Oracle EBS for Dummies

Many of you have been following our blog for years, and today we wanted to drill down into a technology everyone “knows”.  But just between us, how many of you ACTUALLY know what we mean when we talk about Oracle EBS? Although one of the founding keys in the Oracle portfolio, many customers don’t know a whole lot about the monster they call Oracle EBS. So in accordance with our vision to educate the Oracle community, we give you the AuraPlayer Guide to Oracle EBS 101.

What is Oracle E-Business Suite (EBS)?

Oracle E-Business Suite refers to a set of integrated business applications that are provided by Oracle. Which is often referred to as, Oracle EBS, Oracle ERP or E-Biz. It consists of multiple Oracle enterprise applications that assist businesses with various processes to do daily business operations. These applications focus on AR (Accounts Receivable), AP (Accounts Payable), financials, order entry, HR, supply chain management, enterprise resource planning, customer relationship management and many others.

The product was developed over 2 decades ago incorporating high-level Oracle technologies and industry standards. The various elements in the Oracle technology stack include Apache Web Server, Oracle Reports Server, Oracle Forms System, Oracle Discoverer, Sun’s Java, and Jinitiator. And other industry standards such as Java, RDBMS, HTML, NET, PL/SQL, and XML.

Based on market share — Oracle EBS happens to be one of the key vendors that have a formidable presence in major international markets like Europe and North America. Many industry experts and Chief executive officers who have a desire to implement new ERP software in Fortune 500 companies are likely to consider Oracle.

Oracle EBS Modules

Advantages of Oracle EBS

There are several solutions available in the market, but Oracle EBS still remains one of the leading options for business operations and management. What makes the suite so attractive for many organizations? Below we will focus on the main advantages of Oracle EBS system:

• Oracle EBS allows major organizations to get the jump on implementing a full stack of enterprise level software needed to do their organization’s operations. Having modules such as HR, iExpenses, supply chain and order entry available out of the box saves them years of design and analysis to generate these systems in a custom way. In addition, Oracle EBS comes with the support of Oracle for modernization and updates, security patches and more.
• Oracle EBS facilitates an increase in productivity as it combines both system management functions, data entry screens and change management from a single robust application. Businesses can effectively and efficiently manage their full base of operations from the qualification step to the assessment step with the Lifecycle Management. But all modules come out of the box with a huge range and breadth of functionality.
• The out-of-the-box nature of the solution allows companies to achieve fast time-to-value as Oracle EBS reduces deployment time and lowers overall ownership total cost with the integration of analytics with the transaction systems.
• Oracle began modernizing the Oracle EBS application into a lightweight HTML front-end based application called Oracle Fusion. The modules included iExpenses, iProcurement, iStore, iRecruitment and more, such as Oracle HR Payslip application, Oracle Leave & Absence application, Oracle Time & Labor application, iprocurement (such as Oracle iProcurement application), governance, supply chain management, and project portfolio management. However as the world of ERP systems moved to cloud applications, Oracle EBS began facilitating the rapid growth of Cloud adoption among Oracle enterprises due to a co-existence or hybrid model that enables you to complement your current Oracle E-Business Suite (EBS), by adopting EBS Cloud
• Oracle EBS Cloud ERP, is Oracle’s next-generation suite of business applications that consists of financial management (finance modules such as iExpense), Customer Relationship Management (CRM), human capital management and more. Oracle ERP allows you to move to the cloud in a faster and easier manner. Furthermore, the element of risk associated with Oracle ERP is significantly lower.
• Using Oracle EBS on the cloud allows you to subscribe to the surge capacity needed for new projects without bothering about capital purchases of new servers, data centre space, and additional system administration labor. With Oracle EBS in Oracle Cloud businesses can receive the innovations in the application without the need to wait for the acquisition of new infrastructure, without the need for major upgrade projects and with full support from Oracle for both for test and production environments.
• Businesses can discover new features and new products, thanks to Oracle EBS, by quickly provisioning the latest Oracle EBS release from Oracle Cloud Marketplace, such as AuraPlayer for EBS and Chatbots or any others. Some of them require additional installations, others can simply be added as plugins. Oracle provides full access to multiple tools via Oracle Cloud Marketplace. Businesses can then test the new features on a cloned copy of Oracle EBS and can leverage the cloud for Oracle EBS
• Oracle ERP Cloud is a high-performing cloud. Moreover, Oracle Cloud ERP happens to be highly scalable and runs on our Gen 2 cloud infrastructure providing high speed, continuity, and security. It is suitable for the organization of any size.
• The software makes use of Oracle’s core relational database management system and advanced development tool technology to facilitate efficiency in processes. A company can operate a single data center with the assistance of a single or multiple databases that are used as the basis for data storage of the Oracle EBS system.

