Going Up? A Sneak Peek at the New Features of EASYProcess 4.6
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Must-See Photos from COLLABORATE13
Strengthening the Supply Chain: VSS at its Best and Most Robust
A QUARTERLY PUBLICATION FROM K-RISE SYSTEMS, INC.
WINTER EDITION
AMWAY’S SOLUTION FOR PURCHASE ORDER MANAGEMENT AMWAY TALKS TO K-RISE SYSTEMS ABOUT COLLABORATE ATTENDING INFOCUS? 6 TIPS TO REMEMBER WHILE YOU TRAVEL THROUGH DENVER
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Strengthening the Supply Chain: VSS at its Best and Most Robust
Amway’s Solution for Optimal Purchase Order Management
Have questions or comments? We’d love to hear your thoughts! Email easyprocessnews@krisesystems.com to provide feedback, share your EASYProcess solution, or be featured in the next edition. Supplier Contact and Item Update and Other Business Solutions from K-Rise Systems………....3 Going Up? A Sneak Peak at the New Features of EASYProcess 4.6…………………………………..4 Strengthening the Supply Chain: VSS at its Best and Most Robust……………………………...…..6 So You’re Going to be at INFOCUS – 6 Travel Tips For Your Stay in Denver…..………………………8 Amway’s Solution for Optimal Purchase Order Management…………………………...………...10 The Zombies of COLLABORATE13: Must-See Photos………………………………………………………….………13
rise is a quarterly publication by K-Rise Systems, Inc. To view and download the online version, visit: http://issuu.com/k-risesystems/docs/rise-october2013 Kent Johnson, Director of Marketing Christine Murphy, Editor K-Rise Systems, Inc. 75 Executive Drive, Suite 431 Aurora, IL 60504 Tel: 630.898.2923 Site: www.krisesystems.com Email: info@krisesystems.com K-Rise Systems, Inc. is a software solutions provider based in the western suburbs of Chicago, IL. The company has a diverse client portfolio, including organizations in such industries as communications, medical technology, and marine applications. K-Rise Systems, Inc. serves its clients using its proprietary development platform, EASYProcess™.
Go with an EASYProcess Portal, and it’ll GROW with you. Check out the variety of business solutions from K-Rise Systems, built with EASYProcess. EASYCommerce is an Enterprise-Class B2B/B2C Portal fully compatible with World, EnterpriseOne, and iSeries. Implemented as a connector, EASYCommerce works seamlessly with your current online catalog or web store, giving you live data inside and outside of JD Edwards.
Order Entry is an Enterprise-Class B2B/B2C application which allows sales representatives to experience an eCommerce site the way a customer would, perform searches and other actions, and place orders on behalf of a specific customer as well.
EASYBuyer is an Enterprise-Class Procurement Portal capable of connecting to any of your data sources, including JD Edwards. Since EASYBuyer is built using EASYProcess, the portal can be customized to fit your business needs, exactly.
Price Bidding is an Enterprise-Class Procurement application which allows vendors to enter in their offer for the buyer to review, allowing these buyers to make informed decisions about a product or service in need.
Vendor Self-Service is an Enterprise-Class Supplier Portal which gives your team the ability to interact with vendors electronically on invoices, purchase orders, transportation and more. Integrated seamlessly with your ERP, VSS puts you on the golden path to paperless.
Vendor Onboarding is an Enterprise-Class Supplier application which optimizes the vendor onboarding process by eliminating the task of scanning and faxing forms, as well as performing manual re-entry in JD Edwards to adjust outdated information.
Employee Self-Service is an Enterprise-Class Human Resource Portal that gives your employees and managers access to update their own records and information, including leave requests, time entry, and tax information – all in one place.
Supplier Contact and Item Update is an Enterprise-Class Supplier Portal which allows supplier information to be revised and item descriptions and pricing to be updated.
EASYPayment is an Enterprise-Class B2B/B2C application which allows users of EASYPayment to enter credit card transactions into the portal, whether they were received over the phone, via fax, or in the mail. 128-bit encryption ensures data from these transactions is secured, whether inhouse or secured with a third-party hosting site.
