April20 Release Notes

Enhancements to Application Behavior

Reports

• When you Insert Formula (Row or Column or Formula exception) for a combination of members and if members are updated and the corresponding data is removed. For example, a member can be updated due to changes in the Dimension Security settings. When the corresponding data is removed, the Insert Formula will not be visible, even if you add the deleted data to the report.

  Prior to this release, when the deleted data was added to the report, even the associated formulas were visible.

• When an attribute is used in the Row or Column axis whose dimension is added to the Page axis without selecting any member, the report will result in an MDX error.

User Interface Enhancements

In continuation to the Winter20 release, we have enhanced Planful’s user interface to make it more intuitive, easy to use, and state-of-the-art. We have extended this experience to other areas of the application also.

The list of improvements made to the Planful platform is as follows:

• Updated the color scheme for better visibility.

• Enhanced the existing icons for an improved visual experience.

A few of the latest screens are shown in the following images.

Reports: Enhancements in Dynamic Commentary (PREVIEW)

This opt-in feature is being released for PREVIEW only! It will be available to be enabled in the Sandbox environment.

For more information about this functionality, refer to Reports: Dynamic Commentary (PREVIEW)

Introduced Attribute and Attribute Hierarchy Support

With this release, the Dynamic Commentary functionality is enabled in Dynamic Reports designed for all combinations of Dimensions, Report Sets, or Custom Members that are created using Attributes or Attribute Hierarchy.

You can use Attribute or Attribute Hierarchy on the Page, Row, or Column axis.

Additionally, the Comment Manager page displays the Attribute or Attribute Hierarchy labels with the corresponding Dimension.

The image below displays the Attribute labels with the corresponding Dimension in the

Comments Manager page.

Multiple Member Selection Support on the Page Axis

With this release, you can add comments in a Dynamic Report created by selecting multiple members on the Page axis. This is applicable for Dimensions, Attributes, Attribute Hierarchy, Substitution Variables on the Page axis.

Prior to this release, when multiple members were added on the Page axis, the Dynamic Commentary functionally was disabled.

 Comments are always visible on the Dynamic Report for a combination of the dimension selections. The comment can also be viewed from the Comment Manager page.

For example, the comment below will not be visible if you remove the highlighted member from the report.

You can view the comment from the Comments Manager page as displayed in the image below.

Enhanced the Resolve Functionality

With this release, when you resolve a comment, the comment is now displayed in the Comment Manager page along with the Resolved icon. If the first comment on a thread is resolved all the associated comments in the thread are resolved automatically.

Resolved comments are not displayed in the reports or their exports. Once you resolve a comment, the visual indicator is not displayed on the cells.

You can view the resolved comments from the Comment Manager page. An icon is displayed against the resolved comments as shown in the image below.

You use the Filter icon to filter the resolved comments in the grid. Also, you can delete the resolved comments using the More option.

Comments once resolved cannot be reopened, edited, replied, or highlighted. However, a new thread can be started for the same cell.

Added the Highlight Option in Comments Manager

With this release, we have added the following options in the More list box:

• Highlight

  You can select comments from the grid and use the Highlight option to mark the comment as important. The Highlighted icon is displayed against the selected comments.

  You can highlight any comment on the Comment Manager page. Highlighting a comment thread does not highlight the associated comments. You need to highlight each comment separately.

• Note:

  The Highlight option is not applicable to resolved comments.

• Remove Highlights

  You can use the Remove Highlights option to remove highlights from the selected comments.

You can perform all functions such as Delete, Edit, and Reply on the highlighted comments.

The highlighted comments are displayed in the Dynamic Commentary column for Management Reports or Exports. This functionality is applicable to Dynamic Reports where the Comment option is enabled.

Introduced Profile Picture

With this enhancement, your profile picture will be displayed in the following places:

• Comments pop-up window in Dynamic Reports

• Comments pop-up window in Spotlight View and Report

• Task Manager

  

If your profile picture is not updated in the application, the initial letter of your first name is displayed as an image.

In Practice: How to add Profile Picture

Navigate to Maintenance > My Settings > User Information tab. In the Profile Picture field, click the Camera icon to select a profile picture from your computer.

