Demantra 12.2.5.1 New Features

Oracle released Demantra 12.2.5.1 some time back and there is already a patch on top of the first release which is mandatory for 12.2.5.x customers. With this release though Oracle has brought in couple of interesting enhancements to Demantra and OOTB integration. Here is a summary of what's new per in Demand Management module, no other modules have any additional features in this release.

• Site level integration with EBS enhanced: EBS-DM integration enhanced to allow clients collect historical sales into Demantra from EBS Order Management at account or customer level of Site hierarchy. This used to be a typical customization at client locations and with this option surely customers with EBS integration implementing Demantra or looking for upgrades will be able to leverage this OOTB feature now. Implementing this option will also take care of concerns in later upgrades/patches to EBS side as this becomes a supported option.
• Improved Security: Earlier releases used HTTP calls to communicate between modeler/engine/application server mainly, also allowed a user within firewall to launch engine or other calls if they had the right URL. Calling methodology now uses database layer & oracle wallet to improve security. 
• Enhanced Workflow Tool: Few small but handy changes like SAVE AS option to copy a workflow definition & ability to view(no changes allowed if not an owner) workflow definition owned by other users. Additionally an importance enhancement to allow indicating in workflow step, from which step workflow should restart in case of failures. This surely adds to recovery ability of workflows.
• Global instance enhanced timezone support: User's timezone will be considered in worksheets or any other user actions like simulation launch. E.g. history and first forecast bucket will transition based of user's timezone and not based of instance system timezone.
• Intermittent flag to IO: Inventory Optimization module now gets an intermittency indicator along with Forecast and forecast accuracy which it leverages to improve Safety stock & Service level. 
• Mobility Support enhanced: Demantra Anywhere now supports most regular worksheet functionality, additionally users can launch methods, run simulations, and introduce new products. 
• GUI: Improved GUI for better user experience. New release also allows selecting a pre 7.3.1.4 UI or revised 7.3.1.4 UI or latest 12.2.5.1 interface. 
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Demantra @ Kaiser Permanente

Kaiser Permanente went live with Demantra, ready more about their supply chain journey @

http://onforb.es/1rWDWDZ

Oracle's Demantra 12.2.1 released !

Oracle last month released 12.2.1 version of Demantra. This version was long over due for release and it finally is available for all customers. One can download the new version from Oracle's E-Delivery.

Though be careful, as this version can either be installed as stand alone or it can be installed along with VCP 12.2.1 version only. For using the VCP/EBS - Demantra standard integration, one has to be a 12.2.1 version of VCP.

One of the key feature of this release is having the ability to utilize both weekly and Gregorian calendars in one data model itself.

VCP 12.2 release and EBS11i source?

Key points to remember:

• VCP 12.2.X release will not be supported with EBS11i source, for customers who wish to upgrade to VCP12.2.X release in future will need to upgrade their EBS platform to either 12.1 or 12.2. 
• Customers wishing to stay put on EBS 11i will have to stay on VCP12.1.X version and on Demantra 7.3.1.X version.
• Latest released supported version for EBS11i source is VCP 12.1.3.8 and Demantra 7.3.1.4

Note: Demantra 7.3.1.5 is in making and should be released soon. Also Demantra 12.2.1 release is expected to be released sometime this year. New Demantra CDP module announcement though makes release of Demantra 12.2 during this FY improbable. 

Consumer Driven Planning Module announced @ VCP Summit

Oracle announced two new Exa system offerings which will be released towards end of FY 2013. The intend is to provide customers with Exa enterprise systems with packaged solution with faster planning capabilities.

• Consumer Driven Planning(CDP) on Exa
• Performance Driven Planning(PDP) on Exa

Consumer Driven Planning module will use Demantra system capabilities on top of Exa systems to empower customers with a system which will be significantly faster(10hours to 10 mins kindda) and will be capable to handle huge volume of consumer level POS data. Oracle indicated that CDP will be a new module(the name may change though) under Demantra Suite offering and should be released along with VCP 12.1.3.9. Later R12.2 release will embed this new module along with PDP module offering. 

