1. “Guiding You To Brighter Talent”
Apps Are In … Data’s In …
Now How Do I Get The Information Out?
Russ Proudman
Lightship Enterprises LLC
1609 Babcock Street, Newport Beach, CA.
“Guiding You To Brighter Talent”
Copyright  2000 by Russ Proudman
November 23, 2018

2. Copyright  2000 by Russ Proudman
“You can create a Corporate-wide Report Distribution System for under $1000!” …
famous last words by Russ Proudman
(… when attempting to get a contract)
Includes:
end-user query tool
Report scheduler to ‘push’ output
Complete directory structure for ‘pull technology’
Copyright  2000 by Russ Proudman
November 23, 2018

3. Copyright  2000 by Russ Proudman
Agenda
1. Oracle Applications - Cost Distribution Analysis
2. End-User Reporting Tool / Meta-Data Layer
3. The Corporate-wide Distribution System
4. Q & A
- denotes slide has changed.
Copyright  2000 by Russ Proudman
November 23, 2018

4. Oracle Applications – Cost Distribution Analysis
Installing Oracle Apps
More money spent than budgeted
Budgets frozen for now
Custom reports? … ‘ya right!
Copyright  2000 by Russ Proudman
November 23, 2018

5. Oracle Applications – Cost Distribution Analysis
The last thing your boss wants to hear is:
“We need a corporate-wide report distribution system!”
Copyright  2000 by Russ Proudman
November 23, 2018

6. The End-User Reporting Tool
Many end-user tools are available for reporting.
Oracle Discoverer, Cognos Impromptu
Brio Query, Business Objects
Crystal Reports, InfoMaker
ODBC tools (ie: Access, Excel, etc.)
All these tools can see the Oracle Apps tables
but 200 – 300 tables per module!
best tools have a middle layer (ie: EUL, catalog, universe)
must populate this end-user query tool middle layer
what happens to other tools you use? (TOAD, SQL, etc.)
what happens w/ security changes, Oracle upgrades, etc?
Copyright  2000 by Russ Proudman
November 23, 2018

7. NoetixViews Meta-Data Layer
Oracle Tables
PO_HEADERS
PO_LINE_TYPES
PO_LINES
MTL_ITEM_CATEGORIES
MTL_ITEMS
NoetixViews
PO_Lines
Copyright  2000 by Russ Proudman
November 23, 2018

8. Oracle BIS (Business Intelligent System)
Like a portal front-end on a reporting solution.
Exists for many Oracle module areas.
Customer Intelligence, Call Center Intelligence, etc.
Many pre-configured reports, alerts preset for you.
Questions:
Are reports, views, etc. dynamic?
Is there a help file for creating new reports?
Can end-users create reports from scratch?
Copyright  2000 by Russ Proudman
November 23, 2018

9. Copyright  2000 by Russ Proudman
So now what?
So we’ve got the query tool …
Let’s use Oracle Discoverer.
(holds the majority of Oracle Apps-only sites)
And we’ve got the meta-data layer …
Let’s use NoetixViews
(is used at a considerable number of Oracle Applications clients I’ve worked with …)
Copyright  2000 by Russ Proudman
November 23, 2018

10. Copyright  2000 by Russ Proudman
But first…
Why go to all this effort?
Reporting tools hit the production instance and kill performance of others.
Most users don’t need up to the minute info.
Users don’t really want to use a reporting tool.
Multiple users using a reporting tool adds mucho $$$ to your organization’s cost (ie: $1000/seat).
No need for a reporting instance on a separate server.
All reports are centralized by one department and therefore are written to standard (and better!).
An added level of security is enforced (ie: users only see what you allow them to – not all GL for every GL user)!
Only a browser is needed (ultra-thin client!).
Try running a real-time reporting tool over a phone line (ie: salepeople in field).
Minimal client PC setup to access reports (ie: 1 shortcut, 1 diskmap).
Copyright  2000 by Russ Proudman
November 23, 2018

11. The Corporate-wide Report Distribution System
Made up of 4 main parts.
1. The directory structure
2. The automatic scheduler
3a. Dashboards to the rescue (completely html)
3b. The Master Shortcut – a one button feature
4. Security
Copyright  2000 by Russ Proudman
November 23, 2018

12. The Directory Structure
Everything is contained within the directory structure.
All Discoverer source (.dis) files are there.
All Disco output (.html) from command-line mode is there.
All help files (.doc) are there.
All dashboards are there.
All scheduler batch files are there.
Again, everything is completely contained within the directory structure.
Copyright  2000 by Russ Proudman
November 23, 2018

