Challenges with Previous Versions

Have you ever had to build customizations around deferred invoicing, complex risk calculations, or pricing provisions? 

 

Due to the complex nature of the ETRM industry; Risk, Accounting, and Cash Applications rely heavily upon 3rd party tools for functions such as robust inventory valuations, WACOG calculations, and taxing functionalities. The unavailability of these tools in the older RightAngle versions encourages businesses to strongly consider an upgrade to the latest version.

 

Additionally from an IT standpoint, PowerBuilder or a hybrid system results in Increased Server Load and hampers stability making custom code deployment troublesome. Along with standards to be followed for SOX Compliance, the previous security manager doesn’t allow for individual task/ BA security thus increasing risk significantly.

Benefits of Upgrading to the Latest Version

There are numerous benefits to upgrading to the latest version, such as the new Search WACOG by Contract Summary/ Detail reports. This new feature helps reduce dependency on external applications, reduces Human Errors, and provides a better understanding of the company’s Risk Position. This will additionally replace reports such as search inventory values and provide a consolidated report with advanced core fields to facilitate advanced risk calculations.

 

New ways to customize the risk solution, including quantifying the risk level on the portfolio level and modifying the accounting periods on common reports, lead to increased efficiency and productivity. Dependence on 3rd Party Customizations like deferred invoices and unique auto matcher scenarios for business needs can now be handled with core functionality in the latest version. 

Business Benefits

Inventory Valuation processes have more advanced logic, allowing them to utilize the WACOG calculations set for the particular transaction.

Daily WACOG by Contract is a new inventory valuation method available in S21.1. When accounting for inventory, Daily WACOG considers the fluctuations in commodity prices as new builds enter storage for each business day. The actual cost of inventory recalculates daily, and the cost of product sold out of inventory is priced at the inventory’s weighted average on the day of the draw. This allows Daily WACOG to more accurately reflect the value of sold products each day and benefits the accounting and risk practices (protects risk metrics from distortions due to high market volatility over time) of certain businesses, like retail fuel, which experience high daily sales volumes.

The module integrates with the accounts payable and accounts receivable modules in RightAngle, allowing businesses to manage bank information and view a cash available report that includes information on receivables from invoices. This helps to validate records and prevent the application of more cash than the receivable total amount or balance of cash received. Additionally, the module provides tools for creating write-offs and managing open items effectively. 

Some of the key functionalities included in the RightAngle Cash Application & Disbursement module are: 

  • Bank Reference Data 
  • Cash Application Tool 
  • Cash Release Maintenance 
  • Aging reports to monitor open items
  • Accounting control panel 

Allows for increased capabilities around managing at the tank level and ensures the Tank Level information in the IWB header section and columns in the grid that contain tank level information or consider heels in their calculation (Pumpable Inventory, Heels/Unavailable, Tank Minimum, Tank Maximum, Projected Available Ending) are accurate when aggregating

Credit/Rebill configuration processes have been automated now for Sales transactions. 

System updates to the invoicing processes/Reports to better utilize and track Deferred Invoices in the application.

IT Benefits

The transition from PowerBuilder to .NET is tied closely to the increase in performance/stability.  It enables a user-friendly interface and more sound core logic. The addition of .NET code allows users for easier customization/code deployments

This feature allows you to grant users specific licenses to unique models (such as credit centers) without giving them the full core license.  This not only saves money on the number of core licenses needed but also will help regulate the available data to these users

Each new version of RightAngle that is released brings with it enhancements to core logic, more efficient processes, and improved technology to increase the performance (speed) and stability (uninterrupted sessions) of the application.

This item allows security access for individual Task Scheduler tasks to be given to groups.  This way, only specific users can run critical tasks such as snapshots, alleviating a lot of risk of accidental runs by less familiar users.

Individual security settings for all internal business associates, which allows users to be part of singular or multiple groups.  This is a critical item for SOX compliance, as well as other regulations on data access.

Transactional data, having so many variables involved, is a large chunk of available database space.  Being able to archive this data will increase system performance by not overloading the databases, leading to quicker queries, increased database longevity, etc.

