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The most comprehensive Oracle applications & technology content under one roofThe most comprehensive Oracle applications & technology content under one roof
Oracle Project Management for Users of Project Costing / Billing
Jeannie Dobney andLoretta Bayliss Prescience Technology
(updated paper available from jdobney.com)
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The most comprehensive Oracle applications & technology content under one roof
Objectives
This paper asks and attempts to answer:
If you already use Oracle Project Costing and Billing, what value does Oracle Project Management add?
Are the HTML pages just another way of looking at the same data?
With the authors thanks to the Ipswich City Council support team for the questions above.
Voltaire: Judge of a man by his questions rather than by his answers.
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The most comprehensive Oracle applications & technology content under one roof
Agenda
Brief history of the Oracle Projects Suite
The value Oracle Project Management proposition
Implications of the introduction of Oracle Project Management
Overview of some of the available similar functionality (including gotchas and irritations)
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The most comprehensive Oracle applications & technology content under one roof
First, a little history
Once upon a time Oracle released the Project Accounting application c.1993
Included the functionality we now know as Project Foundation and Project Costing - with Billing added soon
Those were the dim, dark ages of character based Apps, -although Projects was converted to GUI Forms fairly quickly so most early Projects adopters recall it as a purely Forms based product
Projects introduced the HTML interface when the Oracle Projects Suite was introduced (c.2005)
So just a short digression about user interfaces
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The most comprehensive Oracle applications & technology content under one roof
Oracle Projects chronology
Oracle Projects suite milestones
1996
2000
20022003 2003
2004
2005
1995
1994
1996
1998
2000
2002
2004
2006
Project
Costing
Project
Billing
Project
Foundation
Project
Resource
Managem
ent
Project
Managem
ent
Project
Collaboration
Project
Intelligence
Project
Portfolio
Planning
Original Release Date
Slide is reproduced from http://www.cronininc.com
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The most comprehensive Oracle applications & technology content under one roof
Character Based Apps
Note that this screen is from Oracle Cost Management, not Project Accounting
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The most comprehensive Oracle applications & technology content under one roof
GUI Forms Interface
Also known as the Professional User interface
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The most comprehensive Oracle applications & technology content under one roof
HTML Interface
Also known as the Applications Framework Interface
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The most comprehensive Oracle applications & technology content under one roof
Oracle Projects Apps Interfaces Some modules are primarily designed for
HTML others for Forms
Slide is from Oracle Projects Suite- Security Options by Timothy Cronin
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The most comprehensive Oracle applications & technology content under one roof
Projects HTML vs.. Forms Selected functionality by HTML or Forms
Slide is from Oracle Projects Suite- Security Options by Timothy Cronin
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The most comprehensive Oracle applications & technology content under one roof
So.The initial answer to the HTML Pages question is:
They were created to support the expanded Oracle Projects Suite.
You must use the HTML pages if you wish to use specialised functionality such as that available through Project Resource Management
For most of us Oracle Project Management may be the most relevant new Application and coincidentally has led to some of the most obvious parallel and shared functionality
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The most comprehensive Oracle applications & technology content under one roof
Oracle Project Management Some of the apparently similar functionality
was introduced to support Oracle Project Management, for example:
So lets look at the value proposition for using Oracle Project Management first and then return to specific (shared) HTML functionality
Forms HTML
Budgets Financial Plans
Project Status Inquiry Project Performance Reporting
Resource Lists Planning Resource Lists & Resource Breakdown Structures
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The most comprehensive Oracle applications & technology content under one roof
The Project Managers Tools (prior to Oracle Project Management )
Information Requirement
Cost Vs. Budget
Work schedule (Gantt chart)
Risk management
Issue management
Stakeholder comms
Deliverables
Change Requests
Status Reporting
Software / Tool (examples)
Oracle Project Costing
MS Projects or Primavera
Document
Spread sheet
Email
Intranet (for storage etc.)
