At a recent webcast presentation, Oracle introduced new content for the next major EPM release - the imminent "11.1.2.3." The products continue to offer improvements in performance and functionality, and this article attempts to summarize the most significant features from that presentation. (Of course, these announcements are not commitments, and the development, release, and timing of any features or functionality described in this article remain at the sole discretion of Oracle.)
The 11.1.2.3 release introduces a couple of new modules. Data Relationship Governance provides the ability to monitor the workflow associated with tracking update requests to master data. And, although already available, this release formally introduces the new, purpose-built Hyperion Tax Provision module - a new Hyperion Financial Close suite module to calculate tax provision values to support US GAAP & IFRS reporting.
The EPM applications are taking advantage of the Oracle Diagnostic Logging capability, where the administrator determines the level of detail for logging diagnostic messages - offering, for example, improved feedback during the development stage.
Life Cycle Management enhancements include support for additional Financial Close artifacts - application, data, audit, process management, EA templates; the ability to upgrade Planning applications, from release 11.1.1.3 and upwards, to release 11.1.2.3; and to import metadata content on an incremental basis.
A major shift in the 11.1.2.3 release is the combining of FDM and ERPi functionality. Built on ERP Integrator platform, the product is called Financial Data Quality Management, Enterprise Edition (FDMEE). Full parity between FDM and FDMEE will be achieved through a series of patch sets updates scheduled to follow the 11.1.2.3 GA release.
Financial Management 11.1.2.3 includes improved user experience - more control over POV settings (show/hide and order dimensions), dynamic POV member list (e.g., to show only accounts associated with the selected entity).
Financial Reports 11.1.2.3 offers mobile support, the retention of FR report formatting in Smart View's Function Grid, and the ability to add a cover page to the production of books.
Disclosure Management 11.1.2.2.300 adds capability intended to make organizations self-sufficient in the in-house generation of XBRL and EDGAR documents. The embedding of Variables provides greater flexibility in the production of periodic statements containing common language, but with minor differences (e.g., a date).
Accounts Reconciliation Manager 11.1.2.2.300 adds five new Auto-Reconciliation Methods to its existing complement, and provides greater flexibility in user assignments (e.g., Team/Group Assignments, Reassignment Requests).
Financial Management Analytics 11.1.2.2.300 has an improved, new appearance and new dashboard content, including ARM and FDM analytics, and improved mobile support.
Planning 11.1.2.3 introduces the ability to plan on ASO Essbase databases and improved import / export functionality, including Web & Excel data and metadata load capabilities.
The 11.1.2.3 Planning modules (Workforce Planning, Capital Asset Planning, and Project Financial Planning) allow end-users to add, on-the-fly, new member names to any dimension (except Year and Period). Workforce Planning 11.1.2.3 also includes a new Job dimension, which can be useful when evaluating aggregated forecast impacts by Job Type.
Strategic Finance 11.1.2.3 continues to add more of the basic product functionality to its Smart View interface and offers Office 2010 64-bit support.
Profitability and Cost Management 11.1.2.3 shows significant Smart View Integration improvements for standard models; and, for Detailed Profitability applications, the generation of three new Essbase ASO databases and a new Calculation Rules processor for defining allocations.
It's an exciting time for these EPM products, so stay tuned for more detailed announcements as the new release, 11.1.2.3, rolls out.
