Oracle E-Business Suite (EBS) - Introduction

     Oracle E-Business Suite is one of Oracle Corp.'s major product lines. Also known as Oracle EBS, it is an integrated set of business applications for automating customer relationship management (CRM), enterprise resource planning (ERP) and supply chain management (SCM) processes within organizations. 

Oracle E-business Suite (EBS) refers to a set of combined business applications that are provided by Oracle. It’s often referred to as, Oracle EBS, Oracle ERP or E-Biz. It consists of multiple Oracle enterprise applications that help 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.  Other industry standards include Java, RDBMS, HTML, NET, PL/SQL, and XML.

 

Based on market share, Oracle EBS is one of the key vendors with a considerable presence in major international markets like Europe and North America.  Many industry experts and CEOs who have a desire to implement new ERP software in Fortune 500 companies are likely to consider Oracle. 

Advantages of Oracle E-Business Suite : 

 

Although there are several solutions available in the market, Oracle E-Business Suite remains a leading option for business operations and management. What makes the suite so attractive for many organizations?

Here are the main advantages of Oracle EBS system:

 

Oracle EBS allows large organizations to get the jump on introducing 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 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.

 

Productivity improvement is simplified by Oracle EBS 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. However, all modules come out-of-the-box with a huge range and extent of functionality.

 

The out-of-the-box design of the solution enables companies to achieve fast time-to-value as Oracle EBS reduces deployment time. It lowers overall ownership total cost with the by combining analytics with transaction systems.Oracle begun modernizing the Oracle EBS application into a lightweight HTML front-end based application called Oracle Fusion. The modules included iExpenses, iProcurement, iStore, and iRecruitment, as well 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 promoting 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 platform. 

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 capacity increase needed for new projects without thinking about capital purchases of new servers, data center space, and additional system administration labor. With Oracle EBS in Oracle Cloud, businesses can receive developments in the application without the need to wait for the acquisition of new hardware and the need for major upgrade projects. As well as complete support from Oracle for both for test and production environments.

 

Oracle EBS, businesses can discover new features and products. They do so by quickly equipping the latest Oracle EBS update from Oracle Cloud Marketplace, 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 updates.

 

Oracle ERP Cloud is a high-performing cloud. Moreover, Oracle Cloud ERP is highly scalable and runs on our Gen 2 cloud infrastructure providing high speed, continuity, and security. It is suitable for any organization of any size. 

The software uses 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 applied by the user into their businesses. When one refers to Oracle EBS they are actually referring to a full set of enterprise management software modules.

The most popular include: 

Oracle Enterprise Resource Planning :  

 

The E-Business Suite (EBS) consists of multiple applications for Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP).  These applications allow organizations to have a single-source of authenticity for analyzing and uploading their data. Additionally, ERP modules help companies to enhance collaboration and reduce 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. This ensures 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 in addition to finding new customers. 

The basic performance of Oracle CRM includes contracts, order capture, marketing, field service, and call center functionality. The application also offers some internet-focused products such as content management, catalogues, and quote and order management. 

A significant improvement happened in the CRM offering of Oracle’s E-Business Suite 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. Therefore, 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— extremely 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 using the Oracle Supply Chain Applications, they can innovate and remain flexible with unpredictable product supply and marketing cycles. Additionally, they can predict market requirements and align operations across global networks. Oracle offers industry-specific solutions that include 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. 

 

In addition, it’s possible to do shipping confirmation, sub inventory 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. 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 E-Business Suite apps while supplying 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. 

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. 

Oracle Logistics :  

 

The Oracle Logistics module allows users to plan, monitor, manage and control the flow and of goods, products and services. Additionally, it eases 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. Furthermore, the Oracle Advanced Procurement will make it possible to drive policy compliance and also streamline processes of procure-to-pay. 

Oracle Warehouse Management System : 

 

Oracle’s Warehouse Management System simplifies 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 aids 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 speed of the flow of products via the supply chain while simultaneously reducing time gaps. 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, inbounds 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.  

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, tele sales, 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. 

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 TMS 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. 

EBS Modernization - Oracle EBS’s Journey to Cloud : 

 

Oracle E-Business Suite is now undergoing quite a modernization. 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. 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 modernized look and feel on top of the existing applications, and to do more advanced business functionality, such as mobility, chat, automation, RPA, etc. 

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.