Document
Assembled laboriously from all of the above
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The most comprehensive Oracle applications & technology content under one roof
Imagine a Solution. Develop your work schedule in MS Projects
Import it into Oracle Projects to generate a budget from the work plan based on rates stored in Oracle
Link changes in complex work plans to integrated (simpler) financial plans (i.e. update once and replicated across systems in background)
Link the budget variation process into new budget versions
Publish updates automatically to the teams homepages (no more ignored emails or use of out-dated plan versions)
Tailor those team home pages to focus on key data and automate the display of current tasks
Store issue lists in the same place and add the ability to assign and track actions for them
Workflow supported and semi-automated production and publication of project status reports from this integrated project data
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The most comprehensive Oracle applications & technology content under one roof
A Day in the Life of the PM The Project Status Report is due...
Is the project within budget? What is the progress against schedule? What risks does the project face? What is the status of logged issues? What is the status of change requests? Where can deliverable documents be accessed for review? Where are other project documents stored?
(Project Management Plan etc.)
Oracle Projects can provide a repository of all this information and semi-automate the production of status reports if required.
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The most comprehensive Oracle applications & technology content under one roof
A Day in the Life of the PM, cont... Time for a project team meeting, need to:
Review the schedule for upcoming milestones etc. Focus the team on those upcoming tasks Identify any roadblocks, tasks which have not been completed Review progress on issues assigned to the team Gather input about potential risks etc.
Oracle Projects can provide: A team member home page which pushes specifically relevant
upcoming tasks (and actions required for issue resolution) to each team member
Allow decentralised updating of issues assigned to team members
Allow decentralised percentage complete entry for tasks
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The most comprehensive Oracle applications & technology content under one roof
Checklist for an Integrated PM Solution Workplans / progress tracking
Cost against budget tracking
Status reporting (multiple audiences?):detail and / or traffic light status
Sharing / repository of deliverables
Repository of other project documentation
Issue tracking
Risk Register ?
Change Requests / Orders
Stakeholder communications (push / pull?)
Team member home page / communication method
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The most comprehensive Oracle applications & technology content under one roof
Oracle Project ManagementAvailable functionality includes: Parallel integrated WBS structures
i.e. Workplan, Financial (and Deliverables) Integration with Project Management tools such as MS Projects and
PrimaVera Budget generation from work-plans Configurable HTML pages for reporting and project communication
(using page layout functionality and Framework personalisations) Includes performance and exception reporting (incl. traffic lights) Attachment functionality for storage of project documents Sophisticated access control by project role Progress reporting: Workflow supported and semi-automated
production of project status reports Change orders that can be linked to budget changes Issue lists etc.
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The most comprehensive Oracle applications & technology content under one roof
A Quick Tour of Oracle Project Management
Gantt Chart / work plans
Cost against budget tracking
Status reporting
Repository of project documents
Issue tracking and change orders
Team member and stakeholder communication
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The most comprehensive Oracle applications & technology content under one roof
Workplans Gantt Chart View
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The most comprehensive Oracle applications & technology content under one roof
Workplans Dependencies
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The most comprehensive Oracle applications & technology content under one roof
Workplans Resource Assignment
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The most comprehensive Oracle applications & technology content under one roof
Integration: Oracle Proj Mgmt and Schedule Management Software
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The most comprehensive Oracle applications & technology content under one roof
Structure Mapping
Workplans may be integrated with specialised project management tools e.g. MS projects. (If you do not use workplans, some HTML page functionality may not be applicable e.g. Earned Value Management)
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The most comprehensive Oracle applications & technology content under one roof
Project Performance Reporting Uses the same basic cost data as the project
status inquiry (PSI) window, however
It includes:
Periodic and QTD display
An ability to report in multiple currencies or calendars useful for multi-nationals
It also displays earned value analysis and progress against plan in effort terms
Users can personalise their own views
Requires additional update processes
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The most comprehensive Oracle applications & technology content under one roof
Analysis of Costs by Task
