Welcome to the Machine

A few posts back we introduced you to EPM Automate by showing you how to install the tool and log in to your PBCS instance. Now let’s take a deeper dive in to one of the more practical uses of EPM Automate – data load automation. This post will focus on a few key commands used to execute a data load to your PBCS app through EPM Automate:  uploading data files to the PBCS Data Management inbox, deleting files from the Data Management inbox, executing Data Management data load rules, and running business rules in PBCS. So please join us in learning how to create a nightly data load process for PBCS, don’t be afraid – it’s easier than you might think.

Uploading a file

The uploadfile command can upload a file from the local machine to either the PBCS inbox/outbox, or the Data Management inbox/outbox.

Syntax

                epmautomate uploadfile “File_Name” [Data_Management_Folder]

Example 1 - Upload the file to the PBCS inbox/outbox

                epmautomate uploadfile “C:/Users/<someone>/Desktop/example.txt”

Note: the PBCS inbox/outbox is only accessible through the simplified interface. ConsoleàActionsàInbox/Outbox Explorer

                Example 2 - Upload the file to the specified folder (Stats) in the Data Management inbox

epmautomate uploadfile “C:/Users/<someone>/Desktop/example.txt” inbox/Stats

Deleting a file

The deletefile command searches for and deletes a file from the PBCS inbox/outbox or the Data management inbox/outbox depending on where the file is located.

                Syntax

                                epmautomate deletefile “File_Name” [Data_Management_Folder]

Example 1 - Delete the file from the PBCS inbox/outbox

                                epmautomate deletefile “example.txt”

Example 2 - Delete the file from the specified Data Management folder (Stats)

                                epmautomate deletefile “inbox/Stats/example.txt”

Note: the Data Management file path must be provided to delete the file from the Data Management inbox/outbox.

Running a Data Load Rule

The rundatarule command runs the specified data load rule in Data Management to load the data file specified (either in the data load rule or the command line). Data Load Rule status and details can be viewed in Data Management under Process Details.

                Syntax

epmautomate rundatarule Rule_Name Start_Period End_Period Import_Mode Export_Mode [File_Name]

Import Mode: used to import the data to the Data Management staging table

·         Append - Add to the existing POV data in Data Management

·         Replace - Replaces the existing POV data in Data Management

·         None - skip data import to Data Management

Export Mode: used to export the data from Data Management to the PDCS Application

·         Store_Data - Merges new data with the existing data in the PBCS application

·         Add_Data - Adds new data values to the existing data values in the PBCS application

·         Subtract_Data - Subtracts  new data values to the existing data values in the PBCS application

·         Replace_Data - Clears all data for the POV and replaces the data with the exported data.

·         None - skip the data export.

Start_Period/End_Period: Enables multi-period loads, period names must be defined in the data load rule.

File_Name: specifies the file to load – if no file is specified the file specified in the data load rule will be used.

Example 1: Single period load

                epmautomate rundatarule Load_Rule Jan-16 Jan-16 Replace Store_Data

Example 2: Multi-period load

                epmautomate rundatarule Load_Rule Jan-16 Mar-16 Replace Store_Data

Example 3: Single period, File specified

epmautomate rundatarule Load_Rule Jan-16 Jan-16 Replace Store_Data “inbox/Stats/example.txt”

Running a Business Rule

The runbusinessrule command allows a Business Rule to be run in PBCS. Business Rule status and details can be checked in the Application Job console (ToolsàJob Console) in the Classic Interface, or Jobs (ConsoleàJobs) in the Simplified Interface.

                Syntax

                                epmautomate runbusinessrule Rule_Name [Parameter=Value]

Note: Parameter=Value is used to provide values for run-time prompts, where Parameter is the name of the RTP and Value is the member being passed to the rule.

                Example 1

                                epmautomate runbusinessrule Example_Agg

                Example 2: with 2 Run Time Prompts

                                epmautomate runbusinessrule Example_Agg rtp_Year=FY16 Scenario=Actual

Note: Parameter=Value can be used multiple times in the same command.

Using a batch Script and Windows Task Scheduler to automate the load process

Batch Scripting and the windows Task Scheduler can be used to automate the On-Premise to PBCS data loads.

                Example Batch Script

C:

CD: C:\Oracle\EPM Automate\bin

Call EPMAutomate Login User_Name Password https://planning-IdentityDomain.pbcs.us2.oraclecloud.com  IdentityDomain

Call EPMAutomate uploadfile “C:/users/<someone>/desktop/example.txt”  inbox/folder

Call EPMAutomate rundatarule Load_Rule Jan-16 Jan-16 Replace Store_Data “inbox/Stats/example.txt”

Call EPMAutomate runbusinessrule Example_Agg rtp_Year=FY16 Scenario=Actual

Call EPMAutomate Logout

Installing and Using the Smart View Planning Admin Extension for 11.1.2.4

With 11.1.2.4 you can use Smart View to maintain metadata.  Let me say that again, you can now use Smart View to maintain metadata!!!

