Oracle E-Business Customization A New Paradigm For Development

If your company has Oracle E-Business Suite (Oracle Financials, Oracle Applications), it probably uses Oracle Forms and Reports to customize an E-Business module. These tools are based on event programming and a huge set of facilities to make the developer’s job easier. Oracle Forms is a RAD (Rapid Application Development), and just like most RAD is based on event programming. So, you usually program having a user interface on mind, the “clicks” the user will do, and the possibilities you would like to give the users. Let us call this event programming paradigm, strong words to say the kind of principles this way of programming has.

As already mentioned before, Oracle has a huge Java strategy. Its recommendation is clear about the use of Java over new implementations. Pay attention at the last bullet we took from the Oracle Statement of Direction at

http://www.oracle.com/technology/products/forms/pdf/10g/ToolsSOD.pdf:

• Move from client-server to the Web
• Upgrade to the latest versions
• Interoperate with Java/J2EE
• Develop new modules using JDeveloper

If you are supposed to develop in Java, the best way is to know and use Java as an Object Oriented (OO) language. At the same statement of direction mentioned above, Oracle said they have done JDevelopers a comfortable IDE for Forms Developers. But is this enough for you?

Java is not only a language. Actually the word Java is overused. Instead to mention the thousands of others “J” acronyms is much easier to say just Java. For example, to make a simple program in Java you will use the standard J2SE which has a lot of interfaces. To make a web interface you will probably use one of these API/Frameworks: JSP, Java Servlets, Struts, JSF, or some others similar to make the same. But, anyway, they all will use Java and, as we said, Java is an OO language and you should program just like this paradigm is alike: using encapsulation, inheritance, Java Interfaces, etc.

Everybody knows OO paradigm is not new, so it is better for you. People and the market know already what to do, and the best, what to avoid. We recommend you, first of all, to recognize this is a different (not difficult!!) way of doing. If you do so, you’ll open your mind to learn, what will make things much easier for you.

Next step is to study about OO Analysis and Design, we will help you writing some articles about it. Try to know what is UML(Unified Modeling Language) and how this will help you. Realize JDeveloper has an environment to design using UML, and this is very helpful.

Well … what’s next? Probably to specialize on Web, Server, Oracle ADF, Struts, etc. It’s common to find people specialized on client or server technologies; it’s too much to be good on everything. Good luck!!!

Author: Andrew Karasev

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The Essence of ERP

If you are interested in Enterprise Resouce Planning, it is important to understand the essence of this technology. The basic idea of ERP is that the whole is more powerful than the individual parts. In traditional computer applications, transactions are processed separately. A large number of organizations have used this system for quite some time, and there are still some who continue to use it today.

With traditional systems, eacn transaction must be handled separately, and they are connected to functions which are specific. Enterprise Resource Planning is just the opposite of this. Instead of separating transactions, they are all treated equally.

It is important to realize that most of the application programs used by companies that simply used for manipulation. They will contain data, and this data will be processed and presented in the proper form when a user requests it. One of the primary problems with this process is that is no connection between the application programs which are used by various departments. With ERP, there may be hundreds of data tables which store information for numerous transactions, but they will not be limited. They will be integrated in a way that will allow them to be handled by multiple users for different purposes, and these users don't have to be located in the same department.

There are a number of advances in technology that has contributed to the growth of ERP. Enterprise Resource Planning is directly connected to Information Technology. The improvement of IT with the decreasing cost of computers has made it possible for small businesses and organizations to begin using ERP. When Enterprise Resource Planning was first introduced, it was designed to run on powerful mainframe systems. With the introduction of PCs and client servers, along with RDBMS, Enterprise Resource Planning has been introduced into smaller markets. When ERP is used with a client server, the server will store information, and the consistency of processes will be maintained.

The issues of program logic and information processing will be split between the client and the server. A number of ERP systems will use what is called a three tier structure. It can utilize business rules that are normally not connected to the primary system, and this will ensure that the proper validation checks are used. Many of the companies that use Enterprise Resource Planning are those that carry out operations in multiple locations. To make sure these transactions are carried out properly, a number of ERP systems are being utilized. In order for ERP systems to function properly, there are a number of things they will need to feature.

