Oracle Applications
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oaug.org November, 2009 Volume IX / Issue 11

In This Issue

IT Convergence and the OAUG team up to bring you Oracle Applications Workshops!

The OAUG and ITC partnership brings you a cost effective, dynamic classroom experience that goes far beyond the click step instructions available elsewhere. Experience sessions on R12, OBIEE, 11g and other Oracle solutions and benefit from this combination of expertise and experience by learning pragmatic best-practice tips based on examples drawn from live business situations.

IT Convergence

Register today for the November and December Workshops!

The best news is, the cost of attending these workshops is already low, and OAUG Members receive a 25% discount!

Review a complete list of available sessions and dates and register today!

OAUG News

President’s Corner

2009 OAUG President Ray Payne

2009 OAUG President Ray Payne

Last week I had the opportunity to participate in the Oracle Customer Services Day that was held in Baltimore, Md. This was definitely a day well spent. Oracle’s efforts to help customers understand and better use the support services they are already paying for is a great service.

Many organizations are spending as much as 70 to 80 percent of their IT budgets supporting current infrastructure — a huge but necessary commitment, especially as pressures to increase productivity and cut costs continue to mount. Yet, according to Oracle, many of its customers fail to use the majority of the support resources that are available to them.

Throughout the year, Oracle hosts Customer Services Day events to help customers learn about ways to get the most out of Oracle Customer Services. When an Oracle Customer Services Day comes to your city, don’t miss this opportunity to see how you can gain more value from your existing support agreements. Visit Oracle’s Web site to see the schedule of Oracle Customer Services Day events for the remainder of 2009.

Also, remember that the OAUG Customer Support Council has a long-standing relationship with the Oracle Support organization. The council works to provide information and assistance to members and convey members’ feedback to Oracle. Visit the OAUG Customer Support Council Web page for information and links to helpful resources.

 — Ray Payne, OAUG President

OAUG News from Oracle OpenWorld 2009

Each year, the OAUG contributes to the overall Oracle OpenWorld experience by bringing many excellent presentations and networking meetings to the conference agenda. 2009 was no exception. In addition, the OAUG celebrated the camaraderie and many achievements of the far-reaching, global community of Oracle users, product and service providers, and Oracle associates.

Special accomplishments of note include:

  • OpenWorld Live: Oracle Publishing Interviews OAUG President Ray Payne
  • OAUG Hosts 52 Special Interest Group (SIG) Meetings
  • OAUG Member Companies Receive 2009 Oracle Innovation Awards
  • Oracle Associates Recognized for Outstanding Service to the OAUG Community
  • Patricia Dues Named Oracle Magazine User Group Evangelist of the Year for 2009
  • OAUG Fusion Council Explores Next-Generation Applications User Experience
  • Subject Matter Experts Headline OAUG Education Sessions

Read the full wrap-up report on the OAUG Web site.

The OAUG Announces 2010 Board of Directors

The OAUG has selected its 2010 board of directors as a result of the organization’s elections in October. Members of 2010’s board are: John Bushell, JT&M Bushell; Mark Clark, O2Works; Carol Conine, Carnival Corporation & PLC; Patricia Dues, City of Las Vegas; David Ferguson, Diebold, Inc.; Patrick Gresham, Chick-fil-A; Joseph Imbimbo, Carnegie Mellon University; Raymond Payne, The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory; Anne Ristau, FMT Systems; Betsy Rothwell, Ontario Ministry of Government Services; John Stouffer, Individual Associate Member; Floyd Teter, Jet Propulsion Laboratory; Jan Wagner, NATO and Margaret Wright, Southern Company. For more information, visit the OAUG Web site.

The OAUG Turns 20!

OAUG: Celebrating 20 Years

The OAUG is celebrating 20 years of sharing knowledge and experiences for the Oracle Applications community!

