Topic: Planning & Forecasting Oracle Planning & Budgeting Cloud Service (PBCS) Oracle EPBCS Oracle EPM Cloud

PBCS & EPBCS Update (Feb 2018): Rule Usage Report & Removal of Support

by Michelle Heath

The February updates for Oracle's Planning & Budgeting Cloud Service (PBCS) and Enterprise Planning and Budgeting Cloud Service (EPBCS) are here. This blog post outlines several new features for both applications.

The monthly update for PBCS and EPBCS will occur on Friday, February 16 during your normal daily maintenance window.

Updates for PBCS & EPBCS

New EPM Automate Utility Version

A new version of the EPM Automate Utility is available with this update. This version includes the upgrade command, which automatically downloads and silently installs the newest version of the EPM Automate Utility. After you run the login command to initiate a session, the utility identifies the current installed version. If the installed version is not the newest available, you can run this command to download and install the latest version.

New Rules Usage Report

Business rules that are deployed in Planning can be used in forms, rulesets, menus, and task lists. You can generate a report, called the Rules Usage Report, that details where rules are used. To view rules usage, click the Navigator icon, and then under Monitor and Explore, click System Reports. Click the Rules Details tab, select filter criteria, and then choose the report’s file format. The Rules Usage Report provides the rule name, rule type, cube, and any associations (primary and secondary).

Expanded Simplified Audit

The Simplified audit feature has been expanded to audit additional task types. Service Administrators can now filter tasks by audit type (for example, Data, Approvals, or Clear Cell Details) in addition to filtering by date range (for example, Yesterday, or Last 60 Days, and user name. You can configure and change which tasks are tracked, and you can also export all of the records that match the filter criteria to a Microsoft Excel file.

To access the Simplified audit feature, from the Home page, click Application, and then Audit. To configure and change which tasks are tracked, click Enable Auditing. To export records to a Microsoft Excel file, click Export.

Note: The Simplified audit interface is evolving and is subject to change. Oracle may be changing the interface and adding, deleting, or changing audit types in future updates to the service.

Enter Data Into Suppressed Row Members

Service Administrators can now enable users to enter data in a Planning web form for members on rows that are currently suppressed (because they have no data and the form layout option “Suppress Missing Data – Rows” option is selected).

The new Segment Properties option “Enable drop-down for dimensions” in form layout produces a Down Arrow drop-down list by a row’s unsuppressed member. Clicking the Down Arrow enables users to select other suppressed row members so they can enter data into them.

Changes to EPM Groovy Object Model Usage

Oracle has noticed that the saveMember() and delete() methods are being used in ways for which they are not intended. While many of these usages are creative and positive, some usage scenarios have caused issues for end users.

Until Oracle can find a solution for such issues, starting with the 18.03 update, saveMember() and delete() will be defined as privileged methods in EPM Groovy Object Models. As a result of making these methods privileged, only users with Administrator privileges will be permitted to use them to make metadata changes.

All customers are expected to transition from using the saveMember() and delete() methods to one of the following methods. If such a transition is not possible, please file a Service Request describing how you use these methods and why you cannot use one of the following methods. Additionally, provide some or all of the script where you use the saveMember() and delete() methods.

Member.addDynamicChild(String memberName)
Member.deleteIfDynamic()
Member.isDynamic()
Member.rename(String newName)

Standard Interface Support Removed

As notified through earlier Cloud Readiness documents, starting with the 17.12 update, the Standard Interface, which is also known as the Enterprise Planning and Budgeting Cloud Workspace, is no longer supported. Issues reported for the Standard Interface will no longer be addressed. This change affects only Planning and Budgeting Cloud Service customers who activated their subscriptions on or before July 31, 2016. All these customers are expected to have a transition plan for their users to use the Simplified Interface.

EPBCS Only

Chart of Accounts Flexibility in Financials

The Financials business process in Enterprise Planning and Budgeting Cloud includes a robust, complete chart of accounts to get you up and running quickly. Financials also gives you the flexibility to use your own chart of accounts and still retain the benefits of the integrated Financials framework.

You choose whether to use the provided chart of accounts or your own chart of accounts when you enable features.

When you create your own chart of accounts, you can still:

Use existing forms and dashboards
Work with existing integrated financial statement
Use existing calculations, such as trend-based planning
Integrate with other business processes

Existing customers of the Financials business process are not impacted by this change.