Here are some of the basics.

Installing Smart View Planning Admin Extension

For an administrator to manage metadata with Smart View in Excel, the administrator needs to download the ‘Planning Admin Extension’ from workspace.

1. Access the Hyperion Workspace

2. Log on using your username and password

3. Select Tools -> Install -> Planning Admin Extension

4. Save the Planning Admin Extension download file.

5. Launch the Planning Admin Extension installation file.

6. Follow the instructions via the installation wizard accepting all of the default installation selections.

Checking that the Admin Extension is installed

1. Launch Microsoft Excel

2. Click on the Smart View ribbon, click the ‘Options’ icon, and click ‘Extensions’.  The ‘Hyperion Planning Admin Extension’ should be enabled:

Editing Metadata

1. Establish a Smart View Connection Planning connection.

2. Use an ‘Oracle Hyperion Planning, Fusion Edition’ connection (also referred to as a ‘Planning connection’)by selecting it from the drop down arrow in the Smart View Connections pane:

3. Expand the server and database in which the changes need to be made and then expand ‘Dimensions’.

4. Double click on the dimension that needs editing.  The top member of the dimension will appear in the rows of the spreadsheet and the properties associated with the member will appear in the columns.  The top member of the dimension cannot be edited, so the properties will be greyed out:

5. Editing metadata in Smart View uses similar functions as a user Smart View query; the administrator can ‘Zoom In’ to lower level of details, ‘Keep Only’ on a specific member, or use the ‘Member Selection’ function to find a specific member to edit.

6. Once a member beneath the top of the dimension is added to the spreadsheet, the property cells that are editable will be displayed in yellow:

7. Some properties have a drop down menu that provides the administrator with a list of options for the selected property.

8. Other properties allow the administrator to type into the field. 

9. If a property is changed, the cell will turn from a lighter yellow to a darker yellow:

10. To submit a change, click the ‘Submit Data’ button.  This will push the changes to Planning, but not refresh Essbase.  Refreshing Essbase with any changes is covered later in this document.

Moving a Member

1. Add the member to be moved to the rows of the spreadsheet and click ‘Refresh’.
2. Click on the ‘Parent Member’ cell.
3. Type in the name of the new parent.
4. Click ‘Submit Data’.

Adding a Member

1. Enter only the new member(s) name(s) in the first column and click ‘Refresh’.   The new member(s) is marked with an asterisk and the default properties are displayed (the member does not exist in Planning yet, it just exists in the spreadsheet.)

2. Type in the parent member and set any required properties.  When finished, click the ‘Submit Data’ button.  The new member should be in planning with the information from the Smart View Grid.

Designating a Shared Member

1. Add the member that should be designated as a shared member to the rows of the spreadsheet.

2. Select the ‘Parent Member’ property for the chosen member and type in the new parent member’s name.

3. Set the ‘Data Storage’ property as ‘Shared’ and click ‘Submit Data’.

*Note: You cannot delete a member with the Hyperion Planning Extension.  Deleting a member must be done in the web.

Refreshing Essbase

All changes to metadata require Essbase to be refreshed.  Essbase can be refreshed from Smart View.

1. Right click on the Dimension folder and select ‘Refresh Database’.

2. Check the ‘Database’ checkbox and click the ‘Refresh’ button.

3. A Refresh pop-up box will appear.  Click ‘OK’.  The database will refresh. 

4. When the database is refreshed, click ‘Finish’.  If there are errors, fix all errors and refresh the application again.

Finkle is Einhorn and PBCS is Hyperion Planning, Right?

PBCS is Hyperion Planning in the cloud, right?  The short answer is yes, and our clients have had a tremendous amount of success implementing PBCS thus far. There are however some differences between PBCS and Hyperion Planning that are important to understand.  Most of these differences have a positive impact on both the administration and use of the application.  However, there are a few differences that may change the way that your business uses Hyperion Planning.  I have included several differences across many application areas in the details below.

Application Setup

• There are no hardware requirements as the application will be in the Oracle Cloud (obviously!)
• The simplified interface has an application creation wizard.  The wizard allows you to create a simple or advanced PBCS application with a simple click and a few menu selections.
• Once the application is created, the detailed setup is very similar to the setup of Hyperion Planning.
• There are two pods/environments, Test and Production.  You do not have the ability to add more pods/environments.  Each pod can contain one application with up to 3 BSO and 1 ASO cube.

