Background

One of the world’s largest medical centers made strategic plans to upgrade their entire data architecture. This transformation required moving their Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system from Lawson to Oracle Cloud and their Supplier Relationship Management (SRM) system to Ivalua. This organization faced serious data conversion issues with their initial implementation in London; consequently, they enlisted Premier to handle their second implementation: performing data migration for their main US campus. Premier addressed data complexities with a methodical and thoroughly validated approach, allowing the client to use the new system with full confidence in the underlying data. As a result of the second effective implementation, the client re-enlisted Premier for their third wave to handle the integration of recently acquired hospitals onto their new data platform. All of these newly acquired medical centers needed to have their data converted to match the specifications of the already live data in Oracle Cloud and Ivalua.

Due to the intricacies of the third wave implementation (large number of conversion objects, high data volume, dependent integrations), the project plan was engineered to include two separate go-live windows. The first go-live (aka the “Winter Release”) would reflect the master data objects in Oracle Cloud, the integration of loaded Oracle master data into Ivalua, and loading all additional source-to-pay data objects into Ivalua. The second go-live would reflect the transactional data in Oracle Cloud, building upon the already loaded master data. This case study will focus on the “Winter Release” go-live: the load of Oracle Cloud Supply Chain conversion objects, the subsequent integration of this data into the Ivalua procurement system, and the load of all Ivalua conversion objects for procurement purposes.

Project Requirements

The “Winter Release” go-live involved six Oracle Cloud data objects (Items, Manufacturer Part Numbers, Supplier Part Numbers, Inventory Org Items, Intraclass UOM, Suppliers) and three Ivalua data objects (Suppliers, Contracts, Pricing). With these data loads, the client wanted to ensure minimal disruption to business users; as such, it was a priority to load the data in an expeditious and creative fashion. The “Winter Release” project plan stated that between Sunday night to Friday morning the team would complete the following: obtain a legacy data refresh, perform conversion runs, preliminarily validate converted data to be loaded into Oracle, load data into Oracle, and validate loaded data. From there, the Ivalua integration would run on Friday to include the recently loaded Oracle Cloud data. All other Ivalua data objects were to be loaded over the weekend so that end users could perform their day-to-day tasks the following Monday.

Key Activities

The data migration team fully leveraged Premier’s EPACTL framework, and Applaud® data migration software by performing the following activities:

We began by extracting legacy data to be used for Oracle and Ivalua data conversions. Through multiple test runs, we were able to reduce the time it took to extract the legacy data by updating table set-up and removing unneeded columns. At the beginning of the project, we profiled and analyzed source data to determine any legacy data quirks and understand how the data should exist in the end-state Oracle and Ivalua systems. We then performed data cleansing which entailed updating legacy data inaccuracies, supplier deduplication, and address standardization. Next, we performed the necessary data transformations specified by the client to be reflected in the Oracle Cloud and Ivalua production environments. In the process, we automated our data conversions to limit manual work. We also used our proprietary Oracle Cloud Critical-to-Quality (CTQ) pre-load validation checks to identify load errors prior to executing data loads. These checks led to targeted error resolution before it was too late, thereby enabling efficient and highly effective data loads within a tight timeframe. Additionally, we updated Oracle load settings to use multiple threads; this slight tweak significantly reduced load times. We performed the necessary boundary system integrations to ensure that the client’s Oracle Cloud data would be reflected in Ivalua and completed all necessary Ivalua data loads.

Our EPACTL process is enhanced by our detailed project management strategies and communicative consultants. Our detailed project plan outlined all necessary steps from data extraction to post-load validation as well as the expected time to complete each step. Additionally, our team was in constant communication with client leads to execute changes and answer questions during the validation process; this allowed us to address issues in real time.

Client Risks and Mitigation Strategies

COVID-19-Induced Challenges

The “Winter Release” go-live was executed later than originally anticipated due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Eight months after the start of the project, project activities were paused; the client’s  leadership team determined a new path forward due to COVID-related interruptions.

