Included in this release are our first Industry versions of Foundation Pack

Utilities Foundation Pack

• Includes industry specific business process models to support key Utility industry processes around “Transmission & Distribution” and “Deregulated Retail”: Concept to Launch, Order to Bill, Meter to Cash and Customer Service (self-service and assisted)
• Includes 2 new Utilities EBOs (Enterprise Business Objects): ServiceUsage and MeterReading
• And 13 verticalized horizontal EBOs: AccountBalanceAdjustment, AccountingEntry, CustomerParty, DisbursedPayment, InstalledProduct, Invoice, Item, PaymentInvoice, PriceList, ReceivePayment, SalesOrder, SalesQuote, ServiceRequest

Insurance Foundation Pack

• Enables integration of an insurance company’s claim system to its Financials system (AR, AP, and GL). 
• Includes industry specific business process models to support key Insurance claims processes
• Includes 1 new Insurance EBO: Claim
• And 2 verticalized horizontal EBOs: Invoice, Payables Invoice

This version is certified on WebLogic Server 9.2

This should be good news for BEA customers. Customers can choose to run FP 2.2.1 on the WLS J2EE container, and are free to use either the Oracle ESB and/or the Oracle Service Bus right now. 

AIA Foundation Pack 2.2.1 is certified on Oracle Enterprise Linux, Red Hat Linux and Windows 2003.

CRM though is not just about the product and its capabilities, it’s about the technology and how the CRM platform can become an intrinsic element of the corporate ecosystem. When it comes down to integration with SaaS CRM, fundamentally there are two approaches (External/Internal) for data integration.

Writting by my colleague Dave, Director IT Strategy, I would like to share with you his excellent document about the recommended Integration Practices for Oracle CRM On Demand. This paper identifies the advantages and disadvantages of each integration approach available today, presenting some of the architectural thinking that should be considered when deciding how best to integrate with a SaaS CRM platform. It identifies how the use of open, industry standard tools and approaches can drive down the cost of integration and also how Oracle’s Application Integration Architecture, one innovative solution to application system integration, addresses reducing the research and development efforts and costs associated with this, one of today’s, most critical business problems.

Scribd

Developed in collaboration between Oracle and Deloitte in conjunction with our alliance relationship, the new integration between Siebel Trade Promotion Management and Demantra is delivered as part of Oracle Application Integration Architecture, which integrates business processes across Oracle, third-party, and custom applications.

“Siebel Trade Promotion Management has helped consumer goods manufacturers identify how trade promotion funds, which can represent 20 percent of a consumer goods company’s revenue, are spent,” said Jeff Wexler, VP, Retail and Consumer Goods Product Strategy, Oracle. “The addition of the predictive capabilities enables customers to now spend that money more effectively.”

The integration supports both new and existing CRM customers who wish to extend their trade promotion management systems with simulation, planning, and optimization capabilities. By combining the sophisticated, yet easy-to-use promotion simulation and optimization capabilities in Oracle’s Demantra with Siebel’s trade promotion management execution and settlement applications, customers can maximize the effectiveness of promotional activity and spend.

“Optimization and simulation offer significant competitive advantage for consumer goods companies that can use them in conjunction with their go-to-customer activities,” said Dale Hagemeyer, Research VP, Industry Advisory Services – Manufacturing, Gartner. “The industry is so rich in data that it will take predictive capabilities to truly understand and influence future outcomes. Companies that cannot do so will remain trapped in the past.”

For more details, read the press release here.

Un court article intéressant et clair publié à l’instant sur LeMondeInformatique.fr.

Oracle just added to the agenda an interactive session on September 22 with Oracle engineering and products executives about BEA and Oracle Fusion Middleware. The panel is the following:

• Ted Farrell, Chief Architect & SVP, Tools and Middleware
• Thomas Kurian, SVP, Oracle Fusion Middleware
• Hasan Rizvi, SVP, Oracle Fusion Middleware Products
• Special guest Anthony Fernicola, SVP, Technology Sales, Oracle.

If you’re BEA customers or partners, be aware about this opportunity to ask questions you may still have about the combined BEA & Oracle Fusion Middleware product strategy.

Thomas Kurian also will present a keynote presentation on September 23 about the latest in product direction and strategy that spans the newly integrated BEA products. Details here.

