On November 6, 2019, JD Edwards announced the release of EnterpriseOne Tools 9.2.4 (9.2 Update 4), which is jam-packed with customer-driven ERP enhancements. These enhancements aim to empower companies on their journey to becoming digital enterprises and provide companies transformative solutions to innovate in the digital economy.
JD Edwards EnterpriseOne Tools 9.2.4 includes Orchestrator enhancements that drive digital process transformation, significant improvements in user experience, operational simplification features, and updated platform certifications. JD Edwards is also announcing the availability of the complete Joint Venture Management solution in addition to customer-driven ERP enhancements in Financials, Manufacturing, HCM and Order Management, along with legislative and localization updates.
Enhancements in JD Edwards Tools 9.2.4
Digital Transformation
Redesigned Orchestrator Studio
In Tools Release 9.2.4, a completely redesigned Orchestrator Studio has been introduced to further simplify the process of creating orchestrations for nontechnical users, while giving technical users powerful capabilities for more complex orchestrations. The redesigned Orchestrator Studio provides the following enhancements:
- Top-level access to all orchestration components: Upon the first launch of the Orchestrator Studio home page, users will immediately see top-level access to all Orchestrator components.
- Graphical flow view of orchestrations: The Studio now displays orchestrations in a graphical flow model, which is interactive and enables users to more easily visualize the logical steps.
- Run orchestrations directly from the Studio: Orchestrations can now be run directly from within the Orchestrator Studio; signing on to a separate Orchestrator Client tool is no longer necessary.
- Sorting and grouping: The lists of orchestrations, notifications, and their subcomponents can now be arranged in groups and sorted in ascending or descending order by name, date, or product code.
- Nested import and export: The export and import features now extend to nested components.
New Orchestrator Scheduler User Interface
The Scheduler includes a broad range of powerful process monitoring and automation functionalities. Adding to these functionalities, the redesigned Orchestrator Studio in Tools Release 9.2.4 now includes a graphical user interface, making it easier to start, stop, and monitor the scheduled jobs. The Scheduler user interface provides these features:
- A single click to start and stop a scheduled job: The new Scheduler user interface provides an intuitive page that lists all orchestrations and notifications that have schedules associated with them. A toggle button is available to start and stop scheduled jobs.
- Monitoring of scheduled jobs: The Scheduler user interface provides a broad range of metrics and status information about scheduled jobs, including the last run time, the next scheduled run time, and health (success or failure) of the last ten runs.
- Autostart: The Scheduler user interface provides a toggle button to indicate that a job should be automatically started whenever the Application Interface Services (AIS) server is restarted.
One View Watchlist Enhancement
With Tools Release 9.2.4, One View Watchlist has been enhanced with an option to mark a Summary Row in an application. This feature not only provides more accurate results in watchlists but also enhances the alerting and reporting capabilities. Most important, by generating notifications periodically based on the watchlist criteria, this feature enables users to focus on other important daily tasks.
User Experience
Form Extensibility – Associate Orchestration Support on Grid
Tools 9.2.3.3 introduced the capability to launch orchestrations from an EnterpriseOne application form. Tools 9.2.4 provides additional capabilities by enabling orchestrations to run iteratively over each selected row in a grid and to map the output of an orchestration back to both header and grid fields. This functionality will considerably reduce the repetitive tasks of editing the grid records manually. For example, a sales order has 100 detail lines and a user needs to change the Date Requested column value to today’s date for all of the detail lines. To accomplish this task, the user could create a new orchestration that takes the order number and today’s date as input values, and update the Date Requested column value of the grid with the output of the orchestration. This orchestration will update the date value of the Date Requested column to today’s date in just one click for all 100 detail lines. This capability increases user productivity by processing multiple transactions in real-time with a single click in existing interactive applications without customizations and any dependency on batch processes.
Personalization – Form Security
With the implementation of form security features, the system administrator can now protect the form personalization by restricting access to the base form. This feature enables customers to change the user experience for an application using form personalization and secure this new form to be the only interface. This also removes the need to customize applications to have a mandatory experience for users. Administrators can secure the base form via UDO security.
