Building the foundation for growth with a strategic shift to advanced cloud solutions
1
The Challenge
Oriental Trading Company (OTC), a leading direct retailer of value-priced party supplies, toys, and crafts, and major provider of fundraising products, was relying on older technology and unsupported systems, including JD Edwards World (green screen). The team aimed to lay a new foundation for future growth by transitioning their business operations to a scalable, supported cloud-based platform. This strategic shift to the cloud was intended to minimize their dependency on obsolete technology and the specialized skills it required. Also, OTC sought to adopt best practices and standardized processes that would improve with regular updates to the system. Importantly, this transition needed to be executed without interrupting their ongoing business activities.
2
The Solution
Argano conducted an assessment of an existing ERP project to redesign an approach to building an enhanced cloud environment. OTC and Argano closely collaborated on the design along with a phased approach, with Oracle Cloud ERP (including Financials, Indirect Procurement, and Procurement Contracts) going live in the first wave. The second wave included the rollout of Oracle Cloud SCM for Supply and Demand Planning, Inventory, Procurement, Trade Operations, and Product Data Hub.
To facilitate both application-driven and scheduled integrations, Oracle Integration Cloud (OIC) was employed to connect existing legacy applications with their shipping consolidator. A total of 50+ integrations, designed to support high-volume transactions, were established using OIC.
3
The Results
Since the initial launch, OTC has started to realize the advantages of cloud-based applications. These benefits include enhanced decision-making capabilities, facilitated by the ability to capture and analyze relevant data effectively, as well as improved procurement processes.
The integrations established with Oracle Integration Cloud (OIC) have successfully enabled seamless communication between various applications, allowing for efficient data transfer across systems.
Currently, OTC is preparing for deployment of additional modules as well as Argano Managed Services support, including automated quarterly testing, for continuous improvement of their technology stack. This progression underscores OTC’s commitment to leveraging advanced technologies and cloud architecture to optimize their operating environment and maintain a competitive edge.