Since EASYProcess is a programming language, it excels at developing custom applications, portals, or modules that your company may need. Looking for something more tailored than what’s featured above? Email us at info@krisesystems.com to request a customized demonstration.
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Going Up?
With the recent upgrade of
EASYProcess from 4.4 to 4.6, K-Rise Systems has released an EASYProcess 4.6 Feature List for those ready to make the jump. From over 35 process canvas enhancements, to new and improved approval processes, K-Rise Systems hopes EASYProcess 4.6 will be the best upgrade you’ll perform this year. Check out the top five features of EASYProcess 4.6 as chosen by K-Rise Systems staff, and visit www.krisesystems.com/EASYProcess4.6 for the full list.
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A Sneak Peek at the New Features of EASYProcess 4.6
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#1 Process Canvas Enhancements There are over 35 new process canvas enhancements included in 4.6. Below are ten that have received the best feedback thus far: 1. The ability to copy a service from one process to another, by XML, from one computer to another. 2. The option to turn off recommended values, as well as an instant refresh feature. 3. Recommended values only load when a service is first opened, instead of every time a node is clicked. 4. Canvas context-menu options can be used to make a connection longer and move services. 5. Logs tab on the right side will now show logs, with options to view details or copy log output to the Output Data tab. 6. For WebPart processes, users can now add a "Request Node Under the "Page" node, then add nodes under the "Request" node and use them for query string variables. The new nodes will be saved with the process. 7. Side-by-Side Mode: Half of the screen is the canvas, the other half is the service editor. Opening a service will open a new document on the right half of the screen. Opening another service will replace the previous right half with the new service. This way a user can pick services from the canvas and edit them without tabbing. 8. “Read-Only” warning label appears at the bottom of the canvas. 9. Customize default service attributes (e.g. color), as well as canvas properties (e.g. grid color) in the new Customize Canvas screen, accessible from the Workbench Preferences screen. 10. The ability to draw a box to select multiple services and resize services.
#2 Auto Build Feature: Enterprise Manager Upgrade Upgrade package from DV to PY and PY to PD in one click.
#3 Distributed Computing in EASYProcess Run a service on a different computer running EASYProcess enterprise server. For example, if a user has an excel file sitting on a different server and it needs to be accessible from the EASYProcess web server, the user can run the EASYProcess enterprise server on the excel server and then run the EASYProcess service locally, granting access to the file. Another example of this would be running transactions, such as database inquiries, which otherwise could not be done from a web server (due to firewall protocols).
#4 Approval System EASYProcess now has its own built-in approval system, allowing users to create approval processes. Examples of these processes include, but are not limited to: procurement approval, item approval, purchase order change approval, address change approval, and new vendor approval. Any custom approval can be created with minimal effort, and all aspects of the approval flow can be overridden based on a user’s needs. For example, the approval system uses the EASYProcess hierarchy feature when locating a supervisor or manager. This can be overridden to allow Human Resources to execute the task.
#5 SharePoint Integration Enhancements Upgrade SharePoint without affecting EASYProcess web.config configurations.
