Ebusiness Suite 1 Jeannie Dobney Oracle Project Management For Users of Project Costing Billingpdf1400

Oracle Project Management
for Users of Project Costing / Billing

Jeannie Dobney and
Loretta Bayliss Prescience Technology
(updated paper available from jdobney.com)
The most comprehensive Oracle applications & technology content under one roof
Objectives
This paper asks and attempts to answer:
If you already use Oracle Project Costing and
Billing, what value does Oracle Project
Management add?
Are the HTML pages just another way of looking
at the same data?
With the authors thanks to the
Ipswich City Council support team for the questions above.
Voltaire: Judge of a man by his questions rather than by his answers.
Agenda
Brief history of the Oracle Projects Suite
The value Oracle Project Management
proposition
Implications of the introduction of Oracle
Project Management
Overview of some of the available similar
functionality (including gotchas and irritations)
First, a little history

Once upon a time
Oracle released the Project Accounting application c.1993
Included the functionality we now know as Project
Foundation and Project Costing - with Billing added soon
Those were the dim, dark ages of character based Apps, although Projects was converted to GUI Forms fairly
quickly so most early Projects adopters recall it as a
purely Forms based product
Projects introduced the HTML interface when the Oracle
Projects Suite was introduced (c.2005)
So just a short digression about user interfaces
Oracle Projects chronology

Oracle Projects suite milestones
2006
2005
2004
2002
2002
2000
2003
2003
2004
2000
1998
1996
1995
1996
1994
Project
Portfolio
Planning
Project
Intelligence
Project
Collaboration
Project
Management
Project
Resource
Management
Project
Foundation
Project
Billing
Project
Costing
Original Release Date
Slide is reproduced from http://www.cronininc.com

Character Based Apps
Note that this screen is from Oracle Cost Management,

not Project Accounting
GUI Forms Interface
Also known as the Professional User interface

HTML Interface
Also known as the Applications Framework Interface

Oracle Projects Apps Interfaces

Some modules are primarily designed for
HTML others for Forms
Slide is from Oracle Projects Suite- Security Options by Timothy Cronin

Projects HTML vs.. Forms

Selected functionality by HTML or Forms
Slide is from
Oracle Projects Suite- Security Options by Timothy Cronin
So.
The initial answer to the HTML Pages question is:
They were created to support the expanded
Oracle Projects Suite.
You must use the HTML pages if you wish to use
specialised functionality such as that available
through Project Resource Management
For most of us Oracle Project Management may
be the most relevant new Application and
coincidentally has led to some of the most
obvious parallel and shared functionality

Some of the apparently similar functionality
was introduced to support Oracle Project
Management, for example:
Forms
HTML
Budgets
Financial Plans
Project Status Inquiry
Project Performance Reporting
Resource Lists
Planning Resource Lists &

Resource Breakdown Structures
So lets look at the value proposition for using

Oracle Project Management first and then
return to specific (shared) HTML functionality
The Project Managers Tools

(prior to Oracle Project Management )
Information Requirement
Cost Vs. Budget
Work schedule (Gantt chart)
Risk management
Issue management
Stakeholder comms
Deliverables
Change Requests
Status Reporting
Software / Tool (examples)

Oracle Project Costing
MS Projects or Primavera
Document
Spread sheet
Email
Intranet (for storage etc.)
Document
Assembled laboriously from
all of the above
Imagine a Solution.
Develop your work schedule in MS Projects
Import it into Oracle Projects to generate a budget from the work
plan based on rates stored in Oracle
Link changes in complex work plans to integrated (simpler) financial
plans (i.e. update once and replicated across systems in background)
Link the budget variation process into new budget versions
Publish updates automatically to the teams homepages (no more
ignored emails or use of out-dated plan versions)
Tailor those team home pages to focus on key data and automate
the display of current tasks
Store issue lists in the same place and add the ability to assign and
track actions for them
Workflow supported and semi-automated production and publication
of project status reports from this integrated project data
A Day in the Life of the PM

The Project Status Report is due...
Is the project within budget?

What is the progress against schedule?
What risks does the project face?
What is the status of logged issues?
What is the status of change requests?
Where can deliverable documents be accessed for review?
Where are other project documents stored?
(Project Management Plan etc.)
Oracle Projects can provide a repository of all this

information and semi-automate the production of
status reports if required.
A Day in the Life of the PM, cont...

Time for a project team meeting, need to:
Review the schedule for upcoming milestones etc.

