Restoring the Out of Box artifacts for the EPBCS modules!

It happened that some of the module-based artifacts were missing/accidentally deleted and we were finding a way to restore them.

As a user of Oracle Enterprise Performance Budgeting and Planning Cloud Service (EPBCS), you may want to restore the out-of-box artifacts that were delivered with your EPBCS instance.

In this blog, we will see how to systematically restore artifacts related to the EPBCS module's process of restoring the out-of-box artifacts for the EPBCS modules.

Invoking REST API via Groovy program outside of EPM Cloud – Authentication to EPM Cloud Part-2

This post is the continuation of the previous one where I explained how to read the User ID, Password, etc.. from a file in the Groovy Program. So the file containing the  User ID, Password, etc.. is a central repository where you need to change it only once.

In this post, I will extend that feature by using the encoding/decoding methods to encode the password and decode it wherever needed. So the password Is not exposed anywhere and no security breach of storing the password in a file or a program.

Let me divide this post into two parts

1. Encode the Oracle EPM authenticating Password using a Secret Key.

Kindly note I have used the AES encryption algorithm to encrypt the password.

 

Invoking REST API via Groovy program outside of EPM Cloud – Authentication to EPM Cloud

In this blog, we will see how to invoke the Oracle EPM REST API endpoints outside of Oracle EPM (as a standalone program accessing the REST API endpoints from any machine where the Groovy program can be executed). We all knew we can call Oracle EPM REST API endpoints from the Calculation Manager Business rules as Groovy rules but this is entirely different from that.

 

Cube refresh failed with Essbase Cube: Cube Name, Error code: 1060374 - Fix/suggestion

A quick one that took a while to fix the issue, assuming it helps the needy.  

The customer was running on EPBCS on version latest version. While running the database refresh it did throw the following error message, 

Cube refresh failed with Essbase Cube: Cube Name,

List Backups via REST API for PBCS/EPBCS applications

The new REST API features enabled on April 22 are so cool, you can now access all the backups created by Oracle on your own without the need to raise an SR with Oracle support. I am referring to the Artifact Snapshot taken by Oracle when there is a change to the instance.

From the Oracle Documentation,

List Backups - Only for OCI (Gen 2) Environments

In OCI (Gen 2) environments, you can list available backup snapshots archived by Oracle in the Oracle Object Storage Cloud.

You can then restore available backup snapshots (copy them to the environment), To restore backup snapshots in OCI (Gen 2) environments, see Restore Backup. After copying the backup, you can archive it or use it to restore the current environment by yourself. After copying the backup, you can archive it or use it to restore the current environment by yourself. With the List Backups and Restore Backup APIs, you no longer have to create a service request to request a backup from an OCI environment.

This API is version v2.

Running Data Management rules using REST API (PBCS/EPBCS)

REST API allows running the Data Management rules using the following two job type methods

• DATARULE
• INTEGRATION

DATARULE - is an older method for running the Data Management whereas INTEGRATION is the updated version of DATARULE method.

In this blog let's see how to invoke a Data Management rule using the INTEGRATION method using Postman.

Things to note while loading Date Format values using Data Management into EPBCS/PBCS!

We all have loaded non-numeric (Text, Date & Smartlist, etc..) using the Data Management (FDMEE cloud). I thought I will reiterate the common mistakes done while loading the All data types data.

  

• Check All Data Type (for Delimited or Multi Column)– under File Type in Import Format is selected.

The first step to verify the Import Format is set to Multi Column -All Data Type or Delimeted- All Data Type as Numeric data will not load Date format data.

In this screenshot, i am loading the Date to the member OCX_Purchase Date

What is changing in EPM Cloud from Jan 2021 – Part 2

 

RUNBUSINESSRULE EPM AUTOMATE COMMAND - CHANGE OF BEHAVIOR

Starting with the 21.05 update, the runBusinessRule EPM Automate command will no longer let you run a ruleset against Planning, Planning Modules, Financial Consolidation and Close, and Tax Reporting applications. Instead, you should use the runRuleSet command to launch business rulesets using EPM Automate.