Color Coding of Environments
With Tools Release 9.2.4, this enhancement enables the system administrator to set the color schemes for each environment (Production, Test, and Development) so that users can easily identify which environment they are logged in to. This enhancement reduces erroneous entries or transactions being made in an incorrect environment.
Operational Simplification
Simplified Deployment and Security of Orchestrator Studio
In addition to being redesigned for ease of use, Orchestrator Studio is now also easier to deploy, maintain, and secure.
- Simplified deployment process: The previous releases of Orchestrator Studio required deployment to Oracle WebLogic Server within an Oracle Application Development Framework (ADF) environment. Beginning with Tools Release 9.2.4, the Orchestrator Studio is deployed as a component of the AIS server and is available through a URL endpoint to that server. This enhancement simplifies the customer’s architecture and management process by eliminating the requirement for a discrete WebLogic or ADF server for Orchestrator Studio.
- Orchestrator Studio certification on IBM WebSphere Application Server: Because Orchestrator Studio is now deployed as a component of the AIS server, it inherits the platform certifications of the AIS server, which includes the certifications of both Oracle WebLogic Server and IBM WebSphere Application Server.
- Simplified security: Secured access to Orchestrator Studio is now aligned with the standard JD Edwards EnterpriseOne application security model. There is no need to add users to an AIS white list.
Scalable Elastic Deployment
Terraform Stage Server Image on OCI Marketplace
Additional automation is available for Oracle Cloud Infrastructure with the introduction of the Terraform stage server on the Oracle Cloud marketplace. This new image replaces manual steps and reduces setup time by accelerating the provisioning of the JD Edwards reference architecture through One-Click.
Deployment Server 64-bit Enablement
The Deployment Server can now be migrated to 64-bit. As a result, customers can migrate their entire JD Edwards environment to 64-bit. This migration saves time and reduces dependence on hardware resources by eliminating the requirements of managing both 32-bit and 64-bit artifacts, which forces multiple package builds. By migrating their system to 64-bit, customers are future-proofing their environments as database, operating system providers, and other third-party vendors start delivering only 64-bit solutions.
New Merge Tools
We continue to simplify the process of continuous innovation and adoption by delivering additional tools to manage customizations in UBEs, table indexes, and business views. Customers are now able to compare specifications for UBEs to assist in retrofits. Additionally, customers can compare and merge customizations that have been made to business views or table indexes.
Support of File Path Encryption for Downloads
Encrypting the FILE_PATH parameter with a site key when writing the URL and decrypting the parameter before downloading a file is now possible for artifacts such as media objects, report definitions, and grid exports. File path encryption with a SiteKey increases the security of JD Edwards EnterpriseOne systems by preventing attackers from viewing a given file path and thereby securing other files on the system from potential attacks.
Platform Certifications
JD Edwards EnterpriseOne deployments depend on a matrix of interdependent platform components from Oracle and third-party vendors. The product support lifecycle of these components is driven by their vendors, creating a continuous need to certify the latest versions of these products to give customers a complete technology stack that is functional, well-performing, and supported by the vendors. This Tools release includes the following platform certifications:
Database 19c
- 32-bit and 64-bit JDE on Linux
- 32-bit and 64-bit JDE on Windows
- 32-bit JDE on Solaris
- See the support of Oracle Database 19c (Doc ID 2563489.1) document for additional details
Oracle JET 7.0.1
JD Edwards EnterpriseOne certifications are posted on the Certifications tab in My Oracle Support.
The updated version of JD Edwards EnterpriseOne Platform Statement of Direction is published on My Oracle Support (Document ID 749393.1). See this document for a summary of recent and planned certifications as well as important information about withdrawn certifications.
Application Enhancements
Customer-driven ERP enhancements continue to build on the extensive business applications already available within JD Edwards EnterpriseOne. These enhancements provide valuable new business logic, simplify business processes, and enhance the user experience.
