Seven Tech Wonders of

the Oracle e-Business

Suite World

Leon Barkley Roman Havrylyak

About company

• Industry leader in pet training, containment, safety and lifestyle

product solutions

• Introduced the first do-it-yourself electronic fence to the pet market in 1991 and the first wireless fence in 1998

• Global company headquartered in Knoxville, TN with total of 12 locations in United States, Canada, Europe, Australia, and China

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Mission: To build the most trusted pet brands

Containment Products

Training Products

Collars and Leashes

Doors

Fountains

Feeders

Waste Management

Toys

Treats

Fashion Products

Containment Products

Pet Proofing

Doors

Containment Products

Training Products

Tracking Products

Nutrition

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Agenda

1. Alerts on Steroids (AOS)

2. Universal Export to Excel (UEE)

3. Self-service reporting (SSR)

• Oracle Applications Framework (OAF)

• Application Express (APEX)

4. Data Templates for XML Publisher (DT)

5. Asynchronous Triggers (AT)

6. Spread Tables (ST)

7. For The Win (FTW)

• Promised “crown jewel” followed by “beer” session

• We will be moving fast, so hang on until we get here!

AOS >>> UEE >>> SSR >>> DT >>> AT >>> ST >>> FTW

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• Protect

Alerts on Steroids

– Transactions and business process data integrity

• Teach

– Business users to know and own their data

• Love

– Continuous drive to create more alerts to have better insights into process exceptions

AOS >>> UEE >>> SSR >>> DT >>> AT >>> ST >>> FTW

₅

Alerts SWOT

•	Strength
	– Extremely fast development (day)
	– Easy bursting
•	Weakness
	– Access control (all or none)
	– “text/plain” content-type
	– 64Kb cutoff for emails
•	Opportunities
	– Include in Concurrent request sets
	– Allow stand-alone SRS
	– Support “text/html” content-type
•	Threats

– TMI, “white noise”

– Performance impact

AOS >>> UEE >>> SSR >>> DT >>> AT >>> ST >>> FTW

₆

Steroids for Alerts

1. Enable SRS

2. Support HTML tags

₇

AOS >>> UEE >>> SSR >>> DT >>> AT >>> ST >>> FTW

• Protect

Universal Export to Excel

– Liberty and Justice for all business users to use

convenient and common software (Excel)

• Teach

– Self-service and data empowerment

• Love

– Pivot reports built by end-users

– Grassroots grown subject matter experts (SME)

AOS >>> UEE >>> SSR >>> DT >>> AT >>> ST >>> FTW

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Universal Export to Excel - Example

• Interface

• Data sources – over 500+ across 4 operating units and 3 distinct functional areas (GL, HR, and

others)

• Library to use from PL/SQL program after seeded API call populates temp tables (MRP, ASCP, DEM,

etc.)

AOS >>> UEE >>> SSR >>> DT >>> AT >>> ST >>> FTW

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Universal Export to Excel - SWOT

• Strength

– Extremely fast development (hours)

– Immediate adoption by business users

– Run export on schedule with email delivery

• Weakness

– No native refresh from Excel

– No support for email bursting

• Opportunities

– Support HTML templates (like in Alert)

– Web portal to access data grids and “slice&dice”

• Threats

– PowerPivot within SharePoint portal

– Cloud based reporting solutions

AOS >>> UEE >>> SSR >>> DT >>> AT >>> ST >>> FTW

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• Protect

Self-Service Reporting – OAF

– Investment in Alerts, UEE, and OAF skillset

• Teach

– Appreciation

• without pain there is no appreciation of gain

• Love

– 1Click export to Excel

– Natural description of data

AOS >>> UEE >>> SSR >>> DT >>> AT >>> ST >>> FTW

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Self-Service Reporting – OAF examples

• Responsibility

• Interface

• Output

AOS >>> UEE >>> SSR >>> DT >>> AT >>> ST >>> FTW

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Self-Service Reporting – Excel examples

Interactive Excel dashboard with data from OeBS – BUILT by Business User (“TinkerBell”)

AOS >>> UEE >>> SSR >>> DT >>> AT >>> ST >>> FTW

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Self-Service Web Reporting – SWOT

•	Strength
	– Extremely fast development (minutes)
	– Immediate adoption by business users
	– 1-Click Export to Excel
	– Embeddable into Workflow notifications
•	Weakness
	– No click-through (drill-through) for data cells
	– No support for visualizations
	– No export to Word, PDF, Printer WISIWIG
•	Opportunities
	– Built “Paper Presentation Architecture” (PPA)
	– Decommission Oracle Reports
•	Threats

