party logistics providers (Figure 1). The OTM solution integrates and streamlines transportation planning, execution, freight payment and business process automation on a single application across all modes of transportation. OTM can be used with an enterprise

resource planning or legacy order management system, as well as with any commercial best-of-breed or legacy warehouse management system.

OTM High-Level Overview: Transportation Order Management: OTM has integration with external order management, purchasing, warehouse and other systems for managing transport demand. Transportation order management functions can be provided to external parties in the supply chain, such as suppliers who provide “ready-to-ship” information to release purchase orders.

Shipment Management: OTM provides automated decision support for a full range of transportation scenarios, from simple, direct shipments to those involving multiple legs and multiple modes. In addition, OTM provides robust functionality to manage exceptions during execution, e.g., tracking shipments, diverting shipments and expediting delivery.

Booking and Tendering: OTM provides an easy way of collaborating with transportation service providers using multiple communication formats, e.g., email, Web, mobile device and XML. Easier collaboration can help transportation organizations:

Figure 1:

25

• Share transportation plans and manage service provider responses, e.g., conditional bookings, tender acceptance.

• Automate support for multiple types of tender processes, such as sequential tendering and broadcast tendering.

Visibility and Event Management: OTM customers can use the automated milestone monitoring feature available in OTM to proactively manage the lifecycle of orders and shipments to: • Automatically expedite shipments when pickup

confirmations have not been received within a specified tolerance interval.

• Receive status updates from transportation service providers using multiple communication formats, e.g., Web, XML, mobile phone or tablet.

Business Process Automation: The unique workflow agent technology available in OTM can help maximize productivity by automating the business processes. Workflow agents enable companies to model simple or complex processes to improve efficiency. For example, it’s possible to automatically re-plan shipments based on related order changes or notify involved parties of delayed shipments.

Reporting and Document Management: The following reports and documents can be generated from OTM:

Cost Savings, Projected Late Orders, Carrier Performance by Lane, Bill of Lading, Commercial Invoice and Packing List.

Features in OTM: Oracle Logistics Inventory Visibility: Gain visibility to both on hand and in-transit inventory levels across their extended supply chains, including internal and third-party facilities. Reduce inventory levels and costs with real-time inventory monitoring and management capabilities.

Secure Collaboration: Use the unique security model enables to collaborate with any trading partner, e.g., suppliers, customers, carriers, brokers, etc., by enabling these parties to access relevant information and business functions in OTM. For example, suppliers can route their orders, carriers can accept and manage their shipments, and customers can view the status of their deliveries using their access to OTM.

Oracle Transportation Operational Planning: Apply specific business rules and logic in conjunction with powerful algorithms and optimization engines to optimize orders and shipments based on cost, service level and asset utilization. Also, manage dock appointments for greater warehouse efficiency with advanced scheduling and collaboration capabilities.



Oracle Freight Payment, Billing and Claims: Eliminate unnecessary charges and automate the time consuming and error prone processes of freight payment, customer billing and managing freight claims with a single system. Using actual shipment data captured throughout the transportation lifecycle, Oracle Freight Payment, Billing and Claims ensures that companies are paying, billing and tracking only the transportation services that were provided.

Service Oriented Architecture: Support specific business process requirements by leveraging OTM’s many Web services. For example, use the rating engine service to generate shipment cost and lead times as part of an order fulfillment process.

Easy Integration with Partner Manifest Systems and Third-Party Warehouses: Take advantage of efficient integration with third-party warehouses, including a messaging infrastructure to support the shipment request sent by the shipper and the shipment confirmation sent back from the third-party warehouse for seamless integration between the two systems.

Key Benefits: 1. Monitor carrier performance.2. Prevent off-plan/maverick spending. 3. Compare cost across modes and carriers. 4. Reduce cost of operations. 5. Find and move shipments to low-cost modes, carriers. 6. Constraint based shipments allocation. 7. Minimize dock congestion. 8. Honor customer-specific routing instructions. 9. Process automation. 10. Increase employee productivity. 11. Manage shipment exceptions. 12. Track shipments.13. Improve customer service. 14. Capture and monitor internal and external

performance metrics. 15. Monitor continuous improvement. 16. Enforce process compliance. 17. Maintain rates.

Conclusion: Transportation management is a critical opportunity area for many companies as they look to improve the efficiency and reliability of their global supply chains. Significant freight cost reductions, increased on-time delivery and process automation are three primary areas of business value.

Oracle Transportation Management enables companies to manage their transportation networks on a global basis in terms of supply chain flows (outbound finished goods,

inbound supplies, inter-facility/company shipments, returns), modes of transport (over the road, air, ocean and rail) and geographic area (domestic and international). Oracle Transportation Management provides simultaneous support for multiple languages, currencies, units of measure and business functions that may vary by business unit and geographic region. As a result, companies can support the nuances of their global operations while reaping the efficiencies provided by a single transportation management solution. u

Vishnuvarth Subramanian is a seasoned business systems analyst, solution architect and sales consultant who has worked with clients in healthcare, retail, high tech (software and hardware), consumer products, outsourced manufacturing and logistics (LSP and 3PL) industries. He is an active blogger and speaker with the Oracle Application User Groups (OAUG).

Join the conversation with the OAUG on:

Oracle Applications Users Group

@OAUG1, @COLLAB_OAUG

OrclAppsUsersGroup

See What’s New on OAUG.org

Everyone can search the OAUG website for quick access to answers, but only OAUG member company employees can:

• Download problem-solving papers and presentations from real users and expert consultants.• Listen to eLearning webinar recordings on relevant topics.• Read thought-provoking articles in OAUG Insight magazine.

If your organization isn’t an OAUG member yet, join today!Contact [email protected] or +1.404.240.0897 for more information.



UPDATEUPDATEUPDATEto the E-Business Suite Lifetime Support Policy Dates

Oracle appreciates the partnership and collaboration with the OAUG Customer Support Council and Board. These groups represent the customer base and their needs when meeting with key leadership in the Oracle E-Business Suite Support and Development organizations.

This article first appeared in the May 2016 Special Edition OAUG Support in Focus electronic newsletter, the official publication of the OAUG Customer Support Council. Serving as an advocate for OAUG members, the OAUG Customer Support Council meets regularly with Oracle Support to discuss customers’ support-related challenges, concerns and ideas.

OAUG Support in Focus is published quarterly, exclusively for OAUG members. Visit oaug.org/ supportinfocus for the latest issue.

Learn more about the OAUG Customer Support Council at oaug.org/resources/csc.

Contact the Customer Support Council at [email protected].

Based upon recent input from the OAUG user community, Oracle has recently published an update to the Lifetime Support Policy for the E-Business Suite.

The following changes have been announced: 1. 12.1 – Extended Support has been extended to December 2021.2. 12.2 – Premier Support has been extended to September 2023.

