Automating your Business Processes Using Oracle Workflow Therron Hofsetz Logical Apps, Inc.

Agenda Oracle WorkFlow What is it? The Hidden Treasure Item Setup Example Limitations AppsFlow Question and Answer

Oracle WorkFlow – What is it? Business Process Automation for Oracle eBusiness – A structured method for defining, implementing and automating business processes within the Oracle Applications

Workflow: The Hidden Treasure Workflow Engine is embedded in the Oracle Database……and it’s FREE! Core modules are leveraging from the power of workflow more and more in R11i Workflow is new to many organizations……..very little to no experience with it Out of the Box workflows provided……..just scratching the surface of what can be done

Workflow: The Hidden Treasure Ensures that critical business processes (best practices) are: Clearly Defined Documented Automatically Implemented Followed to the Letter Easily altered to accommodate changing business requirements Improves visibility and efficiency to core business processes Bottlenecks can be easily identified and resolved Identify opportunities for streamlining and improving business processes Streamlined Six Sigma Qualification

Oracle WorkFlow – Key Concepts Process Components Detailed process steps Branching & conditional logic Notifications & Approvals WF notifications and notification Ranked, voting, polling based approvals Metrics Details on process steps Time Sensitivity Timeouts w/ Automatic Forwarding & Return Routing

Oracle WorkFlow – Key Concepts Workflow Builder Drag and Drop components Re-use common processes, notifications, approvals Save processes on the Database or File System PL/SQL Flexibility and power APIs Process integration, parameters, resulting values

Oracle WorkFlow – 11i Examples Business Process Automation for Oracle eBusiness Order Management Order, Line and Return Flows Purchasing & iProcurement Requisition & PO Approval Flows Inventory Move Item Flow Accounting Account Generator

Oracle WorkFlow – 11i Example Seeded “Line Flow Generic” process

Oracle WorkFlow – Benefits “Through 2007, business organizations will be able to save as much as 10 percent of the cost of a business process by creating a current business model and optimizing on cost within a current context.” Gartner Group January 2003

Imagine the Possibilities If Oracle Application users could easily implement the following types of workflows to gain business process efficiencies: Item Configuration Process Vendor or Customer Creation Processes Month End Close Processes RMA Process with approval Notification of Stuck Interface Transactions AR & AP Transaction Approvals

Imagine the Possibilities – Item Setup Hundreds of item attributes Critical Impact on Apps functionality Configuration/Input from many different departments/groups Many require manual setup Coordination difficulties Categories, Cross-References, Price Lists, Costs, BOMs, Routings, Supplier Sourcing Rules, etc. Item Templates provide only a partial solution

Imagine the Possibilities – Item Setup RESULT: Incomplete Item Setup Item transacted with no costs Missing lead times Missing critical item categories Missing Price List/Discounts Incorrect Item Attributes (orderable item not invoiceable) Item setup in Master Org only SOLUTION: Item Configuration via Oracle Workflow

Imagine the Possibilities – Item Setup Clearly Identify the Process Functional Areas that need to be involved Sequence of critical setup tasks. Systematically validate key business rules Make items should have a BOM and Routing FG items should be enabled in Org D1 and D2 only Timeouts insure that the item setup flow is progressing Final Review and Approval of the Item Configuration Notify key users when process is complete

Imagine the Possibilities – Item Setup Sample Item Setup Flow

Why Have Oracle Users Not Embraced Workflow? WorkFlow Builder Appears simple, but requires code under each function Difficult API’s PL/SQL Required Specialized Resources “Hard Coded” solution

Why Have Oracle Users Not Embraced Workflow? WorkFlow Builder Appears simple, but requires code under each function Difficult API’s PL/SQL Required Specialized Resources “Hard Coded” solution

Why Have Oracle Users Not Embraced Workflow? WorkFlow Builder Appears simple, but requires code under each function Difficult API’s PL/SQL Required Specialized Resources “Hard Coded” solution

Traditional Oracle eBusiness Solutions Introduce a manual approval process prior to data entry Ineffective Inefficient Customize Oracle’s standard workflow Workflow Guru’s are Required Complex Workflow API’s Non-Flexible Solution due to hard coding

AppsFlow – A New Approach Automate Processes via Workflow Automate Current Manual Processes Enforce Systematic Approvals System Wide Notifications Integrated with Workflow Builder Capture & Analyze Process Metrics Rules based, Meta-data Driven Solutions Solutions in Minutes, not Days or Weeks

AppsFlow – A New Approach

AppsFlow – WorkFlow Integration WorkFlow Integration Export to WorkFlow Builder Stand alone execution Re-use common process components

AppsFlow – WorkFlow Integration Drag the Logical Apps Process into the WorkFlow

AppsFlow – WorkFlow Integration Route the seeded process with the “AppsFlow Process”

Logical Apps Product Architecture Fully integrated with Oracle Applications Single Oracle Application sign-on Independent of upgrades/patches Oracle Certified AppsFlow

AppsFlow Benefits DRAMATICLY DECREASE DEVELOPMENT TIME! Reduce the need for PL/SQL hard coded solutions Complex API’s are eliminated Reduce dependence on Workflow gurus Integrated to Workflow Builder Process “Rules” are easily managed Activate, changed, & disable Define your Company’s Unique Approval Groups Process Rules can be migrated across instances Rules Subscribe to Oracle’s Business Events

Questions? Therron Hofsetz