The suite contains a range of noteworthy product lines which can be implemented by the user into their businesses. When one refers to Oracle EBS they are actually referring to a full suite of enterprise management software modules. The most popular include:

Oracle Enterprise Resource Planning

The E-Business Suite consists of multiple applications for Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP). This allows organizations to have a single-source of authenticity for analyzing and uploading their data. Furthermore, ERP modules help companies to enhance collaboration and diminish costs, making it easy for them to streamline various control projects. This is made possible with advanced control solutions like compliance management, Oracle Risk, and Governance Businesses.

Oracle ERP will let your organization achieve the highly-acclaimed agility and resilience. Furthermore, it will create favorable ground for consistent growth, facilitating quick adaptability of business processes and models so that business users can improve and sharpen forecasts, reduce costs, and indulge in more innovation.

Oracle Customer Relationship Management

The Oracle CRM (Customer Relationship Management) comprises a set of applications that provides information-driven marketing, service, and sales. The Oracle CRM application provides front-office functions that are useful for businesses to increase customer loyalty among the existing customers as well as finding new customers. The basic functionality of Oracle CRM includes contracts, order capture, marketing, field service, and call center functionality. The Oracle CRM application also includes some internet-focused products such as content management, catalogs, and quote and order management.

A significant enhancement happened in the CRM offering of Oracle’s EBS after the acquisition of its competitor Siebel in 2006. Currently, the package gives firms a single source of truth or authenticity for all of its CRM processes. The business intelligence applications allow a business to improve its relationships with customers by using its data.

The structure of Oracle CRM is open as well as standards-based. This type of architecture improves the quality of business data and also streamlines business processes. Consequently, it allows all the available key divisions to draw from the same data source. With Oracle CRM, your company will have one of the best tools for customer success — immensely accurate information.

Oracle Supply Chain Applications

The Supply chain applications of Oracle EBS, power major supply chains for fortune 50 companies all over the globe. By making use of Oracle Supply Chain Applications, they can innovate and remain agile with volatile product supply and marketing cycles. Additionally, they can predict market requirements and align operations across global networks. Oracle offers industry-specific solutions that comprise demand development, product development, transportation management, transportation management, and supply management.

Oracle’s supply-chain management brings together all the relevant feedback concerning a product or service. This can deal with design, production, quoting and the customer processes. Its focus is on finding real insights within the massive quantity of data produced. The modules which focus on supply chain management include Order and Price Management. These elements form the core of Oracle’s EBS, along with assisting in other areas such as Asset Lifecycle Management, Procurement, and Manufacturing.

Beyond the core extensions that Oracle offers out of the box, AuraPlayer is proud to have developed incredible add-ins to Oracle Supply Chain Management. With AuraPlayer Inventory Management solution, the inventory counting process can be measured in hours instead of weeks. The solution mobilizes the Oracle EBS management process to allow physical inventory and cycle counts directly from mobile tablet devices. In addition, it’s possible to do ship confirmation, subinventory transfers, pick and book products, and many more on tablet mobile devices. The mobile solution allows workers to cut their processing time and gain incredible efficiencies from the warehouse floor. While all updates and changes on mobile devices are immediately updated online from the mobile devices into the EBS system.

Oracle Human Resource Management System (HRMS)

The Oracle Human Resource Management System helps the companies in efficiently managing the recruit-to-retire process for employee management. The application gives users a real-time view of the various HR activities, including recruiting, training, time management, payroll, compensation, and benefits. The HRMS suite integrates fully with the other Oracle EBS apps. Moreover, it supplies users with an analytics package that facilitates the extraction of HR data with much convenience and ease.

This system can be used for preventative and predictive analysis vis a vis the workforce in which an organization would be able to use it to keep its employees and workers satisfied. As a result, this will lead to greater productivity as satisfied employees and workers will work with a high-level of effort. Moreover, any grievances of the employees can be detected in a timely manner, thanks to the Human Resource Management System. Therefore, the management will have time to come up with suitable solutions to end those grievances. In addition to the out-of-the-box functionality delivered by Oracle, AuraPlayer has developed Oracle EBS packaged mobile applications to enable systems to achieve a mobile-first user experience in a matter of days. Our packaged apps include Mobile Oracle HR payslip, Oracle Leave & Absence Mobile App, Oracle Time & Labor Mobile App, and Oracle iExpense Mobile App, which provide employees on-the-go access to Oracle information and allow them to manage their absences and time cards remotely, and upload expense reports — which are directly linked to the back-office Oracle EBS system — on the spot.