Snapshot pulled from the Lifetime Support Policy – as of May 9, 2016

Here is a visual of how the changes look in a timeline format:

For up-to-date information, please refer to the official Lifetime Support Policy located in My Oracle Support.

http://www.oracle.com/us/support/library/ lifetime-support-applications-069216.pdf

Message from the OAUG Customer Support Council Chair and Co-Chair

Recently, Oracle announced they have extended Premier and Extended support for EBS 12.1 and 12.2. In celebration of this decision, the OAUG Board of Directors, in collaboration with Oracle and the OAUG Customer Support Council, wanted to quickly release this information to the OAUG membership.

This represents another example of how we continue to influence Oracle on behalf of our membership. Together, we are improving the support experience with Oracle, and we hope this change and notification is useful to you. Kaberi and I look forward to continuing to work for and on your behalf.

Doug Hahn 2016-2017 OAUG Support Council Chair

Kaberi Nayak2016-2017 OAUG Support Council Co-Chair



CREATE AND

CUSTOMER DATA THE EASY WAY

Centric Group migrated from an old AS400-based system to Oracle E-Business Suite R12.1.3. The business decided to do data cleanup after the migration to Oracle. Many of the business processes were left in place from the old system, figuring that they would be redefined once the new system was learned. In order to create new customers, enter and maintain data, and clean up old data, we incorporated several custom forms and utilized a third-party tool.

MATTHEW LECHNER, CENTRIC GROUP, INC.

31

Challenges: The Standard Customer functionality is very complicated in Oracle. This means that our data entry personnel have to be very well educated on the ins and outs of the system. They need to have a complete understanding of Party, Account and Site Level data and how it all works. Our processes were very archaic, involving filling out forms and then sending them to a single point of entry to load the data. Since we did not do data cleansing at the time of conversion, the existing system data needed to be validated and changed where the data was inaccurate. Large data changes were not easily done with the limited accessibility of the Customer functionality for our employees.

Solution: The first thing we did was to create a custom form that allows the creation of new Ship To: sites to current accounts, as well as the creation and update of account contacts. Courtesy Products, a Centric Group company, sends many samples to new prospects in order to generate new business.

Each salesperson has a sample account that they use to send product samples to customers who do not have an account in our system. The process for the salesperson to create a new ship-to site in the system took as long as 15-20 minutes. By creating the Sites Form (Figure 1), we were able to save valuable time for the salespeople. They can now enter a new site in as little as five minutes.

Courtesy Products:Business Challenge Results

• In-room coffee and operating supplies to the hotel industry.

• Coffee for individuals and distributors.

• Bottleneck with Customer Standard Data Entry.

• Cumbersome process for sales reps to send samples.

• Needed ability to give users limited access to Customer Standard to keep data integrity.

• Sales reps can key certain data while keeping the integrity of the Customer Standard.

• Sped up samples process, saving time.

• Freed up the Customer Standard resource.

Additionally, the contacts for the accounts in the hotel industry change frequently. The existing process to make a change required the salesperson to fill out a form and then send it to the data entry person and wait for her to make the update. To make this process easier, we created a Contacts Form (Figure 2) that allows a salesperson to create a new

contact or edit a current contact for an account. Using the form, they can key their own data in the same amount of time that it took for them to fill out the change form.

Sites and Contacts

Figure 1: Site Creation Form

Figure 2: Contact Creation Form



We also looked at third-party solutions to help us create and update data in the Customer Standard. We found the Customer Standard from More4Apps. This tool works with a Microsoft Excel front end and is easily configurable to only use the needed fields. Data can be easily downloaded for a single customer or many customers. Changes are then made on the spreadsheet and uploaded back into Oracle.

We have been able to download customer lists and data for a specific salesperson, have them make all of the changes to their accounts on the Excel spreadsheet and then upload the changes all at once. This saves lots of time in cleansing the data. (Figures 3-5)

Keefe Corporation, another Centric Group company, has four different lines of business. It is possible for a customer to be a customer for multiple lines of business, however, they need a separate account for each one. We use More4Apps Customer Wizard to download a current account, edit the needed data and then upload in order to create a new account for the new line of business. In this example, we can literally create a new customer in less than five minutes.

Keefe Group:Keefe Bulk: Commisary Supplies• The commisary stocks and sells products to the inmates

in a store.

KCM - Inmate Orders• POS/order forms order picked delivered

Securepak - Orders from loved ones• Family places order order picked delivered

Access Corrections - Entertainent and Communications• Sells MP3 players and music, phone time, email,

deposit services

Customer Creation Form We have also been looking for a way to streamline our customer creation process. Our current process consists of a salesperson gathering all of the needed information for a new account, filling out all of the forms and getting all of the necessary approval sign-offs. Then the packet is handed to a data entry person to get entered into Oracle. The process is very cumbersome and can take days to get done.

We are developing a customer entry form in Oracle that allows the salesperson to key the data into the form and then submit the form for automatic customer creation. We will utilize workflow approval processes as a check to make sure that all of the necessary data has been keyed before account creation. (Figures 6–7)

Figure 3:

Figure 4:

Figure 5:

Summary

Custom Forms• Contact and site creation• Customer creation form

with workflow

✓ Streamlines processes✓ Frees up resources

Use More4Apps Customer Wizard

✓ Make the changes without IT✓ Minimal training

spreadsheets sent to many users

✓ Simple and quick to upload changes

Matthew Lechner ([email protected]) is an Oracle business analyst for Centric Group in St. Louis, MO. He started working with Oracle Applications in 2010 as an implementer and is currently in support and project development. His applications expertise includes Order Management, Advanced Pricing and Telesales.

Conclusion: We had several cumbersome processes in order to get and maintain data in Oracle. We created a Site/Contacts Creation form in order to make the creation of sites and contacts much easier. The salespeople are limited to what they can access, so it enables them to create and edit certain data elements in the system while keeping the data integrity.

We have been able to utilize a third-party tool by More4Apps in order to easily cleanse data, make data changes and create new customers in our system. And finally, we are in the process of creating a new customer creation form that will streamline our customer creation process. All of these tools have, or will, make our system much more user friendly and keep the integrity of our data.

Figure 6:

Figure 7:

Agenda at-a-GlanceSunday, April 10

7:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. Registration Open

9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. OAUG Training Day Workshops

1:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. Education Sessions, SIG Meetings

4:45 p.m. - 5:45 p.m. Meeting of the OAUG Members

6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. OAUG Welcome Reception, LIGHT Nightclub

Monday, April 11


8:00 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. Education Sessions, SIG Meetings, Lunch

5:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. Welcome Reception in the Exhibitor Showcase

Tuesday, April 12



9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Exhibitor Showcase Open

4:45 p.m. - 5:45 p.m. OAUG Geo Meetings

6:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. Exhibitor Showcase Happy Hour

Wednesday, April 13



10:15 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. Exhibitor Showcase Open

7:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m. Closing Party

Thursday, April 14


8:30 a.m. - 1:15 p.m. Education Sessions

At press time — view the latest updates at collaborate.oaug.org/about/schedule

Visit collaborate.oaug.org/sessions to view all sessions and custom-build your agenda!

