BI (XML) Publisher Conversion from Third Party Software in E-Business Suite: An ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) Reporting Framework Conversion Model

Abstract

Oracle Business Intelligence Publisher (BI Publisher) is an enterprise reporting framework to develop, manage, and deliver all types of highly formatted documents. It eliminates the need for costly point solutions. End users can easily design report layouts directly in a Web browser or using familiar desktop tools, dramatically reducing the time and cost needed to develop and maintain reports. In addition, it is extremely efficient and highly scalable because it can generate tens of thousands of documents per hour with minimal impact to transactional systems. Furthermore, it is “a template-based publishing solution delivered with the Oracle E-Business Suite, PeopleSoft, Enterprise and JD Edwards EnterpriseOne” (“Business Intelligence Publisher Core Components Guide,” 2008). Today, many companies who are using third-party ERP reports framework want to convert their reporting framework to Oracle BI Publisher framework because they want to reduce the overall cost of development, customization, and ongoing maintenance of their ERP reports. However, converting third party software to BI Publisher is not easy. It is technically challenging, can be costly, and can even fail if the project is lacking a thorough plan and careful implementation. This paper exhibits a case study and constructs a step-by-step conversion model for others to follow. The intended audiences are those companies who are planning on converting their reporting framework to BI Publisher in the Oracle EBS (E-Business Suite) environment.