Oracle Financials

The Oracle EBS Finance modules include General Ledger, Fixed Assets, Financial Analyzer, Cash Management, Treasury, Receivables, Payables, Property Management, and a self-service expenses function. The Oracle EBS Finance modules facilitate highly efficient financial management effectively and accurately. Consequently, this enables the organization to reduce costs and increase profitability to improve the image of the company among its customers, shareholders and investors. To allow customers to extend Oracle’s more rigid out-of-box capabilities, AuraPlayer has developed a ready-made iExpense Mobile Application that enables one to upload expense report details and upload receipts without having to wait to get to the office to access the system. The pre-packaged mobile application directly links to the back-office Oracle EBS system. AuraPlayer’s mobile packaged application enables users to add their expenses receipts using the camera of a mobile device. Employees can update their company’s EBS system instantly by submitting their expense reports, which are automatically sent to their manager for approval, via the application.

Oracle Logistics

The Oracle Logistics module allows users to plan, monitor, manage and control the flow and of goods, products and services. Moreover, it also facilitates a suitable method to store the products and services in an efficient manner. Logistics module gives information regarding future demand and planning appropriate levels of safety stock within the warehouse. The application can create constraint-based materials plans and production schedules that are quite detailed.

Oracle Project

Oracle Projects Portfolio of Applications lends support to the full lifecycle of portfolio and project management. It provides a universal accurate view of all activities that are related to the projects, tasks and sub-tasks. Moreover, users are able to assign the right global resources and execute projects in accordance with the correct methodologies. Oracle Projects also makes it possible to track profitability via accurate forecasting, budgeting, and Billings/charge-backs. It will also be possible for the users to facilitate the assignment of the right global resources.

Oracle Procurement

Oracle Advanced Procurement refers to an integrated suite of applications. This particular solution helps you to reduce expenditure on goods and services. Moreover, the Oracle Advanced Procurement will make it possible to drive policy compliance and also streamline processes of procure-to-pay. In addition to the out-of-the-box functionality delivered by Oracle, AuraPlayer has developed an iProcurement mobile application. Get started with this ready-made Oracle EBS packaged application to be able to manage approvals on any mobile device. Services include immediate approvals, rejections, requests for more information, replying capabilities, and the ability to view and input expense reports.

Oracle Order Management

The Order Management modules streamlines the entire sales order management process of a business. This ranges from quoting and estimate to promising of order, order capture, transportation and ultimately to shipment. Order management also includes XML, telesales, EDI, and web storefronts. Some of the business advantages that are possible to attain consist of increased order accuracy, reduced-order fulfilment cycle time, reduced fulfilment costs, and greater on-time delivery. In addition to the out-of-the-box functionality delivered by Oracle, AuraPlayer has developed a mobile solution for Oracle EBS Sales Order to check inventory availability, pricing and to be able to place online orders anytime and anywhere through a mobile device. The solution can be implemented as a mobile application or as a chatbot (Digital Assistant). AuraPlayer’s unique and patented solution bridges the gap between back-end applications (Oracle EBS) and the cloud (Oracle Digital Assistant platform) without the need to redevelop the original system.

Transportation Management

Transportation management (TMS) assists organizations with transportation planning and execution. The Transportation Management System provides transportation planning and execution capabilities to third-party logistics providers and shippers. It integrates transportation planning, execution, freight payment and streamlining.

The Transportation Management System function delivers functionality for every mode of transportation. This ranges from full truckload to complex shipments like air, ocean, and rail. The benefits of the TMS function include improved customer service, reduced transportation costs, reduced transportation time, quick delivery of products, and greater asset utilization.

Oracle Warehouse Management System

Oracle’s Warehouse Management System facilitates the coordinated movement of goods and information between the company warehouses, organizations and customers. This coordinated movement takes place throughout the extended distribution process. The module facilitates business processes that have the ability to provide efficient utilization of employees, equipment, and distribution process space. A big advantage of the Oracle Warehouse Management System is the acceleration of the flow of products via the supply chain while simultaneously reducing lag times. Another advantage of this particular system is the release of working capital.

Some other benefits include cross-docking, real-time inventory management, pick-by-line, in-bounds planning, advanced ship notices (ASN), and yard management. Oracle’s Warehouse Management System coordinates the movement of goods and information in an efficient manner. This highly configurable global system will enable tailoring of the system without the need for programming.

AuraPlayer had great success in mobilizing such use cases with various customers. As such, feel free to check out Oracle Receiving use case.