“A lot of learning in a compressed amount of time!“- 2015 Participant

Register Now: Advance Registration Discount Expires April 7!

For the more than 5500 Oracle users who met in Las Vegas for COLLABORATE 16, the best way to get from Point A to Point B was via their own personalized journey for the week of learning and networking. Whether taking a direct route through a particular educational track or stopping to delve more deeply into a topic of interest, personalized itineraries delivered unparalleled answers and connections.

JourneyDESTINATION COLLABORATE 16 – OAUG FORUM

THE BEST WAY TO GET FROM POINT A TO POINT B

Fabulous!J

A collaborative event presented by:

35

Education The hundreds of COLLABORATE 16 presentations and panels were packed with the latest information and practical tips on Oracle E-Business Suite (EBS), Cloud/Fusion Applications, Hyperion EPM, Primavera EPPM, EBS Extensions for Endeca, CRM On Demand, Siebel CRM, BI, Upgrades, Support, CRM, Financials, HCM and Application Strategy.

Innovative Power Hour Sessions featured interactive, participant- directed exploration in areas including cloud, cloud and on-premises coexistence, master data, eBTax and more.

The Exploration Series featured multiple presenters intertwining messaging across a number of individual sessions. This in-depth programming featured the Approvals, Master Data and International Series (programmed in collaboration with DOAG, the German Oracle User Group).

And new this year, four unique Learning Journeys offered a focused excursion into emerging challenges that many organizations face:• Cloud • Big Data • Mobility • Security

The new and improved conference app helped attendees stay on course by finding sessions of interest, connecting with other participants and managing a busy conference schedule on the go.

For those unable to attend in person, the COLLABORATE 16— Forum Online presented more than 36 hours of online education live from the conference. On-demand access to recorded sessions make it easy and convenient to keep the learning happening long after the conference. Go to collaborate.oaug.org/online for details.

NetworkingCollaboration is essential to success, and COLLABORATE 16 presented numerous opportunities for attendees to exchange information and gather practical advice from peers, experts and Oracle employees.

Geos and SIGs: The OAUG’s worldwide communities of Oracle users were in full swing during COLLABORATE 16, hosting nearly 70 Geographic (Geo) and Special Interest Group (SIG) meetings.

The Primavera Forum at COLLABORATE 16, designed for and by Oracle Primavera EPPM users, provided a learning agenda aimed at functional, technical, techno-functional and C-level and management attendees. The lively Primavera Reception on Tuesday evening and the Primavera Support Clinic hosted by the Oracle Primavera Customer Support team enriched the learning and networking experience.

Hyperion Connect welcomed Oracle Hyperion EPM users to special educational tracks, meetings with Oracle’s top Hyperion executives and product developers, and a special reception on Tuesday evening.

The OAUG welcomed four newly established communities and honored 10 SIGs and nine Geos with the 2016 OAUG Certificate of Distinction award for their exemplary service to their respective community groups. See the wrap-up section on page 41 for the details.

CONFERENCES & EVENTS Summer 2016


Women in technology.

Game of Drones.

He hasn’t left yet.

Women in technology.

OAUG Young Professionals Forum: Several meetings for people just beginning their careers with Oracle Applications or just beginning their careers in general helped attendees gain valuable insights for using networking to jump start their professional success. See the article on page 39 for more about happenings at COLLABORATE 16 and opportunities to engage with this group throughout the year.

Women in Technology: Monday’s networking luncheon and the panel discussion on Wednesday engaged more than 550 participants in spirited and inspiring discussions about how women in technology tackle unique challenges and plan for success.

Exhibitor Showcase: This priority destination featured more than 230 solution providers who brought their ideas and new products to help attendees discover ways to improve efficiency and resolve problems. The Solutions Spotlight on the exhibit floor boosted learning opportunities with short, 30-minute sessions.

OAUG MembershipVisitors to the OAUG Membership booth at COLLABORATE were soaring with ideas for using OAUG membership resources to find information, get answers from other members and experts, and influence Oracle. Plus, drone-centered activities challenged visitors to fly even higher.

Congratulations to the winners of the OAUG Fly Higher drawings: • Adam Von Dwingelo of LG&E AND KU Services Company won the

Phantom 3 drone at COLLABORATE.• Kendall Moen of Emerson Electric Company is the winner of

free registration for COLLABORATE 17.• Hannah Ding of M+W US, Inc. is the winner of a $25 Amazon

gift certificate.

Oracle ParticipationOracle’s presence at COLLABORATE 16 made it easy for attendees to access information and resources and gain valuable face time with Oracle leaders, product teams and developers—all in one place!

One-on-One Appointments with Key Oracle executives facilitated personal discussions related to specific organizational or product needs.

Roadmap Sessions took a deep dive into the strategy and direction for a number of product lines, including Oracle E-Business Suite (EBS), ERP Cloud, EBS HCM, EBS Supply Chain and Oracle Primavera.

During the exclusive Meet-the-Oracle-Experts sessions, Oracle representatives discussed the value of the latest releases and shared insights on the best path for the enterprise.

The Oracle Applications User Experience Usability Lab at COLLABORATE 16 invited participants to provide their thoughts about proposed designs for Oracle Cloud and E-Business Suite Applications.

Oracle employees staffed kiosks in the DEMOgrounds in the Exhibitor Showcase to answer questions, demonstrate new functionality and provide insights and assistance.

37

During its Meeting of the Members on Sunday evening, the OAUG recognized several individuals and organizations for their vision, commitment and service.

OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTORS

2016 Member of the Year Bill Dunham, OATC, Inc., works tirelessly and is a great ambassador for the OAUG. He has been a presenter at numerous OAUG and Oracle OpenWorld conferences as well as on OAUG-hosted panels. Bill served as chair of the OAUG Geo and SIG Committee in 2015 and, as such, was instrumental in implementing new board policies and procedures for all OAUG SIGs and GEOs.

2016 Innovator of the YearThe City of Las Vegas collaborated with 3Di, Inc. to build a Citizen Engagement/Citizen Self-Service mobile application leveraging Oracle’s Mobile Application Framework. This app provided a common development infrastructure across multiple platforms, without losing application use experience. Kathleen Fauerbach, accounting services manager, accepted the award for the City of Las Vegas.

2016 Star Presenters User Member – Chad Johnson from Polk County Florida has been a presenter at educational events including OAUG Connection Point® – AppsTech Online, COLLABORATE and several eLearning webinars throughout the year. Chad is always willing to help a fellow OAUG member and present solid content to OAUG members.

Associate Member – Sandra Vucinic of VLAD Group, Inc. participates with several OAUG Geos and SIGs, including serving as board chair for the OAUG Upgrade SIG, and is a regular participant in Northern California (NorCal) OAUG meetings. She has participated in OAUG Connection Point® conferences, COLLABORATE and online events and is always ready and willing to help a fellow OAUG member.

