New in LCM – Introducing the Artifact Change Report

Introducing the Artifact Change Report

in 11.1.2.3 Life Cycle Management will give you the ability to run a report to see what artifacts have changed, when it was changed, and who made the change, including security.  You can run the report on any artifact type or granularity, or on everything.

Most of all the artifacts supported in LCM are here, however some artifacts do not report time stamp changes accurately, so some things may be a little off.  Also – it does not tell you exactly WHAT has changed, only that it did in fact change.

There is also a command line interface as well.

Command line parameters:

• input.properties – File with username and password.

     user=jdoe

     password=xyz..

• –d: Number of days. Values are:

       -X = Fewer than x number of days

     For example, -1 generates the report for artifacts changed in the last day.

     +X = More than x number of days

  For example, +3 generates the report for artifacts changed more than 3 days ago.

• -app: Application name

In edition, there is an EPM CLONE utility that will export out ALL applications and DATA for an EPM instance for the purposed of moving it to another system.  Yes – including data and no – you cannot tell it to NOT get data.   There is an epm_cloneexport and epm_cloneimport command line utility.

Don’t believe the Hype – 11.1.2.3 LCM backwards compatibility

There is a lot of talk about some of the new features and functionality of 11.1.2.3.  One notable function is the one highlighted in a below screen shot on Oracle site…  (http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/middleware/planning/overview/index.html)

Highlighted is the ability to “upgrade” applications from older versions to 11.1.2.3 using Life Cycle Management.

The truth is that in order to move objects from an older version using LCM, Oracle must issue patches to all the older versions first.  These patches must be applied prior to the LCM exports from the older system.  

 

The thing is:  These patches do not yet exist.

They will be targeting 11.1.1.4 first, then 11.1.2.2, and then 11.1.2.1 – in that order.  They may also be considering 11.1.1.3, however if they do not, it looks like you will be expected to upgrade 11.1.1.3 to 11.1.1.4 first before having the ability to LCM artifacts to 11.1.2.3

So don’t believe the hype… it does not exist yet.  I am hearing the 11.1.1.4 patch isn’t expected until June.

But also know that even when these patches are released, they will only be for specific versions… depending on your current version, it’s possible that you will need to upgrade older systems to a compatible step release first if you plan on using LCM for your upgrade methodology.

Until then, we will need up upgrade applications one-by-one like we always have traditionally.

 

Webinar Alert: What’s new in EPM 11.1.2.3 – May 22nd

11.1.2.3 dropped today

11.1.2.3 is now available for download.  A couple of neat new things, from an infrastructure perspective:

What’s New

• You can use the config tool to remove an EPM Oracle Instance
• If you install FDM Enterprise edition, ODI is automatically installed.
• You can configure Oracle HTTP server on s shared drive location
• MSI client installers for EPM Architect, Strategic Finance, Interactive Reporting, and SQR Production Reporting.
• Can do vertical scaling now for Essbase and most of the web services
• There is a new Log Analysis tool command line utility
• Workspace integration with OBIEE
• You can access the database repository with an LDAP based URL
• There is a Port manager in the config tool that manager port uniqueness and detects if a port is already in use.
• Documentation available in MOBI and EPUB formats.

Upgrading

There is a new EPM System Cumulative Feature Overview Tool that offers a simple way to determine the features developed between releases to assist you in upgrades.  You can get the tool here:   https://support.oracle.com/epmos/faces/DocumentDisplay?id=1092114.1

Upgrade Paths

Current version	Methodology
11.1.2.x	Apply in-place maintenance release 11.1.2.3
11.1.1.4.x	Lift-and-shift upgrade to 11.1.2.3
11.1.1.x	Apply maintenance to 11.1.1.4 and then lift-and-shit upgrade
9.3.3.x	Lift-and-shift upgrade to 11.1.2.2 and then apply 11.1.2.3
9.3.x and lower	apply maintenance patch 9.3.3, then Lift-and-shift upgrade to 11.1.2.2 and then apply 11.1.2.3 maintenance release.

