What is Oracle ERP Cloud

Offered as Software-as-a-Service (SaaS), Oracle ERP Cloud streamlines your operations across accounting, financials, project management, and procurement by automating back office processes and day–to-day business activities. By eliminating data silos and connecting processes, Oracle Cloud ERP helps enterprises keep pace with constantly evolving business requirements. Enterprises use Oracle ERP Cloud to boost collaboration, drive business productivity, and support data-driven decisions. Apart from low operating costs and increased scalability, Oracle Cloud ERP offers businesses agility through more frequent updates.

Why should you migrate to Oracle Cloud?

If you’re using Oracle EBS, you can migrate to Oracle Cloud without requiring significant configuration, integration, or business process changes. Some of the advantages are listed below:

 
1. Ownership Cost: On-premise ERP software requires a large upfront and ongoing investment in the management of the software,  related hardware, servers, and facilities. The  initial costs of Cloud ERP are typically much lower because you can implement the software per  your requirements and access it through your computer's internet connection. You don’t have to manage your own data center. Oracle handles that work and frees up your in-house IT teams to focus more on strategic efforts.
 
2. Customization vs. Configuration: Most enterprises have customized their on-premise Oracle EBS systems. Whenever new product updates and enhancements are made, your  previously implemented customizations could be  wiped out, leaving  your IT team to start customizing from scratch again. As a result, many organizations avoid upgrading their on-site ERP software and settle for running their business on out-of-date technology. On the other hand, Oracle Cloud Apps are built on best-in-class cloud architecture and can be  easily configured to your needs.
 
3. Emerging Technologies: It's difficult to take advantage of new and emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, or Predictive Analytics with an on-premise ERP system like Oracle EBS. Oracle Fusion Cloud Apps come with built-in capabilities that support all these needs and help your business stay ahead of the competition.
 
4. Automatic Updates: Updating on-premise ERP solutions is expensive and time-consuming because users need to purchase and install an update package or pay for a specialist to update the software. In the case of Oracle EBS, updates require an immense amount of time and effort from IT teams, and as a result, many organizations delay these updates. Contrary to Oracle EBS, Oracle Cloud updates are mandatory, and Oracle Cloud customers are required to push updates through within a short 2-week window, whether the organization is ready or not.

Although the benefits of Oracle’s quarterly updates are significant, they come at a cost. Enterprises looking to migrate to Oracle Cloud ERP need to understand that quarterly updates can impact your existing functionality in a number of ways. Your current business processes might change, customizations and integrations might break, and security might be negatively impacted. It’s vital that you validate your critical reports, key workflow approvals, and critical integrations with other application, with every Oracle Cloud update.

Needless to say, Oracle Cloud ERP testing isn't simple as it appears. New features and bug fixes are released every quarter that require at least two rounds of testing - one in a test environment and another in a production environment. Manually testing them is time-consuming and risky, as testers often don’t know what to test. To keep pace with Oracle’s Cloud frequent updates, and ensure no critical business processes break, enterprises should embrace test automation.

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Read our Practical Guide To Testing Oracle Cloud updates to explore more!

Main Oracle Cloud ERP Modules

1. Financial Cloud: A financial management software suite that includes cash management, general ledgers, payables, receivables, taxes, advanced collections, and more. This module streamlines accounting and general ledgers, automates expense processing, and reports on new KPIs, enabling business owners to make data driven business decisions.
2. Project Management: Designed for enterprises offering project-based professional services,, this enterprise-grade solution offers you real-time project status updates. This project management software,  with native reporting capabilities, enables organizations to make more data-driven decisions with enhanced visibility.
 
3. Procurement Cloud: This automates procure-to-pay transactions and controls costs by enforcing negotiated pricing with approved suppliers. Furthermore, it supports self-service procurement when compliance can be implemented, allowing employees to make their own purchases.
 
4. Risk Management: Embedded with artificial intelligence, Oracle Cloud automates advanced analysis for role design, segregation of duties (SOX), and data privacy (GDPR) to prevent financial fraud.

Conclusion

There is no doubt that Oracle Cloud ERP offers significant benefits when compared to Oracle EBS. However, to achieve a true return on your investment, you need to keep pace with Oracle Cloud’s quarterly updates. And to do that, you need an automated testing strategy. Whether you’re looking to implement Oracle ERP Cloud from scratch or are migrating from EBS, testing is vital for success.

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Read our blog: Selenium vs. OATS vs. Opkey: How To Choose Right Oracle Test Automation Solution