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The most comprehensive Oracle applications & technology content under one roof
Analysis of Cost by Resource
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The most comprehensive Oracle applications & technology content under one roof
Budgeting and Forecasting
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The most comprehensive Oracle applications & technology content under one roof
Standard Earned Value Reporting
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The most comprehensive Oracle applications & technology content under one roof
Earned Value Management (EVM) A key advantage of combining work tracking
and cost tracking in one system is the ability to do EVM reporting
EVM is a project management practice that integrates: Schedule Scope Cost
EVM measures the value of work performedFrom an Open World Presentation:
Oracle Project & Portfolio Management for DoD Earned Value Compliance
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The most comprehensive Oracle applications & technology content under one roof
Task One 80%
Task Two 24%
Task Three 50%
Task One 80%
Task Two 24%
Task Three 50%
Create Status Reports
Different reports for different
audiences
Automatic reminders for due reports
Existing project info automatically
included
Exec. summary with status indicator
Enter additional textual details
Publish Status Report
Send to stakeholders
Online or email access
Track history
Project
Customer
Management
Team
Project
Task One 80%
Task Two 24%
Task Three 50%
Project
Oracle Status Reporting
These slides from Carl Morleys OpenWorld 2010 presentation
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The most comprehensive Oracle applications & technology content under one roof
Attachments (Project Documentation Repository)
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The most comprehensive Oracle applications & technology content under one roof
Issue Lists and Change Control
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The most comprehensive Oracle applications & technology content under one roof
Team Member Home Page
Slide is from a 2004 Oracle presentation
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The most comprehensive Oracle applications & technology content under one roof
Project List View
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The most comprehensive Oracle applications & technology content under one roof
Exceptions
Exception Reporting - KPIs
Financial
Schedule
Execute
Single Project Status
Overall Project Status
Key Performance AreasException
Cost Variance %
Cost Variance %
10 % and more
0 to 10%
-1% and less
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The most comprehensive Oracle applications & technology content under one roof
So Why Would You Not Use It? Does it fit with your organisations project management (PMO)
practice and project development process?
What are the preferred tools already in use by your PMO, e.g. substantial investment in the use of an Intranet?
Whos running the implementation and can they sell an integrated business process to the PMO?
How much of your project management work is outsourced and what impact will that have?
How do contractors fit in your project process (Oracle Projects supports them but will your IT and HR department?)
Have you factored in the system maintenance and training required for another software tool?
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The most comprehensive Oracle applications & technology content under one roof
So Some functionality is new and unique to the
HTML pages and may offer value to existing users
However, this powerful functionality involves complexity and there are some gotchas and annoyances
Oracle Implementation and User Guides, dont make a clear distinction between features and functions available and usable in Forms vs. HTML
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The most comprehensive Oracle applications & technology content under one roof
The Same or Similar Some functionality may be used in either
Forms or HTML, e.g. project definition
Existing users of Project Costing are probably licensed to use this type of functionality (cfMOS # 815154.1 and similar notes)
Some Billing and Capital project functionality only exists in Forms
HTML Dates may default in non-intuitive ways to Forms users (refer MOS # 361507.1)
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The most comprehensive Oracle applications & technology content under one roof
Different Name, Same Feature Customers and Contacts in Forms is the same as
Billing Accounts in HTML pages
Key Members in Forms is the same as Team Members in HTML pages
DFF defined at Project-level in Forms displays in the Other Information section of Additional Information in HTML pages
DFF defined at Financial Task-level in Forms displays in the Other Task Information section of HTML pages
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The most comprehensive Oracle applications & technology content under one roof
User Defined Attributes (UDAs)
UDAs like context sensitive descriptive flexfields (DFFs) that are only accessible from the HTML-based application pages
DFFs may be visible in both interfaces
Both may require custom reporting
Data from both can be used for AutoAccounting, Account Generation and Subledger Accounting (R12)
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The most comprehensive Oracle applications & technology content under one roof
User Defined Attributes: Complete Solution
User Defined Attributes appear for projects and tasks based on the
context and the level
Context Data Level Usage
Project Type Project
and/or Task
Enable a set of attributes based on