Log Analysis Tool

Finally we get a log analysis tool that will simplify looking at logs.  We no longer have to hunt and scour the filesystem to locate logs.  This tool list errors from the entire EPM system by time, by functional issues, etc.  You can also trace the activities of a user session across all EPM system component by tracing a Execution Context ID (ECID) which is a unique identifier. The Log analysis tool creates an HTML format based report with a time stamped filename.

C:\Oracle\Middleware\user_projects\epmsystem1\bin\loganalysis.bat

 

 

Can you really implement Oracle Business Intelligence Foundation Suite (BIFS) in 1 month?

One of the newer packages from Oracle is the Business Intelligence Foundation Suite (BIFS).  The package consists of:

• Oracle Business Intelligence Publisher 11g

• The industry’s most scalable and easy-to-use solution for delivering high-fidelity, pixel-perfect reports in multiple formats
• Create and modify web-based reports from a 100% thin-client browser interface as well as design and publish high-volume reports using popular desktop tools

• Oracle Business Intelligence Enterprise Edition 11g
  • Create ad hoc queries, reports, and interactive dashboards
  • Common enterprise information model provides centralized metadata management, common query request generation and data access, and a rich spectrum of visualization, collaboration, and search features

• Oracle Essbase
  • The market-leading OLAP server for forward-looking analysis features and advanced calculation engine, multi-user write back capabilities, and flexible data storage options
  • Ideal for scenario modeling, forecasting and planning, management reporting, and profitability analysis

• Oracle Scorecard and Strategy Management
  • Set strategic goals and objectives that can be cascaded to every level of the organization and linked to key performance indicators so that performance can be measured, tracked, and managed

• Oracle Essbase Analytics Link
  • Deliver effective management and financial analytic reporting to a broad user community by facilitating the real-time or on-demand transfer of financial information from Oracle Hyperion Financial Management to Oracle Essbase

So BIFS, in essence is a term for the collection of all of these products (which have existed for quite some time).  However the strategic products in this  package has value in it entirety by providing a cohesive single business Intelligence platform that can deploy all the associated capabilities and requirements of a EPM/BI system – reporting, dashboarding, scorecarding, analysis, modeling, and forecasting,etc.  The idea is to get the ability to create reports and consume data without the reliance on IT.

For Hyperion users, what does this mean?

• Essbase can be used as a data source in dashboards along with any other data source such as EBS, PSFT, Siebel, SAP, BI Apps – all in the same dashboard splash screens.
• OBIEE Answers can be used as a front end for HFM as well.
• Drill through capable
• Much better ways to visualize data

Visualization capabilities include charts, graphs, geospacial views, interactive pivots, scorcarding views, etc – all with fantastic mobile integration with common hand held devices.

Considering EPM and BI especially for midsize companies, the common question is how to get started quickly and cheaply.  How can companies lay the software down and get BIFS introduced to the organization in a useful way without breaking the bank?

Answer: Have Linium get BIFS up and running with the software installation, a starter application, a couple of dashboards,  handful of reports and train you to take it from there!

This week, Linium introduced BIFS Fast Track.  For an easy-to-swallow fixed fee, Linium will perform an accelerated low cost BIFS system that will…

• Install & configure OBIEE on a single server environment
• Setup 1 application that includes 1 year of data
• Setup 5 Analysis Views with Prompts
• Setup 2 Dashboards
• Setup 2 BI Publisher Reports
• Setup a flat file or 1 direct ODI integration
• Security for up to 10 users
• Conduct 2 days of knowledge transfer
• Conduct 2 days of end-user training

….All within 1 month! 

Limited time offer.    Please contact me for more information.

