- Revision History
- Overview
- Feature Summary
- Enterprise Performance Management
- IMPORTANT Actions and Considerations
This document will continue to evolve as existing sections change and new information is added. All updates appear in the following table:
| Date | Product | Feature | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 23 DEC 2021 | Created initial document. |
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DISCLAIMER
The information contained in this document may include statements about Oracle’s product development plans. Many factors can materially affect Oracle’s product development plans and the nature and timing of future product releases. Accordingly, this Information is provided to you solely for information only, is not a commitment to deliver any material, code, or functionality, and should not be relied upon in making purchasing decisions. The development, release, and timing of any features or functionality described remains at the sole discretion of Oracle.
This information may not be incorporated into any contractual agreement with Oracle or its subsidiaries or affiliates. Oracle specifically disclaims any liability with respect to this information. Refer to the Legal Notices and Terms of Use for further information.
Column Definitions:
Report = New or modified, Oracle-delivered, ready to run reports.
UI or Process-Based: Small Scale = These UI or process-based features are typically comprised of minor field, validation, or program changes. Therefore, the potential impact to users is minimal.
UI or Process-Based: Larger Scale* = These UI or process-based features have more complex designs. Therefore, the potential impact to users is higher.
Features Delivered Disabled = Action is needed BEFORE these features can be used by END USERS. These features are delivered disabled and you choose if and when to enable them. For example, a) new or expanded BI subject areas need to first be incorporated into reports, b) Integration is required to utilize new web services, or c) features must be assigned to user roles before they can be accessed.
| Ready for Use by End Users Reports plus Small Scale UI or Process-Based new features will have minimal user impact after an update. Therefore, customer acceptance testing should focus on the Larger Scale UI or Process-Based* new features. |
Customer Must Take Action before Use by End Users Not disruptive as action is required to make these features ready to use. As you selectively choose to leverage, you set your test and roll out timing. |
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feature |
Report |
UI or |
UI or |
|
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Enterprise Performance Management
Enterprise Performance Management
Test Environments: Oracle will apply this monthly update during the first daily maintenance that occurs at or after 22:00 UTC on Friday, January 7, 2022.
Production Environments: Oracle will apply this monthly update during the first daily maintenance that occurs at or after 22:00 UTC on Friday, January 21 2022.
NOTE: The monthly update will not be applied on any environment for which this monthly update is requested to be skipped using the EPM Automate skipUpdate command.
NOTE: Backing up the daily maintenance snapshot and restoring the environment as needed are self-service operations. Oracle strongly recommends that you download the maintenance snapshot every day to a local server.
The Oracle Help Center provides access to updated documentation. The updates will be available in the Help Center on Friday, January 7, 2022.
NOTE: Some of the links to new feature documentation included in this readiness document will not work until after the Oracle Help Center update is complete.
Documentation Updates Available One Week After Readiness Documents
Updated documentation is published on the Oracle Help Center on the first Friday of each month, coinciding with the monthly updates to Test environments. Because there is a one week lag between the publishing of the readiness documents (What's New and New Feature Summary) and Oracle Help Center updates, some links included in the readiness documents will not work until the Oracle Help Center update is complete.
https://docs.oracle.com/en/cloud/saas/epm-cloud/index.html
Fixed Issues and Considerations
Software issues addressed each month and considerations will be posted to My Oracle Support.
NOTE: Fixed issues for EPM Cloud Common components (Smart View for Office, EPM Automate, REST API, Migration, Access Control, Data Management/Data Integration, Reports, Financial Reporting, and Calculation Manager) are available in a separate document on the My Oracle Support “Release Highlights” page.
This provides visibility into EPM Cloud release contents.
Please Join Oracle Cloud Customer Connect
Please take a moment to join the Cloud Customer Connect forums for EPM Cloud services. Oracle Cloud Customer Connect is a community gathering place for members to interact and collaborate on common goals and objectives. This is where you will find the latest release information, upcoming events, or answers to use-case questions. Joining takes just a few minutes. Join now!
https://cloud.oracle.com/community
NOTE: The Settings and Actions menu now contains a link to Cloud Customer Connect. To access this link, from the Home page, click the down arrow next to the user name (in the upper right-hand corner of the screen), and select Cloud Customer Connect.
