Oracle Unveils Transportation Manager

Computerworld - Oracle Corp. last week unveiled a transportation management application for its E-Business Suite 11i that is based on technology it gained when it bought supply chain and logistics management software maker Global Logistics Technologies Inc. last fall.

The new Transportation Management software, which offers out-of-the-box integration with E-Business Suite 11i-based workflows, replaces two older Oracle offerings, Transportation Planning and Transportation Execution, said Mark Johnson, Oracle's senior director of product marketing.

Rob Porterfield, vice president of manufacturing at National Instruments Corp. in Austin, said he has been evaluating the software during his search for a new transportation application. The company already runs Oracle CRM business applications.

Adrian Gonzalez, an analyst at ARC Advisory Group Inc., a Dedham, Mass.-based consulting firm, said the replacement of Oracle's older transportation application reflects the vendor's desire to deliver a seamless product that fits into the 11i suite.

"Will users care that the name has changed? No," said Gonzalez. However, users seeking a "holistic" logistics application that handles warehouse management and can deliver supply chain visibility will be interested in how quickly Oracle can tie together all the various components of the Global Logistics software.

The new Transportation Management offering supports, among other things, order entry, procurement and supply chain event management processes.

Integration with the E-Business Suite will be phased in during the next year, Johnson said. The Transportation Management software will not include links to Oracle's PeopleSoft or J.D. Edwards applications, he said.

Oracle Transportation Management is available either as part of the E-Business Suite or as a stand-alone product. Pricing for Transportation Manager starts at $14,000. The product is available now.

NEW PRODUCT

Oracle Transportation Manager Supports domestic and international requirements. Uses Oracle BPEL Process Manager middleware to extend integration to the ERP systems of multiple vendors. Offers built-in integration with Oracle E-Business Suite 11i. Offers full logistics visibility and event management capabilities.