Focus the team on those upcoming tasks
Identify any roadblocks, tasks which have not been completed
Review progress on issues assigned to the team
Gather input about potential risks etc.
Oracle Projects can provide:

A team member home page which pushes specifically relevant
upcoming tasks (and actions required for issue resolution) to
each team member
Allow decentralised updating of issues assigned to team
members
Allow decentralised percentage complete entry for tasks
Checklist for an Integrated PM Solution

Workplans / progress tracking
Cost against budget tracking
Status reporting (multiple audiences?):
detail and / or traffic light status
Sharing / repository of deliverables
Repository of other project documentation
Issue tracking
Risk Register ?
Change Requests / Orders
Stakeholder communications (push / pull?)
Team member home page / communication method

Available functionality includes:
Parallel integrated WBS structures
i.e. Workplan, Financial (and Deliverables)
Integration with Project Management tools such as MS Projects and
PrimaVera
Budget generation from work-plans
Configurable HTML pages for reporting and project communication
(using page layout functionality and Framework personalisations)
Includes performance and exception reporting (incl. traffic lights)
Attachment functionality for storage of project documents
Sophisticated access control by project role
Progress reporting: Workflow supported and semi-automated
production of project status reports
Change orders that can be linked to budget changes
Issue lists etc.
A Quick Tour of Oracle Project Management
Gantt Chart / work plans

Cost against budget tracking
Status reporting
Repository of project documents
Issue tracking and change orders
Team member and stakeholder
communication
Workplans Gantt Chart View
Workplans Dependencies
Workplans Resource Assignment
Integration: Oracle Proj Mgmt and

Schedule Management Software
Structure Mapping
Workplans may be integrated with specialised project

management tools e.g. MS projects.
(If you do not use workplans, some HTML page functionality
may not be applicable e.g. Earned Value Management)
Project Performance Reporting

Uses the same basic cost data as the project
status inquiry (PSI) window, however
It includes:
Periodic and QTD display
An ability to report in multiple currencies or
calendars useful for multi-nationals
It also displays earned value analysis and progress
against plan in effort terms
Users can personalise their own views
Requires additional update processes
Analysis of Costs by Task
Analysis of Cost by Resource
Budgeting and Forecasting
Standard Earned Value Reporting
Earned Value Management (EVM)

A key advantage of combining work tracking
and cost tracking in one system is the ability to
do EVM reporting
EVM is a project management practice that
integrates:
Schedule
Scope
Cost
EVM measures the value of work performed

From an Open World Presentation:
Oracle Project & Portfolio Management
for DoD Earned Value Compliance
Oracle Status Reporting

Create Status Reports
Management
Team
Different reports for different

audiences
Automatic reminders for due reports
Project
Task One 80%
Project
Task Two 24%
Task
One 80%
Project
Task
Three 50%
Task Two 24%
Task One 80%
Task Three 50%
Task Two 24%
Existing project info automatically

included
Exec. summary with status indicator
Enter additional textual details
Task Three 50%
Customer
Publish Status Report

Send to stakeholders
Online or email access
Track history
These slides from Carl Morleys OpenWorld 2010 presentation
Attachments
(Project Documentation Repository)
Issue Lists and Change Control
Team Member Home Page
Slide is from a 2004 Oracle presentation

Project List View
Exception Reporting - KPIs

Key Performance Areas
Exception
Financial
Cost Variance %
Single Project Status

Overall
Project
Status
Schedule
Cost Variance %
Exceptions
10 % and more
0 to 10%
-1% and less
Execute
So Why Would You Not Use It?

Does it fit with your organisations project management (PMO)
practice and project development process?
What are the preferred tools already in use by your PMO, e.g.
substantial investment in the use of an Intranet?
Whos running the implementation and can they sell an
integrated business process to the PMO?
How much of your project management work is outsourced
and what impact will that have?
How do contractors fit in your project process (Oracle Projects
supports them but will your IT and HR department?)
Have you factored in the system maintenance and training
required for another software tool?
So
Some functionality is new and unique to the
HTML pages and may offer value to existing
users
However, this powerful functionality involves
complexity and there are some gotchas and
annoyances
Oracle Implementation and User Guides, dont
make a clear distinction between features and
functions available and usable in Forms vs.
HTML
The Same or Similar

Some functionality may be used in either
Forms or HTML, e.g. project definition
Existing users of Project Costing are probably
licensed to use this type of functionality (cf
MOS # 815154.1 and similar notes)
Some Billing and Capital project functionality
only exists in Forms
HTML Dates may default in non-intuitive ways
to Forms users (refer MOS # 361507.1)
Different Name, Same Feature

Customers and Contacts in Forms is the same as
Billing Accounts in HTML pages
Key Members in Forms is the same as Team
Members in HTML pages
DFF defined at Project-level in Forms displays in
the Other Information section of Additional
Information in HTML pages
DFF defined at Financial Task-level in Forms
displays in the Other Task Information section of
HTML pages
User Defined Attributes (UDAs)

UDAs like context sensitive descriptive
flexfields (DFFs) that are only accessible from
the HTML-based application pages
DFFs may be visible in both interfaces
Both may require custom reporting
Data from both can be used for
AutoAccounting, Account Generation and
Subledger Accounting (R12)
User Defined Attributes: Complete Solution

User Defined Attributes appear for projects and tasks based on the
context and the level
Context
Data Level Usage
Project Type
Project
Enable a set of attributes based on
and/or Task a specific project type
Class
Category
Project
and/or Task a specific project class category
Class Code
Project
and/or Task a specific project class code
Task Type
Task

a specific task type
UDA slides are from a presentation by Carl Morley
at Oracle OpenWorld 2010
Budgets Vs. Financial Plans