Adding Value to Service

Quality check

(Integration/performance testing)

UAT/user training

Migration of all customizations

Level of expertise/knowledge

end-to-end quality checks, documentation, etc

Regression Testing for quality check

Value Creed Added Advantages

Knowledge Base

We're also able to compile knowledge gained from 14+ customers every day and share CTRM best practices across customers

Upgrade Accelerators

Automated Testing Suite, Trade Template Library, Reports Library (Bucketed daily PnL, cross-platform, etc.), RightAngle RPA bot library

Cost/Quality ratio

Our business model enables us to provide quality results at affordable cost making it a win-win deal for all stakeholders

Experience

The majority of our leadership team have past experience in development, QA, or Account Management at application firms itself

Flexibility

Our resources can engage with customers on-site or remote and are available 24/7/365

Skill Variety

We provide talent for not only your CTRM but all integrations and related systems

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Training Approach

Training is integrated from inception to the end of the project. We engage the users in training during phases 1 and 2 of the upgrade process. Our team will work side by side with the users to validate the system, and provide informal one-on-one training as well as knowledge-sharing sessions, essentially helping the users “learn by doing”.

Just as testing does not begin with UAT, training does not begin with UATDuring the Upgrade Assessment phase, we establish a collaborative culture with the message, “Endur expertise is on site, feel free to engage with your questions about Endur.” We engage the users during phases 1 and 2 of the upgrade process. In addition to the training embedded in our methodology, formal training at the start of UAT is provided. We edit our training materials to use actual examples to provide a meaningful training experience.  The training experience does not end at go-live. 

The training approach has four elements to execute training. The first element is Training Plan & Documentation. During this, a training plan is developed based on the impact assessment and changes. The second element is testing the training material and identifying individual training needs and deficiencies. The third element focuses on training delivery, where the training participation is tracked. The last element is about refreshing and reinforcing training which details additional training if required.

Our Hyper Care team will ensure that your users are trained in any new functionality or changes to the system. It’s a support phase that follows immediately after the Upgrade Go-Live to ensure seamless adoption. 

Ready to Explore Upgrading Your CTRM?

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Key Enhancements to Liquids Module UI in Allegro Horizon

This blog summarizes the enhancements made to the user interface of Allegro Horizon’s crude, NGL’s and refined products functionality and help users understand the various benefits of moving to the .NET core version, where in the logistics data gets valued in Valuation and Net Valuation that enhances performance significantly ensuring more consistent results.

The Logistics UI has been powered by various subsets of UIs to get information 

Since the UI has been equipped with various parameters, users have easy access to the information like:

Benefits that a Allegro Horizon Upgrade can deliver

Improved locational hierarchy enabling users to track Locations, Sub-Locations, and Tanks in a hierarchical manner. Users can also set up to mirror the physical and logical organization of customer assets, delivery locations, and receipt locations.

More efficient and user-friendly scheduling around pipelines and in handling high-volume truck operations.

Realtime Position and P&L Reporting with automated line/transit loss and gain recognition helping users avoid manual errors.

Manage multiple inventory types within a tank with the ability to assign tank types like Lease, Storage, and Blending.

Better Exposure Reporting with an improved ability for users to execute aggregate hedging across high-volume liquid operations with complex pricing.

Enhanced net valuations for individual tanks without having the tank set up as its own location allowing a better understanding of inventory costs and value across time periods.

Separation of Tank/pile capacity, volume, and inventory tracking specifying tank capacity, liquid volume, and what portion of liquid volume has to be tracked and valued as inventory enabling users to deal with market disruptions.

Optimize your Supply Chain through Value Creed’s Expertise

The complexity and volatility of the crude and refined markets require traders and marketers to have real-time information supporting their unique trading requirements. Value Creed’s expertise in CTRM implementations and upgrades can help you leverage the new and updated functionalities allowing the maximum benefit for trading and risk management functions.

