Application Implementation Methodology (AIM) Application implmentation methodology which is refered as AIM is developed by the oracle which provides

consultants with an integrated set of Templates, Procedures, Powerpoint presentation, Spreadsheets and Project Plans for implementing the application. AIM has a defined set of project tasks, each task has some deliverable, each deliverable document has a template.Widely known implementation methodology among oracle applications community. Application implementation methodology is a six phased implementation methodology: 1. Definition Phase 2. Operation Analysis Phase 3. Solution Design Phase 4. Build Phase 5. Transition Phase 6. Production Phase Phases are briefly explained below, some of the tasks will ovelap between phases. 1. Definition Phase: During this phase you work on the project plan, scoping and conduct the feasibilty study taking into account project resources like time, people and budget. 2. Operation Analysis Phase: Main activities in this phase are requirements gathering, finalizing future business reguirements, GAP analysis and conversion startegy. 3. Solution Design: Create designs for future business process requirements, customizations and module configurtions are finalized. 4. Build Phase: Coding and testing of customizations, enhancements, interfaces and data conversion. In additions multiple Conference Room Pilots (CRP) testing the integrated system. At the end of the build phase you will have working, tested application for the business. 5. Transition Phase: Deliver finished application to the client. Major activities in this phase are End-user training and support, management of change, and data conversions. 6. Production Phase: Go-Live, production support and maintanance. Using AIM is not mandatory but advantages of AIM overweigh the disadvantages. Some times having your own methods and templates will save time, resources and prove to be more effective. Some consulting companies widely use excel based templates even today. I use both the formats depending on the complexity of the process and volume of the setup data. It is good to have overall idea of the whole process but not everybody will use every format, you typically use the templates that are specific to your area of work. You as a consultant is not expected to know each and every format and template.

Advantages: - Good for complex and big projects as it reduces the risk of ERP projects. - Builds documentation library, knowledge management, project communication made easy and reference material. - Readily available formats. Disadvantages: - Difficult to scale down the AIM process for small companies - Cost involved with documenting every task of project tasks - Small customers prefer custom formats to AIM formats - AIM formats are not completely required for simple processes. Note: AIM phases are similar to SDLC phases but with oracle application specific tasks and templates, so it is not completely incorrect to call it "Oracle SDLC". For detailed notes and information on formats for each deliverable refer to AIM Handbook from Oracle.

RICE/CEMLI Terminology: AIM (Applications Implementation Methodology) => During packaged ERP(enterprise resource planning) implementations, Clients often have additional requirements apart from the existing (standard) business process, for which they need to create/change theVanila system (Unchanged ERP Implemented system) processes, and its these changes that come under RICE/RICEW components. AIM is the methodology/standards/published guidelines, which Oracle suggests it's Clients to follow while developing RICE/RICEW components for their business requirements.

RICE stands for Reports, Interfaces, Conversions, Enhancements / Extensions ----> Sometimes extended to FRICE > F for Forms ------- OR RICEW > W for Workflow ------Forms/Reports/Workflows : Create/Change existing forms/reports/workflows available in ERP system to meet the Clients business requirements. Interfaces : Linking (Programs) between other systems to ERP system in order to synchronize the Data.They can be Manual, Batch or Real-Time. Interfaces can be either outbound or inbound. An outbound interface reads data from Oracle Apps tables and usually creates output files in the third party tool specified format. An inbound interface reads data from flat files (usually) and calls Oracle APIs to upload data into Oracle Apps. Conversion : It is converting the data structure and data design of legacy system data to satisfy the customers business rules before importing it into Oracle .It is like a one time run of an inbound interface except that the amount of data processed during conversion could be potentially huge since all the required data from the legacy system would be transferred to Oracle. Enhancements/Extensions : Please see below. >> In R12 RICE components have been extended to CEMLI components. -------CEMLI Stands for Configurations/Customization, Extension, Modification, Localization, and Integration. Configurations : Configure the existing, pre-built application features according to your client's requirement.Changing setups and profile values can be the example of configurations. Customization : Customization means altering/changing the standard objects or creation of custom object to meet client's business need. It may be Extensions or Modifications. Extensions : Extension means creating custom code from scratch, existing objects (views, packages and java classes etc) can be used. It is having different behaviour from seeded one. Modifications : Modifications is enhancing/changing the existing code to meet the client's requirements. It is the modification of seeded behaviour. Localization : It is to define the different legislative support provided by oracle Applications based on country/region/language requirements. Integration : It can be Data Integration or Application Integration, options for these two are Open Interface tables, APIs, EAI(Enterprise Application Integration Tools), BPEL, AQ, EDI etc. >> Apart from these there is one more term and that is Personalization. Personalization : Tailoring the layout or visibility of page content to meet client requirements is Personalization. Changing the user interface (UI) look-and-feel, making any field visible/enabled/disabled/mandatory/non mandatory comes under Personalization. >> There are many guidelines and risks related to RICE/CEMLI components, but thats for some other day, here Ill restrict myself to overview of these terminologies.