OTM Logistics Digital Assistant using Fusion Paired ODA instance

Introduction

As per Oracle Transportation Management (OTM) Logistics Digital Assistant (LDA) Getting Started Guide, users are required to deploy an instance of ODA Platform in order to use the OTM skill. In this blog we will look at how existing Fusion SaaS customers can leverage the Fusion paired ODA instance to use the OTM skill, thereby enabling them to build conversational interfaces for users to interact with OTM.

Context and Terminology

Firstly, let us get some of the terminology used in this blog defined. Mainly the LDA, OTM Skill in the context of OTM and ODA.

As per Oracle Transportation Management (OTM) Logistics Digital Assistant Getting Started Guide, the Logistics Digital Assistant (LDA) is designed as a family of conversational skills for Oracle Logistics Cloud built on top of the ODA platform. The OTM Order Shipment status inquiry skill (OTM skill) is the first skill delivered. In this blog we will look at how existing Fusion SaaS customers can leverage the Fusion paired ODA instance to use the OTM skill. 

This can be particularly useful for customers who use the Fusion SCM Order Management (OM) and integrate with OTM for shipping.
They can use the Fusion paired ODA to access the OTM orders and shipments right from the Fusion ODA or other pre-configured channels.

Topology

OTM customers who are subscribed to Fusion SaaS can now leverage the existing Fusion paired ODA for use along with OTM instance as well.
In subsequent sections we will see how simple it is to wire and integrate Fusion paired ODA along with OTM and start using the OTM skill.

The OTM Logistics Digital Assistant Getting Started Guide walks throuh steps to setup Logistics digital assistant on a ODA platform instance. this blog will focus on the specific steps necessary for setting up LDA on the fusion paired ODA instance.

Diagram below shows the simple layout of the components involved with the logistics digital assistant. The various components are

•     Fusion IDCS --> Used to authenticate Fusion users accessing the Fusion Hybridized ODA instance
•     Fusion SaaS --> Oracle Fusion Applications Suite consisting of application modules across ERP, SCM, HCM and CX (Sales, Service)
•     OTM Instance --> Oracle Transporation Management application
•     OTM IDCS --> Used to authenticate OTM users using Oauth for access to OTM orders/shipment information 

Setup

The setup steps can be split into 3 main categories

1.  Confidential App in OTM IDCS
2.  Auth setup in Fusion paired ODA instance
3.  OTM skill setup in Fusion paired ODA instance

Most of the steps are documented and common from the Logistics Getting started Guide. This blog will refer to the guide for steps where applicable
and will guide through the process of setting up the Logistics Digital Assistant using the Fusion paired ODA instance.

Step 1: On OTM IDCS, Create a Confidential App 

This confidential app is responsible to issue and authenticate Oauth tokens for OTM access.
Note that the OTM skill internally calls OTM REST API to retrieve Orders and shiment information.    
Refer the LDA Getting started Guide for steps to create the confidential app. Here are key screenshots and config values to guide you through the steps

Step 2: Auth setup on Fusion paired ODA instance

Access the Fusion paired ODA instance and create an Authentication Service. refer here for detailed steps.
The Authentication Service essentially points to the OTM IDCS confidential App we created in Step#1
 

Step3: OTM skill setup on Fusion paired ODA instance

Pull and extend the latest OTM skill in ODA
At the time of writing this blog, the latest skill version is v3.4 for 23C release
Also provide Skill config values to point correctly to the Authentication Service and OTM Instance
Refer to the section from guide here

That's it! The Fusion paired ODA is now ready and integrated with OTM.
See screenshot below of ODA Skill tester connecting to OTM and fetching Order and shipment Information

Finally, configure the required front end Web channel on ODA and complete the Web property and users Setup in OTM to enable the Logistics Digital Assistant on OTM

Summary

We have seen in this blog how Fusion SCM customers can setup the Fusion paired ODA instance to integrate with OTM to provide conversational interface for users.

Acknowledgements

I would like to acknowledge the contribution from Evelyn Mei from OTM Product Strategy team and Srinivasa Peddineni from OTM Development team towards this blog.

References

• LDA - Logistics Digital Assistant - Getting Started Guide (release 24A at the time of writing, refer to latest release)
• ODA - Oracle Digital Assistant documentation 
• Fusion DA - ODA for Fusion Applications