Adding a Process Flow

The Process Flow feature in Planful allows you to automate and schedule a series of tasks such as running reports, refreshing scenarios, processing journals, scheduling Report Collections and Financial Packages, or loading data via Data Load Rules (DLRs) without manual intervention.

To schedule or automate tasks, follow the steps below to add a process flow using Cloud Scheduler:

1. Navigate to Maintenance > Administration > Cloud Scheduler > Process Flow.

2. Click Add from the Process Flow page. Three tabs are displayed on the Add Process Flow page: General Information, Tasks, and Scheduler.

3. High-level steps to create a process flow are:

   1. Complete the information on the General Information tab.

   2. Add tasks.

   3. Schedule to run or run immediately.

General Information

In the general information section, define the process flow Code, Name, and E-mail recipients.

Code - Mandatory. Enter up to 128 alpha-numeric or Latin-based characters. Code must be unique.

Name - Enter up to 256 alpha-numeric or Latin-based characters.

E-mail Recipients - The user creating the process flow is included as an email recipient by default. Enter e-mail recipients who you want to receive information on the status of the process flow. You can add Planful or external users as email recipients. There is no restriction to the number of e-mail addresses that can be added

Save - Save the process flow you are creating without starting it (i.e., it remains inactive even if the start date occurs). You must have at least one task to save a process flow.

Save & Schedule - Save the process flow and add it to the Job Manager to run as configured. You must have at least one task to schedule a process flow.

Run Now Arrow - Click to execute the process flow, regardless of the start and repeat parameters you have selected.

Tasks

A task is an action within a process flow that defines specific operations, such as loading data, running consolidations, generating reports, or other workflow-related actions. The defined action can run at predefined times or intervals using the Scheduler option. Tasks can run independently or in sequence based on dependencies.

Note:

• Users can add up to 10 tasks in a single process flow

• If a task depends on another, it will execute once the preceding task is completed.

• Tasks are displayed in the execution order

Add one or more tasks to a process flow.

Add/Edit Task - Clicking Add/Edit Task opens the New/Edit Task dialog page. Complete the following fields:

• Task Type - Select the type of task you want to schedule and automate. The following are the tasks you can schedule across the application:        

  • Data Load Rule - Process selected Data Load Rules. Only active Data Load Rules with a Cloud Services type are displayed. You must have the appropriate Data Integration permissions.

  • Consolidation - Run the Consolidation Process, including Interim Currencies, Reporting Currencies, Eliminations, Dynamic Journals, and Non-Controlling Interest. When scheduling via Cloud Scheduler, automate journal and currency processing by selecting Configurable Steps.          

    Notes:

    • Interim Currency is visible when enabled in Define Currency Parameters. Learn more.

    • Reporting Currencies become visible when setup is complete. Learn more.

  • Currency Conversions - Enable multi-currency reporting using the Ivy framework for faster processing (Local to Common Currency, Interim Currencies, and Reporting Currencies).                

    Note:

    A single scenario can be part of multiple Process Flows but only once per Process Flow.

  • Dynamic Journal - Process and post active Dynamic Journals independently. Inactive journals must be activated via the Consolidation Control Panel. Journals can be processed for Actual and other scenarios. If Custom Period is selected, you can specify date ranges. Deleting a Dynamic Journal from the Consolidation Control Panel removes it from Cloud Scheduler.

  • Financial Package - Process a Financial Package.

  • Reclassifications Journal – Predefine scheduling for Reclassification Journals.

  • Recurring Journal – Automate recurring journal processing via Cloud Scheduler.

  • Refresh Closed Period Data – Schedule the refresh process for closed period data in Forecast and Plan scenarios. Runs in the cloud to minimize manual effort.

  • Refresh Preloaded Data – Automate preloaded data processing by scheduling predefined periods.

  • Report Collection - Schedule and manage Report Collections within Cloud Scheduler.                

    • Uses default settings for substitution variables.

    • Notifications sent via email and in-app.

    • Emails and reports are sent to configured recipients.

    • Output files are saved to the File Cabinet if configured.

    • Folder and file security settings are applied.

    • Status is tracked via Job Manager.

  • Scenario Process - Select Financial or Workforce processing.

  • Simulation Engine - Select a Scenario and Process configured in the Simulation Process Setup screen. Example: Run a simulation after a data load before triggering a report collection.

  • Standard Journal – Schedule standard journal postings to prevent manual delays.

  • Template Snapshot – Automate template snapshot creation for consistent backups.

• Task Name – A required field. Search and select the appropriate task from the hierarchy in the right pane.

• Dependencies – Optional. Define tasks that must run in sequence. A task with dependencies will only start after its dependent tasks complete successfully. Tasks without dependencies run in parallel.        

  A task can have multiple dependencies but cannot be dependent on itself. Circular dependencies (e.g., Task B depends on Task A, and Task A depends on Task B) are not allowed.

  Note:

  A single Data Load Rule can be linked to multiple Process Flows but cannot be used multiple times in one Process Flow.

• E-Mail Recipients - Default recipients are based on the Data Load Rule but can be modified. Changes apply only to the Process Flow and do not affect the original rule. Both Planful users and non-users can be added.        

  Note:

  Email format is verified, but existence is not checked.

Delete - When a Task is deleted, other tasks dependent upon the task being deleted are updated and the dependency is removed.

Save - To save the Process Flow, at least one valid task must be added to the Work Flow/List View.

List View - Click to view in a list format.

Scheduler

Use the Scheduler tab to run the process flow at a scheduled date and time, or, a selected frequency.

Start Date - Select the date in which you’d like to process flow to execute.

Start Time - Select the start time in which you’d like to process flow to execute.

Time Zone - Select a UTC-specific time zone (e.g., UTC-08:00 Pacific Time, UTC-05:00 Eastern Time, etc.)

Repeat - Select to have the process execute more than once.

Repeats - Select to have the process executed daily, weekly, monthly, hourly, or by 30 or 45 minutes. You can view Process Flow schedules 5 days out in Job Manager. This applies to schedules that are configured to repeat daily, weekly, and monthly. For schedules that repeat hourly or based on minutes, the jobs are shown in Job Manager as soon as they start running. Every job added to Job Manager is first queued and begins processing based on server availability.

Recurrence Ends:

• Never – the process is executed indefinitely according to your repeat specifications.

• End after: _ occurrences – the process will no longer execute after a given number of occurrences.

• End by: - the process will no longer execute after a given date.