Summary list of new features in Hyperion EPM 11.1.2.3

Hyperion Financial Management 11.1.2.3

• Web form and grid usability enhancements:Save more POV settings in form definitions (show or hide dimensions and reorder them)
• Save POV members as favorites for easier access (no need to open the POV Member Selector panel every time)
• Support for dynamic POV memberlists
• Support for on-demand rules launched per form
• Other new HFM features:
• General UI improvements (POV and Member Selector settings persist across HFM modules)
• Security user access UI implemented in ADF
• HFM modules that are not used (for example Process Control and IC Transactions) can be disabled and thus hidden from the menus by administrators via the Module Configuration panel
• Audit log for differences after loading metadata
• LCM supports additional HFM artifacts: application, data, audit, process management, Extended Analytics templates

Hyperion Planning 11.1.2.3

• Support for ASO databases in Planning applications
• Support for flexible custom dimensions that may differ in each plan type
• Ability for end users to create dimension members on the fly (only in separate modules such as Project Financial Planning). This feature can be enabled or disabled per hierarchy.
• Outline Load Utility implemented in the web interface: allows metadata to be imported and exported from the Planning UI
• Access to Planning metadata in Smart View (add or update members, build hierarchies)
• Export/import Planning metadata and data to/from a relational database
• Task list visualizations for easier tracking (by task status, type, users etc.)
• Planning Cloud Service: Service to be released later this year. Based on Planning 11.1.2.3.

Financial Data Quality Management (FDM) 11.1.2.3 and beyond

• FDM rebranded as Financial Data Quality Management, Enterprise Edition (FDMEE)
• FDMEE combines classic FDM and ERP Integrator into a single product built on the ERPI platform (ODI installed and configured automatically)
• 11.1.2.3 will be the terminal release for classic FDM – new customers may only buy FDMEE
• FDMEE will be released in phases (11.1.2.3 GA, 11.1.2.3 Patch Set 1 and Patch Set 2)
• Core FDM features present in GA version but features like full HFM adapter functionality will follow later in PS1 and 2.
• Some functions to be introduced in PS1 and PS2:
  • Scripting in Jython
  • Integration with DRM
  • Data synchronization between all EPM application types
• HSF adapter
• FDMEE UI is integrated in EPM Workspace

Financial Reporting 11.1.2.3

• Old dog learns new tricks – FR reports and books to be supported on mobile devices via native browsers on each platform:
  • iPhone and iPad (iOS5 and 6)
  • Android phones and tablets (Android 3.x and 4.x)
• Mobile support allows read-only access with POV selection, prompts etc. but no authoring or scheduling features.
• Improved Smart View support (full FR formatting available when using Function Grids in Word and Excel)
• Create a cover page before TOC in report books

Smart View

• Upcoming SV features (some already present in 11.1.2.2.310):
• OBIEE functionality added (view created content, program OBIEE objects in VB etc.)
• Performance improvements
• Improved ad-hoc functionality: change POV on the grid, perform operations on multiple cells etc.
• Expanded VBA toolkit

Hyperion Strategic Finance 11.1.2.3

• Smart View functionality greatly extended to provide full MS Office integration (complements the HSF Windows client)

Disclosure Management 11.1.2.2.300

• Note: Release already available.
• New publishing options: PDF generation, EDGAR-ready HTML output
• Variables for automating common text and TOC items
• Several UI improvements in Report Manager

Financial Close Management 11.1.2.3

• Lots of new features in ARM (Account Reconciliation Manager):
• Advanced user assignments (backup assignments, team/group assignments etc.)
• Extended Auto Reconciliation module
• Improved data load functions
• UI improvements

Hyperion Profitability And Cost Management (HPCM) 11.1.2.3

• Addition of Calculation Rules for combining existing model artifacts, assignment rules and drivers into a single function
  • Simplifies definition of assignment logic for groups of sources
• HPCM is certified on Exalytics since 11.1.2.2.350
• Smart View integration for drill-through links and custom queries to Excel

3 sessions at this year’s Collaborate

 

 

 

Let me know if you are going to Collaborate.  Click the link below to set up an appointment one-on-one!