With the spate of recent acquisitions from Oracle, the number of products that overlap in features and functions have increased tremendously. That is true with advanced planning modules as well.

For example, Oracle acquired PeopleSoft, which had previously acquired JD Edwards (JDE). JDE had previously acquired Numetrix. Oracle also acquired Demantra last year. This resulted in many different modules within the planning space that overlaps in functionality. For example, you can manage VMI within Demantra RT S&OP and within Collaborative Planning modules. You can plan safety stock within Demantra, Inventory Optimization and within Advanced Supply Chain Planning modules. Some level of detailed scheduling is possible in Advanced Supply Chain Planning in addition to Production Scheduling module.

However, not all the features, functions and capabilities are identical. Therefore, it is important for the customer to precisely define their needs and select the module that best suits their requirement and budget. It is also important to verify the product roadmap before deciding a module that is intended to be used for the long-term.

For more information on this topic, please feel free to contact me or one of my partners at Inspirage. We would be glad to help you out!

Regards,
Srini Subramanian