Give Us Documentation Feedback
We welcome your comments and suggestions to improve the content of the What's New document and the product documentation.
Please take our quick survey or send us your feedback at EPMdoc_ww@oracle.com. In the body or title of the email, state that you are inquiring or providing feedback, and indicate for which EPM Cloud service and the monthly update cycle.
Follow EPM Cloud on YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.
These are great resources for the latest updates and information about EPM Cloud.
Script to Create a Non-Monthly EPM Cloud Upgrade Cadence
The Working with EPM Automate for Oracle Enterprise Performance Management Cloud guide now contains a script to create a self-service solution to skip updates so that EPM Cloud environments are updated on a quarterly basis. This script may also be used to skip every other monthly update, if needed.
Applies to: Account Reconciliation, Enterprise Data Management, Financial Consolidation and Close, Narrative Reporting, Planning, Planning Modules, Profitability and Cost Management, Tax Reporting
Business Benefits: This script allows you to automate the process of creating an EPM Cloud update cadence other than the default monthly upgrade cadence.
Key Resources
- Creating a Non-Monthly EPM Cloud Upgrade Cadence in Working with EPM Automate for Oracle Enterprise Performance Management Cloud
New Version of Oracle Smart View for Office
Oracle Smart View for Office version 21.200 is available.
Applies to: Account Reconciliation, Financial Consolidation and Close, Narrative Reporting, Planning, Planning Modules, Profitability and Cost Management, Tax Reporting
The following new features are included:
- Export/import reports to Smart View Excel in EPM Cloud platform
- Ability to edit rows or columns in flex forms
- Support for task lists to open flex forms
- Save documents to the EPM Cloud library
- Improved connection error reporting for HsGet functions
Business Benefit: This version includes new features and fixed defects.
Steps to Enable
Download and install Smart View. See Downloading and Installing Clients in Getting Started with Oracle Enterprise Performance Management Cloud.
Key Resources
Documentation updates will be available when 21.200 is generally available.
- Working with Oracle Smart View for Office
- Developing Applications for Oracle Smart View for Office
- Oracle Smart View for Office Readme
There are no new features in this update except for the applicable features listed in the EPM Common section.
There are no new features in this update except for the applicable features listed in the EPM Common section.
Financial Consolidation and Close
Performance Substitution Variables
The EnableYearlyConsol substitution variable can be enabled to improve performance for multi-period consolidations in applications that use the Dense/Sparse Optimization option (where Period and Movement are the Dense dimensions).
- EnableYearlyConsol = True
This substitution variable is applicable if the application meets all of these conditions:
- The application uses the Dense/Sparse Optimization option (Period and Movement are Dense dimensions)
- You have two or more dirty periods, and two or more hierarchy levels
- The dirty entities are identical across periods
- Equity Pickup sequence is not enabled
Business Benefit: This substitution variable helps in improving performance.
Key Resources
-
Creating and Assigning Values to Substitution Variables in Administering Financial Consolidation and Close
There are no new features in this update except for the applicable features listed in the EPM Common section.
There are no new features in this update except for the applicable features listed in the EPM Common section.
Overview: Insights in Cloud EPM
This overview introduces you to Insights. Insights empowers finance and operational users with data science optimized for multidimensional planning and forecasting use cases. Insights analyzes past data and predicted data, helping you find patterns and insights into data that you might not have found on your own. You can evaluate those insights and take action on them.
Oracle Fusion Cloud EPM - Configuring Insights
Learn how to configure insights to automate data analysis. Administrators configure insights to define the insights that planners see on the Insights page. You select the type of analysis to perform, specify the slice definitions for analysis, configure the analysis, and then define the settings for the insights displayed on the Insights page. You can run the insight or schedule it to run on a regular basis.
Creating Budget Revisions in EPM Planning Financials and Oracle ERP Cloud Budgetary Control
Learn how to create and enter budget revisions, perform funds checks, reserve funds, and review the approved budget in EPM Planning Financials Budget Revision and Oracle ERP Cloud Budgetary Control.
Business Benefit: Videos provide overviews and step-by-step instructions to help you perform your related business activities.
Profitability and Cost Management
There are no new features in this update except for the applicable features listed in the EPM Common section.
There are no new features in this update except for the applicable features listed in the EPM Common section.
A new video is available.