It all started with a small group of users willing to help with quality issues; they organized to effectively compare and communicate collective experiences between users and Oracle. Now the OAUG is thousands of users strong with a global reach that makes the OAUG the largest and most established group supporting users of Oracle Applications. Take a walk down memory lane and visit the OAUG 20th Anniversary Web page for information, photos and other great memories.

You can also join us in this year of celebration — become an OAUG 20th Anniversary Partner! Your support will fund various 20-year celebration initiatives.

  • Bronze Partner $3,000
  • Silver Partner $5,500
  • Gold Partner $10,000

Contact Christine Hilgert to learn more.

New Executive Director, COO Join the OAUG

The OAUG has hired Steven R. Hughes as its new executive director and Karl M. Kirsch, CAE, as chief operating officer.

The OAUG executive director advises and assists the OAUG Board of Directors on the formulation and implementation of the organization’s strategies, objectives, goals and policies. The COO completes the executive management team and helps translate strategy into tactical plans and shares responsibility to manage the daily operations of the OAUG in support of objectives, quality targets and cost-effectiveness goals. (More …)

COLLABORATE 10 Exhibitors: Advance Booth Selection Begins December 1

Advance booth selection for COLLABORATE 10: Technology and Applications Forum for the Oracle Community begins December 1. Organizations submitting contracts prior to November 24 will participate in this advance selection of booth space.

As a marketing professional it’s important to find opportunities that not only give your company great exposure, but also maximize the value of your participation with your prospects and clients. At the OAUG, we understand your needs and want to partner with you as you look for that next event to showcase your innovative products and services to the Oracle Applications users community.

Your COLLABORATE 10 experience awaits you. Contact us today for details or to sign up! Don’t delay; pricing for COLLABORATE 10 will increase by the end of the year!

Is Your OAUG Membership Profile Up to Date?

Make sure you are getting the most out of your OAUG membership, including the most current information, news and event announcements. Update your individual membership profile today!

Key Contacts: The end of the year is a great time to update your organization’s membership records — add or delete contact names, verify your mailing address, subscribe to publications. Make sure everyone on your team is benefitting from your company’s OAUG membership.

Questions? Contact Katie Truex at ktruex@oaug.com or +1 404.760.2876.

2009 OAUG board member Patrick Gresham

Patrick Gresham, member of the OAUG board of directors, speaks to attendees at the Oracle Customer Services Day in Atlanta.

Oracle Customer Services Day Open House Wows Atlanta, Baltimore

On November 4 and 5, the OAUG co-hosted Oracle Customer Services Day open house events in Atlanta and Baltimore. Led by some of the top executives from Oracle’s North American support centers, the open house focused on how customers can optimize support services to get more from their Oracle investments. OAUG board member Patrick Gresham and OAUG President Ray Payne also spoke to attendees in Atlanta and Baltimore, respectively, about the benefits of belonging to a users group. (More …)

Upcoming Oracle Customer Services day open house events will be held in Montreal, Phoenix and Austin. Visit the Oracle events Web page for details. (More …)

The OAUG Monthly Poll

The October OAUG Monthly Poll asked respondents to share information about their training preferences. Of those who responded to the survey, the majority reported that:

  • Their company would be willing spend between $1,000 and $3,000 for an individual to attend IT training.
  • It is more important for trainers to have experience deploying and adapting solutions in business environments rather than detailed functional and technical knowledge.
  • Courses covering Oracle Applications, Oracle Fusion Middleware and BI Apps, and IT infrastructure are equally relevant.

Want to share your insights and opinions about the things affecting you and your organization? Take this month’s short OAUG poll: “Managing the Application Lifecycle.”

Complimentary Webinar: Automated Invoice Processing for Oracle® E-Business Suite

Monday, December 7, 2009, 2 p.m. Eastern / 11 a.m. Pacific

Eliminate paper and reduce AP headaches with proven integration that delivers real-time invoice visibility, reduced incidence of duplicate invoices and payments, and accelerated invoice processing cycles. Register now!