2016 Oracle Ambassadors Deidre Engstrom and Lauri Williams from Oracle EBS Proactive Support are valuable partners with the OAUG membership. Deidre Engstrom is a dynamic liaison between Oracle Support and the OAUG Customer Support Council and is a tireless advocate regarding the value of hearing user feedback from OAUG members. Lauri Williams is dedicated to making Oracle EBS easier to maintain and troubleshoot and is dedicated to listening to the needs of OAUG members during SIG and other meetings.

Congratulations and networking continued at the OAUG Welcome Reception at the LIGHT NightClub.

2016 OAUG Member of the Year Bill Dunham is congratulated by OAUG President Dr. Patricia Dues.

Kathleen Fauerbach from the City of Las Vegas accepts the 2016 OAUG Innovator of the Year Award from OAUG President Dr. Patricia Dues.

OAUG Board Member Karen Brownfield congratulates Chad Johnson, 2016 Star Presenter.

Sandra Vucinic accepts the 2016 Star Presenter award from OAUG President Dr. Patricia Dues.

Lauri Williams and Deidre Engstrom, Oracle EBS Proactive Support, are the 2016 OAUG Oracle Ambassadors.

CONFERENCES & EVENTS Summer 2016


Shawn Price

Rat Pack.

Borris Brott.

Keynote Presentations: • Trends & Technologies Facing Your Future: A thought-provoking

exploration of how Cloud, Mobility, Security and Big Data/Internet of Things are shaping decisions for today’s on-premises environ-ments. Presented by Database Trends & Applications.

• From Science Fiction to Science Fact: How Cognitive Computing and Cloud Transform Your Business. Presented by Tim Vanderham, IBM.

• COLLABORATE 16 Re-Energize Session. Presented by Boris Brott, Opera and Symphony Conductor.

• Shawn Price, Oracle Senior Vice President, Cloud, shared insights from Oracle’s data as a service (DaaS), software as a service (SaaS), platform as a service (PaaS), and infrastructure as a service (IaaS) businesses.

Vegas: Then & NowWith the glamour of classic Vegas alongside the electric energy of modern Vegas, COLLABORATE 16 attendees danced the night away, enjoying hors d’oeuvres, drinks, and entertainment while celebrating the success of a great week of learning and networking.

Save the Date for COLLABORATE 17!April 2-6, 2017 Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

Stay Connected:

The OAUG’s active LinkedIn Group.

@COLLAB_OAUG or @OAUG1

collaborate.oaug.org/youtube

Collaborate - OAUG Forum

39

OAUG YOUNG PROFESSIONALS FORUM BRINGS YOUNG AND NEW PROFESSIONALS TOGETHER AT COLLABORATE 16

An educational session and meetup help OAUG young professionals learn more about Oracle Applications and gain networking skills from experienced professionals at COLLABORATE 16.Networking was the main focus for the OAUG Young Professionals Forum this year at COLLABORATE. The week started with the opportunity to learn about networking with the session “Make Networking Work for You.”

Young professionals from IOUG, Quest and the OAUG joined together on Monday to learn tips and tricks from three experienced professionals: Julie Alonso, Oracle; Gary Gordhamer, GE; and Jansen Hernandez, Facebook. The educational session gave attendees beneficial advice, including this gem from Jansen Hernandez, “I used to keep my knowledge close like a trade secret. But the more I opened up, the more I learned.” The attendees were able to put this piece of advice, and other tips, to use right away at the Exhibitor Showcase Happy Hour and all week during COLLABORATE.

The networking continued Wednesday night with the OAUG Young Professionals Cocktail MeetUp. Young and new professionals had the opportunity to network with experienced professionals in six different areas, learn more about the OAUG Young Professionals Forum and enjoy cocktails and snacks. The six different networking areas included database and big data, application development, the functional areas of Oracle Applications, BI/analytics, management and volunteerism. The young professionals were able to directly ask questions and discuss each topic with the experienced professionals in a relaxed environment. After networking together, it was time to continue the festivities and head to the Vegas: Then & Now party as a group.

The OAUG Young Professionals Forum is focused on helping people who are just beginning their career with Oracle Applications or just beginning their career in general. The group holds webinars every other month and meets

at COLLABORATE to discuss the hot topics in the Oracle Applications community and general information to help new professionals grow in their career. The next call will be about networking and will take place this June with Jansen Hernandez. Jansen will continue sharing networking tips and tricks like the one he shared at the Monday session at COLLABORATE. To register for any of the upcoming webinars or to watch recorded webinars, visit the OAUG Young Professional page: oaug.org/membership/young-professionals. u

Do you have a topic you would like to hear, or do you want to get involved with the Young Professionals Forum? Visit the OAUG Young Professionals Forum Web page at oaug.org/membership/young-professionals, or email Samantha Auguin, [email protected], for more information.

“I used to keep my knowledge close like a trade secret. But the more I opened up, the more I learned.”

—Jansen Hernandez, Facebook

Jansen Hernandez and Julie Alonso facilitate the “Make Networking Work for You” session for young professionals.

MEMBER’S CORNER Summer 2016


LETTER FROM THE CHAIRS

2016 is in full swing, being kicked off on a high note with a successful COLLABORATE 16. The Geo/SIG community was ever present throughout the conference with community-specific sessions and the annual Certificate of Distinction award luncheon. We’d like to take this opportunity to again congratulate those Geos and SIGs honored with the award for their continued support of and dedication to the OAUG’s mission throughout the year.

COLLABORATE 16 also kicked off a few of our new Geos and SIGs, newly affiliated in early 2016: • Alberta Canada OAUG.• Arizona/New Mexico OAUG.• British Columbia OAUG.• Revenue Management and Billing

Application and Analytics SIG.

The summer will prove to be a busy time for the user communities. Several Geos host their annual conferences throughout the summer, providing great opportunities for additional education in a region near you. If you’re looking for product-specific education, various SIGs host eLearning webinars available to everyone. The most up-to-date information can be found on the OAUG website under User Communities.

With Oracle consistently changing, the OAUG is always looking for new Geo/SIGs to fill the product gaps and span more geographical regions. If you are interested in starting a community, please do not hesitate to reach out to us with your inquiry. And, as always, we invite your questions, feedback and suggestions. Please contact us at [email protected]. u

Bill Dunham and Jon Riley Geo/SIG Committee Co-ChairsEmail us at [email protected].

BILL DUNHAM & JON RILEY

Bill Dunham

GEO-SIG NEWS

Jon Riley

A Refreshing Change

Learn more at go.excel4apps.com/oaug16

More Than Just a Replacement for

Discoverer• Add-in to Excel allows you to easily

and securely report on any EBS module • Effectively replaces reporting tools like

Discoverer, Client / Web ADI, and FSGs• Quick, self-service reporting – access

a library of pre-built content• Create your own ad hoc reports –

no need for IT or complex SQL queries

41

OAUG 2016 GEO/SIG CERTIFICATE OF DISTINCTION AWARD WINNERS HONORED AT COLLABORATE 16 The Oracle Applications Users Group (OAUG) recognized 10 SIGs and nine Geos with the Certificate of Distinction Award for 2016. Winners were acknowledged at the OAUG Geo/SIG VIP Luncheon that took place during the COLLABORATE 16 conference in Las Vegas, NV, in April.