Added Dynamic Commentary Option in Insert Formula

With this release, a new Dynamic Commentary option has been added to the Function drop-down list in the Insert Formula pane. While inserting a new column, you can select this option to extract comments from any column and save them in the new column. The new column containing comments is inserted to the right or left of any column based on the selection you have made from the Insert drop-down lists. You can have multiple Dynamic Commentary columns in a single report. Every new comment starts in a new row and the long text wraps to fit the column widths saved on the report.

The image below displays comments extracted from column B to a new column.

Two additional check boxes, Display only Highlighted Comments and Display Username and Date, have been enabled for the new Dynamic Commentary function. You can select these check boxes to define additional configuration settings for the comments.

• Display only Highlighted Comments

  When you select this check box, only the highlighted comments are displayed in the Dynamic Commentary column. By default, this check box is not selected. When this check box is not selected, all comments are displayed in the Dynamic Commentary column.

• Display Username and Date

  When you select this check box, the username and date are displayed for each comment in the Dynamic Commentary column cell. The date and time are converted to the user timezone. By default, this check box is not selected.

This feature is applicable to all existing and new Dynamic Reports for all combinations of Report Sets, Dimensions, Attributes, and Attribute Hierarchy.

The following points are applicable to the Dynamic Commentary column:

• Cell values in the Dynamic Commentary column cannot be edited.

• The width of the Dynamic Commentary column is adjustable.

• Cell formatting applies to the Dynamic Commentary column as well.

• Edit, Delete, and Formula Exceptions options are available for the Dynamic Commentary column, while Drill down, Drill through, Copy, Paste, and Comment options are not available for this column.

• Dynamic Report Header and Footer gets adjusted automatically when the Dynamic Commentary column is added or removed.

• The position of the Dynamic Commentary column gets adjusted automatically when you use any actions such as Pivot, Rank, etc on the report.

• Cell values in the Dynamic Commentary column cannot be edited.

• The width of the Dynamic Commentary column is adjustable.

• Cell formatting applies to the Dynamic Commentary column as well.

• Edit, Delete, and Formula Exceptions options are available for the Dynamic Commentary column, while Drill down, Drill through, Copy, Paste, and Comment options are not available for this column.

• Dynamic Report Header and Footer gets adjusted automatically when the Dynamic Commentary column is added or removed.

• The position of the Dynamic Commentary column gets adjusted automatically when you use any actions such as Pivot, Rank, etc on the report.

Dynamic Commentary in Different Outputs

When you export a report to Excel, PDF, Google Sheet, Word, or PowerPoint from Dynamic Reports, Report Collections, or Financial Package, the Dynamic Commentary column displays all the comments based on the additional configuration settings. Comments in all the exported outputs are displayed as plain text, but if only URL is added to the comment, you can click it from the cell in the exported output.

The Dynamic Commentary column also displays the comments in all email attachments, snapshots, report collections, and so on. Every new comment starts in a new row and the long text wraps to fit the column widths saved on the report.

A maximum of 1024 characters are exported in each cell across multiple comments. Characters beyond the threshold value are truncated and shown with ellipses.

Consolidation: Update to Standard Eliminations for Flow Dimension Enabled Applications

Improved Standard Eliminations functionality is now available for Flow dimension enabled applications. For information on what Flow Dimension functionality is and how it can be beneficial, click here.

The pre-built Flow dimension hierarchy is shown below and will be referenced in the description of this functionality (provided below the image).

How It Works

The information below not only describes how this functionality works, but provides information on considerations and recommendations.

Description of Functionality

When this functionality is enabled, intercompany transactions for Income Statement accounts are posted to the Default member of the Flow dimension. The intercompany transactions for Balance Sheet accounts are posted to the respective activity member of the Flow dimension. In the image above, the member is Subtotal Activity.

Reversal entries for all intercompany transactions and the plug account (out of balance) values are calculated using the balances in the Consolidated LC member of the reporting dimension. We recommend that you review documentation on Flow Dimension functionality provided here.

The Reversal entries for all intercompany transactions and plug (out of balance) account values are calculated using the balances in the Consolidated LC member of the Reporting dimension in Common Currency, Interim Currency and Reporting Currency.

You cannot add one account in two Elimination Sets. This ensures that the differences in Intercompany Transactions are posted to only one account.