How a Gasoline Service Station Chain Implemented its New CTRM Platform on Cloud Through Value Creed's Advisory Services

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Get the most out of your System

While performing Allegro Horizon Upgrade, energy companies look for an improvement in their existing business functions, system performance to enhance their business process – making it standardized and efficient.

With our more than a decade of experience in performing Allegro Upgrades and keeping our clients up to date with the ever changing technologies, moving to the .NET Core version of the technology can result in a significant performance improvement under the same hardware conditions around areas like processing of Position & Inventory Valuations, Settlements, and Credit.The latest package includes improved out-of-the-box business functions and offer immediate benefits to any existing Allegro user.

Value Creed have been a strong advocate and encourage our clients to use the latest version of the Allegro Horizon system packages to capitalize the maximum value from their trade and risk management business functions. With us providing technical support and guidance to our client’s internal teams, our clients can achieve maximum efficiency that is being offered by the Allegro Horizon Platform.

Benefits Of Upgrading to .NET Core

  • Middle office Managers can analyze same-day Position and P&L Reporting for Immediate Issue Identification, Pricing Visibility, and attributing P&L results to various buckets. Valuation Algorithms have been optimized for faster processing of Exchange-based Futures, Swaps, and Options resulting in significant performance improvements over previous versions.

    The real-time position valuations are more efficient in the recent version and is also easier to configure. Client’s may choose specific finalizers to enable or disable with Incremental Valuations, such as Valuation Summary, P&L Attribution and Open Inventory Calculations.
   
  • Accountants can achieve faster accounting close due to improved performance of batch jobs and a significant reduction in database contention by resolving any deadlock issues. Restructuring the financial-detail table further by splitting it into the transaction-detail table allows the system to do various data intensive operations like Sub-hourly Settlements while simultaneously improving the overall Settlement Process.
   
  • With the time series functionality available in the latest version, traders can add ad hoc volume-shaped trades and address the hourly pricing changes making it easier to create load shapes for short-term trades. In addition to the above benefit to traders, inbound trade interfaces can take advantage of this new functionality to capture the short-term shaped-deals in the system.
   
  • With the addition of modular Exchange connectivity extensions, the system provides additional flexibility to configure and model Exchange-based transactions in the system. As ICE introduces new symbols in the system, the enhanced functionality allows traders to default portfolio-specific fields like tradebook, and strategy more easily.
   
  • Risk, Credit, and Accountants can independently configure valuation modes for their respective functions thereby providing data separation and improved quality of data for their business function.
   
  • System Administrators can avoid potential performance issues from high CPU usage on the machines while performing jobs such as triggering messages, and creating documents and approvals by upgrading to the latest version of the software where the workflows are performed on the grid.
   
  • Accountants can easily configure and create Weekly Invoices within the system under the General Ledger parameters by properly valuing and settling transactions as per their business needs.
   
  • Power Energy Position report has been expanded to include both Physical Power and Financial Power transactions. The expanded reporting capability will allow the front office analysts to get consolidated real-time position reports thereby assisting in the trading decisions, and minimizing customizations.
   

Upgrading to Latest ETRM Version: Leveraging Value Creed’s Expertise

Interacting with External Interfaces

IFRS 9 treatment for Non-Own Use Commodity Contracts

Performance

Liquids

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Rationale for Performing CTRM Extension Cataloging

Extension cataloging improves CTRM implementation practices throughout the upgrade process. Performed correctly, it is a worthwhile investment. 

Value Creed’s extensive cataloging ensures smooth implementation

Value Creed’s cataloging services retain critical components from the earlier CTRM software version and discards the non-essential ones and those that will be re-installed with the new version. We rigorously test and remediate flaws in application interfaces to ensure perfect data migration and satisfaction of business requirements. Cataloging defines functionalities, making analysis and upgrade more reliable.    

5 Ways Value Creed’s Extension Cataloging Service Adds Value to CTRM Upgrades/Enhancements

Provides overviews of complex extensions

Helps customers differentiate among similar functionalities

Filters irrelevant business process extensions

Visualizes collections for better remediation and testing

Locates similar or related items, even if they exist in separate classes

How Extension Cataloging Fits Into the CTRM Upgrade Process

Learn Key Lessons from Value Creed to Ensure CTRM Upgrade Success

Upgrading your CTRM platform is inevitable.  Listen to this video and learn how you can ensure success by addressing the risks with an informed perspective.