Initial release of Demantra's CDP module will mainly support:

 - POS based forecasting at multiple levels within a single Demantra instance. 

 - Store level data storage and forecasting

 - Bottoms up forecasting using Sell Thru data

 - Sell-in forecast derivation based on Sell Thru forecast

 - Store life cycle management (new store launch, store closures etc) 

 - Multi Channel Sell-in calculation based of consumption data

 - Replenishment planning 

 - Configurable Safety Stock calculations(simple rule based to statistical based)

Later releases are planned to support packaged PTP and DSR Exa systems. 

Oracle understands that some Demantra customers like Electronic Arts have already implemented similar processes using Custom configurations and integration. This new module is supposed to provide such functionality out of the gate in a packaged Exa Enterprise system for customers ease. We will wait to see more information and details about the new modules from Oracle soon. 

New "Guided Resolution" for Demantra

After a good success of Oracle Community concept released earlier by Oracle Support, we are seeing them taking another step forward in form of "Guided Resolution" for Demantra application. The concept basically better organizes previous resolutions for known or fixed issues related to Demantra product. 

They have started with five topics:

• Data loading related issues (Note Id 1461899.1)
• Data loading issues not related to error codes (Note Id  1468884.1)
• Workflow related issues (Note Id 1353217.l)
• Worksheet related issues (Note Id 1486639.1)
• Engine related issues (Note Id 1486634.1)

Guided resolution page look:

Refer to below note for more details around what is this new concept and how to use it. 

How to Use the Demantra Guided Resolution, a Proactive Services Tutorial.  Note 1473992.1

Demantra 7.3.1.3 version released

Demantra 7.3.1.3 version was released recently for customers.

Following are few key new features:
 - Integration with Asset Intensive Planning Applications.

• DM module is now integrated with cMRO(Complex Maintenance Repair & Overhaul) module of Oracle EBS application. Integration empowers using Demantra's capabilities to build non-unit maintenance plan forecast and to support deriving planning factors accurately for cMRO module. 
• DM module is also integrated with eAM(Enterprise Asset Management) module of Oracle EBS application. The integration let's Demantra users to generate a non-maintenance forecast and then use it further with ASCP and cMRO to support planning for maintenance activities.

 - Ability to define Series with Hyperlink, allowing opening a URL from worksheet.

- Ability to run database health check using standard procedures. Flexibility to run a quick or a comprehensive test has been provided.

- Additional improvements on PTP/TPMO engine are also part of this release.

Refer to document ID 1453644.1 on Metalink for more details about this new release. 

Demantra 7.3.1: Fast Divider Engine parameters

Just a small note for those who wish to be on are on 7.3.1 level.

If you have noticed or are using engine parameters "RunFastDivider" & "RunPartialDivider" in your Demantra 7.3.0.1 install, there is a change awaiting you in 7.3.1 release. While the concept of fast divider which came with 7.3 release to speed up the engine run remains in existence, these parameters no more exist. This was established that these parameters need not exist to support fast divider process, hence Oracle decided to take out these parameters from 7.3.1 release.

Demantra 7.3.1 released

Few key features which 7.3.1 has to offer are:

• Support for Service Parts Forecasting: Seeded integration now available between Demantra and Service Parts Planning(SPP) module. For customers implementing SPP module this integration can help them use Demantra for developing a more accurate Service(Spare) Parts forecast.
• Support for Multiple Business Processes: Forecast tree and Causal Factors can now be setup differently for each engine profile, allowing better flexibility around setting up analytical engine for different business processes.
• Enhanced Proport: Improved Proport process performance by providing additional parameters to control proport run.
• Worksheet Performance improvement: Additional parameters to create parallel hints for specific worksheets which can help in improving the performance of Demantra worksheets.
  