Eliminations can be posted using two methods:

1. By selecting Eliminations as part of Consolidation Process

2. By navigating to the Elimination Process, individually selecting Eliminations Sets, and clicking Post.

   • In both the cases the Plug account is always cleared and re-posted. It is recommended that you either map one plug account per Elimination Set or post Eliminations using the Consolidation Process to ensure the correct out of balance amounts in the plug accounts. If you use option 2, Eliminations are posted in Common Currency only. If you use option 1, Eliminations are posted to Interim and Reporting currencies based on the selection.

When leaf companies represent Elimination companies, the Currency Code field in Hierarchy Management is disabled.

CTA redirection is not supported for Elimination companies.

Leaf companies with existing data cannot be Elimination companies. When a leaf company is set as an Elimination company, the system checks for data and results in an application error message if found.

Alternate hierarchies are supported. However, different elimination companies will have to be used in the Alternate hierarchy for this purpose.

Eliminations can be based on varying rollup paths in the Company dimension.

Eliminations, like the Consolidation Process, must be processed in chronological order to produce appropriate results.

Recommendations / Considerations

• Create separate Elimination Sets be created for Income Statement Intercompany Transactions and Balance Sheet Intercompany Transactions within the Elimination company, Net Income is posted to the Retained Earnings Current Year account. Retained Earnings is rolled forward across years.

• For all Elimination Sets, ensure Retain Source Segments is always selected as shown in the image below.

  

• For Balance Sheet Elimination Sets, select an appropriate activity member under Subtotal Activity of the Flow dimension.

• For Income Statement Elimination Sets, select the Default member of the Flow dimension.

  

Platform/Consolidation: Scenario Locking

This enhancement is for customers with applications where Shared Mode is enabled. For information on what Shared Mode is, click here. If you are not sure if your application has Shared Mode, please contact Planful Support.

To prevent the Consolidation Process and a Data Load Rule from running on the same scenario simultaneously, Scenario Lock functionality is now in place.

How It Works

When Data Load Rules and Consolidation Processes are executed, the first one to be initiated will acquire a lock at the Scenario level preventing the second process from executing on the same scenario until the first process is complete. For example, let's say a second process is initiated before the first one completes, the system will wait 10 minutes before canceling the second process. Note that information on status (canceled, completed and queued processes) is available in Cloud Scheduler. During the 10 minutes, the second process will automatically attempt to execute every 30 seconds to acquire a hold on the scenario. If the scenario lock is acquired by the second process (meaning that the first process completes within the 10 minutes) then it will execute and complete. If the scenario is not acquired by the second process within 10 minutes (meaning that the first process takes longer to complete), then it will be canceled and you can retry the process later.

Application Behavior

You can run Data Load Rules synchronously and/or asynchronously.

Behavior When Running Asynchronous Data Load Rules

• Asynchronous Data Load Rules run in cloud and are executed via Cloud Scheduler.

• Asynchronous Data Load Rules have a limit of one process per application. So when two Data Load Rules are executed by the same or different users (on the same or two different scenarios), they are queued in the Cloud Scheduler and executed one after another. There is no behavioral change here.

Behavior When Running Synchronous Data Load Rules

• Synchronous Data Load Rules run instantaneously and you cannot continue to work in the application until completion.

• You will not see entries in the Cloud scheduler. You will see entries in the Data Load Audit Log.

• Two different users can run a Data Load Rule independently at the same time as long as each is run for a different scenario. If the same scenario, subsequent process will fail and result in an error. This is a behavioral change.

Behavior When Running a Combination of Synchronous and Asynchronous Data Load Rules

• You can run Data Load Rules asynchronously and synchronously within the same application. If an asynchronous is running and a synchronous Data Load Rule is initiated for a different scenario, both will be executed. So, there is no behavioral change here.

• If an asynchronous Data Load Rule is running and a synchronous Data Load Rule is initiated for the same scenario, the synchronous Data Load Rule will fail immediately. This is a behavioral change .

• If a synchronous Data Load Rule is running and an asynchronous Data Load Rule is initiated for the same scenario, the asynchronous Data Load Rule will be queued in the Cloud Scheduler (the Status will be ‘running’ while waiting). The wait time is ten minutes, after which the application cancels the queued process. This is a behavioral change.

Behavior When Running Consolidation Process Scenarios

• If a Consolidation Process is running and a synchronous Data Load Rule is initiated for a different scenario, both will be executed. No behavioral change here.

