Oracle Expands Supply Chain Cloud With Digital Assistant

Oracle is expanding its Supply Chain Management (SCM) Cloud solution with a range of new features, including integration into a business network and the addition of a digital assistant, the company said on Wednesday (Sept. 18).

The launch of the Oracle Business Network connects business users of the supply chain management solution with their B2B partners, either directly or via third-party networks like eInvoicing or logistics platforms. Using the Business Network portal, businesses can more seamlessly search for and interact with those business partners registered within the network, promoting electronic data exchange and documentation, Oracle explained.

The company said it will also look to roll out an integration with DataFox, allowing business users to obtain real-time data insights and analytics about their partners.

Oracle also announced the addition of digital assistant technology within its SCM Cloud solution, allowing supply chain managers to converse with a digital assistant that can monitor ongoing activity. The company said it will initially focus on the use case of the digital assistant within logistics operations, including capabilities to obtain information on status, tracking deviations and incident reporting, though Oracle said it also plans to expand functionality to all areas of supply chain management.

“In many cases, the natural complexity of an organization’s supply chain is made worse by the complexity of the technology used to manage it,” said Oracle Chief Sustainability Officer and VP of Supply Chain Management Jon Chorley in a statement. “To outpace change and stay ahead of competitors amid changing market conditions, organizations need technology that removes complexity and provides clear and actionable insights into their business.

“The new innovations within Oracle SCM Cloud help customers streamline collaboration with new trading partners and improve operational intelligence so they can move faster and outperform the market,” he added.

Oracle’s supply chain management enhancements follow an announcement earlier this month that the company is collaborating with Trinamix to strengthen its SCM Cloud offering.