2024-11-21 Netsuite

I had the opportunity to revisit Oracle Parkway at Thames Valley Park today. The last time I was here, I was testing the Activity Modeller for Dai Clegg, who was working on a more UML-focused version of the Designer 2000 CASE tools. Interestingly, I recently discovered that Dai Clegg is credited with developing the MoSCoW requirements prioritization acronym, a concept I’ve often taught to my Systems Analysis and Design students. 

Netsuite Overview

This visit, however, was centered around an update on Oracle Netsuite. For readers unfamiliar with the ERP landscape, Netsuite is one of Oracle’s business application offerings, specifically targeting small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Originally founded as Netledger in 1998, it was Oracle CEO Larry Ellison’s independent venture before Oracle acquired it in 2016. Netsuite was initially conceived to compete with Intuit’s QuickBooks and to explore the emerging possibilities of cloud computing—long before the term "cloud computing" became mainstream. 

My Experience with Netsuite

I have been a user of Netsuite.  Netsuite is the default financial applications for companies within the Vista portfolio, within which I was fortunate enough to work.  However, I only saw it through the narrow lens of expense reporting in the collage of systems an employee uses every day.  

The nature of the Review

It is the first time that I got to see a full view, at least of financials.  You can see the different start points of the various business solutions within the Oracle portfolio.  Oracle Fusion emphasises broad capability and adaptability.  Netsuite emphasises simplicity.  

Things I really like about the what I saw:

• Symmetry.  The system’s design ensures that similar processes mirror each other for intuitive use. For example, Accounts Payable closely resembles Accounts Receivable, and Sales Orders are structured similarly to Purchase Orders.

• Simplicity.  When we reviewed the chart of accounts design, we can see the predictable elements of an accounting structure.  Subsidiaries, Departments, Account Codes. 

• Consistency: Netsuite offers specialized pages for roles such as Accounts Payable Specialist, Accounts Receivable Specialist, and Sales Order Specialist. Each page maintains a consistent layout and structure, making the system easy to navigate.

Things where I will have to do some digging.

• Order Promising / Distribution capabilities

Andy showed us great order entry capability and demonstrated sales from stock.  Where inventory was not available on the shelf the sale goes on backorder.  This fits a retail environment very well.  Not so much a distributor or manufacturer.  

• CRM processes / Terminology

Andy was explaining lead capture at a conference and how the delegates scanned at a booth, might be represented as leads in a CRM system.  Andy explained the Lead might progress to become a prospect.  It seems that a business card is more likely to become both a Lead and a Contact at their company.  Their company is likely to become a prospect.  

• Encumbrance and Budget Checking

An area in purchasing that I would have expected to see was budget checking. I saw a lot of sophistication in financial accounting, (currency restatement, intercompany eliminations) which made me expect to see some way to delegate spend authority. 

In summary a well spent day, that made me hungry for some implementation work.