a specific project type
Class
Category
Project
and/or Task
Enable a set of attributes based on
a specific project class category
Class Code Project
and/or Task
Enable a set of attributes based on
a specific project class code
Task Type Task Enable a set of attributes based on
a specific task type
UDA slides are from a presentation by Carl Morley at Oracle OpenWorld 2010
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The most comprehensive Oracle applications & technology content under one roof
Budgets Vs. Financial Plans New HTML Plan Types introduced in 2005
Existing Budget Types convertible during upgrade
Enhanced budgeting unique to HTML pages:
Excel data input (via webADI) is standard functionality
Budget amounts may be generated from work plans using planning rates
Initial Forecast version created from original budget and then generated from actuals etc.. using ETC methods
Different implementation path to use Budgetary Control and/or Budget Integration (Forms budgets)
New HTML Plan types are not compatible with Budgetary Control and Budget Integration functionality
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The most comprehensive Oracle applications & technology content under one roof
Forms Budgets vs. HTML Financial Plans
A key implementation decision
Conceptually the same however quite different system functionality:
Do you need Budgetary Control / Integration? (If so, use Forms Budgets)
Will you integrate workplans and use EVA? (Use HTML)
HTML Financial Plans have standard Excel integration (webADI), however, More4Apps provides the same functionality for Forms (if this is the only drawcard)
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The most comprehensive Oracle applications & technology content under one roof
Resource Lists
Forms Budgets use Resource Lists for budgeting and reporting
HTML Financial Plans use Planning Resource Lists for budgeting and Resource Breakdown Structures for reporting
Also note: PSI implications (MOS # 405219.1)
Interface Budgeting Reporting
Forms Resource Lists Resource Lists
HTML Planning Resource Lists Resource Breakdown Structure
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The most comprehensive Oracle applications & technology content under one roof
Resource Lists
An upgrade process is available
After running UPG: Upgrade Resource Lists to Planning Resource Lists process:
Subsequent changes are propagated from the original Resource List to the upgraded Planning Resource List (but not the RBS)
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The most comprehensive Oracle applications & technology content under one roof
HTML Project Home Page
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The most comprehensive Oracle applications & technology content under one roof
Conclusions
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The most comprehensive Oracle applications & technology content under one roofThe most comprehensive Oracle applications & technology content under one roof
Oracle Project Managementfor Users of Project Costing / Billing
Loretta Bayliss
Managing Director, Prescience TechnologyVice-President, AUSOUG (Qld)
www.prescience.com.au
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The most comprehensive Oracle applications & technology content under one roof
Agenda
A Users Perspective
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The most comprehensive Oracle applications & technology content under one roof
Oracle PjM
Lorettas tools of choice include:
Oracle PjM
Microsoft Project Server
Primavera EPPM
Order of the day is largely defined by client requirements and corporate PMO mandates.
Is it my tool of choice?
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The most comprehensive Oracle applications & technology content under one roof
Oracle PjM
Narrowing it down further:
Oracle PjM
Microsoft Project Server
Primavera EPPM
This combination does have the potential to provide a true enterprise platform.
Is it my tool of choice?
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The most comprehensive Oracle applications & technology content under one roof
Words of (?) Wisdom
Do not expect a miracle, or a golden goose Either from Oracle PjM or Primavera
Understand the impacts on/from other Oracle modules Oracle PjM does not operate in isolation
Plan for and build up to the change an enterprise model is not achieved overnight
Use all of the tools/reports at your disposal until the enterprise model is sufficiently robust to support project, program & portfolio Costing, Billing, AP, PO, AR, OTL can all add value
System and Process
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The most comprehensive Oracle applications & technology content under one roof
Questions & Comments
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The most comprehensive Oracle applications & technology content under one roof
From the coal face
Prescience Technology is on our Oracle E-Business services supplier panel. They are a
niche player who know the area in which they operate. They have a good knowledge of the product and the market; access to skilled resources; and a good understanding of the requirements, especially if a problem is a bit more
difficult. They apply their expertise and do the analysis, without trying to run too fast.
My experience with Prescience Technology over the past four years gives me the absolute confidence to recommend them for Oracle related projects and support.
Prescience demonstrates professionalism and maturity and is committed to working closely with us to deliver clear value for money and outcomes that either meet or exceed Tourism Australias expectations, every time.
Hein Bouman, Information Systems Manager, Tourism Australia