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Strengthening the Supply Chain: VSS at its Best and Most Robust K-Rise Systems’ Vendor Self-Service is an enterprise-class supplier portal which gives your team the ability to interact with vendors electronically on invoices, purchase orders, transportation, and more. Integrated seamlessly with your ERP, VSS puts you on the golden path to paperless. “JD Edwards has always limited our ability to do PO reporting the way we want. Finally EASYProcess brings data from all our systems into one place,” says Val Trosko, Director of Procurement at North American Construction Group-Canada. North American Construction Group (NACG) implemented specific features of K-Rise Systems’ Vendor Self-Service to alleviate some of the pangs associated with purchase order inquiry and the overall “drill down” process when locating this data. The portal includes a variety of features designed specifically with purchase order reporting in mind. For example, suppliers are notified via email when new, old, or revised orders are ready to be acknowledged. Once the supplier has acknowledged the order, the status of the purchase order is automatically updated, based on real-time order activity. Other features of Vendor Self-Service help to avoid mistaken shipments, or improper shipments consisting of inaccurate items and item quantities. When lines in an order have been
cancelled, an email is immediately sent out as a notification of these
revisions, and the order is not shipped until the proper items/quantities have been corrected. Lines can also be split and only those items that are available for shipment will be sent. This line split features allows a supplier to acknowledge what is available for shipment, and the line split can be cancelled or acknowledged for a later delivery date. Pricing information can be revised as well, along with quantity and delivery date within the purchase order itself. These revisions have the option to be approved by internal users before any information is sent out externally. All revisions made within Vendor SelfService are performed using real-time data.
Performing searches on requisitions is another inquiry feature included within Vendor Self-Service. These searches can be performed based on any field, such as requisition date, number, or description, to name a few. Real-time searches can also be performed on receipts, vouchers, and account codes as well. Suppliers can search for a check by the date it was processed or search on paid invoices associated with a certain check number. Other inquiry features, such as the ones utilized by NACG for their reporting needs, enable vendors to filter these orders based on varying statuses, such as “Revise,” or “Invoice.” These filters allow for efficient purchase order lookups to take place. Other, more companyspecific filters can be implemented as well, such as purchase order number or item number, for example. Not only can filters be implemented for easier searching and overall reporting, but vendors can acknowledge both new and modified order lines.
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Purchase order inquiry and vendors’ entry of invoices were of highest importance when K-Rise Systems created this portal. Vendors can enter and save multiple invoices at one time as the portal allows these invoices to be saved until they are ready to be submitted. Each of the invoices has a type which is associated with a specific purchase order, and these invoices will follow an approval hierarchy once they are submitted. The portal also has the ability to accommodate any workflow hierarchy, implementing the
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appropriate rules to ensure purchase orders follow the proper approval. For example, purchase-order based invoices will be approved based on the “Requested By” user, and receiptbased invoices, not requiring approval, are sent directly to accounts payable. Non-purchase, order-based invoices will be directed to the appropriate department for approval. This department will then assign a business unit and GL account for the amount on the invoice, and a line split can also be performed if more than one business unit and GL account is involved.
Once this business unit and GL account has been assigned, the invoice can be submitted again for approval. Since K-Rise Systems’ Vendor SelfService is built using EASYProcess, the company’s platform for enterprise development, more customized features can be included in the portal as well, allowing specific reporting and inquiry needs to be fulfilled. For more info on this portal and other products offered by K-Rise Systems, visit www.krisesystems.com.
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Travel Tip #1: Keep Hydrated Drink plenty of water! Denver was nicknamed the “MileHigh City� for good reasons. At 5,280 feet above sea level, Denver is considered to have one of the highest altitudes in the nation. Due to this elevation, many people who visit the city often experience altitude sickness, characterized by fatigue, dehydration, achiness, and, in rare cases, stomach complications. To avoid this, double up on the normal amount of water you drink during the day, and push fluids even when you do not feel thirsty. 8, 8-oz. glasses of water is the universal rule of thumb for daily H2o intake, so try to increase this to 16, 8-oz. glasses.
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Amway’s Solution for Optimal Purchase Order Management Purchase orders are the lifeline of any supply chain and Amway’s business model requires great flexibility in managing them. Utilizing K-Rise Systems’ Vendor Self-Service Portal, Amway is able to enforce its guidelines while also giving suppliers the flexibility to make changes. notifications2, track past and current orders, revise purchase orders, and the ability to change the supplier’s pickup location as well as the ability to view and print purchase orders. Invoicing features were also near the top of Amway’s wish list, with the necessity for suppliers to be able to create an invoice based on an existing purchase order authenticated in JD Edwards, as well as the ability for these suppliers to include additional charges for both direct and indirect orders. Viewing the status and history of both types of orders was a must-have for the company as well.