Bottomline Technologies
1.800.472.1321
transform@bottomline.com

Oracle News

E-Business Suite 12.1.2 Release Content Documents Now Available

Oracle E-Business Suite Release 12.1.1 was released in early May 2009. The next upcoming release will be EBS 12.1.2. The Release Content Documents (RCD) for Apps 12.1.2 have now been published, in advance of the actual General Availability of R12.1.2. These Release Content Documents describe new or changed functionality introduced in the Oracle E-Business Suite Release 12.1 and 12.1.x Release Update Packs. (More …)

Oracle WebLogic Suite Webcast

Looking to reduce IT operational costs while maintaining business continuity and superior runtime? Then discover why you should upgrade your current standalone application server to Oracle WebLogic Suite in this live Webcast on November 19 or December 3, 1 p.m. EST/10 a.m. PST.

Classic MetaLink Retires

With the retirement of Classic MetaLink, My Oracle Support aims to help customers avoid problems, realize faster problem resolution and improve systems stability. Learn more about My Oracle Support and the transition from Classic Metalink on Oracle’s Web site.

White Paper: The Oracle Enterprise Architecture Framework

Learn how the Oracle Enterprise Architecture Framework provides a streamlined technology-agnostic framework (PDF file) that helps Oracle work collaboratively with customers to develop strategic roadmaps and architecture solutions that enable business and IT alignment.

Training Webcasts: Transitioning to My Oracle Support

Oracle Global Customer Support upgraded My Oracle Support during the weekend of November 6-8, 2009, to become the single online support platform for all Oracle products. At that time, Classic MetaLink was retired.

Review the schedule of free live training Webcasts to guide you through details associated with the upgrade — including information on changes to key areas such as user authentication, Service Request (SR) history and SR numbers.

Vendor Product Awareness Sessions

A learning opportunity for OAUG members! Participate in these free educational sessions that are held several times each month. The interactive teleconference or Webcast sessions provide information about a variety of products and services that complement Oracle Applications. Upcoming sessions are listed below. Session abstracts are available on the OAUG Web site.

If your company is interested in hosting a VPA session, please refer to the OAUG VPA provider information page or contact Denise Quashie, OAUG director, strategic relations, at +1 404.760.8159 or dquashie@oaug.com.

OAUG Conference and Event Updates

COLLABORATE 10: Technology and Applications Forum for the Oracle Community

COLLABORATE 10: Technology and Applications Forum for the Oracle Community

April 18-22, 2010
Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

Play to Win at COLLABORATE 10

The COLLABORATE 10 — OAUG Forum is set for April 18-22, 2010, in Las Vegas, Nevada. If you attend only one conference next year, make it count — make it COLLABORATE. In today’s challenging business environment, when organizations are pushing for performance from every critical resource, COLLABORATE 10 delivers user-led training and connections to technology leaders and industry strategists that can have an immediate and positive impact in your organization. Watch for education session details to be announced next month.

Looking for ways to make your COLLABORATE experience more affordable? We understand and have provided a variety of savings opportunities in our Cost-Cutting Corner. The easiest way to save is to register early. Early bird rates — available only for a limited time — save you $400.

COLLABORATE 10 Exhibitors: Advance Booth Selection Begins December 1

Advance booth selection for COLLABORATE 10: Technology and Applications Forum for the Oracle Community begins December 1. Get all the details online.

The COLLABORATE 10 Call for Papers Has Closed

Thank you to everyone who submitted a presentation for consideration for COLLABORATE 10 — OAUG Forum. The call for presentations has closed. Accepted presenters will be notified in December 2009.

Get more information about presenting at COLLABORATE 10, including tracks, specific industry- or product-related areas of emphasis, presenter requirements and important dates and deadlines. Please contact OAUG Speaker Programs if you have any questions.

COLLABORATE 10: Technology and Applications Forum for the Oracle Community is presented by Independent Oracle Users Group (IOUG), the Oracle Applications Users Group (OAUG) and Quest International Users Group (Quest).

