EnterpriseOne For All

PeopleSoft played in SAP's neighborhood last week when it journeyed to the German trade show CeBIT in Hannover to announce the first major upgrade of the old J.D. Edwards line under the PeopleSoft EnterpriseOne umbrella.

Just to make sure no one misses the point of PeopleSoft's influence on its acquired software, the company has dubbed the update EnterpriseOne 8.10. "The '8' in PeopleSoft [EnterpriseOne] designates a strategic architecture that's a fundamental shift to the pure Internet client and a major rev in PeopleTools," said Steve Maegdlin, vice president of product marketing for EnterpriseOne. "We had released version 8.9 in September as part of the merger, but that version was really a J.D. Edwards release. Version 8.10 is the first release of significant new functionality under the PeopleSoft umbrella."

That new functionality, which primarily addresses the needs of manufacturing and distribution companies, falls under three main categories of demand, supply and operational efficiency.

On the demand side of the equation, EnterpriseOne now offers built-in compatibility with RFID systems and standards, and has enhanced the analysis and collaboration features within the software's Customer Self-Service Portal. This portal's enhanced features give users access to tools for performing failure analysis, cross-referencing and customizing item numbers and producing demand forecasts, Maegdlin said. A new Demand Scheduling Execution function helps high-volume manufacturers manage product releases under blanket purchase orders.

One important new feature for the supply side, dubbed Supplier Release Scheduling, helps tier-two through tier-five suppliers in the automotive industry make sense of constantly fluctuating orders. Other additions include a new Buyer Workspace, which helps purchasing departments track receipts, rate supplier performance and award contracts based on weighted priorities for price, quality and delivery deadline.

"One of the weakest areas [in EnterpriseOne] had been supplier relationship management," said Paula Milano, president of solution provider Axion Solutions, Irvine, Calif. "Now it has strategic sourcing and the ability to negotiate with your suppliers. Plus, you can send out RFIs and use formulas to determine who will win that contract.

"Altogether, [EnterpriseOne] really gives the functionality needed for lean manufacturing," she said. "We are really excited by it."