HCM Cloud: Oracle Is Listening
(Editor’s Note: Todd Rayburn is MIPRO’s HCM Practice Manager.)
I have been in the HCM application space for over 17 years. The first 15 were focused on HCM PeopleSoft implementations. During the last two years I have been a part of multiple Oracle HCM Cloud implementations. While the product had it challenges in the early stages, as all new software does, one thing became very clear with each successive release:
Oracle is listening.
I first noticed this in a compensation implementation on release 5. Much of the feedback our team received around this release was concerning the user interface not being as “user friendly” as other SaaS applications. Oracle answered in kind with the FUSE user interface in release 7 (the next major release). The FUSE UI is an icon-based interface that made manager’s self-service transactions a few simple intuitive clicks — which, as we all know, is essential for manager adoption. Likewise, it’s critical to have one-click icon access to key reports and analytics that allow management to make informed personnel decisions without having to pick up the phone and request the data. Oracle took care of that one too.
The next was a Global HR implementation on release 7. During this implementation the client had some fairly complex workflow requirements due to the unique business rules of their various operating entities. This required configuration of multiple workflow paths for each manager self-service transaction, which proved to be a challenge with the then-current workflow configuration tool known as BPM Worklist due to its technical nature. Fortunately, as part of the project, we upgraded to release 8, which offered HCM Cloud’s new workflow configuration tool, Manage Approval Rules. This is an easy, graphical UI that uses drag and drop functionality coupled with everyday business vernacular to allow for easy configuration of even the most complex business rules. With the new approval UI the project team was able to meet the workflow requirements with little to no training due to its intuitive functionality.
Release 9 is on deck for Q1 of 2015, and there is new functionality to get excited about. While HCM Cloud security is exceptionally robust and allows for specific data security rules to be attached to a job role versus only individual users, administration requires the use of two separate applications. With the upcoming release 9 this will no longer be the case. The new Security Console provides a single point of contact for security administrators to manage security roles for the entire application. It offers new functionality that allows you to compare roles, as well as clone existing roles.
It’s an exciting time to be in the Oracle HCM Cloud space. The bottom line is becoming clear: Oracle is making sure there are impactful functionality updates to the HCM Cloud application with each release that speak directly to requests made by the user community.