• If a Consolidation Process is running and a synchronous Data Load Rule is initiated for the same scenario, the synchronous Data Load Rule will fail immediately. This is a behavioral change.

• If a Consolidation Process is running and an asynchronous Data Load Rule is initiated for a different scenario, both will be executed immediately in Cloud Scheduler. No behavioral change here.

• If a Consolidation Process is running and an asynchronous Data Load Rule is initiated for the same scenario, the asynchronous Data Load Rule will be queued in the Cloud Scheduler (the Status will be ‘running’ while waiting). The wait time is ten minutes, after which the application cancels the queued process This is a behavioral change.

• If an asynchronous or a synchronous Data Load Rule is running and a Consolidation Process is initiated for the same scenario, the Consolidation Process will be queued in the Cloud Scheduler (Status will be ‘running’ while waiting). The wait time is ten minutes, after which the application cancels the queued process. This is a behavioral change.

Dynamic Planning: Update to the SpotlightXL Add-In

If you have automated installation for SpotlightXL, then there is nothing you need to do as the update will be done automatically.

If you manually install SpotlightXL and related updates, then you must access the Installation Guide and download the latest update.

Dynamic Planning: Enhancement to the Export Dimension Hierarchy API

With this release, attributes are now exported when running the Export Dimension Hierarchy API. The Export Dimension Hierarchy API allows you to export the entire dimension hierarchy from a specified model in XML format. The following data is exported:

• Hierarchy member code

• Hierarchy member parent

• Hierarchy member rollup operator

• Hierarchy member display label

• Attributes that are mapped***New with this release

An optional parameter in the Request Payload includes attributes that are mapped. The default for this flag is false. Select true as follows: <include-attributes>true</include-attributes>

See the Sample Payload below with the "account" dimension where some members are mapped to "AccountType" and "AccountRep" attributes.

Additionally, you can opt to add attribute mapping in the Response when applicable.

See the Response below with the "account" dimension where some members are mapped to "AccountType" and "AccountRep" attributes.

<Attribute-Mapping>

<Attribute>$attributeName</Attribute>

<Attribute-Code>$attributeMemberCode</Attribute-Code>

</Attribute-Mapping>

Request Payload

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>

<payload>

<model>$ModelName</model>

<dimension>$DimensionName</dimension>

<include-attributes>$includeAttributes</include-attributes>

</payload>

Parameters

1. $ModelName: (type: string) Name of the model. If the model specified does not exist, the operation is canceled.

2. $DimensionName: (type: string) Name of the Dimension that is associated with this model. If the dimension specified does not exist, the operation is canceled.

   (Optional - Defaults to False)

3. $includeAttributes: (type: boolean) Include attribute mapping (if applicable).***New for this release

Payload Sample

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>

<payload>

<model>Sample_Model</model>

<dimension>account</dimension>

<include-attributes>true</include-attributes>

</payload>

Response

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>

<Payload>

<Dimension-Member>

<Member-Code>Income</Member-Code>

<Member-Parent>Income</Member-Parent>

<Rollup-Operator>+</Rollup-Operator>

<Display-Label>Income</Display-Label>

</Dimension-Member>

<Dimension-Member>

<Member-Code>4010</Member-Code>

<Member-Parent>Income</Member-Parent>

<Rollup-Operator>+</Rollup-Operator>

<Display-Label>4010 - Product Sales</Display-Label>

<Attribute-Mapping>

<Attribute>AccountType</Attribute>

<Attribute-Code>Retail</Attribute-Code>

</Attribute-Mapping>

<Attribute-Mapping>

<Attribute>AccountRep</Attribute>

<Attribute-Code>Jack Smith</Attribute-Code>

</Attribute-Mapping>

</Dimension-Member>

<Dimension-Member>

<Member-Code>4115</Member-Code>

<Member-Parent>Income</Member-Parent>

<Rollup-Operator>+</Rollup-Operator>

<Display-Label>4115 - Website Sales</Display-Label>

<Attribute-Mapping>

<Attribute>AccountType</Attribute>

<Attribute-Code>Online</Attribute-Code>

</Attribute-Mapping>

<Attribute-Mapping>

<Attribute>AccountRep</Attribute>

<Attribute-Code>Jill Brown</Attribute-Code>

</Attribute-Mapping>

</Dimension-Member>

</Payload>