8 Key EPM / NSPB Updates – April 2023
The Pivot2 team have compiled a list of some of the most useful updates to be included over the last two months, that could specifically help your business process.
Please reach out for a chat by contacting us here if you would like any further information.
SUMMARY
PLANNING
1. Easier Way to Delete Members Used in Insights and Auto Predict Definitions
REPORTING
2. Improved Clarity of Embedded Content Images Within PowerPoint Report Packages
3. Updated Narrative Reporting Extension for Smart View
FCCS
4. New Process for System Calculation of Ownership Eliminations and Adjustments
5. Ability to Create Unbalanced Consolidation Journals
EPM
6. Suppressing Missing Columns for Smart Push in Data Maps
7. Data Management Feature Replacement by Data Integration
SMARTVIEW
8. New Version of Oracle Smart View for Office
PLANNING
EASIER WAY TO DELETE MEMBERS USED IN INSIGHTS AND AUTO PREDICT DEFINITIONS
You can now more easily delete members that are used in Auto Predict prediction or insights definitions or in insights.
In the Simplified Dimension Editor, if you get an error message when you try to delete a member because it is in use in the application, you can now use Show Usage to see when a member is used in an Auto Predict prediction or insights definition or in an insight by clicking the IPM tab:
IPM tab of Show Usage
Once you see where the member is used, you can edit or delete the prediction or insights definition or delete the insight. To delete an insight, on the Insights dashboard, from the Actions menu for the insight you want to delete, click Delete Insight.
Business Use Case:
Previously, it can be a time-consuming and error-prone process when manually deleting the members. Whereas with this new feature, Administrators can now easily identify where the members are used and delete them using the Delete Insights option.
REPORTING
IMPROVED CLARITY OF EMBEDDED CONTENT IMAGES WITHIN POWERPOINT REPORT PACKAGES
A new image type is being used for embedded content images within PowerPoint Report Packages. The new image type provides a clearer rendering of the embedded chart, graph, or table image on the slide. Additionally, clarity is better maintained when the image is resized. After the upgrade, the new image type will be used in the next refresh of the embedded content within the Report Package.
Business Use Case:
This feature improves the clarity of embedded images within PowerPoint Report Packages. Overall, this upgrade increases the professionalism and presentations of a company report, as well as better user experience with the improved images clarity.
UPDATED NARRATIVE REPORTING SMART VIEW EXTENSION
An updated Narrative Reporting extension for Oracle Smart View for Office is now available to download and install. Along with general improvements and defect fixes, this update includes support for these Narrative Reporting features:
Improved Clarity of Embedded Content Images within PowerPoint Report Packages
Report Reference Doclets Now Support Adding Report Text and Note Boxes as Available Content in the Report Package
Support for Notes Objects when Importing Reports to Excel
Business Use Case:
Downloading and installing the latest Narrative Reporting extension for Smart View gives you access to the latest features, improvements and defect fixes. In addition to the improved images clarity mentioned above, you can now also export notes from a report into Excel which can be useful such as when you need to incorporate the information with other spreadsheets in Excel.
FCCS
NEW PROCESS FOR SYSTEM CALCULATION OF OWNERSHIP ELIMINATIONS AND ADJUSTMENTS
The system for calculating ownership adjustments and eliminations has been updated to use a new data source member called FCCS_AcquisitionsDisposals instead of the previous member FCCS_Intercompany Eliminations.
System Intercompany Eliminations are only applied to level zero members that are under FCCS_TotalInputandAdjusted. This is where the new member FCCS_AcquistionsDisposals (level zero) is located. This change will ensure that all values associated with acquisitions and disposals are properly eliminated in the system intercompany eliminations process.
Without this change, there could arise a situation where acquisitions and disposals could be generated, prior to both translation and then elimination. The FX entry in FCCS_Intercompany Eliminations member might not be eliminated at the same time as the matching data point within FCCS_TotalInputandAdjusted.