Creating a Tax Reporting Application
Learn how to create a Tax Reporting application in Oracle Cloud EPM. You learn how to select options for time periods and currency, and how to enable optional features.
Business Benefit: Videos provide overviews and step-by step instructions to perform tasks and achieve an outcome.
IMPORTANT Actions and Considerations
One-Week Lag Between Readiness Documents Live and Help Center Live
Because Oracle readiness documents (What's New and New Feature Summary) are live one week before the monthly update is applied to Test environments, some links to documentation included in the readiness documents will not work until after the Oracle Help Center update is complete when the monthly update is applied to Test environments.
EPM COMMON
Long Label Names will be Truncated at Runtime on Horizontal Tabs
Starting with the February 2022 update (22.02), label names on horizontal tabs will display up to 30 characters at runtime. Hovering your cursor over the tab will reveal the entire label.
Applies to: Account Reconciliation, Financial Consolidation and Close, Narrative Reporting, Planning, Planning Modules, Profitability and Cost Management, Profitability and Cost Management Plus, Tax Reporting
Loaner Program for Cloud Infrastructure Generation 2 Testing and OCI Migration Assistance Early Adopter Program
Oracle EPM Cloud is now live on Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) Gen 2 environments. If you are interested in testing your application performance on an OCI environment, open a service request following the process at https://docs.oracle.com/en/cloud/saas/enterprise-performance-management-common/tsepm/op_procs_loaner_envs.html and request for a loaner environment in an OCI data center for a duration of 30 days with the business justification as “Want to test application performance in an OCI Gen 2 data center”.
After you have performed the testing, submit Provide Feedback from the loaner environment. Create a service request using the normal support process, if you have any issues or feedback for the OCI environment. For more information, see What is a Gen 2 Cloud?
Additionally, Oracle has instituted a program to assist a limited number of early adopters on Oracle Cloud Classic to migrate to OCI. For more information, see Oracle Cloud Classic to Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) Migration Assistance Program for Early Adopters.
Applies to: Financial Consolidation and Close, Planning, Planning Modules, Tax Reporting
Change to Reports REST API and EPM Automate to Allow for Null Date
In an upcoming release, not passing a value for a Date parameter will be considered as NULL value while passing a value such as “Current_Date” will be substituted as the current date.
In the current release, not passing the value by default turns into the current date.
The change will be in the following topics for REST API topics:
- Generate Report for Account Reconciliation
- Generate Report for Financial Consolidation and Close and Tax Reporting
The change will affect the following report APIs for EPM Automate:
Applies to: Account Reconciliation, Financial Consolidation and Close, Tax Reporting
Removing Dimensions Before Rebasing a Financial Consolidation and Close or Tax Reporting EPM Digital Assistant Skill
If you want to rebase your Financial Consolidation and Close or Tax Reporting skill to use the current release of EPM Digital Assistant, note that you must first remove some dimensions before rebasing.
- Financial Consolidation and Close dimensions to be removed before rebasing: Scenario, Years, Period, Entity, Account, Currency, View, Consolidation, Data Source, Multi-GAAP, Intercompany and Movement
- Tax Reporting skill dimensions to be removed before rebasing: Cube, Scenario, Years, Period, Entity, Account, Currency, View, Consolidation, Data Source, Multi-GAAP, Intercompany, Movement and Jurisdiction
Applies to: Financial Consolidation and Close, Tax Reporting
See Removing a Consolidation and Close or Tax Reporting Custom Dimension from an Extended Skill in Getting Started with the Digital Assistant for Oracle Cloud Enterprise Performance Management.
SMART VIEW
Strategic Modeling with Smart View Requires Smart View Version 21.100
Starting with the November 2021 update (21.11), Strategic Modeling requires Smart View Client version 21.100 or higher in order to support necessary improvements when using Strategic Modeling with Smart View. To download and install Smart View, see Downloading and Installing Clients in Getting Started with Oracle Enterprise Performance Management Cloud.
Crystal Ball for EPM Extension in Smart View
The Crystal Ball for EPM extension in Smart View that allows users to define a Crystal Ball model using EPM Cloud grids to perform simulations using Crystal Ball in Smart View will not be supported or available for installation starting in this update (22.01).