  • Resource changes occurred as a result of the pandemic. Additionally, client SME availability was oftentimes scarce.
  • Due to COVID restrictions, the “Winter Release” go-live was executed remotely.
  • The production Oracle Cloud environment was already live with data from previous project waves; this data was regularly being accessed by users around the globe.
  • The hospital system had a large volume of data including 4.5 million inventory organization item records.

Our solutions

  • Premier was a constant across the project, providing support to the client at the start of the project and after the project pause. As a result, Premier consultants had a deep understanding of the legacy data and the objectives of the implementation, which allowed the Premier team to assist with/help drive data validation.
  • Premier consultants set up Microsoft Teams channels to increase real-time communication and address any problems expeditiously.
  • Premier remained extra vigilant to ensure duplicate records would not be loaded for already existing data.
  • We maintained consistent cross-functional communication to guarantee that all necessary processes were turned on/off as needed for successful data loads.
  • Premier’s Applaud® software is able to ingest, process, and output large data volumes. We worked with the client to ensure that the data would be exported in a validation-friendly manner.

Data Transformation and Requirements

Challenges

  • Incomplete testing and data validation in prior mock cycles led to inconsistencies in financial reports, which were not discovered until later in the project. As a result, this impacted the SCM conversions (Items and Suppliers) as the legacy selection logic needed to be updated to support the client’s necessary financial requirements.
  • The client made late changes to data conversion logic (the week before data was slated to be loaded into Production). These mapping updates added extra risk as the new conversion logic was not tested in a development environment.
  • Considerations for different types of suppliers being converted including 1099, international, and "confidential" Supplier Types.
  • Multiple legacy records were combined into one Oracle Cloud record for Suppliers and Inventory Organizations, adding an extra layer of complexity.
  • The Ivalua implementation and integration were not a part of the initial project scope. The inclusion of the Ivalua mid-project required the team to act quickly, executing mapping sessions and conversion builds with fewer mock cycles to test the conversion logic.
  • The client had a tight timeline to execute the Oracle Cloud data loads due to the Ivalua integration. The Oracle Cloud loads had to be finished by Friday morning in order to carry out the Ivalua integration Saturday morning and subsequently load the Ivalua data objects over the weekend.
  • The project timeline was written with the “Winter Release” go-live overlapping with the UAT test cycle for the April transactional go-live. This overlap added extra constraint on client resources.
  • The dual maintenance period was extended due to the phased go-live (the “Winter Release” and later the April transactional go-live). This two-month lag period required that the client carefully track changes in both Oracle/Ivalua as well as their legacy system.

Our solutions

  • Premier scheduled meetings to discuss modifications to selection logic and tested the impacted conversions to ensure that the associated code changes resulted in the correct output.
  • Premier consultants validated the conversion changes and ensured that the output appeared as anticipated prior to releasing the new set of files to the client.
  • Premier provided reports to assist with pre-load validation and answered specific client questions/concerns as they arose.
  • Leveraging Premier’s decades of data migration experience, the Premier team was prepared to execute additional data conversions in an efficient, effective manner.
  • Our ethos (The Premier Way) involves rising to the opportunity to meet our clients’ needs. We understood the importance of executing the loads on schedule and ensured that the data would be ready for end users come Monday morning.
  • Again, Premier rose to the opportunity to meet project deadlines and worked with client SMEs’ schedules to address concerns as they arose.
  • Premier supported the client through their dual maintenance period and reported any unexpected data cases on conversion-specific error logs prior to loads.

Results

The large data volume, late requirements changes, as well as shifting resources/timelines added risk to the overall success of the project. However, with a tight project plan, several mock cycles, automated processes, and Premier’s years of data migration experience, the entire go-live process went smoothly from start to finish. Using our Applaud® software, Premier consultants quickly adjusted to changing requirements and supported data validation efforts to propel this successful implementation. All Oracle Cloud data objects loaded successfully and were swiftly validated; these efforts allowed the Ivalua integration and data loads to take place on schedule. The “Winter Release” go-live was an important milestone as it instilled confidence in the project team and laid the foundation for the official project go-live thereafter. Our client’s data is more streamlined than ever and they are able to operate efficiently across campuses and countries!

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