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Rationale for Performing CTRM Extension Cataloging

As a part of the pre-upgrade process, each of the class events, message events, database views, and stored procedures are analyzed and categorized based on the functional areas and complexities.  Each component is evaluated to determine what is new, what is different, and what has changed.

Value Creed’s Step-by-Step Process

Identifying Purpose:

We determine each extension’s current use and application (integration, functionality, efficiency).

Identifying Business Task:

For better resource allocation, irrelevant extensions are excluded from the upgrade process.

Assessing CTRM Capability:

Custom events included as standard features in the upgraded CTRM version are discarded.

Identifying Functional Group:

Existing extension groups are categorized by business user: back, front, and middle office, administration, etc.

Sorting by Complexity:

Categorization is performed based on the estimated level of effort required to fix the extension.

CTRM Upgrade Successes

At Value Creed, we’ve seen the impact a successful CTRM upgrade can have on service commodity companies. See the results for yourself in the following case studies.

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Top 6 Reasons for Upgrading Your CTRM Platform

Companies typically evaluate upgrading their CTRM software platforms when new or changing business priorities require them to adapt to markets, products, economic conditions, and business opportunities, or to comply with policies keeping them up to date on the latest software. 

At these inflection points, CIOs and their teams are tapped by executive leaders to drive new innovation in these platforms. This often start with an evaluation of their incumbent CTRM platform’s ability to deliver on these new priorities.

The decision to upgrade a CTRM platform is influenced by key functional concerns like:

Modeling new business requirements

Adapting to technologies such as Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, and Cloud

Automation of common tasks via Robotic Process Automation

Faster, more accurate reporting via performance improvements

Optimizing overall functionality to comply with market requirements

Reducing cost of ownership with cloud or hybrid cloud deployment

Key Benefits a CTRM Upgrade Can Deliver

Whether you’re implementing a light upgrade, with Value Creed providing technical support and guidance to internal teams, or a full upgrade where our experts handle everything, these three key values are crucial to keep front of mind.

Quantitative Benefits

Above all, companies assess the costs of a CTRM upgrade against the quantitative benefits of upgrading their commodity management software. By putting numbers to the project, managers have a better sense of what resources they’ll need, including:

Qualitative Benefits

CTRM improvements involve qualitative benefits that improve the overall function of their platform. The advantages companies gain from effective CTRM upgrades often reveal themselves over time.

Some of the qualitative benefits companies seek in their CTRM solutions include:

Commodity trading and risk management relies on getting the right data to the right teams—and keeping data out of the hands of bad actors. These qualitative improvements ensure that only the right people utilize said data.

Download the Net Present Value Calculator to Evaluate Your CTRM Upgrade Viability

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3 Keys to a Successful CTRM Upgrade

The decision to upgrade your CTRM requires high consideration, cross-functional buy in, diligent oversight and the right vendor partner to ensure flawless execution.  There are three keys to consider as you select the right partner. 

CTRM Upgrade Project Timelines

Choosing the right upgrade partner is paramount to staying on budget and delivering on time.

Careful Testing Of Platform Customizations

Diligent testing of custom workflows ensures extensions and class events have successful quality assurance.

Making The Right Choice In a CTRM Vendor

Seek a vendor with customer successes and a proven process for mitigating risks.

Learn Key Lessons from Value Creed to Ensure CTRM Upgrade Success

Upgrading your CTRM platform is inevitable.  Listen to this video and learn how you can ensure success by addressing the risks with an informed perspective.  

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CTRM Upgrade Successes

At Value Creed, we’ve seen the impact a successful CTRM upgrade can have on service commodity companies. See the results for yourself in the following case studies.

Ready to Explore Upgrading Your CTRM?

Leverage a partner with best-in-class functional and technical expertise to manage and deploy your upgrade on time and on budget.