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.

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

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

Explore User Reports & Daily Maint REST API - Oracle PBCS with Groovy flavor !!!

In continuation of other series about REST API on Planning & Migration in this post let’s explore the REST APIs for Provision Reports,User Audit reports and the Daily Maintenance Window Time. 

1.REST API for running Provision report on Oracle PBCS\EPBCS

Straight from the document:

Generates a provisioning report of users in the system and writes the report to the filename provided. This is an asynchronous job and uses the job status URI to determine if the operation is complete.

You can manually generate a Provision Report from Oracle PBCS instance

 Navigate -> Tools

Mass loading of Attribute Dimension into Oracle PBCS!!!

We all knew what is an Attribute dimension and how to create one in Oracle PBCS/EPBCS. In this post lets see how to bulk load the Attribute dimension into Oracle PBCS/EPBCS.

If we want to create/update more than 100/1000 of attribute dimension it will be cumbersome to get them created/updated via the Standard Interface.

In my case I need to load around 100 attribute dimension members, let's call the attribute dimension as “JobTitle” and need to associate them with the Employee dimension.

  

Yes, just like any other dimensions you can Export/Import them from the Simplified Interface. The trick is you won't find them listed under Dimension,

But when you click on Export/Import button 

Explore Migration REST API - Oracle PBCS with Groovy flavor !!!

I hope you have enjoyed the Introduction and the Planning REST API posts which were posted earlier. Lets explore the Migration related REST API for the Oracle PBCS in this post.

Migration REST APIs

Use the Migration REST APIs to get API versions, work with files, and manage
services and application snapshots.

Explore Planning REST API - Oracle PBCS with Groovy flavor !!!

After the introduction to the REST API & Groovy lets explore the Planning REST API in this post.

1. Get REST API version for Planning

Returns information about which versions are available and supported. Multiple versions might be supported simultaneously by Oracle Hyperion Planning.

This is already covered but lets see how to get the apiVersion details using Groovy.

Output of the program

Finally REST(REST API) on Oracle PBCS!!!

This was a lying in my draft for a quite long time after my webinar on this topic, finally publishing it :-)  have fun.

The complete documentation for the REST API for Oracle EPM Cloud is here

Straight from document:

REST describes any simple interface that transmits data over a standardized interface (such as HTTP) without an additional messaging layer, such as SOAP. REST provides a set of design rules for creating stateless services that are viewed as resources, or sources of specific information, and can be identified by their unique URIs. RESTful web services are services that are built according to REST principles and, as such, are designed to work well on the web. Typically, RESTful web services are built on the HTTP protocol and implement operations that map to the common HTTP methods, such as GET, POST, PUT, and DELETE to retrieve, create, update, and delete resources, respectively. 

REST API Methods

You can create, view, update, or delete Oracle Enterprise Performance Management
Cloud resources using standard HTTP method requests, as shown below

Method	Description
GET	Retrieve information about the REST API resource
POST	Create a REST API resource
PUT	Update a REST API resource
DELETE	Delete a REST API resource or related component

Current REST API Version

Covering only majorly used components

REST Resource	REST API version	Getting REST API Versions
Planning	v3	/HyperionPlanning/rest/
Migration	11.1.2.3.600	/interop/rest/
Data Management	V1	/aif/rest/

There are multiple REST API clients available for free, you can pick as per your choice.

What does EPM Automate Utility offer - Part 4

In this series lets see how to read a file and strip a particular value from a column of a CSV file and use that value in the EPM automate script.

Requirement:

Every month the pay details are extracted from the source system and the data file is loaded into the PBCS, to get this automated the file name should be named as MMM-YY (Pay month and year format).

Let us explore how this is achieved using the EPM  automate.