The Oracle PeopleSoft team continues to deliver new and enhanced functionality designed to help drive organizational effectiveness, provide decision support tools to facilitate intelligent business execution and offer customers more flexibility through the use of additional configuration options, integrations, and new tools capabilities. Through the mining of ‘Idea Space’, Ideas submitted and supported by our customers, Customer Focus Group meetings, inputs from Partners and Sales teams, and PeopleTools technical updates, we managed a Roadmap of both strategic and tactical enhancements for delivery during 2022.
Here are some of the 2022 deliverables in PeopleSoft Update Images 43, 44, 45 and 46 we’ve heard provided significant impact when adopted by an organization or enabled customers to build a compelling business case for selectively adopting some of these new features.
In this second part to our original blog, we’ll highlight the key and most requested features that improve the user experience. We’ll also share our continuing support of our Global and US Federal Customers with compliance features for Legislative and Regulatory requirements.
Improve the User Experience
New Easy-to-Navigate Fluid Bidder Response
In PeopleSoft Update Image #44 (June 2022), we added the Fluid Bidder Response component, which enables Bidders and Suppliers unfamiliar with the PeopleSoft product to respond to ‘request for’ bid opportunities. These novice users can complete and review their responses, resolve errors, and submit responses using the PeopleSoft Fluid User Interface, which is a more user-friendly set of response encouraging complete submission of all the necessary components of the bid submission. Check out this Video Feature Overview to learn more about this new capability: PeopleSoft Fluid Response to Bid Opportunities – YouTube. If you’d rather read about this capability, check out this blog post: Check out PeopleSoft’s new and intuitive bidder response component on the Comprehensive Supplier Portal (COSP) (oracle.com)
PeopleSoft Fluid eProcurement – a Classic to Fluid Vision Completed
With the recent release of Fluid Receipts and Returns in PeopleSoft Update Image #45 (September 2022), we have delivered the final set of features from the ‘Classic’ eProcurement application into the Fluid Requisition.
The delivered tiles include the applications that are most used by Requesters including Create / Edit Requisition, My Requisitions (Inquiry and Requisition status in the Requisition lifecycle), Change Requests and Casual Receipts / Returns.
In addition, 2022 saw us adding new features that never existed in the Classic Requisition as well as improvements to the user experience to refresh the fluid requisition based on feedback from our user community.
Some of the additional new features never present in the Classic Requisition are:
- Added a delivery icon on the Requisition lifeline to access detailed delivery information for a receipt. (Image #44)
- Enhanced PeopleSoft eProcurement fluid requisitions by adding two new requisition types for healthcare customers. The Bill Only requisition type is used for items that were used, and no replacement item is needed. The Bill and Replace requisition type is used for items that were used, need to be billed, and a replacement part is required. If neither requisition type is enabled, you can create and manage Standard requisitions only. (Image #46)
- Enhanced the Operational Efficiency and Usability of the Fluid eProcurement Cart and Checkout flows. (Image #44). To see more details on the improved usability for the Cart and Checkout flows, please check out this Video Feature Overview: PeopleSoft Fluid eProcurement Cart and Checkout – YouTube
Expanded Business Unit Management
The new General Ledger Business Unit Management feature allows users to setup General Ledger Business Units using the PeopleTools Activity Guide. We have extended this this feature in PeopleSoft Update Image #46 (December 2022) to include the creation of Subledger Business Unit setup, which enables the creation of Accounts Payable, Accounts Receivable, Billing and Asset Management Business Units and Subledgers. You can copy single or multiple Business Units by defining basic details for the target Business Units. The options in the newly created Business Unit can be inherited from the source Business Units and the Activity Guide can be used to complete the Subledger Business Unit Setup. Organization in a fast-paced acquisition and merger environment will realize the benefits by saving time and effort when new entities are onboarded.
Fluid Project Costing WorkCenter and Project Update Wizard
Originally released in PeopleSoft FSCM Update Image #42, the Fluid Project Costing WorkCenter and Project Update Wizard continued to be enhanced in 2022 with content added in Images #43, 44 and 45. Located on the Project Management Homepage, the fluid Projects WorkCenter provides tools to update Project information across the organization in a single action eliminating navigations and reducing errors.
Organizations can use My Work Exceptions on the fluid WorkCenter to identify and fix issues such as missing or inactive project managers, missing project type or location information.
While many of the My Work Exceptions are reactive in nature identifying existing configurations that must be fixed now, the Project Update Wizard is more proactive, providing a guided four-step process to update project information across the entire organization. Use the Project Update Wizard in fluid to update:
- Project and Activity End Dates and Status
- Project Managers and Team Members
- Project and Activity Customer Configured User Fields
- Project Location
- Project Type
- Project Template Status
We believe the release of the Fluid WorkCenter and the Project Update Wizard will provide tremendous value to your organization. For more information on these exciting new fluid features for Project Administrators, you can view the Feature Overview. For more detailed information, check out the Video Feature Overview: PeopleSoft Project Costing Fluid WorkCenter – YouTube
Legislative and Regulatory Enhancements
Accounts Payable, eSettlements and Billing Support for Inbound and Outbound eInvoicing
Many Organizations are now connected to the PEPPOL Network (Pan-European Public Procurement On-Line), an innovative delivery system for electronic documents to be sent instantly, securely, and efficiently in business-to-business (B2B) or business-to-government (B2G) relationships.
In PeopleSoft Update Image #46 (December 2022) we delivered the framework to support the e-Invoicing format in Accounts Payable and eSettlements business documents for the submission to PEPPOL Network. The framework will leverage our Data Export Import Utility (DEIU) to transform data into PEPPOL elements.
European Intrastat Report Updates
In PeopleSoft Update Image #44 (June 2022), we updated the library of out-of-the-box Intrastat reports to print the Partner VAT Number on Intrastat Form N (ISTX0050), Intrastat Form R (ISTX0100), and Intrastat Movement Statistics (ISTX0200).
Sensitive Data Masking to Comply With NACHA Data Security Requirements
In PeopleSoft Update Image #43 (March 2022), we added the Bank Account Number Encryption process to comply with new National Automated Clearing House Association (NACHA) data security requirements for Common Objects. This feature allows you to encrypt, decrypt, and mask bank account numbers in all appropriate FSCM tables. This feature requires PeopleTools release 8.57.15. Check this blog for more details: PeopleSoft FSCM Applications Enable the Masking of Sensitive Data to Comply with Nacha Data Masking Requirements (oracle.com).
Federal Government G-Invoicing Support in Accounts Payable and Purchasing
In PeopleSoft Update Image #44 (June 2022), we enhanced Purchasing and Payables to support limited U.S. Federal Government G-Invoicing system integration from a Requesting Agency perspective only. Modifications leverage the G-Invoicing system RESTful API’s to pull and push data between PeopleSoft Purchasing. Accounts Payable have also been modified to process vouchers related to G-Invoicing purchase orders.