Essbase

• With PBCS, you do not have direct access to Essbase. 
• Most performance tuning and settings changes that can be made (and there aren’t many) need to be made through Oracle Support.
• There are no calc scripts.  All rules must be written in Calc manager.
• But…
• You can change the ‘aggregate missing values’ setting within Calc manager.
• You can change performance settings and evaluation order within PBCS.

Managing Dimensions

• Metadata is managed in the classic planning interface.  There is no EPMA in the cloud.
• There is a new feature in 11.1.2.400 that is also available in PBCS that allows you to manage metadata using the Essbase Microsoft Excel add in and it is awesome!  Look for more on this topic in a future blog post.

Data Integrations

• FDMEE is the primary tool used for data integrations in PBCS.  You cannot use classic FDM.
• There are currently no pre-built integration's to source GL systems.
• A tool called EPM Automate is used to create scheduled data loads to PBCS.
• You can also build custom data load processes to load data and extract data from PBCS using third party software.

Security

• Shared Services is now called Application Management in PBCS.
• MSAD configuration was not available in the initial release of PBCS but has since been added.  However, there are still some limitations to the MSAD configuration in PBCS.
• Users are setup and maintained within a dashboard outside of the application, not within Shared Services.

Backups

• There is a mandatory maintenance window each day.
• Oracle takes an Artifact Snapshot each day during the maintenance window which includes a backup of all PBCS artifacts.

Dashboards (Available with release 11.1.2.400 in Hyperion Planning and in PBCS)

• The PBCS interface allows you to create dashboards.
• The foundation of each dashboard is a web form that is created like all other web forms.
• Dashboards can include multiple pains including links to external websites.

Simplified Interface

• Standard Interface was scheduled to go be eliminated in January 2016 but that date has been pushed back.  Once the standard interface is eliminated form PBCS, users will be required to use the Simplified Interface.
• Users view/utilize artifacts within the Simplified Interface, however the simplified interface contains links to views that appears exactly the same as they did in the standard interface.
•  

Browser Requirements

• Mozilla Firefox is the recommended browser by Oracle.
• Newer versions of Internet Explorer can be used as well.
• Google Chrome can only be used to access the Simplified Interface.

Overall using PBCS is very similar to using Hyperion Planning 11.1.2.400.  There are some key differences that are important to understand before making the decision to move to PBCS.  The most critical differences include features that do not yet exist yet in PBCS such as pre-built integrations back to source systems and the lack of ability to change Essbase settings.  PBCS continues to be a major focus for Oracle and new features are added with each quarterly update cycle.  Any gaps that exist between PBCS and Hyperion Planning should be resolved with future PBCS releases.

FDMEE Patch Set Update 11.1.2.4.100 is Here!

The latest FDMEE patch set has been released.  Patch Set 11.1.2.4.100 (Patch Number 20648390) has a number of great new features and will resolve over 40 defects.

Best New Features

Universal Data Adapter
The Universal Data Adapter enables you to integrate external source table/view information directly into FDMEE, bypassing the open interface table. This feature allows the user to easily connect to any source data where they have access to the underlying database in the case where a prepackaged adapter is not available, or if the pre-packaged adapter does not provide the required data. This feature effectively provides direct integration to any source table or view.

Testing Check Rule Expressions
Check rules have been enhanced so that you can now test a rule in the Test Expression tab of the Rule Logic screen and validate conditions for a combination of dimensions. When a test check rule is submitted, you can display errors that were found in the rule being tested.

Loading Exchange Rates to Financial Management
You can now load exchange rates from EBS and Peoplesoft to Hyperion Financial Management.

Extracting Financial Management Journals
Source parameter and source filters have been enhanced to extract the type of journal.

Purge Scripts
FDMEE now supports system processes that enable you to maintain and cleanup all runtime artifacts, such as the Process tables, Staging tables or Inbox / Outbox folders. Often these tables and folders contain vast amounts of data, which you may no longer need. With the Purge Script feature, you can purge standard tables and folder by scheduling system processes and executing them.

Map Monitor Reports
Two new Map Monitor reports have been added to the Audit Reports report group: Map Monitor for Location and Map Monitor for User. Map monitor reports show changes made to the data load mapping rules using any of the methods data load mappings UI, Excel template imports, text file imports, and Lifecycle Management imports.

The Map Monitor reports do not capture historical data earlier than release 11.1.2.4.100. Map Monitor reports are enabled only if the Enable Map Audit is set to “Yes” in System Settings.

You can find additional details about this patch set here: https://updates.oracle.com/Orion/Services/download?type=readme&aru=19686356#_Toc434314047