Smart View Add-on Installation for Task Manager and Supplemental Data Manager
In a future update, the installation of Smart View add-ons for Task Manager and Supplemental Data Manager will change. At that time, users of the Smart View add-ons will need to uninstall and re-install their add-ons to take advantage of the latest features and fixes.
PLANNING
Default EPM Task Manager Option During Application Creation
In a future update, we're adding a new task flow type to Planning called EPM Task Manager. EPM Task Manager helps you define, execute, and report on the interdependent activities of a business process. It provides centralized monitoring of all tasks and provides a visible, automated, repeatable system of record for running a business process. When implemented, you'll see two task flow type options during Planning application creation: Task List and EPM Task Manager. EPM Task Manager will be the default option.
Current Task List based Planning applications will not be impacted by this new option and default setting in the App creation wizard. There will be no migration from existing Planning Task Lists to the upcoming EPM Task Manager. Customers who wish to continue using the current Planning Task Lists should choose the Task List Option during application creation.
PLANNING MODULES
Strategic Modeling Terminology Change
In a future update, the Consolidation feature in Strategic Modeling will be renamed Scenario Rollup.
Removal of Strategic Workforce Planning from EPM Cloud Workforce Planning
In a future update, the Strategic Workforce Planning (SWP) enablement option will be removed for all EPM Cloud Planning Modules (Standard and Enterprise) and Enterprise Planning applications that have not already enabled this feature in the Workforce Module. Customers who have already enabled this feature will see no change in their existing applications with this feature already enabled. No new applications will support this feature after this change.
Strategic Workforce Planning functionality is provided in the Strategic Workforce Planning Cloud Service (SWPCS) product, which contains robust SWP functionality that is not available in the existing EPM Cloud Planning Workforce module feature. SWPCS is an Oracle Human Capital Management (HCM) product built on EPM technology. For more information about SWPCS, please refer to the Strategic Workforce Planning information on www.oracle.com.
If you have any concerns about this change, please contact Oracle Support.
NARRATIVE REPORTING
Exporting a Report with Note Segments
Due to a schema change, you cannot export a Report with a Note Segment from the February 2022 update (22.02) and import it to the January 2022 update (22.01).
Removal of EPMCTRL Transfer Utility
In a future update, the EPMCTRL Transfer Utility will be removed. Customers should use EPM Automate, which includes all the commands currently available in the EPMCTRL Transfer Utility, going forward. For more information, see Backing Up and Restoring an Environment in Getting Started with Oracle Enterprise Performance Management Cloud for Administrators.
ACCOUNT RECONCILIATION
Impact of Balance Rounding Based on Associated Currency Code
In a future update, the source and sub-system balance load process will automatically round the balance according to the precision of the currency code associated with it. Currently, the balances are required to be rounded prior to the balance load. Please open a Support ticket and/or reach out to your Oracle team if you have an issue with this behavior update.
Power User Access to Data Loads Change
In a future update, Power User access to Data Loads will be updated so that the Service Administrator will have to assign this ability to the Power User rather than the Power User receiving it by default.
FINANCIAL CONSOLIDATION AND CLOSE
Resetting Customized Changes After an Update
If you have made changes to the seeded Account hierarchy, those changes will be reset after this update. If you have moved seeded members, the move action is retained, but any re-ordering you have done will be reset, and a restructuring will happen when the ordering is reset. The restructuring could take time, so plan accordingly. You may have to manually re-order seeded members again after the update.
PROFITABILITY AND COST MANAGEMENT
Profitability and Cost Management Does Not Support Attribute Associations for Shared Members
Profitability and Cost Management does not support attribute associations for shared members. The Update Dimension job does currently load them into the metadata, but they are not used in any subsequent operations like calculations, Smart View queries, or data extraction because they cannot be propagated to Essbase.
A new validation may be implemented in a future release to prevent attributes associated to shared members from loading. To avoid unwanted warning messages from such a future validation, you can reload your dimensions without attribute associations for shared members.
Default File Extension When No Extension is Given in the Filename Parameter for Export Query Results
In the 21.12 update, a change was made regarding the fileName parameter for the exportQueryResults EPM Automate command and corresponding REST API. Prior to 21.12, the fileName parameter value was used "as-is", with or without a file extension. Starting in 21.12, when no file extension is supplied, a ".txt" extension is appended.