Financials
Joint Venture Management
This release marks a significant milestone with support for the management of cash calls. With this functionality, JD Edwards now supports the complete joint venture process for managing partners of joint ventures. Cash calls enable a managing partner to request funds from partners to meet operating costs of the joint venture and draw against each partner’s contributions for their share of costs. This functionality also enables a managing partner to invoice partners for requested funds, transfer cash call open amounts to other cash calls, and refund the remaining amount of a cash call to partners.
JD Edwards Joint Venture Management enables managing partners of a joint venture to:
- Define joint ventures
- Specify date-effective percentages of ownership
- Calculate overhead charges
- Allocate indirect costs to the joint venture
- Calculate each joint venture partner’s pro rata share of cost and revenue
- Manage cash calls
- Pay or bill partners for their share of expenses and revenue
- Provide financial reports for the joint venture
In addition, Joint Venture Management enables a managing partner to provide all partners with critical management oversight, including traceability and auditability of all transactions and distributed amounts related to each joint venture.
Option to Restrict Payment to Posted Vouchers
Accounts payable users can now ensure that only posted vouchers are selected for payment. This new level of control in the Manual Payment with Match application ensures compliance with finance department requirements.
Voucher Withholding Tax Calculation Flexibility
Companies with complex accounts payable withholding requirements now have a simplified method of defining how withholding tax is calculated. Accounts payable users can configure withholding tax to be calculated based on either the gross or taxable amount of the voucher.
Balance Sheet Lessee Accounting
Accounting standards for the lessees of property and non-property assets require that the leased asset might need to be accounted for on the company’s balance sheet. JD Edwards EnterpriseOne now supports:
- Multicurrency Leases: Lessee accountants that are responsible for leased assets where the lease is denominated in a foreign currency can now use JD Edwards to account for these multicurrency leases. EnterpriseOne now supports the management of Lease Liability account gains or losses, and revaluation of the Right of Use asset account to address currency exchange rate fluctuations.
- Lease Termination: Lease administrators have additional controls over the lease termination process including multiple methods to initiate an early termination and controls to ensure that a lease cannot be terminated if accounting entries extend past the termination date.
Human Capital Management
Changes and Corrections to Pennsylvania School District Codes
Companies with employees in Pennsylvania now have a simplified method for making changes and corrections to Work and Resident PSD codes. These changes can now be made directly in the summary and detail tax forms for PA ACT32 saving time and effort.
Ability to View Full Social Security Number in Employee Master
HR professionals responsible for employee master data may need the ability to view an employee’s full social security number when system-wide SSN masking is active. A processing option provides access to the full SSN when a user reviews the Employee Master information.
Flexibility in Populating Effective On Date in Quick Hire
HR professionals have additional control and flexibility to define Effective On dates when employees return from leave, are rehired, or are onboarded through acquisition. The JD Edwards Human Capital Management Quick Hire application has been enhanced to provide two options—system date or employee date started—while populating the Effective On date column of the HR History table.
US Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO-1) Updates for 2019 (World and E1)
JD Edwards EnterpriseOne and JD Edwards World were both enhanced to address the 2019 U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) requirements for the electronic filing of EEO-1 Component 2. According to EEOC instructions, employers needed to file the first new EEO-1 Component 2 report, including pay data, by September 30, 2019.
Australian Tax Authority Updates for 2019-2020 Tax Year
JD Edwards EnterpriseOne Australian Payroll supports the combined HELP and SFSS tax components for the 2019-2020 financial year tax obligations.
Manufacturing
Copy Bills of Material by Branch/Plant
The process of setting up a new manufacturing plant is now streamlined by the Copy Bill of Material by Branch/Plant program which can be used to copy bills of material, including all supporting Item/Branch records, from one branch to another. Bills of material are copied one level at a time based on data selection. A bill of material that already exists for an item in the To branch is not altered. The program produces a report that displays the records that will be created for the process being run. The report also displays errors based on processing options or setup issues for the From or To Branch/Plants. You can use a processing option to run the program in proof or final mode. In proof mode, the report is generated but the files are not updated. In final mode, the reports are generated, and the files are updated.
