Oracle ERP Consulting Services

Independent Oracle Cloud ERP consulting services to help you make the right decisions ahead of an Oracle Fusion migration.

Why Oracle ERP advisory?

Oracle lock-in: Existing Oracle customers can feel pressured to follow Oracle’s ERP roadmap. Understand the pros and cons of Oracle Fusion for your organisation, consider all of the options available to you, and choose your path confidently.

Make or break decisions: The next-gen ERP stakes are high and careers have the potential to flourish or fail. It’s more important than ever to make the right decisions.

Cut costs: Determine the real cost of an Oracle Fusion migration and benefit from guidance and expertise to bring the risk down on commercials.

Why now?

Negotiate a better deal: Oracle customers have the opportunity to renegotiate licences and inventory, transforming unused licences (shelfware) into valuable assets for negotiating new agreements or upgrades.

Plan for transformation: Don’t expect a simple lift and shift. Make your Oracle Fusion migration worthwhile by reviewing and optimising your business processes in advance.

Change takes time: The success of an ERP migration ultimately comes down to people. Start the change management process to ensure smooth user adoption and minimal disruption.

Why Invictus Partners?

Vendor-agnostic: We don’t have vested interests in Oracle (or any vendor) and we don’t resell or implement next-gen ERP solutions, so our advisory is based solely on your needs and goals.

Due diligence: We evaluate Oracle’s cloud-based ERP solutions against other market offerings to ensure you choose the best path for your organisation.

Holistic approach: Our advisors support you at every stage of your ERP journey, including strategising and planning, solution selection and negotiation, project governance, and post-implementation compliance and cost optimisation.

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Is an Oracle ERP implementation the best option for your organisation?

Read this section if:

If your organisation is one of the many that have relied on Oracle ERP solutions for years, you are probably feeling the pressure to upgrade to Oracle’s cloud-based ERP suite, Fusion Cloud ERP. Oracle Fusion was built specifically for the cloud, and Oracle is working hard to get its customers onboard by offering credits and incentives to migrate to the new platform.

Along with this, Oracle is no longer investing in its legacy applications, having downgraded support for E-Business Suite (EBS) versions 12.1 and older. Those using these older releases are now paying more for less, and may feel a migration project is inevitable, whether that’s to Oracle Fusion or a newer version of EBS (which Oracle has promised to support until at least 2033).

Given the scale, complexity and costs associated with ERP modernisation, decisions should not be rushed or made out of obligation. You need to assess all of the options available to you – even the ones Oracle won’t tell you about. As independent advisors, we exist to empower you to take charge of your ERP journey, so that you can do what’s best for your organisation, rather than what’s best for Oracle.

Option 1: Move Oracle EBS support to a third party

If an ERP transformation project is not justifiable for your organisation right now, and you want to avoid paying excessive fees to maintain your existing EBS system, Third-Party Support may be for you. Moving off Oracle support gives your organisation time to plan your ERP roadmap without being beholden to Oracle’s upgrade schedule.

Option 2: Opt for an Oracle EBS upgrade

If your organisation is using EBS version 12.1 or older, upgrading to EBS 12.2 or a newer release will guarantee Premier Support with Oracle until 2033. An EBS upgrade is a much more manageable project than an Oracle Fusion migration (think months rather than years) and allows you to keep your business processes much the same as they are now.

Option 3: Adopt a best-of-breed ERP model

Having one ERP to run your entire enterprise has long been the golden standard, but the industry is shifting towards a more best-of-breed approach. According to Gartner, almost 60% of organisations are deploying cloud ERP as an ecosystem of application and technology platforms from multiple vendors.

A mix-and-match model doesn’t seem so far-fetched when you consider that Oracle’s ERP offering isn’t even a single platform anymore. Oracle has many legacy systems – EBS, JD Edwards, PeopleSoft, Seibel – with functions that are still being moved into the ERP cloud (e.g. manufacturing capabilities in JDE are not yet available). Maturity of Oracle’s cloud-based ERP is still lagging, so multiple integrated systems will likely be required for many years to come.

A best-of-breed model would mean retaining your Oracle system for core functions and evaluating alternative solutions for the remaining business requirements. When the right combination of software is chosen – and implemented well – it could end up costing you less than an Oracle-first strategy.

Option 4: Move away from Oracle altogether

Large organisations don’t have many options when it comes to ERP systems. Most choose between Oracle Fusion Cloud and SAP S/4HANA, with Microsoft Dynamics or Infor potentially in the mix as well. While Oracle and SAP are the major players in the enterprise space, they’re not necessarily the most viable option for your organisation.

It can be worthwhile to look at the niche and comprehensive solutions available in your industry. For example, there are multiple tier-2 solutions for manufacturing organisations, such as Plex, IQMS, Epicor and Infor. We conduct independent evaluations of Oracle Fusion against other ERP solutions, such as SAP S/4HANA, Microsoft Dynamics, Infor, and industry-specific offerings.