– PowerPivot within SharePoint portal

– Cloud based reporting solutions

AOS >>> UEE >>> SSR >>> DT >>> AT >>> ST >>> FTW

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Self-Service Web Reporting – APEX

• SmartDog Services APEX reporting framework

– Interactive reports

•	Export / Import to Excel
•	Filtering / Dynamic Search
•	Sorting
•	Highlighting
•	Charting
•	Aggregation
•	Grouping
•	Control Breaks
•	Emailing
•	Ability to save versions of the report

– Wizard Driven Report Development

– OeBS authentication

– Native support of responsibility menu

– Inherit data access security from accessed-via responsibility

– Leverage RESTful webservices, like Google Maps / Charts or integrate with 3rd

Party Applications like SalesForce

AOS >>> UEE >>> SSR >>> DT >>> AT >>> ST >>> FTW

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SmartDog APEX examples

APEX is a robust and powerful tool that is included in the Enterprise version of Oracle Database. Using APEX, SmartDog Services has packaged analytical tools for EBS customers to implement and support end-user reporting for your business.

What It Does

• Fully Secure, Browser-based Access

• Slick, Easy-to-Use Interface

• Utilizes Existing EBS Responsibilities

• Can be viewed on PC, Tablet, and Smart Phone

• Enables Access to all EBS Transaction Information

• Allows for End-User ad-hoc Manipulation

• Enables you to Quickly Build New Reports

• No License Fees Required

How SmartDog Can Help

SmartDog Services provides a turnkey solution to get

you up and running with APEX in less than two weeks.

• Installation

• Configuration

• Seeded reports included

• Training

• Ongoing Incident-based Support

AOS >>> UEE >>> SSR >>> DT >>> AT >>> ST >>> FTW

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• Protect

Data Templates

– Investment in UEE data sources by accessing them

via Data Templates for XML Publisher

• Teach

– Business users to build their own presentation

layer (RTF/layout templates)

• Love

– Email bursting

– Space from uninstalled Oracle Reports

AOS >>> UEE >>> SSR >>> DT >>> AT >>> ST >>> FTW

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Data Templates - Basics

From a very simple test…

…to as complex as

you need it to be!

AOS >>> UEE >>> SSR >>> DT >>> AT >>> ST >>> FTW

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Data Templates – Basic Setup

• Just write your SQL query, and wrap it in XML

• Register your Concurrent Request, using XDODTEXE (instead of an RDF!) as its Executable

• Create a new XMLP Data Definition for the Request using normal steps, except…

• Attach your XML file as a Data Template before you

leave the page

• Create your XMLP Template like you always have

• Optional Step: Uninstall Reports Builder!

AOS >>> UEE >>> SSR >>> DT >>> AT >>> ST >>> FTW

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Data Templates – Still saving your Alert Outputs?

Great!

• Register just one

more XMLP Report

• Derive your Check ID

for the Alert that you

are interested in

• Pass it into this query as a parameter

• Use an XMLP Template to easily generate Workflow-

quality emails

without all the hassle

AOS >>> UEE >>> SSR >>> DT >>> AT >>> ST >>> FTW

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• Strength

Data Templates - SWOT

– Native support from Oracle

– Output in various formats (Excel, Word, PDF, HTML)

– Native support of languages

• Weakness

– Longer than “minutes” development

– No support for custom PL/SQL packages in report

• Opportunities

– Full transition from Data Sources to Data Templates

– Reporting ecosystem: Alert, UEE, Data Publisher, Workflow integration

• Threats

– Retention of ERP team members

– NoSQL

AOS >>> UEE >>> SSR >>> DT >>> AT >>> ST >>> FTW

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• Protect

Asynchronous Triggers

– Integrate event based Oracle Alerts with Workflow

processes

• Teach

– Model complex and sequential steps of business

process via Oracle workflow

• Love

– text/html content type in email notification

– “Approve/Reject” action via email reply

AOS >>> UEE >>> SSR >>> DT >>> AT >>> ST >>> FTW

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Asynchronous Triggers - Examples

• Asynchronous behavior

– Event is processed separately from completion of trigger

• Oracle standard PL/SQL packages DBMS_PIPE,

DBMS_JOB, DBMS_CHANGE_NOTIFICATION

• Oracle e-Business Suite

– Concurrent requests via FND_REQUEST

• set_mode TRUE

– Workflows via WF_ENGINE

• set threshold negative to enforce background

AOS >>> UEE >>> SSR >>> DT >>> AT >>> ST >>> FTW

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Asynchronous Triggers - SWOT

