Rhenus ICT Services
Modernizing a Forms Based
Logistics ERP application
using Formspider
Formspider event @ Ciber, 13-09-2012
Michiel Arentsen
© RHENUS 2012
Introduction
 Rhenus ICT Services, Amsterdam
 part of Rhenus Logistics, large International Logistics company (www.rhenus.com)
 Provide ICT services for Dutch Rhenus companies
 Network and infrastructure services / Communication (EDI) / Project management /
Custom software development
 Development team of 8 fte
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Current development: Oracle Designer Suite 10g R2
 Oracle Forms / Reports / Designer / Headstart / CDM Ruleframe
 In-house developed Oracle Forms Logistics ERP system
 Developed since 2003
 100% Forms are Designer generated
 19 applications
 1100 forms
 350 reports
 600 users
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Current development: Oracle Apex 4.1
 Oracle Apex
 Working with Apex since 2006
 Customer facing apps
- Online booking
- Track & Trace
- Warehousing
 Internal apps
- Asset database
- Employee forms
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Our Problem
 Designer = dead (and so are Headstart / CDM Ruleframe)
 Split development team: only 2 fte able to do Apex
 more and more focus on customer facing / self service apps  more web development
Future of Forms = Forms?
 Oracle and partners say:
 upgrade to 11g (Weblogic), but what about Designer shops?
 integrate / embed in new technology
 new development in JDeveloper/ADF (or Apex)
So, just keep Forms running and rebuild in JDeveloper / ADF later?
Not my strategy.
Why wait? Wait for the silver bullet?
Waiting will only make it harder later…
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Migrate Forms to …
 Oracle JDeveloper / ADF
 not a migration  it’s a rebuild
 steep learning curve
 complex environment
 productivity ?
 more difficult for small dev team: maintain old/new and synchronize functionality
 .NET / Java: (almost) same as above
 Oracle Apex
 option for small forms / relatively simple crud apps
 limitations (layout / web-page paradigm / no transaction layer / debugging )
 gets complicated when leaving the box (javascript/jquery/css/ajax)
 Other development platforms
 ..
 Formspider!
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Formspider Event The Netherlands 13-Sep-2012
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Why Formspider
 Only PL/SQL (with some CSS)
 Easy to learn for Forms developers (simple IDE, same application paradigm)
 Simple architecture: Event – Condition – Action (ECA) / Solid web UI
 Reuse current PL/SQL code!
 Single development environment for all applications  more flexible dev team
 Easier to train new developers
 No split-up development team!
 Lower costs
Experiences so far
 Easy to learn
 Great support!
 Good tutorials and demos
 Great performance
 Great potential
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Forms to Formspider migration
Low-risk gradual parallel migration possible
 deliver new functionality in Formspider
 stepwise migration of current Forms functionality to Formspider and keep current
Oracle Forms working on same code base
 relatively easy keeping both application’s functionality in sync : same logic / same
database / only screens to keep in sync
Done so far
 Downloaded Formspider last February and started playing / learning
 Started building a demo framework application in April (not fulltime, but besides
regular work)
 Decision was made in July to invest more time in Formspider evaluation in order to
reach final go / no-go decision in October.
 Trained colleague in Formspider and rebuilt / extended framework application
(Demo!)
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Formspider Event The Netherlands 13-Sep-2012
© RHENUS 2012
Demo
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Formspider Event The Netherlands 13-Sep-2012
© RHENUS 2012