Option 5: Move to Oracle Fusion ERP on your terms

We can help you take control of your ERP roadmap and transition to Oracle Fusion on your terms. As an independent advisory firm with no vested interests in Oracle, Invictus Partners can advocate for your organisation’s needs whilst keeping Oracle honest and accountable.

First, we work with you to build a solid business case for an Oracle upgrade project, gain buy-in from key business stakeholders, and put strategies in place to start the change management process. Then, we prepare you for discussions with Oracle, briefing you on likely scenarios and identifying areas of leverage in your current contracts so you can take advantage of the negotiation opportunities that moving to Oracle Fusion creates.

Oracle EBS to Fusion migration: Is the Oracle SaaS ERP model for you?

Oracle Fusion is a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) platform built on Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI). Its modular architecture allows organisations to select and integrate applications that suit their requirements, creating a more tailored and efficient solution. This design also allows it to be rolled out in a more modular fashion, based on business priorities.

Many organisations are working with heavily customised ERP systems that are difficult and risky to support and upgrade, expensive to maintain, and running on power hungry, on-premise hardware. With a well-planned and well-executed project, replacing your legacy system with Oracle Fusion can lead to cost savings, operational efficiencies and productivity gains, while lowering the overall risk for the organisation.

Oracle EBS vs. Fusion Cloud ERP

Oracle EBS was sold on the promise of flexibility, giving organisations the ability to make adjustments to accommodate specific use cases or business processes to support operations. These customisations may be complex and costly, but they have allowed the business to dictate how a certain function can run.

In comparison, Oracle Fusion is functionally rich, but provides less flexibility. Migrating a legacy solution to this platform will therefore have significant change management implications, not just in terms of the new technology and user experience, but due to the processes being more structured and the customisations more restricted (and expensive).

Challenges of the Oracle ERP Cloud SaaS model

Contrary to what Oracle and its partners might say, you can’t simply lift and shift your way to Oracle Fusion Cloud ERP. Oracle Fusion is a new system with very different capabilities, so it’s best to think of the migration as more of a re-implementation than a replacement.

While Oracle Fusion is more configurable and extensible than most other cloud ERP solutions, SaaS ERP solutions are inherently less flexible than their on-premise counterparts. To realise the value of Oracle Fusion, you need to adapt your processes to suit the system, not the other way around. Attempting to retrofit your operations will lead to excessive development costs and complexity that can defeat the purpose of moving to a SaaS model.

The more complex and non-standard your needs, the higher the implementation risks. Before you start the migration, take the time to review and reengineer your business processes and make any necessary structural changes.

Oracle ERP Cloud implementation risks

The biggest technological challenges of ERP system deployments are not usually caused by the software itself, but rather how systems speak to one another via integration, how data is cleansed and migrated, along with the overall solution architecture.

Risk 1: Oracle Cloud ERP architecture and design

It is important to have a well-documented solution architecture as part of your Oracle Fusion implementation preparation process. Jumping into an ERP implementation without a solid view of your current landscape and a plan for your future systems and architecture will send your project on a windier road, which will add time and cost.

Basing your strategy and design principles on a review of current- and future-state architecture will enable your new system to cater to current organisational needs while ensuring it is flexible enough to meet evolving business needs for many years to come.

Risk 2: Oracle Fusion integration

Oracle Fusion easily integrates with other Oracle products, but there are challenges in integrating it with non-Oracle applications, which a large organisation inevitably uses. Even out-of-the-box implementations carry significant risk around integration into legacy systems that any long-established organisation will have.

You can manage this risk by keeping the install as “vanilla” as possible and mapping out the end-to-end functional and technical integration of the new system. The sophistication of integration tools has improved dramatically in recent years, and can be a great support in this endeavour.

Risk 3: Oracle Fusion data migration

It’s crucial to ensure data accuracy and integrity when migrating to Oracle Fusion, as errors and inconsistencies can cause significant operational issues. Developing a clear data strategy, defining your systems of record, and understanding how data will be moved into Oracle Fusion will help you turn this risk into an opportunity.

One of the most valuable outputs that can come from an ERP transformation is a clear view of your data. Your migration project is an opportunity to build a strong data foundation, which will enable better business insights and decision-making.

Other Oracle Cloud ERP deployment options:

While most deployments are SaaS-based, Oracle Fusion can also be deployed in private or hybrid cloud models depending on an organisation’s needs.

Oracle cloud at customer

This option allows organisations to run Oracle Fusion in their own data centres with the look and feel of a public cloud deployment. Oracle manages the infrastructure, while the customer maintains control over the ERP software and data.

Private cloud

Organisations with strict security and compliance requirements may opt for a private cloud deployment, which gives them full ownership of the infrastructure. In this scenario, Oracle provides a dedicated cloud environment for the ERP system that the customer can host on-premise. This also gives organisations the flexibility to customise the infrastructure and configuration to meet their specific requirements.