The first of these is flexibility. Many companies need to change their operations and transactions on a regular basis, and the ideal ERP system must be able to adapt to these changes. Client server technology is important, because it will allow the ERP system to operate on multiple database back ends, and it will do this through a process that is called ODBC, or Open Data Base Connectivity. Another important feature of ERP systems is modularity. The term modularity is used to describe a system that is "open." The module must be capable of being detached whenever it is needed to work with other system modules. It should also be capable of supporting multple computer platforms.

Most companies will use a variety of system platforms, and they may also be in need of third party platforms. The ideal ERP system must be capable of offering this. It is also important for an ERP system to be comprehensive. It must be able to support a large number of different functions that are related to the company. In addition to this, it must be calibrated for a diverse range of companies and organizations. When one is looking at the quality of an ERP system, they must look beyond the company. Instead of limiting it to boundaries within the company, they should make sure it supports the internet and other elements within the company. It is also crucial for the organization to look at best business practices. A collection of these business process should be used on an international scale. The overall goal of a company should be to take the business processes of the physical world and apply them to computers.

Source: www.exforsys.com

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ERP Consulting 2010: Future Business Model And Alternatives

Analyzing Microsoft Business Solutions Great Plains consulting in the Clinton era, then in recession time 2000-2003 and now, at the post-recession, we would like to give certain prognoses for the next five years. This might be attributable to the whole industry: Oracle Financials, Accpac, MAS500, PeopleSoft, SAP for mid-size business and Microsoft Navision, Axapta and Solomon. We are talking about mid-size ERP systems implementation, customization, integration and support, which requires more than one independent consultant efforts – client needs Microsoft Business Solutions partner to implement the system. The most important changes in our opinion happened in the time of recession and these changes will reshape the industry in a few years. Right now we are experiencing the time of market redistribution. Let’s look at the processes:

Consulting Companies Consolidation. Great Plains Software was supporting small and tiny partners, down to one consultant – this was up to the moment when Microsoft purchased the company and formed Microsoft Great Plains Business Solutions, later on renamed into Microsoft Business Solutions. However the realities of recession-time cash flow forced small and mid-size Microsoft Business Solutions partner to merge with auditing firms. The opposite side of the coin is – large companies, serving mid-size and small businesses are pushing consulting and hidden implementation price up.

• Recession-time Expenses reduction CEO. Yes – corporate, mid-size and small clients launched the program of cost reduction. Recession inevitably pushed consulting rates down and the consolidation process leaded to the situation when clients could not afford the price level due to the weak budget or the believe in the price decrease.

• Consultants Layoffs. This is very prosaic process – but it is inevitable in the time of recession and lack of orders. Consultants, who were serving client in the booming time had to find another job, mostly in different industry, something like to become controllers for mid-size businesses (when former controller was laid off due to high pre-recession time salary). These historical layoffs however resulted in the nowadays shortage of experienced consultants, especially technical consultants: Great Plains Dexterity, VBA/Modifier, Integration Manager programmers and technical specs writers.

Predictions and Prognoses:

• Offshore is only part of the solution. The main reason in our opinion is reasonable conservatism from the side of potential clientele. There were so many malicious virus attacks from overseas and we do not simply trust somebody who is over there and never had a chance to shake our hands. The second reason – small to mid-size companies (who have conservative approach to trust somebody) might not have strong IT support and infrastructure to be served via remote desktop, VPN or web session.

• Established Partners with Offshore facilities. This is possible way, however we have certain skepticism here. The reason to our skepticism is – established partners have to command highest consulting rates due to high level of administrative and headquarters expenses, so the savings to the end client might not be substantial

• New Small Nationwide Partners. Due to the recession, there were cases when minor partners had to leave mid-size consulting companies and form new companies on their own, believing in their expertise and the new way of partnering with offshore programming groups. We believe that the future market will turn to these partners and new nation-wide practices.

Author: Andrew Karasev

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