Congratulations to the following Geos and SIGs that earned the 2016 OAUG Geo/SIG Certificate of Distinction:

Geos: • DCOAUG*• Gulf Region OAUG*• Michigan OAUG*• North Central OAUG*• Northern California OAUG*• Northern Ohio OAUG*• Ohio Valley OAUG*• Oklahoma-Arkansas OAUG• Southwest Regional OAUG*

SIGs: • Accounts Receivable, Credits and Collections SIG*• Asset SIG*• Cloud ERP SIG*• Cost Management SIG*• Enterprise Asset Management (eAM) SIG*• General Ledger (GL) SIG*• Hyperion SIG*• Mobile Apps for EBS SIG• Oracle Tax Management SIG*• Upgrade SIG*

*Special Acknowledgement – multi-year recipient of the OAUG Geo/SIG Certificate of Distinction Award.

OAUG Geo/SIG Committee Co-Chairs Bill Dunham and Jon Riley congratulate winners of the Certificate of Distinction Award for 2016.



UPDATE ON GEOGRAPHIC USER GROUPS (GEOS)

What is a Geographic User Group (Geo)? Geographic user groups (Geos) are independent OAUG affiliated user groups that bring together a variety of Oracle Applications users within a defined geographic region. Geos create opportunities for participants to discuss a variety of applications and share ideas. Currently, the OAUG has Geo affiliates in the continental United States, Canada, AsiaPac, Latin America and EMEA.

There are many benefits of participation in a user’s local Geo. These benefits include: • Opportunities to learn tips and tricks for installation,

integration, utilization and maintenance of Oracle Applications.

• Knowledge of best practices from colleagues utilizing Oracle Applications.

• Local meetings and training sessions featuring Oracle experts.

• Direct access to local Oracle management and much more.

A complete list of Geo groups, upcoming meetings, website addresses and contact information is available at oaug.org under the User Communities tab.

2016 GEOGRAPHIC USER GROUPS• Alberta Canada OAUG†• Arizona-New Mexico OAUG†• Atlanta OAUG• AUSOUG (Australia)• British Columbia Canada OAUG†• Central States OAUG• Colorado OAUG • DC-OAUG*• Eastern States OAUG• German Oracle Users Group (DOAG)• Gulf Region OAUG* (formerly Florida OAUG) • Heartland OUG• India OAUG• Japan-OAUG• Latin OAUG• Michigan OAUG*• Mid-Atlantic OAUG• Nevada OAUG• New England OAUG• New Jersey OAUG• North Central OAUG*• Northern California OAUG*• Northern Ohio OAUG*• Northwest OUG• NYC Metro OAUG (New York City)• Ohio Valley OAUG*• Oklahoma-Arkansas OAUG*• Pittsburgh OAUG• San Diego OAUG• Southern Ontario OAUG• Southwest Regional OAUG*• Texas/Louisiana OAUG• Twin Cities Financials OAUG• Twin Cities Manufacturing OAUG

*Special Acknowledgement – 2016 OAUG Geo/SIG Certificate of Distinction Award Recipient.† New Community Added in 2016

User Community News Stay up to date on upcoming educational webinars, conference calls and face-to-face events on the User Communities Announcements & News page at oaug.org/communities/announcements-news.

The OAUG’s Geos and SIGs offer news from Oracle and educational opportunities all year long! To find your Geo or SIG, visit the OAUG’s User Communities page at oaug.org/communities.

43

UPDATE ON SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS (SIGS)

What is a Special Interest Group (SIG)? Special Interest Groups (SIGs) are user groups that bring together participants that share a common interest with specific Oracle Applications products. SIGs may also represent a specific industry, such as the public sector or manufacturing. Additional SIGs are affiliated in response to the development and expansion of the family of Oracle Applications. SIGs are open for worldwide membership and operate online communities, with many hosting meetings at the annual COLLABORATE or Oracle OpenWorld conferences.

A complete list of SIGs, upcoming meetings, website addresses and contact information is available at oaug.org under the User Communities tab.

2016 SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS • Accounts Payable (AP) SIG• Applications Desktop Integrator (ADI) SIG• AR, Credit & Collections SIG*• Archive & Purge SIG• Asset SIG*• BI Publisher SIG• Channel Revenue SIG• Cloud ERP SIG*• Configurator SIG• Cost Management SIG*• Customer Experience Community (CXC)• Customization and Alternatives SIG • Database SIG• Discrete Manufacturing SIG• E-Business Suite Applications Technology Stack SIG• E-Business Suite SIG• E-Business Suite User Management SIG• E-Business Suite Workflow SIG• EDI (e-Commerce Gateway) SIG• Endeca SIG• Energy & Utilities SIG• Enterprise Asset Management (eAM) SIG*• Enterprise Manager for Applications SIG• Fusion Middleware SIG• General Ledger (GL) SIG*• Governance, Risk & Compliance SIG• Government Contractor SIG• Hyperion SIG*

• Logistics SIG• Master Data Management SIG• Migration & Integration SIG• Mobile Apps for EBS SIG*• Multi-National SIG• Oracle Business Intelligence – Big Data SIG (OBI-BD SIG)• Oracle Primavera SIG (OPSIG)• Oracle Tax Management SIG*• Order Management & Advanced Pricing (QP) SIG• Oracle Transportation Management (OTM) SIG • Process Manufacturing SIG• Procurement SIG• Projects SIG• Public Sector SIG• Revenue Management and Billing (RMB) Application and Analytics SIG†• Sales Performance Management (formerly Incentive Compensation) SIG• Siebel CRM SIG• SysAdmin SIG• Upgrade SIG*• User Productivity Kit (UPK) SIG• Value Chain Planning SIG

*Special Acknowledgement – 2016 OAUG Geo/SIG Certificate of Distinction Award Recipient.† New Community Added in 2016



OAUG WELCOMES NEW USER COMMUNITIESIn response to member interest and needs, the OAUG has established three new Geographic groups (Geos) that held meetings at COLLABORATE 16 and one new Special Interest Group (SIG):

Canadian Geos: The OAUG adds British Columbia Canada OAUG and Alberta Canada OAUG to the roster this year, joining Southern Ontario in the ranks of Canadian OAUG Geos. • The Alberta Canada OAUG primarily serves Calgary and

Edmonton, but the group’s membership is open to all users residing or working in Alberta. If you are interested in joining the Alberta Canada OAUG, please visit their website: albertaoaug.communities.oaug.org for more information.