New HTML Plan Types introduced in 2005
Existing Budget Types convertible during upgrade
Enhanced budgeting unique to HTML pages:
Excel data input (via webADI) is standard functionality
Budget amounts may be generated from work plans using
planning rates
Initial Forecast version created from original budget and then
generated from actuals etc.. using ETC methods
Different implementation path to use Budgetary Control

and/or Budget Integration (Forms budgets)
New HTML Plan types are not compatible with
Budgetary Control and Budget Integration functionality
Forms Budgets vs. HTML Financial Plans

A key implementation decision
Conceptually the same however quite different
system functionality:
Do you need Budgetary Control / Integration?
(If so, use Forms Budgets)
Will you integrate workplans and use EVA? (Use HTML)
HTML Financial Plans have standard Excel integration
(webADI), however, More4Apps provides the same
functionality for Forms (if this is the only drawcard)
Resource Lists
Interface
Budgeting
Reporting
Forms
Resource Lists
Resource Lists
HTML
Planning Resource Lists
Resource Breakdown Structure
Forms Budgets use Resource Lists for

budgeting and reporting
HTML Financial Plans use Planning Resource
Lists for budgeting and Resource Breakdown
Structures for reporting
Also note: PSI implications (MOS # 405219.1)
Resource Lists
An upgrade process is available
After running UPG: Upgrade Resource Lists to
Planning Resource Lists process:
Subsequent changes are propagated from the
original Resource List to the upgraded
Planning Resource List (but not the RBS)
HTML Project Home Page
Conclusions

for Users of Project Costing / Billing
Loretta Bayliss
Managing Director, Prescience Technology
Vice-President, AUSOUG (Qld)
www.prescience.com.au
Agenda
A Users Perspective
Oracle PjM
Is it my tool of choice?
Lorettas tools of choice include:
Oracle PjM
Microsoft Project Server
Primavera EPPM
Order of the day is largely defined by client requirements

and corporate PMO mandates.
Oracle PjM
Is it my tool of choice?
Narrowing it down further:
Oracle PjM
Microsoft Project Server
Primavera EPPM
This combination does have the potential to provide a true

enterprise platform.
Words of (?) Wisdom

System and Process
Do not expect a miracle, or a golden goose
Either from Oracle PjM or Primavera
Understand the impacts on/from other Oracle modules

Oracle PjM does not operate in isolation
Plan for and build up to the change

an enterprise model is not achieved overnight
Use all of the tools/reports at your disposal until the

enterprise model is sufficiently robust to support project,
program & portfolio
Costing, Billing, AP, PO, AR, OTL can all add value
Questions & Comments
From the coal face
Hein Bouman, Information Systems Manager, Tourism Australia
Prescience Technology is on our Oracle E-Business services supplier panel. They are a
niche player who know the area in which they operate. They have a good
knowledge of the product and the market; access to skilled resources;

and a good understanding of the requirements, especially if a problem is a bit more
difficult. They apply their expertise and do the analysis, without trying to run too
fast.
My experience with Prescience Technology over the past four years gives me the
absolute confidence to recommend them for Oracle related projects and support.
Prescience demonstrates professionalism and maturity and is committed to
working closely with us to deliver clear value for money and outcomes that
either meet or exceed Tourism Australias expectations, every time.

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Oracle Project Management

for Users of Project Costing / Billing

First, a little history

Oracle Projects chronology

Original Release Date

Slide is reproduced from http://www.cronininc.com

Character Based Apps

Note that this screen is from Oracle Cost Management,

GUI Forms Interface

Also known as the Professional User interface

Also known as the Applications Framework Interface

Oracle Projects Apps Interfaces

Slide is from Oracle Projects Suite- Security Options by Timothy Cronin

Projects HTML vs.. Forms

Oracle Project Management

Project Status Inquiry

Project Performance Reporting

Planning Resource Lists &

So lets look at the value proposition for using

The Project Managers Tools

Software / Tool (examples)

A Day in the Life of the PM

Is the project within budget?

Oracle Projects can provide a repository of all this

A Day in the Life of the PM, cont...

Review the schedule for upcoming milestones etc.

Oracle Projects can provide:

Checklist for an Integrated PM Solution

Oracle Project Management

A Quick Tour of Oracle Project Management

Gantt Chart / work plans

Workplans Gantt Chart View

Workplans Resource Assignment

Integration: Oracle Proj Mgmt and

Workplans may be integrated with specialised project

Project Performance Reporting

Analysis of Costs by Task

Analysis of Cost by Resource

Budgeting and Forecasting

Standard Earned Value Reporting

Earned Value Management (EVM)

EVM measures the value of work performed

Oracle Status Reporting

Different reports for different

Existing project info automatically

Task Three 50%

Publish Status Report

Issue Lists and Change Control

Team Member Home Page

Slide is from a 2004 Oracle presentation

Project List View

Exception Reporting - KPIs

Single Project Status

So Why Would You Not Use It?

The Same or Similar

Different Name, Same Feature

User Defined Attributes (UDAs)

User Defined Attributes: Complete Solution

Data Level Usage

Enable a set of attributes based on

Budgets Vs. Financial Plans

Different implementation path to use Budgetary Control

Forms Budgets vs. HTML Financial Plans