Order Management
Record Reservation for Print Delivery Note
The Order to Cash business process can be further streamlined by executing the Print Delivery Note process simultaneously with other processes that access Sales Order Details, such as Invoice Print. Implementation of Record Reservation now enables applications and batch processes to run simultaneously, reducing the amount of time it takes to fulfill and deliver orders to process a customer’s payments.
Sales Proposal Generation Simplification
Sales representatives can more easily create sales proposals for their prospects and customers leveraging their Oracle BI Publisher skills. Oracle BI Publisher can be used to create templates and generate the output that is consistent with how other types of report formats are defined and maintained. This enhancement simplifies the proposal generation process for users and system administrators.
Localization Updates
Argentina—General Resolution AFIP 4245/2018
This resolution requires setting two withholding percentages, one for suppliers who are individuals and another for corporate suppliers. EnterpriseOne processes have been updated to provide the flexibility to configure the withholding percentages to ensure compliance with this regulatory requirement.
Brazil—Annex IV of the Registered Nota Fiscal Information
Existing EnterpriseOne processes used to create the XML output for the Nota Fiscal invoice have been updated. Prior to this update, the EnterpriseOne processes did not populate XML tags that were considered optional by the Brazil tax authority through Amendment IV.
European Union—eInvoice for Accounts Receivable – XML Response Consumption
The European Union (EU) has imposed electronic invoicing with a scheme of 160 data elements. Within the boundaries of the scheme (EN16391), EU countries are allowed to define a country-specific version (CIUS). The EN16391 is a subset of the UBL 2.1 standard. This regulatory requirement is already addressed in the EnterpriseOne solution. An additional requirement is to update the electronic invoice status in EnterpriseOne based on an inbound response message received from the tax authority. The EnterpriseOne processes have been updated to ensure compliance with this additional regulatory requirement.
European Union—Customer/Supplier Balance Report Updates
The existing European Union (EU) Customer and Supplier Balance Report provides information about customer and supplier transactions and current balances as a basis for submitting various reports to the fiscal authorities.
India—GST Electronic Tax Invoice Reference Number
Based on the direction from the Central Board of Indirect Taxes, an electronic infrastructure has been developed for uploading Goods and Services Tax (GST) invoice information to the Goods and Services Tax Network (GSTN) government portal in real-time. Taxpayers will be mandated to include the Invoice Reference Number (IRN) that is generated by the GSTN when printing the tax invoices. EnterpriseOne processes for generating these invoices for GST have been updated to include the IRN to ensure compliance with this regulatory requirement.
Japan—Emperor New Era Name
The new Reiwa era started on May 1, 2019, with the succession of the new emperor. The new era name applies to all the industries operating in Japan. Existing reports and processes have been updated to reference and print the new era name.
Poland—JPK Audit File Modifications 2019
The Ministry of Finance published an updated version of JPK_VAT Invoices Register Block, which is also known as JPK_FA. The most significant changes are related to reverse charge and export transactions. The existing EnterpriseOne VAT invoice processes have been updated to ensure compliance with the new regulatory requirements.
Taiwan—e-GUI (Government Uniform Invoice) 2020
The Ministry of Finance is replacing the current Computer Government Uniform Invoice (c-GUI) with the Electronic Government Uniform Invoice (e-GUI), and the c-GUI will eventually become obsolete. The requirements of e-GUI including e-GUI processing and e-GUI tax filing are significantly advanced compared to the current c-GUI requirements. The EnterpriseOne processes used to extract the preliminary e-GUI data and update e-GUI numbers have been updated to ensure compliance with the regulatory requirements.
To learn more about the enhancements in JD Edwards EnterpriseOne Tools 9.2.4 and the supporting documentation, check out the Oracle announcement.