• The British Columbia Canada OAUG is for Oracle Applications users in both the Vancouver and British Columbia areas. Users based out of these providences are more than welcome to join this group. If you are interested in joining the British Columbia Canada OAUG, more information can be found on their website: http://bccoaug.communities.oaug.org/

Arizona-New Mexico OAUG: The OAUG adds a Geo for Arizona and New Mexico Oracle Applications users. This new group will be based primarily out of Phoenix and Albuquerque, making it easy for Oracle Applications users in this area to attend events. If you are interested in joining the Arizona-New Mexico OAUG, information can be found on their website: aznmoaug.communities.oaug.org.

Revenue Management and Billing (RMB) Application and Analytics SIG: The newest OAUG SIG is the Revenue Management and Billing (RMB) Application and Analytics SIG (also known as the ORMB SIG). The scope of the group primarily consists of the Revenue Management and Billing for Banking, Insurance and Capital Markets. The scope may be revised from time to time considering the various product interest of the RMB user community. This group is for Oracle RMB and RMB Analytics users, subject matter experts, system integrators, business development and influencers located across geographies to come together and share a common platform in order to exchange ideas, discuss constructively and benefit the RMB community. For more information on joining the RMB SIG, visit their website: rmbasig.communities.oaug.org. u

45

You don’t have to be a member of the OAUG for several years in order to make a real difference. Everyone is always welcomed and encouraged to stand out beyond just being a member. Take Rohit Jaiswal, for example. He joined the OAUG six months ago and is already making notable

contributions, which is why we want to recognize him in this edition’s member snapshot.

Rohit is an application development analyst at Sunflower Electric Power Corp., where he performs needs analyses to define opportunities for new or improved business process solutions and also supports Oracle EBS users by creating or modifying user profiles to provide access, functionality and security, among other highly technical responsibilities.

When he first became a member of the OAUG, Rohit set out to take advantage of some of the many benefits of membership to help him in his career. He became an influential member of the Young Professionals Forum and actively recruits colleagues and other OAUG members to join and learn from the dynamic group’s experiences, insights and future aspirations. At the age of 36, he may not be the youngest member of the forum, but he’s certainly not the oldest either.

“People think the Young Professionals Forum is only for very young professionals in their 20s. It’s not about age; it’s about growing your knowledge of Oracle Applications,” Rohit says. “I encouraged other colleagues to join who are even older than me, and they love it. It’s a wonderful forum to learn from people going through similar situations and find out where Oracle is headed.”

Rohit especially appreciates being exposed to the many OAUG’s resources and learning opportunities as his company undergoes a big migration from Oracle ERP to Oracle Cloud Applications. He loves to be able to share implementation stories with his peers and gain their insight and perspective based on their experiences. Once his company successfully migrates to the cloud, he wants to contribute more to the OAUG community by sharing his story in a whitepaper or speaking at an OAUG event, like COLLABORATE.

Besides being an active member of the Young Professionals Forum, Rohit volunteers for the OAUG Marketing Committee and looks forward to expanding his role there in the months ahead.

But for now, he’s taking it one contribution at a time.

“I believe a small contribution by everyone can make a big difference,” he says.

Rohit lives in Wichita, Kansas, and enjoys gardening and long outdoor walks with his wife. u

OAUG MEMBER SNAPSHOT:

ROHIT JAISWAL Application Development Analyst, Sunflower Electric Power Corp.



MEMBER BENEFIT SHOWCASE:YOUR COMMITTEES, WORKING FOR YOUBeing raised in the spirit of volunteerism meant that my family “did committees” the way many families “do sports.” So for me, volunteering with the OAUG is extremely rewarding. In the past 15 years, I have held a number of roles with the OAUG, but my favorites have each involved identifying great educational content for our users. Through both the Education Committee and the Meetings and Conferences Committee, I have seen firsthand how our volunteer teams shape and grow education—a key pillar of our mission—for the OAUG.

Take our upcoming “Best of COLLABORATE 16 – OAUG Forum” online event, happening over the summer. Quite a lot of thought and effort goes into choosing the Best of COLLABORATE long before COLLABORATE even starts. Since much of our series is based on feedback from COLLABORATE attendees, it is imperative that we capture pertinent information while we’re on-site. Special care is given to the survey questions to make the selection process easier when COLLABORATE is finished.

“We encourage anyone with a passion for education to get involved with one of these committees—after all, it is true that many hands make light work!”

What qualifies as a “Best of” presentation? We draw up a list of invitees based on popularity (the number of attendees) and scoring (above 90 percent). This list is then reviewed by a small team of volunteers so that we can offer the widest variety of subjects and presenters. This ensures that our online forum offers the best-of-the-best. Once our list is complete, the work really gets started with presenter acceptances, scheduling and webinar logistics.

When working on OAUG Connection Point® events, we frequently start nine or 10 months in advance of the targeted event date. Choosing a venue, identifying dates and collaborating closely with Geos and SIGs to determine how content will be identified and delivered takes time and effort.

To ensure fresh content, we will often seek out content that was highly rated during the COLABORATE call for papers, but which for some reason was not ultimately delivered.

“Quite a lot of thought and effort goes into choosing the Best of COLLABORATE long before COLLABORATE even starts.”

The COLLABORATE call for papers generates more than 1500 submissions, less than a third of which are ultimately scheduled for the on-site event. In order to be fair and equitable, COLLABORATE limits the number of papers that are accepted from both individuals and organizations, so a lot of highly-rated paper ideas never make it to the conference. An entire committee of folks will cull through the list of submissions and reach out to individuals for fresh and un-seen presentations at OAUG Connection Point events. This approach ensures that our content stays current, that we pull from known presenters and that, again, we offer a great slate of educational content to our members.

Inevitably, at each conference event, someone will inquire about the process used to select content. The OAUG Board of Directors, conference committees and volunteers have all worked very hard to ensure that the process is democratic and fair to all, involving as many people as possible. We encourage anyone with a passion for education to get involved with one of these committees—after all, it is true that many hands make light work! u

Melissa Sider is the chair of the OAUG Meetings and Conferences Committee and served previously in a number of OAUG volunteer leadership roles, including COLLABORATE conference chair (2014-2015), COLLABORATE agenda chair (2008-2014) and Education Committee member/chair (2004-2014). In her day job, Melissa is the vice president of marketing and communications at AST Corporation.

If you would like to participate in developing or selecting OAUG educational content, visit oaug.org/volunteer-interest-form to express your interest.

47

NEW AND RETURNING MEMBERSThe OAUG welcomes the following new and returning members who joined January 1, 2016, through March 31, 2016.

Returning Associate Members:Apps AssociatesAT&TAvataAXIA ConsultingBlackLineCaliber Services, LLCCardConnectCelantra SystemsConfigSnapshot – Rookery SoftwareCSS International, Inc.Data Communication Solutions (DCS)Data IntensityDeloitteDenovo Ventures, LLCDRMcNatty & Associates, Inc.EiS Technologies, Inc.Emtec, Inc.eprentiseEvergreen Data Systems, Inc.Excel4apps Inc.F5 Networks, Inc.Fastpath, Inc.Global Software, Inc.Grant Thornton LLPHighstreet IT Solutions, LLCHitachi Consulting - USInfosemantics, Inc.IngenuitE, Inc.InspirageIT ConvergenceLexmarkLoftware, Inc.Magnitude SoftwareMcFadyen SolutionsMindStream AnalyticsMore4appsMythics Inc.O2WorksOneNeck IT SolutionsPanaya

PaymetricPonder Professional Services, Inc.Rimini StreetRolta AdvizeXSmart ERP SolutionsSmartDog ServicesSoftArt Solutions Inc.STR SoftwareThomson ReutersTribus Point, LLCVertex Inc.

