Oracle releases the application updates documentation on new features and fixed issues from the Applications Release Readiness site. From there, you will be able to check the update for Customer Experience, Human Capital Management, Enterprise Resource Planning, Supply Chain Management, Enterprise Performance Management.
For PBCS, Enterprise Planning Cloud (EPBCS) and FCCS, usually, the latest update will be installed on the first Friday of each month to test environment, and third Friday of each month to production environment. The update will be applied during the normal daily maintenance window.
For the August update, it will apply the latest updates to test environment on Friday, August 4, 2017 and to production environment on Friday, August 18, 2017.
In this patch, these are the major updates:
1.Processing Oracle GL Adjustment in Data Management
Data Management now has the option to include adjustment periods from an Oracle General Ledger source system in the Oracle Financials Cloud when loading balances to an EPM Cloud application.
This is really helpful when we have set up the integration between Fusion ERP to EPM. Before this patch, we have to use a tedious way to consider the adjustment period (Period 13). Please check the related topic that I posted before:
2.New Chart Type – Status Meter Gauge
Dashboard designers can now select a new chart type called Status Meter Gauge, which shows where form values fall on a range that we set. Seeing where values fall on a red, yellow, and green bar can help we quickly assess how acceptable current values are. For example, we could use a gauge to display the current sales, where the thresholds are set to represent the sales targets.
We set the maximum values and labels for each range on the meter, and the meter displays where the values fall in the red, yellow, and green ranges. We can set the meter as horizontal or vertical.
If the form has multiple values, we can display multiple gauges, up to a maximum of 36 (the values in the first 6 rows and the first 6 columns in the form). The remaining values in the form are ignored. If we want the gauge chart to display only one value, then associate it with a form that has only one cell value.
3.Modify Account Signage for Alternate Reporting Methods
In the Financials business process, for members in the Account dimension, administrators can now edit the Account Type and Variance Reporting options. Additionally, administrators can edit the Consolidation Operator for members in any dimension in the Financials cube (OEP_FS). This feature is useful if we want to report Revenue / Assets as positive data values and Expenses / Liabilities as negative values.
4.New Formula Methods in Strategic Modeling
New Freeform Formula methods are available in Strategic Modeling. The following methods are added to the existing list: @firsthist, and @isfirsthist.
@firsthist – This method returns a time period reference to the first historical period (the first period after the Beginning Balance period)
@isfirsthist – True when the referenced time period is the first historical period (the first period after the Beginning Balance period)
These methods refer to the first historical period (the first period after the Beginning Balance period).
The new methods are handy when compared to the following methods @firstpd and @isfirstpd, which used to reference the first historical period in the model, which accepts data for all account types, but now reference the Beginning Balance period for the model, where only Balance-type accounts accept data.
5.Data Import Templates for Weekly Planning Available from Financials Business Process
For the Financials business process, data import templates for weekly planning are now available for download from within the application. From the Configure page for Financials, from the Actions menu, select Download Data Load Templates.
6.Enhancements in Close Manager
- Ability to Generate Report Binders
- Compact View for Lists
- Bulk Upload of Attachments
- Import File Delimiters
- Enable Teams in Close Manager
- New Date Calculations for Close Manager and Supplemental Data Manager: In Close Manager, new date calculation functions have been added, including Year, Month, Day, Date, Add Month, Start Date and End Date. The Date Difference function now also supports years and months.
7.Enhancements in Supplemental Data Manager
- Ability to Use Negative Start Date Offset in Forms
- Configurable Column Width in Forms
- Load Viewer Access to Forms
- Enable Teams in Supplemental Data Manager
The August update is not a major update for EPM Cloud. I will keep my eyes on the monthly updates, and will share more ideas going forward. See you next time.