Alticor / Amway is the world's #1 direct selling business, ranked by 2012 global sales of $11.3 billion in the Direct Selling News Global 100, and based on the efforts of more than 3 million Amway distributors and more than 21,000 employees in more than 100 countries and territories worldwide. Founded in 1959 by entrepreneurs Rich DeVos and Jay Van Andel, and based in Ada, Michigan, U.S., Amway offers consumer products and business opportunities that are supported by a global agribusiness, manufacturing and logistics supply chain. More than 900 scientists, engineers and technical professionals work in 75 R&D and quality assurance labs worldwide to support product development and create a culture of scientific excellence. Top-selling brands for Amway are NUTRILITE™ vitamin, mineral and dietary supplements, ARTISTRY™ skincare and color cosmetics, and eSpring™ water treatment systems. For company news, visit http://globalnews.amway.com/. In 2011, Amway needed to allow non-EDI1 suppliers access to real-time data from JD Edwards as well as other systems, including its JDA Transportation Software. Little interaction between JD Edwards and JDA occurred at this time, posing an issue for Amway’s internal users. The company also needed self-service functionality for its suppliers, such as direct and indirect purchase order management, including features such as the ability to acknowledge orders, receive shipment
The company approached K-Rise Systems, Inc. with these challenges and the two companies worked together in setting a go-live date of late December 2011; five months after the initial meeting. K-Rise Systems implemented its Vendor SelfService Portal, enabling users and suppliers to easily communicate about purchase order acknowledgements and revisions based on various order types. In December, 2011, Amway’s Supplier Order Management Portal went live. Integrated with real-time data, Amway’s suppliers could revise purchase orders, split lines3, and acknowledge entire orders or simply acknowledge cancellations on one or more lines. Upon logging in, suppliers can begin working with purchase orders and search these orders based on their statuses. These statuses can be managed and certain lines within a purchase order can be acknowledged. Line splits can also be performed by suppliers needing to perform this operation as well. A popup window appears after suppliers split or acknowledge certain lines confirming that JD Edwards has successfully updated. Suppliers also have the ability to view a variety of purchases orders, including those that are closed. This is another method to confirm that any updates made within the portal have been processed in JD Edwards. Line splits, as previously mentioned, allow suppliers to report and take action on those purchase orders that contain multiple
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A new window will appear containing the original quantity and space for the new quantity to be entered. The choice to open or close remaining quantities is another option within this window as well. Once the supplier clicks “Split/Update Line,” another window will appear alerting the supplier of the update made in JD Edwards. These new quantity values can be confirmed on the item screen as well. After a very successful rollout, Amway decided to implement additional features and enhance the portal’s overall functionality. This rollout will focus on improving the
11 existing processes currently running within the portal. Indirect orders, while already in place, will have much more tailored functionality surrounding them. Indirect suppliers will become a new role, and these vendors will have their own Web Parts; a choice that will significantly enhance and differ considerably from what they have been using. Additionally, EDI suppliers are included in this next phase to enable purchase order or payment inquiries as well as for portions of the transportation aspect of this portal. Other enhancements will be performed as well, including refining the invoicing, transportation, and email notification processes. The Amway administration functionalities will be fine-tuned as well. This next rollout is set to go live at the end of 2013.
1. EDI is an acronym for Electronic Data Interchange, a standard document format for communication information between two computers/systems. 2. Shipment notifications are utilized for the purpose of scheduling transportation for material that Amway has elected to manage from the supplier’s location. These notifications enter directly from the portal into Amway’s transportation/load scheduling software without any manual intervention. 3. Split lines are the supplier’s process to communicate to Amway when purchase order acknowledged commitments cannot be met. Suppliers can ship a partial purchase order quantity, by splitting the quantity onto two different purchase order lines and due dates.