If you currently use scripts that use the runBusinessRule command to launch rulesets, you must modify them to use the runRuleSet command.

Copy data in a ASO cube between members of a same dimension!!!

 I came across a request to copy data between versions for an EPBCS application, absolutely a common request but this is for an ASO Cube. We all have done 100 times this on a BSO cube but for me, this was the first request on an ASO cube.

Let I narrate the process to copy data in an ASO cube between members of the same dimension

 

• Create a new rule in the calculation manager under the respective ASO cube

Oracle Enterprise Performance Management Cloud June 2020 update part 2

This is in continuation of Part 1 series of the June 2020 new updates for the Oracle Enterprise Performance Management.

Quick one today is the sortMember

Image courtesy https://www.computerhope.com/unix/usort.htm 

Sorts members of Entity, Account, Scenario, and Versions dimensions and of custom dimensions. This command is useful for sorting dimension members after loading members into Planning.

Note:

You cannot use this command to sort members of Period, Years, and Currency dimensions.

 This command works only for Planning.

PBCS-DataManagement-Delete-Entire-Integration!!!

Everyone wants to be smarter rather than a hard worker, and one tip today to make you smarter is the DeleteIntegration

You can delete an integration including the name, import format, location, mappings and any data rules created in Data Integration. This option enables you to delete an entire integration without having to delete individual components.

We all have come across a situation to delete a Data load Rule, Import Format or the Location and since they all tied to each other its difficult at times to deal with these errors messages, 

Well that is where the Delete Integration comes handy as a lifesaver

You can delete an integration including the name, import format, location, mappings and any data rules created in Data Integration. This option enables you to delete an entire integration without having to delete individual components.

New Groovy Training Available from Oracle!!!!

Wow i just saw this and cant help myself in advertising this, now we have the OBE (oracle by example) for the GROOOOOOOVYYYYYYYYY yahhhhhh enjoy...

Introduction to Groovy Business Rules
Learn about the Groovy scripting language and see how to create a Groovy script in Oracle Enterprise Planning Cloud.

Working with Data Grids and Iterators in Groovy
Implement Groovy scripts to work with data grids and data grid iterators. You use conditional logic to set the background colors in a data grid, implement performance benchmarking, and set default data values in a grid.

Moving Dimension Members with Groovy
Create a Groovy script to work with metadata, in this case, moving a member from one parent to another.

Moving Modified Data Using Groovy and Smart Push
Push data from a source location to a target location via Groovy rules.

Validating Data Entry Values with Groovy
Implement a Groovy script that validates data entry against allowed ranges stored in a driver cube.

Adding Dimension Members with Groovy
Create a Groovy script to work with metadata, in this case, adding a member to a dimension.

Calculating Modified Data Using Groovy
Generate a focused calculation script to calculate only data that has been edited, instead of the entire data entry form.

Integrating Data Between Planning and Strategic Models Using Groovy
Learn about Strategic Modeling concepts and how to integrate data between strategic models and planning applications using Groovy scripts.

Creating Groovy Templates
Create a Groovy template with interactive Design Time Prompts (DTPs).

The OBEs are available on the Help Center.

New Row and Column Suppression Behavior for EPM Cloud!!

I am sure you will love this exciting new feature released in Smartview  11.1.2.5.720

NewRow and Column Suppression Behaviour for EPM Cloud

This feature applies to these EPM Cloud services:

• Oracle Planning and Budgeting Cloud
• Oracle Enterprise Planning and Budgeting Cloud
• Oracle Financial Consolidation and Close Cloud
• Oracle Tax Reporting Cloud

In web applications, your administrator can use the Smart View Suppression Behavior option to change suppression behavior when both the Smart View No Data/Missing and Zero suppression options for rows, or columns, or both are selected.

Testing Network Throughput - Oracle PBCS!!!