Tous les détails (en anglais) sur http://www.oracle.com/corporate/press/2008_aug/wls-nr-103.html?rssid=rss_ocom_pr.

Siebel CRM Integration Pack for Oracle Order Management: Order to Cash. The Order to Cash process integration pack (PIP) is now certified against Siebel 8.0.0.2 SIA and Oracle E-Business Suite 11.5.10 CU2. This PIP contains the same comprehensive functionality as the original Order-to-Cash PIP. For added extensibility and sustainability, it is has been built on the AIA Foundation Pack 2.2 methodology and architecture, giving customers a standards-based, best-practice Order to Cash business process right out-of-the-box. Key features include:

• Pre-built business process maps to enable complete order capture to cash flow
• Embedded Oracle Configurator in Siebel CRM Order Capture
• Synchronized customer, product, pricing and install base information

Enterprise Business Services:

• SalesOrderEBSv2
• SalesOrderResponseEBSv2
• SalesOrderOrchestrationEBSv2
• SalesOrderOrchestrationResponseEBSV2
• CustomerPartyEBSV2
• CustomerPartyResponseEBSV2
• ItemEBSV2
• ItemResponseEBSV2
• Item Composition EBS
• ItemCompositionResponseEBS
• ItemCompositionOrchestrationEBS
• InstalledProductEBSV2
• ReceivedPaymentEBS

Enterprise Business Objects:

• Sales Order EBO
• Customer Party EBO
• Item EBO
• Item Composition EBO
• Installed Product EBO
• Received Payment EBO

Oracle releases also an Agile PLM Process Integration Pack for Oracle E-Business Suite against Agile PLM 9.2.2.4 and Oracle E-Business Suite 11.5.10 CU2. Agile PLM Process Integration Pack for Oracle E-Business Suite orchestrates a seamless manufacturing release process for new products and design update to existing products, from Agile PLM to E-Business Suite Manufacturing in a ‘Design Anywhere, Build Anywhere’ business environment.

Key features include:

• Agile PLM to Oracle EBS
• New Product Introduction (Items, BOMs, and AMLs)
• Product Design Updates (Engineering & Manufacturing Change Orders)
• Manufacture Lists (AMLs) and Manufacturer Parts Updates
• Oracle EBS to Agile PLM
• Item Master Attributes (e.g. Lead Times)
• Product Costs, and On Hand Inventories
• Change Effectivity and Implementation Status
• Advanced ECO Queue Management and automated status updates
• Multi-site PLM to Multi-Org Manufacturing Release

Enterprise Business Services:

• Engineering Change Order EBS
• Item EBS
• BillofMaterial EBS
• Item Balance EBS

Enterprise Business Objects:

• Engineering Change Order EBO
• Item EBO
• BOM EBO
• Item Balance EBO

All integration can be downloaded today from Oracle E-Delivery.

Par souci de confidentialité des deux parties, et même si le client Siebel/Oracle E-Business Suite est une référence Oracle, je ne précise pas ici son nom ni celui (bien évidemment) du prospect.

Les éléments clès d’un choix d’une solution CRM :

• L’intégration avec l’ERP existant est clé (synchronisation des produits, clients, prix, opportunités, etc.)
• User adoption : un temps doit être consacré à bien expliquer le pourquoi de la mise en place de l’outil aux utilisateurs (principalement les Vendeurs) et à leur management. La prise en main “technique” de l’outil (interfaces utilisateurs) ne constitue qu’une faible part de l’effort de Change Management (20 à 30% maximum)
• Qualité des données : le rejet de l’outil vient plus de cet aspect que de l’outil lui-même
• “Configurabilité” (néologisme) de l’interface utilisateur. Capacité de la solution à facilement masquer les champs inutiles, renommer les messages et textes dans un vocabulaire métier, etc.
• Solution reconnue pour sa position de Leader
• S’associer à un éditeur pérenne
• Sécurité d’accès aux données. Pouvoir, avec de mauvaises intentions, exporter la liste des clients et des affaires en cours est un risque majeur pour toute entreprise. Les commerciaux sont trés soucieux du respect de la confidentialité de leurs opportunités.