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Inside Look: Jason Litke, Associate Business Systems Analyst II at Amway, and Cheryl Hinkel, Senior Business Systems Analyst – Source at Amway, Talk to Rise about Speaking at COLLABORATE13
RISE: Was this your first time presenting? JASON: This was my first time presenting at Collaborate. I have presented in other capacities, but nothing in a conference setting such as this. CHERYL: Yes, yet I did attend OAUG many years ago prior to Oracle purchasing JDE, and prior to working at Amway. RISE: How did you feel about speaking? JASON: It was a great opportunity. The attendees were very knowledgeable and asked good questions. The reviews I received from Collaborate's organizers indicated that it went well. CHERYL: Honored and excited to share with others who struggle with sourcing supply chains process gaps, what we have been able to accomplish with our Supplier Order Management Portal and how our processes are now virtually gap free. RISE: Would you present again? JASON: Yes. It is great to be able to formally answer questions for those trying to solve problems we have already experienced here at Amway. CHERYL: Yes RISE: Would you recommend going to Collaborate14 and why? JASON: I would recommend it because, if you take the time to look through the schedule of presentations, you are bound to find at least one or two sessions that will change the way you think about a topic. Collaborate participants do a great job in forcing you to think about issues in different ways since they all do business differently than you do to some capacity. CHERYL: Yes. Meeting and networking with many others, from around the world that have similar reasons for attending and trying to discover better process solutions, is invaluable. The extra presentations, nightly events, and vendor expo, in addition to the many sessions, are all beneficial ways to "collaborate" even beyond the conference. RISE: Any story or event that happened at Collaborate that you would like to share? CHERYL: The 2 general sessions with Aron Ralston and Sean Tucker were wonderful, and by hearing what they had to share, was motivating, uplifting and could not help but to be spiritually changing. The special parties and extras spoiled us rotten.
Jason Litke is an employee for Amway Corporation. He works as a part of the Supply Chain Center of Excellence where global business processes are formed and refined. With a background in Information Technology and JD Edwards Development, he has a unique perspective on how the business operates. He uses this background and understanding on a day-to-day basis as he works with his colleagues to ensure that decisions made are beneficial to the whole organization worldwide.
Cheryl has been a buyer of both manufacturing direct and indirect purchased goods and services. For the last 14 years at Amway, in Procurement, she started out as a buyer and then 10+ years ago got into the JD Edwards role of the procurement functional designer and builder, supporting inventorially procured items. In a previous company, her customer service management position, led her to having had Oracle ERP build/design experience, enabling her to adapt to the JDE system world, at Amway. Being Involved in many worthy JDE projects, over the years, is very fulfilling and challenging, yet, the one she feels most passionate about is their Supplier Order Management portal via the K-Rise Software. She was the lead architect of the design and testing and is proud to be part of this on-going legacy project, making significant process improvements throughout the supply chain processes. Hoping to always be able to enhance end-user daily work life, she hopes upgrading to JDE 9.1 this year, will continue this trend.
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THE ZOMBIES OF COLLABORATE13 EASYProcess: Going Live in a Zombie World was a presentation given by K-Rise Systems’ staff at COLLABORATE13. K-Rise Systems’ development team spoke about EASYProcess, the company’s platform for enterprise development, and its ability to give IT management the ability to bring new, custom or prebuilt applications to life even in the most complex of environments. While K-Rise Systems did a fantastic job speaking on EASYProcess and its capabilities, even building one Web Part using live JDE data during the presentation, they wanted to do more than just tell you-they wanted to show you. Check out the must-see photos from COLLABORATE13.
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1,2,4: Many of the COLLABORATE13 attendees stopped by K-Rise Systems’ booth, some even sat down and became zombies themselves! 3,5: K-Rise Systems’ staff also transformed into zombies; Kent Johnson even dressing and acting the part! 6: Special thanks to Midian Crosby, Monster Makeup FX, for turning everyone into zombies! Check out www.monstermakeupeffects.com to see more of her amazing work! 7: Didn’t get a chance to grab some zombie swag from the K-Rise Systems’ booth? Email easyprocessnews@krisesystems.com for some ghoulish treats!