Flexible Custom Dimension Usage in Financials

In the Financials business process in Enterprise Planning and Budgeting Cloud, you can now associate custom dimensions with any Financials feature (Expense, Revenue, Balance Sheet, or Cash Flow). When you create custom dimensions the first time you enable Financials features, you specify to which features the dimensions apply. For example, a custom dimension might apply only to Expense, or only to Revenue. After first enablement, you can incrementally associate a custom dimension with additional features. Financials offers five custom dimensions.

After upgrade, any existing custom dimensions are applicable only for Revenue. You can associate them with additional features if needed.

Configuration Enhancements for Importing Members for Financials

When configuring the Financials business process of Enterprise Planning and Budgeting Cloud for the provided chart of accounts, there are more categories and components available for importing accounts, based on the features you enabled. Categories and components provide logical groupings under which to add members.

New Delete Hierarchy Option in Strategic Modeling

In the Model view of Strategic Modeling in Enterprise Planning and Budgeting Cloud, you can now choose to delete either a single model or the entire model hierarchy. Deleting a model hierarchy deletes the parent and all of its descendants. The Delete Hierarchy option can save you time when you are restoring from a backup.

Removal of Support

Classic Dimension Editor

With the February 2018 (18.02) update, the Dimensions link in the Navigator will link to the Simplified Dimension Editor. Effective February 2018 (February 2, 2018 for test and February 16, 2018 for production environments), the Simplified Dimension Editor will be the only interface available to edit and manage dimensions.

Financial Reporting Studio Desktop Client

Oracle is committed to providing a simple and intuitive user experience. To achieve this, Financial Reporting Web Studio, available since March 2016, will become the only environment for designing and building reports.

Oracle is providing additional time for users to transition from Financial Reporting Desktop Studio to Financial Reporting Web Studio. Tentative plans call for functional parity between Financial Reporting Web Studio and Financial Reporting Desktop Studio in late 2017, at which time, support for the Desktop Studio will transition to the Web Studio and distribution of the Desktop Studio will cease.

Oracle recommends that you transition to using Financial Reporting Web Studio at the earliest opportunity. Please send questions and concerns to Oracle using the Provide Feedback option in the service.

