Brian Pellot of AXIA Consulting presented lessons learned from multiple Oracle R12 upgrade projects. Key points included agreeing on scope upfront, maintaining issues and test scripts, evaluating custom objects, patching approach, cutover planning, and experience. Major changes in R12 included splitting payables, new payments module, subledger accounting, and switching from EBTax to a new tax regime. Questions were encouraged.
2. Agenda
• Introductions
• R12 Example Projects
• The Upgrade Project
• Lessons Learned
• Major R12 Module Changes
Please ask questions!!!!!
3. The Speaker
Founded in 2005, AXIA Consulting is an firm made up of Senior
Consultants averaging 15+ years of Systems Integration
experience.
AXIA has a core group of Oracle consultants currently working
with 6 clients in the region. AXIA also provides strategic
business services, project management and systems integration
services.
Brian Pellot is a senior consultant with 14 years of experience
implementing and upgrading the Oracle Applications. He is also
a past president of OVOAUG.
4. Current Status
• Where is everyone now?
• 11.5.10
• Earlier versions
• What modules?
• Financials
• Supply Chain
• Manufacturing
• How long have you been on Oracle?
• >2 years
• >5 years
• >10 years
• Who has been through an upgrade (i.e. 11i)?
• Why upgrade?
• Support
• New functionality
• Implementing additional modules
5. R12 Overview
• Oracle’s Major Release after 11i
• Various versions have been release semi-annually
• R12.0 thru 12.0.6 and 12.1.0 to 12.1.3
• Bug fixes
• The R12 versions have functional enhancements and changes
• Major Enhancement
• Centralize functions that were common amongst modules
• User Interface changes
• More Web-based look-and-feel
• Common Data screens and functions moved to java framework
• Suppliers
• Customers
• Technology Changes – JRE instead of JInitiator
7. The GOAL
Don’t mess it up!
• Availability
• The system will be available on Monday morning.
• Shortest possible downtime.
• Business Continuity
• On Monday morning everyone can do their job.
• At the end of the period, the business can close the books.
• Have system on Oracle R12
8. The Approach
Repeat
Test Production
Plan Test
Upgrade Upgrade
Issues
Cookbook Patch List
Steps
Multiple practice rounds determine correct steps
and patches to ensure a successful upgrade.
More rounds => Less Risk
10. Lessons Learned
Project Management
• Agree on scope upfront
• Maintain a “parking lot” for items to be considered after go live
• Maintain an issues list
• Maintain awareness of ongoing 11i Production support changes
• Intermediate milestones
• Weekly DBA meetings
Project Schedule
• Ensure that the project phases and milestones are aligned with important business
considerations such as quarter end/year end
• Set expectation that going-in schedule is subject to change
• Build in a contingency month if possible
• Initial phase was a “bug hunt” to try and find obvious glitches – try to navigate through
and test basic functions
• Subsequent upgraded environments serve as “Pilot” systems to help finalize R12
setups and resolve any bugs
• Following “Pilots”, perform formal tests with business users
11. Lessons Learned
Custom Objects
• Many will need to change
• Many of the changes will be minor
• Some will be rewrites
• All need to be tested thoroughly
• Some will work with old data but not with new
Testing
• Ensure you have comprehensive test scripts to cover all processes
• Involve the business team – creating test scripts and executing
• Test with “old data” (that was upgraded) and new data
• Be aware of how Subledger Accounting data is converted
• Don’t assume anything – each upgrade iteration brings new 11i data
• Establish a test lab with PC’s so that business team can participate in a focused
environment
• Test standard and custom report printing
12. Testing Flow
Patch
Process Used in Next
Test Issue Round
Change
Cookbook Step
14. Lessons Learned
Patching
• Take the most recent CPC (critical patch collections) proactively at the start of the
project
• Evaluate timing of other CPCs and new releases as the project progresses
• Track every patch applied in every environment
- you won’t want to take all of them forward
- Important to know what’s where if you have more than one instance
• Set a “patch freeze” date prior to the cutover event
• Be aware of patches for a single bug that might contain additional bug fixes. If “one
off” patches are unavailable, you must re-test all affected files.