•	Strength
	– Native support from Oracle
	– Leverage Alert, Concurrent processing, and Workflow capabilities
•	Weakness
	– No real-time processing
	– Complexity
•	Opportunities
	– Audit at transactional level
	– Pivot into GRC (governance, risk, and compliance) domain
•	Threats

– Monitor from agent at JVM level

AOS >>> UEE >>> SSR >>> DT >>> AT >>> ST >>> FTW

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• Protect

Spread Tables

– Leverage read-only Oracle Forms to create quick

grid based dashboard

• Teach

– Rapid prototype before engaging forms developer – Test driven development

• Love

– Speed & Agility

– Fail fast, fail forward

AOS >>> UEE >>> SSR >>> DT >>> AT >>> ST >>> FTW

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Spread Tables - Steps

• Define grid in Oracle CRM

• CRM Administration > Spreadtable

• Open the JTFSTAND.fmb and move object "JTF_GRID“ into target form

• Add trigger to initialize GRID

• jtf_grid.init(‘<form name>.GRID', ‘<grid name>');

• jtf_grid.populate('<form name>.GRID');

• Compile form, create function, add to menu

AOS >>> UEE >>> SSR >>> DT >>> AT >>> ST >>> FTW

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Spread Tables - Examples

AOS >>> UEE >>> SSR >>> DT >>> AT >>> ST >>> FTW

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• Strength

Spread Tables - SWOT

– Native support from Oracle

– Rapid form prototyping

• Weakness

– Read-only

– Offshore development model (Ukraine)

• Opportunities

– Form based GUI to any custom SQL view

– Pivot into actionable API calls via CUSTOM.PLL

• Threats

– APEX forms

AOS >>> UEE >>> SSR >>> DT >>> AT >>> ST >>> FTW

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Recap of Abstract

Support of Oracle e-Business Suite environment can be very challenging, but with help of 7 simple do-it-yourself "Tech Wonders" this job can be even enjoyable!

• Principles of Lean manufacturing applied to Support of e-Business Suite.

• Save 2x-3x the industry average cost on supporting your ERP environment by building highly re-usable architecture and pushing self-service.

• Reduce rapid prototyping of reports to 3-4 hours in average compare to 30-40 hours.

• Empower Business Users to self-service their alerting requirements on Business Exceptions.

• Embed ApEx into Oracle e-Business Suite environment.

• Bring together into single oracle form data sources from multiple SpreadTables.

• Deliver HTML formatted emails from Oracle Alerts.

• Have workflows started automatically from triggered events.

• Export Data to Excel by End User from any SQL view.

AOS >>> UEE >>> SSR >>> DT >>> AT >>> ST >>> FTW

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Hidden Gems

• BEM – Business Exception Management

• Transition of principles from IT Infrastructure Library to Business

• Service Catalog (“happy path”, or SOP)

• Incident Management (“firefighting”)

• Problem Management (“fire prevention”)

• Principles of Lean manufacturing applied to Support of e-Business Suite

• Bubba Gump

• Unexpected ASAP projects

• Air freight

• Ideation Management System (IMS)

• New products, product variations, business process improvements, outreach

• Developed by SWAT approach from OPUS

• Fabio (5B) = BARK, BEM, BAM, BPM, and BAMBI

AOS >>> UEE >>> SSR >>> DT >>> AT >>> ST >>> FTW

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FTW = BAMBI

So, what do we mean by BAMBI?

1.

2.

3.

Is it a Disney Deer? Too easy! Try again.

Is it a Born Again Middle-age BIker? No, but you are on the right track with the acronym…

Is it Bay Area Macroinvertebrate Bioassessment Information?

No, but you can apparently find out more about that in Sunnyvale!

3.

It is our Business Activity Monitor with Built-in Intelligence

AOS >>> UEE >>> SSR >>> DT >>> AT >>> ST >>> FTW

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BAMBI

Business Activity Monitor with Built-in Intelligence

• Think Twitter logic

• Alligator is more lengthy than green! Why? Because he is same length on top and bottom, but green only on top.

• Hashtag support via:

• Implicit (prepopulated by rules)

• Customer class, account name, item SKU, item categories, cross-references, etc.

• Explicit (short text attachment)

• Ability to subscribe to any hashtag

• And receive daily/weekly/monthly emails with data facts

• Leverage templates, schedules, workflow mailer from Oracle Alerts

• Clickable hashtag cloud with drill down to data facts

AOS >>> UEE >>> SSR >>> DT >>> AT >>> ST >>> FTW

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Q&A (“ПиВо” - Beer in Ukrainian)

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