Returning Individual Associate Members:BiffarbizEvolutions, Inc.Leverage Solutions Consulting, Inc.Reymer Mendez

Returning User Members:ABS Global, Inc.AccelrysADM Alliance Nutrition (ADM Animal)Advania Ltd.AFL Telecommunications LLCAg Processing Inc.AgFirst Farm Credit BankAlliance Coal, LLCAlmac GroupAlticor/AmwayAmalgamated Life Insurance CompanyAMC Networks Inc.American Red CrossAmerican Tire DistributorsAmerican Tower CorporationAmerican Transmission CompanyAmes True TemperArby’s Restaurant GroupAsian Development BankASRC Energy Services, Inc. (AES)AvalonBay Communities, Inc.AvMedBabcock & Wilcox Enterprises, Inc.

BAE Systems - Land & ArmamentsBayview Asset Management (BFTG)Bechtel Marine Propulsion CorporationBeckman Coulter Inc.Berkshire Hathaway EnergyBlood Systems Inc.Bluescope BuildingsBob Evans FarmsBoeingBrake Parts Inc.Breg, Inc.British Columbia Ferry Services (BCFS)British Defence Staff - USBrookfield Global Integrated Solutions (BGIS)Brunswick CorporationBureau of Engraving & PrintingCalgary Board of EducationCalifornia Eastern LaboratoriesCalifornia Institute of Technology (Caltech)Calix Networks, Inc.Camelbak ProductsCamping World, Inc.CareFirst BCBSCatholic Education SACato CorporationCBS CorporationCenters for Medicare and Medicaid ServicesCentral Arizona ProjectCentric Group, LLCCentrus Energy CorpCGGCheniere Energy, Inc.Chick-fil-A, Inc.Ciena CorporationCity of Arvada, COCity of AtlantaCity of BurbankCity of Moncton

City of North Las VegasCity of ReginaClark CountyClark County Water Reclamation DistrictClean Water ServicesCOEUR Mining, Inc.College of American PathologistsColorcon Inc.Comcast Cable CommunicationConsolidated Nuclear Security (CNS)Consumer ReportsCox EnterprisesCree Inc.Curtiss Wright, Electro-Mechanical CorporationDallas/Ft. Worth Int’l Airport (DFW)DarigoldDartmouth CollegeDaVita Inc.Dayton Power and LightDEMDACODepartment of Education WADepartment of FinanceDept. of Planning, Transport & InfrastructureDish NetworkDubai Airport Free ZoneEastern PropaneEdelbrock, LLCEdmonton Public SchoolsElliott CompanyEmployers Insurance Co. of NevadaEnbridge Inc.EnrichEntrust DatacardEquinixEssent GuarantyEssilor of America, Inc.ExelExpedia, Inc.



ExperianFayetteville Public Works CommissionFermilabFirst American Financial CorporationFlorida State UniversityFluke CorporationForemost Farms USAGarden of LifeGarland Independent School DistrictGeorgia Tech Research Corp.Gopher SportGovernment of Newfoundland and LabradorGreat Lakes Educational Loan Services Inc.Greater Cleveland Regional Transit AuthorityGrupo BimboGuggenheim PartnersHartz Mountain CorporationHarvard Business PublishingHarvard Pilgrim Health CareHarvard UniversityHealth Alliance Plan (HAP)HealthwaysHelena Chemical CompanyHenry M. Jackson FoundationHillsborough County Aviation AuthorityHillsborough County Clerk of the Circuit CourtHitachi Data SystemsHormel Foods CorporationHumana Inc.Hypertherm, Inc.Icelandic Road AdministrationIEEEINC Research Inc.InComm (Interactive Communications)Indianapolis Power and Light Co.InsperityInsteel Industries, Inc.International Vitamin CorporationInt’l Brotherhood of Elec Wkrs.Invacare Corporation

Iron Bow Technologies LLCISS Facility ServicesIthaca CollegeITTJ.G. Boswell CompanyJade Global, Inc.Johns Hopkins Univ. Applied Physics LabJT3Kenton County Airport BoardKeysight Technologies, Inc.King CountyKirby CorporationKnouse Foods Cooperative, Inc.Kravet Inc.L.S. Starrett CompanyLake County GovernmentLandspitali University HospitalLauraStar SALaw School Admission CouncilLee County Electric Cooperative, Inc. (LCEC)Leupold & Stevens, Inc.LGE and KU Energy LLCLiberty Mutual Insurance CompanyLidestri Foods, Inc.Life Care Services LLCLifeWay Christian ResourcesLiquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO)Live NationLos Alamos National LabLoudoun County Public SchoolsLozier CorporationLucasfilm Ltd.Lynden Inc.Maricopa Community CollegesMattelMcDonald’s Corp USAMcGraw-Hill EducationMcKee Foods CorporationMedical Mutual of OhioMerichem CompanyMerrill CorporationMetro-St LouisM-I L.L.C.Minnesota Power (Allete)

MITRE CorporationNational Board of Medical ExaminersNational Express LLCNational Retail Properties, Inc.National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA)National Security Technologies, LLCNATO Communications and Information Agency (NCIA)Navy Exchange Service Command (NEXCOM)NCI Building Systems, L.P.New Flyer Industries LimitedNIH Business SystemsNordstrom, Inc.North Atlantic Refining Ltd.Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer DistrictNuance CommunicationsNucorOak Ridge Associated UniversitiesOffice DepotONE Gas Inc.Opseu Pension TrustOtter Tail Power CompanyOverhead Door CorporationPanduit CorpPAREXEL International CorporationParker DrillingPAS Technologies Inc.PaychexPharmavite, LLCPHT CorporationPinellas County GovernmentPlacon CorporationPolk County Florida, BoCCPomeroy IT SolutionsPotash Corporation of Saskatchewan Inc.Powersouth Energy CooperativePPG Industries, Inc.PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP (PWC)Progressive CorporationPrudential FinancialQUALCOMM

Queensland University of TechnologyR. Torre and CompanyRackspace HostingRadio Systems CorporationRed Dot CorporationRegional Transportation District (RTD)ResCareRitchie Bros AuctioneersRobert Wood Johnson FoundationRochester Institute of TechnologyRoyal College of Physicians and Surgeons of CanadaRubiconRyerson UniversityS&C Electric CompanySafelite Group Inc.Sanderson FarmsSandia National LaboratoriesSargent & LundySchreiber Foods, Inc.Seacor Holdings, Inc.Simmons FoodsSinclair & Rush, Inc.Softchoice CorporationSouthern Company Services, Inc.Southwest Gas CorporationSpecsavers Optical Superstores Ltd.Stantec Consulting Ltd.Starkey Laboratories, Inc.Stillwater DesignsStowers InstituteSybron Dental SpecialtiesTempel Steel CompanyTeradata CorporationTerex CorporationTervisThe J.M. Smucker CompanyThe TJX CompaniesThe Topps Company Inc.Tootsie RollTrinity Industries, Inc.Tri-State Generation & TransmissionUGI Utilities, Inc.UGN, Inc.

