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Apps Are In … Data’s In … Now How Do I Get The Information Out?

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. 949.574-7908. “Guiding You To Brighter Talent” www.lightship-llc.com.

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Apps Are In … Data’s In … Now How Do I Get The Information Out?

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  1. 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. 949.574-7908 “Guiding You To Brighter Talent” www.lightship-llc.com Copyright  2000 by Russ Proudman

  2. “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

  3. 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

  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

  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

  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

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

  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

  9. 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 OracleApplications clients I’ve worked with …) Copyright  2000 by Russ Proudman

  10. 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

  11. The Corporate-wide ReportDistribution 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

  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

  13. The Directory Structure Dashboards (.doc &.htm files) Disco output file(.htm) Developer areasource, 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

  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 “account/password@instance” /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

  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

  16. Dashboards To The Rescue Copyright  2000 by Russ Proudman

  17. 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

  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

  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

  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

  21. Questions & Answers Information about installing this system? Contact: Lightship Enterprises LLC. 1609 Babcock Street, Newport Beach, CA. 949.574-7908 or talk to me. Information about NoetixViews? Contact: Noetix Booth – Exhibit Hall – booth 500 or talk to me. Discoverer Handbook? Book Signing: Michael Armstrong-Smith / Darlene Armstrong-Smith or buy in OAUG Bookstore. Copyright  2000 by Russ Proudman

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