Testing Network Throughput

I accidentally found this functionality thought it will be useful to share.

From the document, This topic does not apply to Oracle Cloud at Customer.

Using My services, you can test the end-to-end throughput of the network connection between the browser displaying the network throughput test page and the Oracle Cloud data center. Throughput is the average data rate attained for the transfer of an entire file.

The network test pings the Oracle Cloud data center multiple times with several predefined file sizes, and displays the throughput, latency, and response time. Throughput is expressed in megabits per second (Mbps); latency and response time are expressed in milliseconds (ms). If you contact Oracle for support about poor network performance while using Oracle Cloud, the support representative may ask for this data.

Quick Tip - Oracle Smart View disable for Outlook

Had an instance where one of the customers had installed the Oracle SmartView for accessing the Oracle Planning and Budgeting Cloud. After the installation, the Microsoft Outlook didn’t get started and was staying in the screen starting for a quite long time.

This was quite annoying, but luckily there is an easy solution to the issue. There is life saver option given in SmartView under Options -> Advanced.

With this option, Smart view will be disabled in Outlook and will not hamper the time to load the Outlook. Hope this helps.

NEW EPM AUTOMATE UTILITY - Oracle PBC July 2018 update

A new version of the EPM Automate Utility is available with this update. This version includes the copyfilefrominstance command, which copies a file from a source environment to the environment (target) from which you run the command.

This version also includes changes to the following commands to make them consistent with other file operation commands:

• listfiles: now lists snapshots and files available in an environment 
• deletefile: now deletes snapshots and files from an environment

You can download  the file from the PBC instance

And get that downloaded for the Windows or Linux

My Collaborate 18 presentation

Collaborate 18 presentation by Dayalan Punniyamoorthy from Dayalan PunniyaMoorthy

Loading numeric & non-numeric data directly into Planning application in PBC/EPC via the Simplified Interface

Let's see how to load numeric & non-numeric data directly into Planning applications in PBC/EPC instance via the Simplified Interface without using the Data Management.

Method: Using the Source Type Planning

If an import error occurs during a Planning data load, the import will continue to load valid data (partial load). Any errors will be noted in the import and export status.

All we need is the data to be loaded in a specified format to get loaded. The format should be like the following file, (CSV Format)

In this case, we are loading the data to the Account members for Jan to Jun period for the specified POV and for the Database Plan1

You can export the data from the Planning application via the Simplified Interface to get this format.

To export, the data click on Navigator 

Go to Application - Overview

Smart View Error and easy fix to that - PBC/EPC

We all might have seen this common error in Smart View in On-premise or in the Cloud instance (PBC, EPC etc...). It a very common error message which says there is no data for the selected combination of the POV. 

 What if you are sure that there is data in the application for the selected POV or it was working before for the same selected POV and the same sheet is throwing an error now. Ya, that is an embarrassment right??

We will be talking about the situation where it was working before and no changes is being made to the Excel sheet and the same Excel sheet is throwing the error message “Ad hoc grid can not be opened as there are no valid rows of data.”

  

It was reported as a bug and got fixed in 11.1.2.3.505, but I could still see this behavior in the latest version of the Smart View 11.1.2.5.720.

But the good news is the same old solution still works here with a little twist, all you have to do is

• If the Suppress rows are "Enabled" for "No Data/Missing" – disable the checkbox
• If the Suppress rows are "Disabled" for "No Data/Missing" – enable the checkbox

And you are all set, you will see the data coming with a refresh of the sheet, hope this was helpful today!!!!

Explore DataManagement REST API - Oracle PBCS/EPBCS with Groovy flavor !!!

In continuation of other series about REST API on Planning ,Migration & User Reports in this post let’s explore the REST APIs for DataManagement to run data rules, run batches, import and export data mapping, and to execute reports. 

To begin let's explore groovy program to get the DataManagement apiVersion details and the Output below

1.DataManagement apiVersion Details