Next week, Oracle will update Account Reconciliation Cloud Service (ARCS). In this blog post, we’ll outline changes, updates, and considerations for May.
We’ll let you know any time there are updates to ARCS or any other Oracle EPM cloud products. Check the US-Analytics Oracle EPM & BI Blog every month.
The monthly update for Oracle ARCS will occur on Friday, May 19 during your normal daily maintenance window.
Filed-based Integration of Data Management with Oracle Fusion Financials Cloud
Oracle Fusion Financial Cloud Budgetary Control and Encumbrance Accounting is now fully integrated with Data Management.
This enhancement brings the integration of Oracle Fusion Financials Cloud with Oracle Enterprise Performance Management Cloud on par with the current file-based integration. As a result, the file-based integration will be phased out starting the September update to the service.
If you are using file-based integration between Oracle Fusion Financials Cloud and Oracle EPM Cloud, Oracle recommends that you adopt this new integration as soon as possible.
New EPM Automate Utility Transaction Matching Commands Available
A new version of the EPM Automate Utility is available with this update. This version includes the following Transaction Matching related commands:
- importtmpremappedbalances, which imports pre-mapped balances data from a file in ARCS repository into Transaction Matching
- importtmpremappedtransactions, which imports pre-mapped transactions data from a file in ARCS repository into Transaction Matching
- runautomatch, which runs the Auto Match process to match transactions using the rules defined by a Service Administrator
- New Features
This update applies routine maintenance and infrastructural updates.
Sample and New Application Now Available
ARCS now allows you to create a sample or new application. The sample application provides pre-loaded sample data and related artifacts, enabling you to try different operations. Using this out-of-box environment, you can explore the capabilities and performance of ARCS to get familiar with the functionality enabling you to easily work with the service once you are ready. You can also create a new application and then load your own data, either manually or using a flat file. This can also be used with migration functionality to bring in a previously saved backup snapshot.
Support for Variance Analysis Reconciliation Method
Reconciliation Compliance now supports the variance analysis process (also known as the flux analysis process) which is a key control in the overall account monitoring process to ensure balance fluctuations are monitored and explained if certain thresholds are exceeded. Variance Analysis automates the process by automatically comparing balances across periods for all account types including balance sheet, income, and expense accounts. The comparisons are selected as desired (e.g. period over period, period over quarter). When formats are set up, users can now choose from the Balance Comparison, Account Analysis, or Variance Analysis methods.
The same powerful rules engine that customers are using today to streamline their reconciliation process can be used for the Variance Analysis process to either automatically process accounts that do not require any user explanation or require the variance to be explained. The suggested best practice from best-in-class performing customers is to complete the Variance Analysis across all desired accounts prior to period-end close and prior to reconciliation sign-off, so that the accounts can be as accurate as possible when the ledger closes for that period.
New Data Calculation Functions Added
New date calculation functions have been added to attributes for Reconciliation Compliance, including Year, Month, Day, Date, and Add Month.
Enhanced User Experience
This release introduces enhancements to the Reconciliation Compliance user interface that provides a more intuitive and improved user experience, including Reconciliation, Transaction and Profile List Views, Manage Reports, and common use of a filter bar across multiple EPM Cloud services. These changes are intended to provide quick, easy navigation.
Predefined and Custom Reports Now Available
Transaction Matching now includes many predefined reports including: Reconciliation Configuration, Reconciliation Type Configuration, Closed Adjustments, Open Adjustments, Reconciliation Status, and Supported Transactions. Users can also now generate custom reports in addition to the predefined reports.
New Daily Statistics by Reconciliation Type Dashboard Available
Customers can now view Daily Statistics by Reconciliation Type in a Transaction Matching dashboard. The dashboard shows the number of unmatched transactions as well as suggested and confirmed matches for a specific reconciliation type. You can sort the list by different criteria and view this information for a transaction import date.
Configurable Adjustment and Support Transaction Types Now Available
In Transaction Matching, customers can now create as many unique adjustment and support types as needed to suit their reconciliation requirements. For example, a customer may want to configure an Adjustment Type for their reconciliation for each expense account for that reconciliation. Configuring each transaction type allows the user who is creating the adjustment to select from a list of available adjustments for this reconciliation and with a single click; the system provides all the information required to post a journal from that reconciliation. A Preparer can also input ad-hoc information including adding comments and attachments. The configurable Support Types is very similar in that the Preparer can now select from a list of available Support Types for that Reconciliation, allowing them with a single click to mark their unmatched transactions into Support categories that make sense for that reconciliation.
Performance Enhancements for Data Load and Auto Match Tasks
Performance of data load and auto match is now enhanced through parallel processing of tasks. Currently, the number of threads for parallel processing is set to eight and other tasks will be queued.
Locking Enhancement for Data Load and Auto Match
To prevent further changes to transactions during a data load or auto match, a locking mechanism has been implemented. During a data load, the entire reconciliation type is locked, while during auto match, only the reconciliation is locked. A message alerts the user to the lock.
Fixed Defects
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Defect Number |
Description |
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25165286
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Under certain circumstances, not all attributes specified in a Reconciliation Format were displayed in the deployed reconciliation.
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Considerations
- When using EPM Automate, log out and log in again after importing a Financial Close Management (FCM) snapshot to refresh the icons on the home page.
- You may receive inaccurate messages from Navigator if pop-up blockers are enabled. Disable pop-up blockers in your browser to avoid this.
- In the Academy, some pages and icons may appear different in the video and the Cloud service.
