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Procurement User Groups Offer New Resources for Oracle Customers

Where can procurement professionals get practical advice on hot topics such as offshoring, business process outsourcing, and maximizing investments in supply chain management (SCM) applications? Two venerable user groups are expanding their information-sharing efforts with information specifically for Oracle applications.

The Sourcing Interests Group
The Sourcing Interests Group, the world’s largest sourcing industry association, will be holding its 32nd semiannual conference beginning on October 9.

The conference will emphasize knowledge sharing among members, who will present case studies about how they solved specific sourcing challenges. Sessions will include e-sourcing, offshoring, outsourcing, and strategic sourcing, says Jack G. Benton, managing director.

“The conference brings together people who are facing many of the same sourcing issues. They’re able to discuss those issues and often find a solution or a tool that they can use,” Benton says. “The presentations provide practical knowledge that people can take home and apply to their work environment.”

The group also publishes presentations and white papers on its Web site.

Benton says 60 percent of the group’s members come from the user community, the remainder from vendors, consultants, and other technology providers. This summer, Oracle joined the group.

Despite the significant involvement by commercial firms, SIG fosters a noncommercial exchange of information, which emphasizes end-user information rather than products. “We don’t do trade shows or have tables where vendors lay out promotional materials.” Benton says.

The Healthcare Industry User Group
Similar hands-on advice is available to procurement professionals who are in the healthcare industry and use Oracle applications. “Our main motto lately has been ‘How to maximize your Oracle investment,’” says Christopher Ryzewski, pillar leader for SCM at the Healthcare Industry User Group and systems administrator for Northwestern Memorial Hospital. A “pillar” is a subgroup devoted to a specific topic within the group.

Much of the optimization discussions these days center on how to use modules and tools that are in addition to the main procurement features in Oracle applications. “A lot of the traffic on our Web site and in our forum has to do with trying to get the most out of what your organization already owns and is not fully utilizing, not looking for other modules to purchase,” Ryzewski adds.

In addition to disseminating information on the group’s Web site, the SCM pillar holds monthly conference calls in which members can dial in and talk about supply chain issues.