• Support for Rolling Data Profile Groups: Users can now assign rolling data profiles to a group and then can call these groups for execution using workflow. This feature increases flexibility around archiving process within Demantra.

New versions of various Demantra documentation now available in Oracle MySupport @

Oracle Demantra Documentation Library [ID 443969.1]

Demantra SIG Webinar: "Infrastructure Rationalization for Demantra Environments"

Demantra SIG group is coming up with their March month webinar, you can join in for learning and understanding Demantra better.

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"Demantra SIG Webinar - 03/10/2010

Please join the Demantra SIG's March Webinar. Arup Chatterjee will be presenting "Infrastructure Rationalization for Demantra Environments" Space is limited. Reserve your Webinar seat now at: https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/607944203 Title: Demantra SIG Webinar - 03/10/2010 Date: Wednesday, March 10, 2010 Time: 8:00 AM - 9:00 AM PST After registering you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the Webinar. System Requirements PC-based attendees Required: Windows® 2000, XP Home, XP Pro, 2003 Server, Vista Macintosh®-based attendees Required: Mac OS® X 10.4 (Tiger®) or newer" ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Oracle VCP Product and processes

Bajaj Electrical success story - Oracle ERP, JDE, Demantra & Siebel

A video presentation on Oracle's yet another success story on a big bang implementation of Oracle ERP, JDE, Demantra and Siebel.

Demantra 7.3 comes clean

Oracle's latest release 7.3 of Demantra Suite comes with an empty schema, unlike previous versions which had demo data. This surely would be a good news for those who have faced problems while cleaning up the demo data in older versions.

Demantra 7.3 release - Features Part1

Demantra's much awaited 7.3 release happened as promised by Oracle in mid of august09. The current release has lot of new functionality changes and enhancements, from simple ones like UI changes to complex ones like CTO offering.

Complete list of documentation is available in Metalink Demantra document library.

(http://oracledemantra.blogspot.com/2008/07/demantra-documentation-on-metalink.html)

Internationalization:

Open the CWB login screen and you would see the first change, which appears as "Language" button at bottom of logon screen.

This release has internationalized the product by supporting, 8 languages (Russian, Japanese, Canadian French, Korean, Spanish, Chinese and Portuguese), by making web based applications available in these languages for end users.

You need to pick the language at time of installation and only one language per install is supported.

Remember that, the language support is targeted for business users and not for implementers, so don't be surprised when you see your good old Business modeler menu options still showing up in English.

more on 7.3 release features will be posted soon.....

Waiting for Demantra 7.3 release......

Demantra 7.3 is being expected to be released in a month or two, and we are looking forward for some most sought after features availability in it. While previous few releases were mainly focused on integrating Demantra application with various Oracle products, this release is going to provide more features within Demantra product.

Few key features to look out for could be:

1. Support for CTO (Configure To Order) to derive dependent demand within Demantra. This feature existed in ODP and thus with this feature being available in Demantra, it would surely cut down a major missing functionality

2. Integration with Hyperion for importing Budget data into Demantra, which might come handy in S&OP process.

3. Support for Engine run on Linux will mean you no more need to have Demantra Engine on windows server, but still for Administrative tools like Business modeler etc, you would need windows box.

4. Improved NPI capabilities and worksheet performance

......am waiting to see how 7.3 release would impact product's demand in market.

Upcoming Demantra Webcast from Oracle

Another solution advisory webcast will be happening on 3rd June 09, this webcast comes again from newly build Oracle Support Community for Demantra Solutions. The subject for this webcast is "Optimizing worksheet Performance", more details for the webcast can be found under metalink note with document ID 801835.1. 

"Upcoming Demantra Solutions Advisor Webcasts

Advisor Webcasts offer a convenient way for you to interact with professional, technical, and application experts regarding topics such as troubleshooting tips, best practices, new release information and more.

