Oracle Adds Apps, Extends Support To Fusion

JD Edwards EnterpriseOne Sourcing, for example, automates the ability to accept and award contracts after requests for proposals are received, which lets companies now manage processes from sourcing to supplier payments.

The Human Capital Management module gives employees self-schedule time and labor functions. Customer relationship management (CRM) applications released in a previous version now provide greater visibility into service operations.

Oracle added "transportation shipment sequencing" to its Supply Chain Management module, ensuring parts arrive from suppliers at customer manufacturing lines in the order required. Enhancements made to the Fixed Asset Management module help smooth complex accounting and regulatory requirements.

Overall, about 70 percent of Oracle's annual revenue comes from small and medium size companies, said Lenley Hensarling, vice president and general manger, JD Edwards EnterpriseOne. "In the applications space, that's about 60 percent of the customers, and it's not changed much over the years."

Hensarling calls the release "major" because Oracle moved the metadata supporting the applications suite completely to XML, which should make it easier to move customers to Fusion, Oracle's next version of enterprise applications later this decade.

Targeting niche industries, Oracle introduced three new JD Edwards EnterpriseOne modules for the food and beverage industry. They include Blend Management, Grower Management, Grower Pricing, and Payments. Oracle said it worked closely with systems integrator CIBER Inc. on product requirements and specifications.

Customers who have been concerned about long-term support as Oracle transitions to Fusion, can now relax, Hensarling said. Oracle and IBM Corp. will extend IBM Systems i5 Series support for JD Edwards EnterpriseOne and World product lines past the originally stated 2013 date. Hensarling said "IBM has turned up the growth."

Oracle supports between 4,500 and 4,800 EnterpriseOne and World customers. One hundred percent of those running World, about half, and 40 percent of the JD EnterpriseOne customers run on IBM's i5 platform, Hensarling said.

JD Edwards EnterpriseOne customers also have an option to take advantage of the Oracle Technology Foundation -- an integrated infrastructure based on Oracle Database and components of Oracle Fusion Middleware. With JD Edwards EnterpriseOne certification on Oracle Fusion Middleware companies can use Oracle Containers for J2EE, Oracle BPEL Process Manager, Oracle Identity Management, and Oracle Portal to support their entire enterprise.