Caractéristiques principales de Siebel CRM retenus par le client :

• Facilité d’utilisation des écrans Siebel : le training des commerciaux a été de 2j. plus 1/2j. de hands’on grâce à une navigation simple et intuitive
• Une richesse qui a permi de limiter au maximum les spécifiques
• Solution Leader du CRM
• Intégration avec l’ERP Oracle E-Business disponible sous forme de produit (packagé) Oracle (supports, certification, développement et enrichissement de l’intégration gérés en totalité par Oracle). Plus de détails concernant le pack d’intégration “Oracle Siebel CRM Integration Pack for Oracle E-Business Suite Order Management” ici.
• Maitrîse par l’éditeur de la chaîne complète Quote, Order to Cash
• Utilisé tant par des petites structures (15 à 20 commerciaux) que des grandes entreprises.
• Une mise en oeuvre qui n’a aucune mesure avec celle d’un ERP comme Oracle E-Business Suite (au scope plus large bien sûr)
• Pas de rejet des commerciaux, en particulier sur l’interface. Les queqlues réticences constatées avaient pour origine, soit un problème de données (manque de synchronisation entre les deux réféfrentiels Oracle E-Business Suite et Siebel), soit des bugs liés aux développements spécifiques
• Un excellent support via le site metalink. Une bonne réactivité (de l’odre de la journée), un contact 24h/24. Certes, la richesse des informations disponibles nécessite en contre-partie une bonne autonomie en terme de capacité à chercher l’information.
• Facilité de personnalisaiton des interfaces par masquage des onglets pour les responsabilités non concernées.

Siebel CRM-Service vs Oracle E-Business Suite CRM-Service :

• Les deux sociétés de cet échange ont la caractéristique commune suivante : celle de choisir (ou s’apprêter à choisir) une solution dédiée au Service dans une autre Suite logicielle que celle déjà en place. Mais dans un sens réciproque !
• Le client Siebel / Oracle E-Business Suite, a choisi de mettre en oeuvre le module Service de Oracle E-Business Suite quand ils ont fait le choix de leur ERP. La qualité du module Service au sein de Oracle E-Business Suite est ici étroitement liée à des aspects logistiques : disponibilité des pièces à remplacer, facilité d’acheminement, respect “logistique” du contrat,…
• Le prospect de la solution de CRM est déjà client de Oracle E-Business Suite, et envisage Siebel pour la partie Service. Cet aspect, également contraire à la logique de la Suite toute intégrée, s’explique par la différence de “barycentre” de la fonction Service. De plus, le prospect est à la recherche d’un outil d’utilisation particulièrement aisée.

N’hésitez pas à faire part de vos avis ou expériences en utilisant le formulaire de commentaire ci-dessous.

Many of you have heard about Oracle Mix, an Oracle social website which enables the Oracle customers, partners and employees to come together around topics of mutual interest. Mix.oracle.com is the platform to give everyone a voice and help us to shape the future of Oracle together. You can use Mix to connect with other customers and get to know Oracle experts in your product area or industry.

We’ve been informed today that there is a new AIA group on Mix. Many of the AIA development team are already members and Oracle will continue to add more development experts over time. In about a week, as customers or partners, you will be able to access a slew of useful content to assist them with their usage and adoption of AIA, which will be updated regularly.

This Mix site will become a key channel for Oracle to engage the AIA ecosystem in a conversation, and is simple for you to join and participate. To join it is simply a matter of going to mix.oracle.com, signing in, creating your profile, and then going to the Groups tab and joining the “AIA” group: more members, more participation, more value for everyone!

This is a great opportunity to honor and recognize pioneering/innovative projects at the interesection of Oracle Applications and Oracle Fusion Middleware. Please note that Oracle is also specifically welcoming Oracle Applications customers (e-Business Suite, Siebel, PeopleSoft, JDE etc.) who have been using BEA’s SOA offering as well as the entire portfolio of Fusion Middleware capabilities (SOA, EPM, OBI EE, IdM, WebCenter, ECM, etc.).

Last year’s Excellence Award was a great success with an award ceremony jointly hosted by Thomas Kurian and Ed Abbo and an Oracle Profit Magazine cover story. Please note that the UK and Australian Oracle user groups provide further benefits for overseas winners.

If you want to submit a nomination right now, please give us a quick heads-up.