Bill and I attended the JD Edwards 2012 Partners’ Summit (#JDE2012Summit) a few weeks ago. After two full days of drinking from a fire hose, two things became very clear:
JD Edwards has a comprehensive mobile strategy for EnterpriseOne that runs real time without difficult to manage data replication.The EnterpriseOne browser interface in the Tools 9.1 release had been improved, making it easier to use on the iPad. Business processes are defined and programs can be accessed using a process flow diagram rather than the old, sometimes kludgy menu structure. Gone is the menu panel on the left side of the screen. Icons have also been added to the bottom of the screen providing quick access to reports and other frequently used functionality. You can see a full demonstration of the new interface here.
More exciting are the smartphone apps for purchase order processing and expense report management. Unlike the iPad which runs the interface in Safari, these apps are optimized for smaller mobile devices. Soon, users will be able to take a picture of a receipt and attach it to an expense report, submitting the completed reimbursement request all from a mobile device.
Strategically, businesses should evaluate ERP packages on total cost of ownership, taking into account the savings generated from more efficient business processes.
This is an important strategic shift in the evaluation and selection of ERP packages because traditionally the selection process has focused on features and functionality that best fit the business. However, with most top tier ERP vendors now providing similar if not equal functionality, the package that provides the greatest value through cost savings has the advantage. Oracle understands this, which is why it offers an integrated vertical spanning across hardware and applications. IBM understands it too, and offers the IBM Power 7 JD Edwards Solution Edition to meet the need.
Oracle continues to invest heavily in JDE. In future blogs we’ll keep you posted on these and other new developments, including significant enhancements in World A9.3. You can also keep up to date by following our Twitter feed @briteskies_jde.
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