| Oracle® Retail Advanced Inventory Planning Operations Guide Release 14.1.1 |
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This chapter provides general information on these topics:
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Note: Information about Batch Script Architecture (BSA) previously found in this guide is now in the Oracle Retail Planning Batch Script Architecture (BSA) Implementation Guide. |
The AIP architecture consists of the AIP modules distributed across these two platforms:
RPAS platform
Java/Oracle platform
The external merchandising system, the forecasting system, and the replenishment optimization system are integrated with AIP to provide the inventory/foundation data and the forecasting data to AIP to effectively plan the inventory flow across the retailers supply chain. AIP can integrate with any merchandising or forecasting systems. Figure 1-1 shows the integrated AIP solution with the Oracle Retail Merchandising System (RMS) and the Oracle Retail Demand Forecasting (RDF) system and Oracle Retail Replenishment Optimization (RO) system.
| Acronym | Definition |
|---|---|
| RMS | Oracle Retail Merchandising System |
| RDF | Oracle Retail Demand Forecasting |
| RO | Oracle Retail Replenishment Optimization |
| OM | Order Management |
| RPAS | Retail Predictive Application Server |
| DM | Data Management |
| OM | Order Management |
| SRP | Store Replenishment Planning |
| WRP | Warehouse Replenishment Planning |
| USA | User Specified Allocation |
The replenishment and allocation calculations across the supply chain for stores and warehouses are implemented using the C++ component architecture. The calculations are provided as binaries and are integrated using rule groups and then executed using the AIP RPAS batch process.
To modify and update the parameters for store planning, or to manage the alerts raised during the batch process, AIP provides these client utilities:
Store Replenishment Planning (SRP)
User Specified Allocation (USA)
Similarly, to modify and update the parameters for warehouse planning, AIP provides the Warehouse Replenishment Planning (WRP) client utility.
The RPAS platform is used for implementing the predictive planning solutions. For AIP, the RPAS platform provides the following layers:
| Layer | Description |
|---|---|
| Client layer | RPAS provides a client utility for users to work on the worksheets within the workbooks. The users view and maintain the measures for the replenishment and allocation calculations across the supply chain. The user interfaces for SRP, WRP, and USA are provided by the client utility. Users need to install the client utility provided by the RPAS platform and configure the SRP and WRP user interfaces. Based on access rights, the AIP planner can log in to the different workbooks. |
| Implementation layer | The AIP solution is implemented on RPAS by using all the features and functions provided by the RPAS planning platform. AIP is implemented using the C++ component architecture, and is executed in the form of binaries during the AIP batch process. |
| Configuration layer | RPAS provides the Configuration Tools. The RPAS Configuration Tools are used by the AIP implementers to set up the workbooks, measures, and rules for the business needs of the retailer. |
| Application layer | The Alert Manager is associated with the workbooks. Alerts based on business scenarios and thresholds are designed in the alert manager. When the planners log in to the system using the client utility, the alert manager window pops up with all the alerts listed. This enables the planners to take appropriate actions. |
| Database layer | RPAS provides a multi-dimensional database, for AIP to support the following:
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Note: AIP Java/Oracle, AIP on Oracle, and AIP online are often used interchangeably to refer to those parts of AIP that access the Oracle relational database. This includes the Data Management and Order Management GUI components and a host of UNIX shell scripts and PL/SQL modules. |
The two AIP online modules, Data Management and Order Management, are Web-based applications that interact with an Oracle database and run on an application server. Using a Web browser, users can log in to the multi-user graphical user interface, an applet.
The Data Management (DM) module is implemented across both the Oracle and RPAS platforms to manage the supply chain parameters across the retailer's stores and warehouses.
The Data Management module has two parts that operate on the Oracle database:
| Part | Description |
|---|---|
| DM Batch | This is an extensive set of processes that involves extracting data for use in RPAS, loading data updated or created in RPAS and also performing a number of steps to automatically setup and maintain the supply chain. |
| DM Online Interface | This Java applet client utility is used by the AIP planners for managing the supply chain. |
The DM Batch processes execute on both the RPAS platform and the Oracle platform. It is used to sync and source data across all the AIP modules.
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Note: On the RPAS platform, the DM module has only the batch process. There is no user interface. |
The Order Management (OM) module is used to manage the purchase orders and transfers generated by the planning calculations, and then release them to RMS. The OM module operates only on the Java/Oracle platform.
The Order Management module has two parts that operate on the Oracle platform:
| Part | Description |
|---|---|
| OM Batch | This process consists of loading the planned purchase orders and transfers from RPAS into the Oracle database and then releasing them to RMS on their lead times. |
| OM Online Interface | This is a Java applet client utility used by AIP for manually creating purchase orders, releasing purchase orders early, and managing the purchase orders and transfers which have been released to RMS. |
AIP provides a client utility for the OM module, and it also has a batch process for a daily mass release of purchase orders and transfers which have met their lead time.
Figure 1-3 shows the AIP Java/Oracle Platform.
The AIP Java application is designed with the following layers:
| Layer | Description |
|---|---|
| Client layer | AIP Online provides a Graphical User Interface (GUI), which is a Java AWT applet. Users can log in by using a Web browser. Both the DM and OM modules are accessed through the Web interface. A common user account is created by the AIP Online administrator so that the user can access both the DM and OM modules. |
| Application layer | The applet communicates with an application server through an Oracle Retail WebTrack communication layer. The server runs a Java servlet, which provides a data access layer. |
| Database layer | The server communicates through the Oracle Retail WebTrack and an Oracle JDBC driver to an Oracle database. |