Business Use Case:
The new approach using the new member ensures that all values associated with acquisitions and disposals are properly eliminated in the system Intercompany Eliminations process. E.g. if a company acquires a subsidiary during the reporting period, any intercompany transactions between the parent and subsidiary that occurred before and after the acquisition must be properly eliminated to avoid double-counting of revenues and expenses in the consolidated financial statements. The new approach ensures that all such transactions are correctly identified and eliminated, improving the accuracy and reliability of the financial reporting.
ABILITY TO CREATE UNBALANCED CONSOLIDATION JOURNALS
The Consolidation Journals process now includes the ability to create unbalanced journals. If you select the Unbalanced Journals option during the Enable Features process, all users who can create journals can create unbalanced journals, which are allowed for all Scenarios, Entities, Consolidation members, Entity currency and all input currencies. You can filter the Managed Journals screen as well as the Template screen for Unbalanced Journals. You can also import unbalanced journals.
Business Use Case:
This feature provides more flexibility for creating Consolidation Journals by allowing you to create unbalanced journals that are offset by other business processes, such as custom rules or data loads, or if you have data from varying systems.
EPM
SUPPRESING MISSING COLUMNS FOR SMART PUSH IN DATA MAPS
In Data Maps, a new Suppress Missing Columns for Smart Push option enables customers to suppress missing columns from the source grid while performing a Smart Push.
The new Suppress Missing Columns for Smart Push option is available on the Data Maps Options page.
Business Use Case:
Suppressing missing columns for a Smart Push may enhance performance when customers move data and supporting detail from source cubes to a reporting cube while working in forms.
For example, there are new columns in the data source that are not relevant to a form in the reporting cube that you are working on. Without the ability to suppress missing columns, you will not be able to complete the Smart Push process unless having the same columns in that form. Now with the new feature, not only you will be able to continue working on the form, but also with improved performance in speed as it takes shorter time with reduced data being transferred because of the suppression.
DATA MANAGEMENT FEATURE REPLACEMENT BY DATA INTEGRATION
The Data Integration user interface is being introduced to replace the Data Management user interface gradually. As feature parity is achieved, Data Management features will be turned off and users will need to use the new Data Integration UI instead. Integration definitions built with Data Management will be visible in Data Integration, making the transition easier.
Starting with the July update, the following features will no longer be available in Data Management, but will be available in Data Integration.
Additional new integration features will only be available in Data Integration, and not back-ported to Data Management. Critical bug fixes and security fixes will still be made to Data Management until all features are fully migrated.
In addition, all features from Data Management will be migrated to Data Integration except for the following:
The batch feature will be replaced by the new Pipeline feature. The Pipeline feature should be available sometime in CY23. (Safe Harbor applies.)
The Report Definition feature will not be migrated, only the Report Execution feature. Please note that Account Reconciliation and FCCS provide a feature to report against the Data Integration relational tables using a custom SQL and a BI Publisher report template.
SMART VIEW
NEW VERSION OF ORACLE SMART VIEW FOR OFFICE
Oracle Smart View for Office version 23.100 has been released.
The following new features are included:
Compatibility of Forms and Ad Hoc Grids Between Smart View and Smart View (Mac and Browser)
Search for Forms and Other Artifacts in Smart View
Freeze Row and Column Headers Using Smart View Options
New Smart View Options for Formatting Numbers, including:
Increased number of decimal places
Multiple formats for displaying negative numbers
Custom format for numbers
Load Pages on Demand for Opening Forms Faster
Ability to Preview POV while Importing Reports
Support for Microsoft Office Themes (Including Dark Theme)
New VBA: HypGetErrorInfo
Business Use Case:
These updates provide enhanced functionality and improve the user experience. E.g. Previously, you had to manually freeze row and column headers for each worksheet, using the normal Excel function. Now with the enhanced feature, you can set the headers to freeze automatically on every SmartView worksheet. You can now also quickly search for a form in the search panel instead of scrolling through each folder or sub-folders in the previous version.