EBS Modernization — Oracle EBS’s Journey to Cloud

As we discussed briefly above, Oracle EBS is now undergoing quite a modernization. On the one hand, as more and more organizations move to the cloud to experience the benefits of high availability, ease of use of testing, the ability to do hosting off-site, and, of course, assistance in management of the servers, Oracle EBS has also made its way to the cloud on two different directions.

On the one hand, people are able to take their existing on premise E-business suite applications and install them on cloud servers, meaning the servers themselves are residing on Oracle, Amazon, Google, or other Cloud Servers, however the application itself is still remnant of the old tried and true E-business suite applications, with existing user interfaces and functionality. Here, lots of organizations are incorporating Auraplayer to get a new, modernized look and feel on top of the existing applications, and to do more advanced business functionality, such as mobility, chat, automation, RPA, etc.

The second option of EBS to Cloud is the huge endeavor that Oracle is going through to redevelop all of their EBS applications as HTML-based Cloud SaaS products. In order to move to that cloud, it is, in fact, a significant redevelopment/migration effort, whereby the customer needs to migrate over their data from the on-premise system to the new cloud program. Many organizations are hesitant to go this route due to the large cost, risk and huge time factor to migrate over their existing applications to fit the new cloud format, which does not include all of their on-site customizations and may not include all of the existing functionalities. People who want to go this route, are able to move certain elements to the cloud and we can happily help integrate the existing on-site customizations with these new cloud elements.

Oftentimes, as organizations move some of their applications to SaaS services, there’s also a need to access data found on-premise. Thus, creating a new business need for hybrid integration to make the connectivity between the cloud and the on-premise as seamless and secure as possible. That is where AuraPlayer integration solutions can fit in.

Hybrid Cloud for Oracle EBS

Leveraging AuraPlayer’s REST API creation toolbar, organizations now have a simple integration between SaaS and their on-premise applications. This way there will be no need to actually access the full EBS system from SaaS applications or for employees to copy and paste between apps on their desktop.

For more information about hybrid environments feel free to read here.

Oracle EBS Automation — The Next Frontier

The next phase of innovation of Oracle EBS can be with Robotic Process Automation (RPA). RPA is an emerging technology that employs software “robots” to execute business processes. These bots interact directly with the application’s user interface to streamline workloads, by eliminating manual and repetitive tasks.

At present, the RPA industry leaders are UiPath, Blue Prism and Automation Anywhere which serve to automate many products. These major RPA solutions support Oracle EBS, although they do not account for the complexities of this enterprise solution. When it comes to creating an Oracle EBS automation process, in our experience, customers come across many application specific automation challenges while using generic RPA solutions. In many scenarios, they face a myriad of issues ranging from automation failures to more significant issues such as the wrong values being screen scraped and used in the automation. With AuraPlayer, customers are able to resolve all of the possible issues.

As such, AuraPlayer provides the following unique features:

• Quick solution — With AuraPlayer you can record and create automation processes within hours.
• Immunity to UI changes — AuraPlayer’s automation works with the UI components in the back-end, rather than screen scraping.
• Immunity to EBS upgrades — AuraPlayer is not affected when field names are changed due to upgrades.
• Popups and error messages — are supported out of the box in AuraPlayer.
• EBS back-office performance does not affect AuraPlayer as it works with the EBS back-end processes directly. Thus, the UI rendering does not interfere with AuraPlayer’s automation.
• Tabs navigation is natural to AuraPlayer. AuraPlayer identifies all Oracle Forms UI components.

AuraPlayer’s Oracle EBS RPA functionality delivers a smooth, robust and performant Oracle EBS RPA solution. AuraPlayer’s solution can be deployed as an independent RPA solution or can be integrated with any 3rd party RPA solution, such as the industry leaders mentioned above.

Conclusion

Oracle’s ERP product ranks highly when it comes to planning software in sales. Its solution can be found in a huge number of companies all over the world. The Oracle-E Business Suite consists of many modules which all come together to manage enterprise organizations. These apps cover a wide range of business processes that can be found in any company. The industry-specific solutions supplied by Oracle EBS significantly reduce the requirement of resources and time for implementing custom solutions and in conjunction with AuraPlayer they provide a full range of mobility, chat, automation capabilities as well. These solutions provide businesses with configured business processes that improve and enhance the overall organizational effectiveness.

We hope you enjoyed our very detailed EBS review. Please feel free to reach out to us and our experts if you have any questions on how to do EBS mobilization, upgrade, migration, or about any cloud subjects, or, of course, modernizing your systems.