• List of specific patches for specific issues can be provided
Training
• Depends on number of users, number of testers, use of modules
• Some modules had no training – HR
• Some had full classroom training – AP, Inv
• Some fell in the middle – GL, AR
• Some do remedial training
15. Lessons Learned
If you have interfaces consider this carefully! Oracle will be (partially) down.
Interface Plan
• What systems will be affected by downtime?
• Linked systems
• Interface files to those systems.
• ODBC links/users – turn them off – The DB will be up!
• Process every file and every transaction
• Once and
• Only once
• Will there be format changes or program changes?
• Mitigate the impacts
• Assign specific actions for each interface
• Who will process files?
• When will the files be processed?
• Who needs to know about what affect to what systems?
16. Lessons Learned
Cutover Event
• Cutover planning starts early in the project
• Communicate, Communicate, Communicate –
• No surprises
• Assume nothing
• “Cutover Plan” - instructions should be detailed enough that others could do the steps
in someone’s absence
• Assign the steps – consider passwords and responsibilities (security)
• Practice the steps with each technical upgrade
• Time the steps, automate if possible using Dataloader, SQL, FNDLOAD
• Develop communication plan, fallback plan, 24x7 contact list (including key third-party
vendors), Go/no-go decision support
• Allow time for business team to do some basic testing before the system is open for
business on the first day after cutover
• Manage the impact to interfaced systems (inbound and outbound)
This is what we’ve
trained for people!
17. Lessons Learned
Experience
• Companies considering an upgrade have experienced Oracle Application teams.
• Find someone experienced with the upgrade.
• The upgrades get quicker and less risky as more upgrade experienced people
become available to help.
• Experienced people should provide a head start.
• Cookbook
• Patch lists
• Key risk areas – what to test first
• Coding change examples
• XML Template examples (checks and other payment documents)
• Templates for other project deliverables
• Project plan
• Impact documents
• Starting points for cutover plan
18. Results
STATISTIC – AP and Payments modules comprised a large portion of
the project issues and patches.
1 in every 6 issues Almost 1/3 of patches
Project Issues Log Applications Patches
AP, Payments Other Modules AP, Payments Other Modules
12.0.6 project - 35 Oracle Service Requests (SR’s) for AP/IBY modules
The number was much less for the 12.1.2 project.
19. New in R12
Dr Cr
6 Major Initiatives General & Ledger
Ledger Ledger
Sets
1. Ledger and
Ledger Sets
Subledger Accounting (SLA)
2. Subledger
Accounting Tax Inter Bank
Engine Company
Model
3. MOAC
4. Intercompany
5. Tax Engine Multi-Org
Access
6. Bank Model Control
Inventory Receivables Projects
Work in Process Purchasing Payables 19
20. Major Changes
Payables
• 11i Payables split into 4 parts in R12
• Payables
• Payments
• Tax Who moved my
• Accounting - SLA
cheese?
• Supplier form re-written
• Bank data centralized
• Lines added
• Trial balance and write-offs different with some upgrade concerns
Payments
• All new module
• Some development required
• Numerous setups
WebADI
• Client ADI is gone
• Other modules can be used to fill the gaps.
21. Major Changes
Subledger Accounting
• Create accounting process added to all financial modules
• Affects GL Drill-back
• Some date idiosyncrasies
• Powerful capabilities available (but not required)
• One accounting method change means full new method – decide early
EBTax
• Regime will upgrade but don’t use it!
• Not supported
• Not extendable
• Difficult to use
• Set up a new regime
• Good time to go to a 3rd party provider
• Lots of power – lots of learning
Printing Architecture and BI Publisher
• PASTA is available but not exact
• Some reports need to be opened and printed from Adobe
22. Questions?
For more information, please contact:
Brian Pellot
AXIA Consulting
Brian.Pellot@axiaconsulting.net
http://www.axiaconsulting.net