Fixed Defects

Defect Number	Description
27438587/ 27344152	In Strategic Modeling on the Web, if you create a new model from an existing model, data is now correctly scaled and the End Date and Terms are preserved in the Debt Scheduler in the Strategic Modeling Smart View extension.
27415129	In Batch Scheduling, all PDF attachments are now properly included in emails that are sent.
27400091	In the Strategic Modeling Smart View extension, when you open a model, it now correctly opens in the Account View rather than in the Income Statement.
27395453	In the Strategic Modeling Smart View extension, you can now enter values in the Debt Scheduler using the numeric keypad.
27381409	In the Strategic Modeling Smart View extension, newly added subaccounts and newly assigned dimension members now inherit free form forecast methods from their parent accounts.
27364762	In Strategic Modeling on the Web, when creating a model from an existing model, the model currency units are no longer incorrectly changed.
27364076	When adding a new plan type to the Time Period dimension, DTS functionality now works correctly.
27344441	In the Strategic Modeling Smart View extension, you can now change the forecast method for account v2190 Accumulated Depreciation.
27343201	Asymmetric grids can now be saved using Groovy business rules.
27341053	The function @CalcMgrExcelPPMT() now returns the correct result.
27338736	In the Strategic Modeling Smart View extension, you can now successfully locally save models that previously gave errors when trying to save.
27338490	In the Strategic Modeling Smart View extension, the end dates for forecast periods in the Debt Scheduler are now correctly calculated and displayed.
27334131	Refreshing a previously-saved Smart View ad hoc grid no longer causes an "invalid display POV" error.
27333146	In Strategic Modeling on the Web, custom formats in reports are now more consistent with formats in Smart View.
27331649	In the Strategic Modeling Smart View extension, when multiple cells are selected when creating a report, cell attributes now appear in the cell properties window.
27314175	The Source Value field in Data Load Mappings now has a maximum length of 80 characters instead of 75.
27313924	A validation rule with the Do Not Promote promotional path now works correctly.
27294951/ 26645082	A right-click (or Action) menu item that invokes Manage Approvals now works correctly.
27289723	In the Strategic Modeling Smart View extension, free-style reports can correctly assign a model name to a cell.
27281312	Batch scheduler reports that are set up with a bursting file now successfully send emails after they are run.
27274549	In the Strategic Modeling Smart View extension, when you delete a sheet from a freestyle report, Excel no longer shuts down unexpectedly.
27274522/ 27274520	In Strategic Modeling on the Web, in a consolidation structure where a model exists more than once, if you change the percent ownership or consolidation method for one model, the percent ownership or consolidation method is now correctly retained for the other model in the structure.
27271949/ 27266649	In Financial Reporting Web Studio, you can now successfully close the Select Members page.
27267369	Application snapshot no longer fails with the "EPMFDM-140223:EXPORT FAILED FOR SYSTEM SETTING" error.
27259806	In the Strategic Modeling Smart View extension, Analyst users can now access the Dimension Maintenance window.
27252688	Validation rules work correctly when you change the POV in a form.
27252487/ 27147931	Member formulas edited in the Simplified Dimension Editor are now validating correctly.
27239819/ 27159164	In cases where duplicate aliases exist in a hierarchy but their parent member does not have an alias, Smart View now displays the member name as the qualified name and the friendly name as the alias.
27227923	In an ad hoc grid, all members selected for a POV are retained after changing the POV member for a dimension, and then changing the alias table to “None.”
27227593	Planning users no longer get an "error executing query" when running a book if the book has a level 0 list and descendants for the book Point of View.
27223902	Annotations for approval units now display line feeds consistently, whether they’ re entered from the Home page > Approvals or Navigator > Manage Approvals.
27219924	A right-click (or Action) menu item that invokes Manage Approvals now works correctly.
27218905	Smart Push is now moving negative percentage values to the reporting cube.
27206571	In Smart View, form data can be submitted without error when the “Calculate Currencies” business rule is set to “Run After Save” and the “Suppress missing blocks” option is enabled for a Planning web form.
27161430	Pushing data maps with a large amount of data no longer causes the export to fail.
27150159	When deleting a rule in a rule set, the value set for the variable is no longer incorrectly removed or changed in the rule set.
26992261	Aggregate values for Dynamic Calc parent members now are displayed correctly in forms and reports when the “Suppress missing blocks” option is selected.
26978967	In the Projects business process of Enterprise Planning and Budgeting Cloud, after changing project dates, valid periods now show up in the direct expense entry and direct revenue entry forms when you run the Refresh Project Dates rule, and invalid periods are removed.
26955559	A provider error no longer occurs when launching business rules from Smart View.
26921808	Financial Reporting Web Studio no longer times out.
26880448	The attribute dimension import duration has improved significantly.
26823196	In a Fiscal Year application, components that are to be paid based on the Calendar Year require the prior year (the year before the Plan Start Year) to be calculated, for which you need to: Open the Planning and Forecast Preparation Task from Configure screen and click Save in order for the prior year to be made available in the upgraded application UI to add rates for salary grades, earnings, benefits, and taxes and calculate expenses for existing employees for the prior year. Load rates for salary grades, earnings, benefits, and taxes for the prior year. To calculate expenses for the prior year, load data for the existing employees in the prior year (if the data doesn’t exist in the prior year), and then run the Process Loaded Data and Synchronize Defaults rules. Also, run Synchronize Defaults rule for hiring requisitions to recalculate the expenses based on calendar year for already added requisitions. These steps will calculate the compensation for the prior year (for existing employees) as well as recalculate compensation for all planning years. Also, users can now load data at any year and month, and select this year and month as values for new runtime prompts (Current Year and Current Month) when launching the Process Loaded Data rule. Doing so copies data from this year and month to all future periods in yearrange. (Previously, Process Loaded Data copied the data from the substitution variables &OEP_CurYr and &OEP_CurMnth).
26800141	Planning allows aggregating data into a parent member if the shared member for a dynamically calculated member and the parent member are displayed in the form.
26598697	Planning users no longer get an "error executing query" when running a book if the book has a level 0 list, descendants for the book Point of View, and level 0 members.
26405218	The French version of the File Selection window now shows Télécharger (Download button) and Charger (UpLoad button).
25678319	When working with user variables in Smart View, the order of the children members available for selection is now consistent with the order specified in the Planning web application.
25217541	In Smart View, hierarchy member indentation and expansion are now correctly displayed when the “Suppress hierarchy” and “Start Expanded” options are enabled in Planning.