49

Unisource Energy/Tucson Elec.Universal Furniture International, Inc.University of Chicago HospitalsUniversity of GuelphUniversity of WI - MadisonUSANA Health SciencesUSG CorporationVaisala Inc.Velcro Inc.Vulcan Materials CompanyWabtecWaddell and Reed Services Inc.Washington CountyWestern Area Power AdministrationWestern Sydney UniversityWolseleyWorley ParsonsXylem Inc.YMCA of Greater New York

Returning Individual User Members:Dwight BaileyJasbir GillJean FarmerSanket KamathSherri ThyesThomas SamyVero Silva

New Associate Members:3Accelerant Software, Inc.Automic SoftwareCloudIO Inc.Griffin Global Systems, Inc.Integrigy CorporationNovara SolutionsPeloton GroupRapid e-SuiteSkyBridge GlobalStarpoint Solutions (formerly TIS Worldwide)Sunera TechnologiesThe Abreon GroupZTNet Solutions

New Individual Associate Members:Biz-Metric PartnerseData LabsIT XchangeJRB Engineering Pty. Ltd.Mani Kumar MandaPittwater Consulting ServicesTruTek

New User Members: Automatic Data Processing (ADP)Best BuyBradford White CorporationCerus CorporationCIGNACity of RaleighConmed LinvatecCyraCom International Inc.Delaware LifeDelaware NorthDentaQuest LLCDow Chemical CompanyDream Office Management GroupFedEx CorporationFirst Republic BankGDC TechnicsGuardian Shared Services Ltd.Idaho National LaboratoryIDBBANKJ.W. Pepper & Son, Inc.James Avery Craftsman, Inc.Local Government Federal Credit UnionLuminexMannatech, Inc.Marek BrothersMolina Healthcare Inc.MoneyGramPerry EllisPrecision CastpartsR+L CarriersRambusSpectraneticsThe Presidio TrustThe Siemon CompanyTriMark USATRT Holdings (Omni Hotels)

University of BotswanaWells FargoWorld Wide Technology, Inc.Yelp

New Individual User Members: Al InnamoratoAlethia McNeelyAnil RaiAnna ButtAslam MohammadBarbara FlickBenjamin PayneCarlos HernandezDon MattesDre DanieliEdward GrimmGeorge IkiJay ChandranJeffrey ReidJodi Almeida

John AitkenheadJohn HinksonJoseph PuthusserilKetan ThankiKishore PadibandlaMani Kumar MandaMariya SamuelMary CheasickMastan AliMatthew KellyMichael ClaybackMichelle PrandPatricia VoganPedro Del RioPrakash MenonPraveen MungaraRamesh DoraiswamyRavi GadamsettyRick ByrdTami RiceVaseem SyedVikranth Gurram

ORACLE DIRECTIONS Summer 2016


YOU DON’T HAVE TO BOIL THE OCEANKEEP YOUR HEAD ABOVE WATER: TAKE AN INCREMENTAL APPROACH TO MODERN MARKETING.

I started my career at the biggest direct mail and catalog printer in the world—so I’ve seen a lot of change in marketing over the past two decades. Today, marketers can take advantage of amazingly advanced digital marketing technologies and have insights into the customer that would have once been unimaginable.

For example, when email campaigns became a new marketing method, I remember thinking, “Basically, this is the same as the direct mail business.” Email had powerful advantages over direct mail, but the strategy, tactics and goals were roughly the same. Email marketing reflected an evolution of existing marketing practices, not a radical disruption.

Marketing technology has been heating up for a quarter century, and marketing organizations have evolved in parallel, dropping or adding operational functions based on the demands of the market. As a result, even digitally savvy marketing organizations are often structured around operations—a vice president of acquisition working with a vice president of sales, both coordinating with a vice president of loyalty and a vice president of social media.

But it’s hard to deliver a seamless customer experience if customer care is divided among 17 organizations. The loyalty group might have data that shows a customer is happy—but the fulfillment team might be dealing with an active complaint from the same person. So it’s probably not the best time for the campaigns team to send a “happy customer” promotion to that customer.

Until all of these divisions figure out how to align their processes, their data, their analytics and their key performance indicators, marketing will always be somewhat alienated from the customer.

Marketing culture must be redefined to reflect the customer’s needs as the absolute top priority. And that means totally re-engineering the traditional ways marketing gets done. This is a daunting task—especially if it requires you to upend your current marketing approach. But I believe the marketing organization can evolve—similar to the way marketing tactics

have evolved—if leadership keeps one thing in mind: you don’t have to do everything at once.

Oracle has solutions for every aspect of modern marketing, built on an open framework that connects a marketer’s data, apps and media—removing the task of integrating new technologies. This not only helps marketers to take advantage of their current marketing technology, but also ensures that they are ready for tomorrow’s innovations. This flexibility is critical for those who feel that it’s too soon to buy a complete modern marketing platform. I have seen CMOs have tremendous success with a more targeted approach—focusing on small, measurable initiatives in mission-critical areas of the business.

Is email marketing working for you, but you feel the pressure to adopt an omnichannel customer interaction model? You can start by adding one or two additional channels. Test out social and mobile and see how they perform. Learn from your customers, your successes and your failures. Invest more resources where you see the best return. Share your best practices with others in the organization. If you’re crushing it, they will want to know what you are doing and how to replicate the results. The culture and organization will chase your success.

There is an ever-increasing number of digital marketing channels that marketers can use to engage customers (and potential customers) at the moment of a buying decision. There are powerful IT systems that can manage and organize customer data and use machine learning and automation to adapt to customers’ needs. But you can take an incremental approach to modernizing your marketing practice. And the best part is, you don’t have to boil the ocean.

Kevin Akeroyd is general manager and senior vice president for Oracle Marketing Cloud. u

KEVIN AKEROYD

Best of COLLABORATE 2016June-August, 2016Enjoy access to the most sought-after presentations originally offered during COLLABORATE 16, April 10-14, 2016. The Best of COLLABORATE 16 – OAUG Forum eLearning series features live, interactive webinars led by the experts for those who missed these presentations during the conference.

Learn more at oaug.org/best

OAUG Connection Point® — AppsTech OnlineJuly 11-15, 2016Sign up today for five days of real-world education focusing on the Oracle E-Business Suite delivered in a virtual setting. Technologists receive access to high-impact, Oracle-focused enrichment without the cost and time of being out of the office.

Learn more at cp.oaug.org

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