Oracle with 20:20 Foresight 2009

Presented by Australian Oracle User Group (AUSOUG), OAUG and ODTUG

November 10-11, 2009
Burswood Entertainment Complex
Perth, Western Australia
November 16-17, 2009
Sebel Albert Park Hotel
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

More information about Oracle with 20:20 Foresight 2009 is available on the AUSOUG Web site.

OAUG LINK 09

OAUG LINK 09
November 17-19, 2009
InterContinental Dallas Hotel
Addison, TX

OAUG LINK 09 is the only national conference that is 100 percent focused on users of Oracle/PeopleSoft Financial, Supply Chain and Supplier Relationship Management applications.

With topics ranging from Financial to Supply Chain Modules, below are some of the educational opportunities you will be able to take advantage of:

  • Automated Functional Testing for your PeopleSoft Application
  • 9.1 Accounts Receivable Collections Workbench
  • 9.1 PeopleSoft Expenses
  • Why and How to Summarize and Archive Project Data
  • Accounts Receivables / Accounts Payable Netting
  • 9.1 Supply Chain Module Enhancements Overview
  • 9.1 Supplier Relationship Module Enhancements
  • Functional Area Roundtables
  • eCommerce (B2B and B2C)
  • Customized Heuristics for Integrated Manufacturing Planning
  • Business Process Design for the Buyer Planner Role

Register now.

More information is available on the OAUG LINK 09 Web site:

Visit the OAUG LINK 09 conference Web site for more information.

DOAG 2009 — Conference + Exhibition

November 17-19, 2009
CongressCenter Nuremberg East
Nuremberg, Germany

More information is available on the DOAG 2009 — Conference + Exhibition conference Web site.

UKOUG Conference Series

Technology & E-Business Suite 2009
November 30 - December 2, 2009
ICC, Birmingham, UK

Get more from your Oracle investments at the UKOUG Conference Series Technology & E-Business Suite 2009. More information is available on the conference Web site.

OAUG Connection Point® 2010 Seminars Offer Unique One-Stop Education and Networking

OAUG Connection Point® 2010

OAUG Connection Point 2010 seminars offer high-impact training and networking in a focused two-day format. A team of renowned speakers and Oracle executives lead sessions and discussions.

Check the OAUG Connection Point 2010 Web site for details and regular updates. Registration opens soon. Save the date for one of more of these OAUG Connection Point events.

OAUG Connection Point — Enterprise Performance Management
22-23 February, 2010
New Jersey, USA

Tracks:

  • Budget, Forecasting & Planning
  • Financial Consolidations & Reporting
  • Business Intelligence & Analytics
  • The Office of the CFO
  • EPM Product Roadmap

This event is ideal for accounting and finance professionals of all experience levels, internal audit staff with a focus on external and compliance reporting areas, and IT professionals who need to understand what the accounting and finance groups need to achieve.

OAUG Connection Point — Dubai
17-18 March, 2010

Topics include:

  • Oracle New Features / Future Directions
  • Fusion Middleware 11g
  • Applications Architecture and Infrastructure
  • Customer Relationship Management (CRM)
  • Human Resources
  • Projects

This event is ideal for Oracle customers in the following industries: Public Sector and Healthcare, Manufacturing — Retail and Distribution, Oil and Gas, Financial Services, Communications, Utilities and Transportation.

OAUG Connection Point — Budapest
4-5 May, 2010

OAUG Connection Point — Budapest is presented in partnership with the German Oracle Users Group (DOAG) and the Hungarian Oracle Users Group.

Topics include:

  • Business Intelligence
  • Customer Relationship Management (CRM)
  • Supply Chain Management
  • Integration & Custom Development
  • Applications Architecture & Infrastructure

This event is ideal for Oracle customers in the following industries: Manufacturing, Services, Wholesale / Retail and Public Sector / Government.

User Community News

Upcoming Geo/SIG Meetings

Click on the links for details regarding registration, agendas, presenter and sponsorship opportunities.

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