Oracle Sees HR Software, CRM Catching On In the Cloud as Fusion Apps Launch
Oracle (NASDAQ: ORCL) has begun rolling out its long-awaited Fusion Applications, with more than 100 modules spanning financials, human resources, CRM, supply chain management and governance, risk and compliance (GRC).
More than 50 customers are in an early adopter program for Fusion apps. Last week, Oracle shined a spotlight on its human resources (HR) software applications with a pair of webcasts on Oracle Fusion Human Capital Management (HCM).
In an interview with eCRM Guide, Gretchen Alarcon, vice president of Oracle Fusion HCM strategy, said one feature of HCM — and all the Fusion applications — is better business intelligence.
With better BI, HR departments can study salary, compensation and promotion issues and use predictive analytics to help with job satisfaction, employee retention, promotions and performance. Looking at issues like time in job, vacations taken and life events, Alarcon said it's possible to predict which employees are at a high risk of leaving, for example.
The ability to measure the effect of changes in compensation, performance and other business processes is “where a lot of HR folks start to get really excited,” she said.
HCM can be deployed as on-premise software or through hosted, on-demand or cloud solutions. Fusion apps are designed to be SaaS-ready, she said, but HCM and CRM are the applications that are drawing the most cloud interest from customers so far.
Alarcon said Oracle Fusion apps have been designed using what the company has learned about standards, technology and service-oriented architectures (SOA) and coupled it with feedback about how individuals work with a system. HCM, for example, offers a role-based user experience and is based on user habits, such as for line managers or frequently interrupted employees.
HCM offers core HR functions like payroll and benefits and more advanced features like performance and goal management, compensation management, workforce prediction, workforce lifecycle management, talent review and collaboration and social networking.
For more on Oracle's new Fusion Applications, see Oracle Marries Business Intelligence with CRM, ERP in New Fusion Apps
Paul Ferrill has been writing for over 15 years about computers and network technology. He holds a BS in Electrical Engineering as well as a MS in Electrical Engineering. He is a regular contributor to the computer trade press. He has a specialization in complex data analysis and storage. He has written hundreds of articles and two books for various outlets over the years. His articles have appeared in Enterprise Apps Today and InfoWorld, Network World, PC Magazine, Forbes, and many other publications.