13. The Directory Structure
Dashboards (.doc & .htm files)
Disco output file (.htm)
Developer area source, help, docs, etc.
Disco source file
All reports input / output location + module specific
All JIT Scheduler info found here (batch files, preferences, etc.)
Copyright  2000 by Russ Proudman
November 23, 2018

14. The Automatic Scheduler
JIT Scheduler set up to run DOS batch command files.
Runs batch files (daily, weekly, monthly) early in morning.
Batch files contain the required statements to run Discoverer in command line mode with automatic sign-on, parameters, etc.
JIT, Pre-version 5 – free. Version 5+ … about $10 shareware!
Example command line mode command:
C:\orant\discvr31\dis31usr.exe /connect /open “y:/production reporting system/reports/ar/ar customer stats by period bo/ar customer stats by period bo” /batch /export “HTML” “y:/production reporting system/reports/ar/ar customer stats by period bo/ar customer stats by period bo” /parameter “customer” “%%”
Copyright  2000 by Russ Proudman
November 23, 2018

15. Dashboards To The Rescue
Evolved after I combined NoetixViews with a 3rd. party Portal Software front end.
Only wanted html publishing component from the Portal Software, but couldn’t get it
A dashboard is created for each logical business area.
Dashboards contain hotlinks to .html output created from batch jobs run automatically by the scheduler (ie: AR, HR, SALES, etc.)
Dashboards created with MS Word and ‘saved as’ Web page.
Dashboards are updated continually with new reports …easily.
Entire Dashboard system controlled from one master dashboard.
Dashboards call dashboards.
NoetixViews Help is accessible from dashboards.
Report Administrator is accessible via mail from dashboards.
Copyright  2000 by Russ Proudman
November 23, 2018

16. Dashboards To The Rescue
Copyright  2000 by Russ Proudman
November 23, 2018

17. Solves my initial goal “a user just has to push a button!”
The Master Shortcut
As users climb the corporate ladder …
The ability to push more than one button … decreases!
Solution  Shortcuts
All users click on a shortcut to start the Master Dashboard.
Solves my initial goal “a user just has to push a button!”
Copyright  2000 by Russ Proudman
November 23, 2018

18. Security Directory structure allows complete security.
Create a user group for each Oracle module, type of user, etc. (or set of .html output a user will be looking at) – ie: AR, AP, GL, SALES, VIP, etc.
Each subdirectory within the directory structure allows only particular ‘user groups’ to read the html files in it.
John Smith has been added to the ‘user group’ – REPORTING AR. Only people with this ‘user group’ (ie: John Smith) can choose a hotlink from the AR Dashboard and have it work.
‘US REPORTING AR’ users only can see the .html output
Copyright  2000 by Russ Proudman
November 23, 2018

19. Improvements to the Corporate-wide Report Distribution System
Purchase a reports distribution server so system can be controlled from a local environment. (get a cheap DELL or equivalent).
Create all Dashboards via a true HTML program generator (FrontPage, Homesite, etc.) for full-blown HTML screens.
Create a set of programs to administer copying to correct area, reporting on all reports that exist, creating the DOS command line batch files, etc. (I created a simple Access DB for this).
Copyright  2000 by Russ Proudman
November 23, 2018

20. Under $1000 … and it works … really?
Under $1000? YES!
1 copy of Discoverer approx. $975.00
1 copy of JIT Scheduler approx. $10.00
TOTAL COST APPROX. $985.00
… and NO!
May require some users to run on-line jobs – more licenses.
May want to purchase NoetixViews.
May want to purchase an NT Reporting Server.
May want to calculate costs of setting it up (salaries, etc.)
Does it work … really? YES!
I have set this system up at 3 different clients and hundreds of
users can access the .html reports run by the scheduler. All they do
is click on a shortcut to the Master Dashboard.
All securely … and from around the world.
Copyright  2000 by Russ Proudman
November 23, 2018

21. Copyright  2000 by Russ Proudman
Questions & Answers
Information about installing this system?
Contact:
Lightship Enterprises LLC.
1609 Babcock Street, Newport Beach, CA.
or talk to me.
Information about NoetixViews?
Noetix Booth – Exhibit Hall – booth 500
Discoverer Handbook?
Book Signing:
Michael Armstrong-Smith / Darlene Armstrong-Smith
or buy in OAUG Bookstore.
Copyright  2000 by Russ Proudman
November 23, 2018