Webcast: The Key to Optimizing Demantra Worksheet Performance

Topics will include:

• Java Plugin Settings
• Creating Worksheets in the optimal manner
• Backend Database Checks
• Application Server Settings
• Other options when your worksheet performance doesn't meet your needs

A short, live demonstration and question and answer period will be included. " 

You can register for this webcast from the link provided in the metalink note. (Id provided at the beginning of this post).

New Oracle Support Community for Demantra

Oracle Support team has provided another platform for collaborating with fellow consultants and experts on Demantra, at Oracle's new Community "Demantra Solutions". For all the metalink users, this community can come very handy to raise various issues faced for getting an answer from Oracle directly, or from community members. 

The community's documents scetion has Notes and Tips shared by experts on various Demantra issues and topics.  Another attractive feature of Demantra community is Webcasts done on regular basis on variety of topics. 

https://communities.oracle.com/portal/server.pt/community/demantra_solutions/231

Access the metalink, and go to the "Community" tab follow the instructions and you would reach this portal.  

News: Supply Chain Fusion Implements Oracle Demantra's BAL Tool

PALO ALTO, Calif., Apr 06, 2009 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Supply Chain Fusion, Inc, a leader in Demantra solutions, is one of the first companies to leverage Oracle's new Business Application Language (BAL) tool to automate an upgrade of Oracle's Demantra.

The new Business Application Language Utility in version 7.2.0.2 of Demantra is a metadata management tool which compares business models between versions originating from Demantra 7.1.1 or later. The tool highlights the differences and allows for user intervention while migrating business objects. The utility enables comparisons between standard Demantra releases and customer extensions, allowing for a merge of business best practices.

By leveraging Oracle's new BAL tool, Supply Chain Fusion is able to achieve a significant reduction in time and required resources in the upgrade process, translating to savings for their clients...........

For complete story read the article published @ http://www.cnbc.com/id/30078092

2009 Readers' Choice Survey: Trade Promotion Management

2009 Readers' Choice Survey: Trade Promotion Management Alliston Ackerman, Kara Romanow and Alarice Padilla

It is generally estimated that the average consumer goods company spends 20 percent of revenue on trade promotions, yet many companies are still unsure of their effectiveness or value. In an April 2008 article, Lora Cecere, vice president, Consumer Products, AMR Research, reported that only 54 percent of trade promotions would be evaluated in 2008. "Why? There is usually a disincentive to report and, as a result, companies do not force discipline in the process," she stated. Gartner's Research Vice President, Industry Advisory Services - Manufacturing, Dale Hagemeyer, adds that while the business case for deploying Trade Promotion Management (TPM) is strong, obstacles lie in defining new processes and change management. Findings from aCGT research report ("Trade Promotion Optimization") supported this opinion: 56 percent of those surveyed said that change management was the single largest hurdle to deploying a solution. SMB Market: Oracle "This [Oracle Demantra] gives us the beginning impetus to understand where our peaks and valleys are, where we can optimize promotions and where we can increase revenues. Several hundred people now have a single unified view into what trade promotions are doing, and this leads to better reporting, better visibility and better accountability overall." -- Mitch Margolis, CIO, NBTY Inc ............................ .................. Read complete article @http://www.consumergoods.com/ME2/dirmod.asp?sid=234FFCB1E8DF4FACBAFF60DFFD8AD37C&nm=&type=MultiPublishing&mod=PublishingTitles&mid=A533BDC6582947448BBFA37BFF6394FF&tier=4&id=7D4119A515B943B5BE2CE28DBE8F2C2F

Demantra S&OP(7.2.0.2) integration with EBS 11.5.10 released

Oracle has released another integration patch recently to provide seeded integrated S&OP functionality to it's existing 11.5.10 customer base. This patch builds integration between EBS 11.5.10 and Demantra 7.2.0.2 S&OP. Oracle has already released integration to 7.2 S&OP & Demand Management, with EBS R12 through 12.0.4 release. Also EBS 11.5.10 integration with Demantra DM exists already.

The new release has been named as Demantra 7.2.0.2 ( or 7.2 CU2). More details are available in Metalink note id "470574.1".