Flexible Products CompanyFlexible Products Company

Small Company

BIG System

Flexible Products CompanyFlexible Products Company

• Largest Independent Polyurethane Systems House in North America

• Revenue 100+ Million- Growing 15%/yr• Sell Similar Products Into Different Markets

– Consumer, Construction, Industrial, Packaging

• Multi-Site, Multi-National– Marietta, GA, Joliet, IL, Austin TX– Toronto, CAN– London, UK

Reasons for Running Reasons for Running Oracle ApplicationsOracle Applications

• Open System- Ability to Use Data With MS Office Applications

• Enterprise Install– Centralize IS, G&A, Customer Service, and

Technical Support Functions

• NCA/Internet Architecture– Minimal WAN bandwidth (56k is OK)

• Future Development (11i and beyond)

Implemented Oracle ModulesImplemented Oracle Modules

• Accounting Applications– General Ledger– Accounts Payable– Accounts Receivable

• Manufacturing/Customer Service Applications– Inventory Control– Order Entry– Purchasing– Bills Of Material– Cost Management– Engineering– EDI Gateway

Ancillary ProgramsAncillary Programs

• Scope (now part of PeopleSoft)

– Forecasting– MRP– Capacity Planning

• Gentran– EDI Translator

• Jetform Central– Plain Paper Forms Server

Computer InfrastructureComputer Infrastructure

• Dec Alpha 2100 Database Server– 3 Processor (300mhz), 1Gb Memory– True64 Unix

• Dec Alpha 2100 Standby/Development Server– 1 Processor (300mhz), 512Mb Memory

• Dell 6350 NT Middle Tier– 2 Processor (500mhz), 1Gb Memory

• Dell 6100 NT Backup for Middle Tier– 2 Processor (Pro 200mhz), 1.5 Gb Memory

• Dell Pentium Workstations 150mhz to 600mhz

Network InfrastructureNetwork Infrastructure

• MCI Frame Relay (512K Marietta & Joliet, 56K Austin, 56k Toronto, 64k England)

• 1Mb Internet– Domestic Locations-Global Crossing– International Locations- UUNet

• ISDN/Cable Modem/DSL Backup• Cisco and Ascend Routers

– SonicWall Routers for VPN

• SMC and DLINK Switches and Hubs

10.7 Implementation10.7 Implementation

• Divisional Approach– Corporate ( Mar-May 1997)

• GL, AP

– Marietta Manufacturing (May-Aug 1997)• AR, OE, IC, PO, Interface To Cimpro Process Mfg• FPC Custom Process MFG (Dec 1997)

– Joliet Division (Sept ‘97-Feb 1998)• BOM, Cost, Eng, EDI, Tank Tracking (FPC App)

– NCA Upgrade (May-June 1998)– Market Conversion/Centralization/Calendar Year (Nov-Jan 1998)– London Distribution (Dec 1998)

• OE, IC, Manual Interface to Sage

– Austin Manufacturing (Nov-Dec 1998)• FPC Process Mfg, BOM, IC

– Toronto Manufacturing (Nov-Dec 1999)– Chart of Account Conversion (Dec-Jan 1999)– London Accounting (Feb 2000)

EDI- Lessons LearnedEDI- Lessons LearnedBill Drozda- MIS DirectorBill Drozda- MIS Director

• Twenty Five Major Trading Partners• Inbound Data

– Purchase Orders (850)– Freight Invoices (210/980)– Invoice Discrepancies (864)– Payment Order / Remittance Advice (820) via Bank– Functional Acknowledgments (997)

• Outbound Data – Invoices (810)– Advanced Shipping Notices (856)

– Functional Acknowledgments (997)

EDI X12 Transactions Currently In EDI X12 Transactions Currently In UseUse

• 810 Invoice (Outbound)• 820 Payment Order / Remittance Advice (Inbound)• 850 Purchase Order (Inbound)• 856 Ship Notice / Manifest (Outbound)• 210 Motor Carrier Freight Details & Inv. (Inbound)• 864 Text Message (Invoice Discrepancy) (Inbound)• 997 Functional Acknowledgment (In & Out)

Future EDI Transactions RequiredFuture EDI Transactions Required

• 810 Invoice (Out)• 812 (Debit / Credit Advice) (In & Out)• 816 Organizational Relationships (In)• 820 Payment Order / Remittance Advice (Out)• 830 Planning Schedule with Release Capability (In)• 832 Item Synchronization (In & Out)• 850 Purchase Orders (Out)• 856 Ship Notice / Manifest with SCC 128 Bar Code (In & Out)• 857 Shipment & Billing Advice (Out)• 940 Warehouse Shipment Order (Out)• 945 Warehouse Shipment Advice (In)

EDI LESSONS LEARNEDEDI LESSONS LEARNEDOracle EDI Gateway is Only One Piece of Oracle EDI Gateway is Only One Piece of

the EDI Puzzlethe EDI Puzzle

• Translating Data - Gentran NT Server– EDI to Printed Output

– EDI to Flat Files

– Flat Files to EDI

• Communications– VAN - Sterling Commerce

– Direct Connect - Some Customers

• Oracle EDI Gateway– Transaction Set Up

– Trading Partner Set Up

– Import & Export of Oracle Application Data

EDI LESSONS LEARNEDEDI LESSONS LEARNEDOracle EDI Gateway is Only One Piece of Oracle EDI Gateway is Only One Piece of

the EDI Puzzlethe EDI Puzzle

• Customizations– Programming & Testing Translator Maps Takes Time (Customer\Version

Specific)

– Required Data May Not Be In Oracle Applications (Flexfields)– Oracle EDI Gateway May Not Extract Required Data (Extension

tables)– Need to Warehouse Inbound Data or Build XREF for Outbound Data

• Customer Part / Our Part• Our Part / UPC• Oracle Address / Customer - Supplier Site Code

– Edit / Update Programs to Ensure EDI Data Integrity – Print / EDI Routines (Oracle Does Not Support Both)– Address Maintenance (AR & EDI Gateway Trading Partners)

• Redundant• Synchronization Problems

EDI LESSONS LEARNEDEDI LESSONS LEARNEDOracle EDI Gateway is Only One Piece of Oracle EDI Gateway is Only One Piece of

the EDI Puzzlethe EDI Puzzle

• Customizations (Continued)– Control Reports to Monitor Errors & Data Flow Status

• VAN / Direct to Translator & Vice Versa• Translator to Oracle & Vice Versa• VAN / Direct to & from Trading Partner

DevelopmentDevelopmentDan Crowley- Director of MISDan Crowley- Director of MIS

• We do not modify Oracle Code

• Use Oracle Interface Tables

• Oracle PL/SQL

• MS Visual Basic Development Tools – Less expensive– Easier to use– ODBC fast enough

Custom Applications Custom Applications

• Custom Forms (Jetform Central™)– PO, Invoice, Statement, Check,– Packing Slip and Bill of Lading

• EDI Edit and Update processing • Tank Tracking • Batch Ticket Processing• Quality Assurance Testing• Quick Order Entry

The FutureThe Future

• WEB Interface to the Data Warehouse• Internet WAN- VPN

– Eliminate Frame Relay Private Lines• Lower cost, higher bandwidth, better performance

• Convert VB Apps to Internet Interface• 11i• Scanned Attachments• WEB Procurement• E-Commerce• Oracle Front Office Modules