You have a decision to make: Extended support for Oracle E-Business Suite (EBS) 11i is going to end soon – should you opt for EBS R12 or Fusion Applications?
It’s easier for SAP users, who have one single core ERP product to choose from. But Oracle offers two viable options: upgrade to the latest Oracle EBS R12 (either 12.1.3 or 12.2) or switch to Fusion Applications (Now Oracle Cloud ERP)
This has presented a real dilemma to quite a few organizations, as is also reflected in various online debates.
Panaya’s Oracle experts have been called for consultation on this dilemma many times, so here’s our take:
The Benefits of Making the Leap to Fusion
It’s certainly tempting to move to Fusion. Here are some reasons why:
- It’s positioned as the next-generation Business Applications solution by Oracle
- It offers the best-of-breed from enterprise solutions acquired by Oracle
- It’s built on a service-oriented architecture and SaaS model.
All in all, it certainly isn’t a bad choice.
You can start getting ready to Prepare for the Cloud by Taking These 5 Practical Steps »
Now Why You Might Want to Consider EBS R12.x
Fusion is great but, if you’re using EBS 11i now, upgrading to R12 might be better as an initial step. Here’s why:
- R12 offers significant improvements and advances over 11i
- It’s a direct upgrade – so making the shift is significantly easier
- You don’t have to switch to an entirely new system – like you would for Fusion Applications
- For most organizations, leaping from 11i directly to Fusion is too much to bite off in one go
And…One More Thing to Consider
R12 runs on Fusion Middleware – just like the Fusion Applications do. This means that you can upgrade to R12 and immediately enjoy some of the most advanced ERP functionality available, while also gaining a platform that is very similar at its foundation to Fusion. Your upgrade will be relatively painless compared to bringing in an entirely new ERP (especially if you use an Upgrade Automation solution), and you can then start bringing in aspects of Fusion Applications at a measured pace (such as Fusion HCM), getting just the parts of it you most want at first, and then eventually building toward a system that is completely Fusion.
Fusion may be the future of Oracle’s ERP offerings. It’s a future that many Oracle EBS “shops” should consider embracing in the foreseeable future, but you don’t necessarily have to make the leap immediately. R12 gives you so much, not the least of which is a convenient entry point to Fusion Applications in an easy and controlled manner.