Comparison of EBS vs Fusion business functionality

Wiktoria Sidor

In this article, we will try to explain the functional differences between the main business areas of Oracle EBS vs. Oracle Fusion products. The data structure in both Cloud and OnPremise models is very similar. Therefore, all basic business processes and their handling are carried out similarly in both applications. Technological discrepancies and the use of different tools in the area of integration and reporting make some elements of the processes different. Due to the width of the issue, the approach to reporting is a topic for a separate article and will not be addressed in this text. Other areas will be analyzed.

General discrepancies

Search mechanisms:

•    Cloud – possibility to define dedicated selection criteria on all transaction forms. Possibility to add additional columns to selection criteria and save queries.
•    EBS – possibility to define dedicated selection criteria only on selected transaction forms. Possibility to add additional columns to the selection criteria and save them as a query folder.

Additional attributes:

•    Cloud – possibility to define additional attributes on all business objects of the application after 30 columns of character type, 30 columns of numerical type, 30 columns of date type
•    EBS – possibility to define additional attributes on selected business objects of the application after 30 columns of character type

Export to excel:

•    Cloud – possibility to export data search results from most forms to excel and text files
•    EBS – possibility to export data search results from selected forms to excel and text files.

GL:

The process of closing the period:

•    The Cloud has a dedicated desktop that allows the user to track period statuses both in the GL module and in all sub-modules:

Additionally, the user can track the status of document processing for the indicated data sources:

  •  EBS – a set of standard reports to support the month-end proces

Document management process:

Allocations and cyclical documents:

•    Cloud – dedicated Calculation Manager functionality available within EPM (Enterprise Performance Manager), built on OLAP cube (Essbase)
•    EBS – dedicated forms allowing to define allocation rules and definition of cyclic documents

Balances for account combinations:

•    Cloud – possibility to present the expected balance of the account combination (before the document is booked)
•    EBS – possibility to preview the balances of the account combination after the documents are booked

Acceptance of documents:

•    Cloud – possibility to use BPM (Business Process Management) to build an acceptance workflow. Possibility to define rules taking into account different business requirements, possibility to customize BPM using BPEL.
•    EBS – possibility to use AME (Approval Management) to build an acceptance workflow. Possibility of customization using advanced setup and possibly PL/SQL

Registration of documents:

•    Cloud – possibility of manual registration, using ADFDI (WEBAdi – Sheet connected to the application), using FBDI (Sheet not connected – loaded using a dedicated order in the application – no data validation before connection), possibility of importing from external sources to the interface using REST and SOAP services
•    EBS – possibility of manual registration, using WEBAdi (Sheet connected to the application), possibility of importing from external sources to the interface using PLSQL procedures

Management of chart of accounts and budgets:

Managing chart of accounts values and value hierarchies:

•    Cloud – possibility to add value manually or using a dedicated FBDI sheet. Hierarchies are defined as OLAP cube structures. Hierarchy creation – possible manual management and loading via FBDI
•    EBS – possibility to add value manually or using a dedicated dataloader. Hierarchies are managed at the level of value sets and Hierarchy Manager

Budget management:

•    Cloud – use of dedicated account segments as dimensions (Essbase cube dimensions) on which budgets are recorded.
•    EBS – using dedicated summary accounts to define budget amounts

AP:

Document management process:

Registration of documents:

•    Cloud – possibility to register an invoice manually, using ADFDI sheet (WEBAdi – sheet connected to the application) and using FBDI (sheet not connected – loaded using a dedicated order in the application – no data validation before connection), possibility to import from external sources to the interface using REST and SOAP services.
•    EBS – possibility of manual registration, possibility to import from external sources to the interface using PLSQL procedures.

VAT Date Management:

•    Cloud – possibility to update the VAT date – manually and the possibility to update the VAT date using a dedicated csv sheet for a specific range of documents (the standard document selection process for updating the VAT date has too few parameters limiting the range of data for selection – dedicated order construction required).
•    EBS – possibility to update the VAT date – manual or by means of a customized order.

Acceptance of documents:

Cloud – possibility to use 4 predefined approval workflows:
•    Workflow of invoice allocation scanned to a specific person / group of people (if the user has purchased licenses for OCR functionality)
•    Suspension Workflow – initialized at the moment of suspension on the invoice
•    Invoice Assignment Workflow – possibility to redirect the invoice to the indicated people on the path
•    Approval Workflow – possibility to approve the document, that is confirmation that the document is ready for payment

EBS – possibility to use approval workflow – possibility to approve a document, i. e. confirm that a given document is ready for payment.

Supplier management:

•    Cloud – the ability to use the built-in workflow to apply for supplier registration. Possibility to import suppliers with a dedicated FBDI excel, by the user.
•    EBS – possibility to send a WF (Supplier Lifecycle Management) notification to the supplier about the willingness to start cooperation. Possibility to import suppliers using a dedicated customized order.

AR:

Document management process:

Registration of documents:

•    Cloud – possibility to register transactions manually, using ADFDI sheet (WEBAdi – sheet connected to the application) and using FBDI (sheet not connected – loaded using a dedicated order in the application – no data validation before connection), possibility to import from external sources to the interface using REST and SOAP services
•    EBS – possibility to register manually, possibility to import from external sources to the interface using PLSQL procedures

VAT Date Management:

•    Cloud – possibility to update the VAT date – manually and the possibility to update the VAT date using a dedicated csv sheet for a specific range of documents (the standard document selection process for updating the VAT date has too few parameters limiting the range of data for selection – dedicated order construction required).
•    EBS – possibility to update the VAT date – manual or by means of a customized order.

Deposits:

•    Cloud – Creating deposits with receivables settlement from EXCEL file. It is possible to agree the payment with another payment in order to increase the balance of the payment. Execution of automatic return to the customer from the deposit level. Possibility to make compensations between AP-AR
•    EBS – possibility to use the selector to create deposits on the basis of items from bank statements

Customer management:

•    Cloud – Possibility to import suppliers via a dedicated ADFDI excel (Sheet connected to the application) and via an FBDI sheet (Not connected) – by the user.
•    EBS – Possibility to import customers using a dedicated customized order

FA:

Registration of documents:

•    Cloud – possibility of registration of all transactions to the FA module manually, using ADFDI sheet (WEBAdi – sheet connected to the application) and using FBDI (sheet not connected – loaded using a dedicated order in the application – no data validation before connection), possibility of import from external sources to the interface using REST and SOAP services
•    EBS – possibility of manual registration, possibility of import from external sources to dedicated interfaces using PLSQL procedures

Closing period management:

•    Cloud – the FA module has a dedicated dashboard to support the process of closing the month. From this Desktop, the user can track the status of all pending transactions in the interfaces, the status of all Fixed Asset Books, with information on the number of processed transactions per period. The desktop has functions that allow the user to charge depreciation (trial), close a period (accrual), open a closed period (if no transaction was entered in the newly opened period) and send accounting data to KG. The generation of data to the KG can be done in both “Test” and “Final” modes.
•    EBS – possibility to register transactions manually or on the basis of lines from AP or PC module. Possibility of registering additions and value corrections using a dedicated WEBAdi sheet. Ability to import all transactions from external sources into the interface using PLSQL customized procedures.