Hybrid cloud

Some organisations choose a hybrid deployment, where certain components of Oracle Fusion are hosted in OCI, while others are hosted on-premise (Oracle Cloud at Customer or private cloud). This approach is useful for organisations with specific data residency, compliance or integration requirements.

Our Oracle ERP Cloud Consulting Services

Are you in the early stages of preparing for an Oracle Fusion upgrade, and want independent advice on how to go about it? Our advisory services can help you before, during and/or after a migration.

Oracle Fusion Functional
Support

Oracle Fusion Technical
Support

Oracle Fusion Implementation
Plan

Oracle Fusion Negotiation
Support

Oracle Fusion Project
Management

Oracle Fusion
Optimisation

Oracle Cloud ERP Roadmap & Functional Support

We review the current state of your Oracle environment from a functional perspective, to support the scoping and business impacts of the Oracle Fusion migration.

Oracle Cloud ERP Integration & Technical Support

Our team conducts a technical review of your Oracle environment, to understand the areas that may be impacted by the Oracle Fusion migration.

Oracle Fusion Implementation Project Plan

Invictus Partners assists organisations with preparation activities for the implementation of Oracle Fusion. Our team works with you to determine your requirements before requesting a proposal from Oracle, including strategy, timeline, licensing option, edition, metric and usage forecast.

Oracle Fusion Negotiation Support

We can guide your organisation through setting up and finalising contracts with Oracle as well as your implementation partner. Our level of involvement in this process is at your discretion, and can vary from behind-the-scenes advisory to active participation in negotiations with Oracle and your chosen systems integrator.

Oracle Fusion Project Management & Governance

We govern the vendor engagement throughout the ERP implementation process. This includes liaising with Oracle on your organisation’s behalf and advocating for your needs.

Oracle Fusion Monitoring & Optimisation

Once your organisation is up and running with Oracle Fusion, we can provide Software Asset Management services to help you maintain compliance and keep your licensing model optimised.

Why engage Oracle ERP consultants?

The average organisation doesn’t have the time or experienced resources required to evolve their enterprise platforms in a way that enables the business strategy. The focus is typically on selecting a solution and rushing to get it implemented to meet an arbitrary deadline. These behaviours are encouraged by the software vendors eager to sell their products and the system integrators who are keen to get them implemented.

However, a successful implementation has less to do with the technology and more to do with how you manage organisational change, how you define and optimise your business processes, and how well you cater to the business’ needs.

ERP solutions are typically in place for decades, so it is imperative that the strategy and design considers not only the current requirements of the organisation but is flexible enough to meet the evolving needs of the business. Finding a consultant with the right mix of pragmatism, experience, and knowledge of the industry, who also has the ability to enhance and complement your in-house team, should be front and centre in the decision-making process.

The best Oracle ERP consulting companies have no affiliation with Oracle.

Independent advisory is critical for the planning, preparation and governance of your ERP project, bringing an objective view of the approach, progress, decisions and potential risks. The problem is, truly independent ERP consultants are hard to find. Advisory services for ERP modernisation are dominated by the tier-one consulting firms, whose recommendations are often influenced by commercial and financial deals with Oracle and the like, as well as the desire to sell the implementation and support services to staff their teams.

In comparison, Invictus Partners is completely vendor-agnostic. We don’t sell or implement ERP systems, nor are we influenced by vendor sales incentives or a bench of consultants that are looking for their next implementation assignment. This ensures our team is accountable, transparent and focused on your best interests. ERP transformation initiatives rarely go to plan, but having a true advocate in your corner can make a world of difference.

The Invictus Partners difference: Oracle EBS Consulting & Oracle ERP Cloud Implementation Advisory.

The Invictus Partners team is made up of former Oracle business unit executives, software, contract and audit specialists who have drafted, negotiated, and advised on hundreds of Oracle engagements during their multi-decade careers.

We know that gaining a deep understanding of business needs and requirements is paramount in determining the right ERP strategy, as well as balancing those needs with a pragmatic and critical comparison to what solutions are available in the market and can achieve a better outcome. As an advisory firm only, our judgement and recommendations are truly independent, unclouded by vendor relationships and implementation practices.

Invictus Partners understands the significance of an ERP transformation project; every decision point, line item and contractual term has the potential to turn into major costs and operational restrictions further down the track. We provide organisations with expert, unbiased guidance to help them avoid these pitfalls and realise the value of such a major organisational change.

Janine Burns

Partner

Janine is a 25+ year veteran of the IT industry, holding numerous strategy, enterprise architecture, and sales roles spanning the major software vendors, system integrators, and service providers. In Janine’s roles, she has been responsible for architecting, selling, and driving the successful outcome of large-scale IT initiatives, as well as managing customer relationships and expectations. Key advisory roles include:
• Licence and support advisory
services – all industries
• SAP/IT strategy and roadmaps – all
industries
• ERP support services (vendor
replacement & AMS) – all
industries.