Planning/Consolidation/Reporting Spring 16 Feature Release

Features and Enhancements

UI Updates

Click here to view a short video highlighting the changes made to the user interface (UI) with this release (also described below).

The following updates have been made to the UI: 

• The main UI and its navigational flow have been updated for easier access to all modules. Highlights include: 

  • Module navigational icons (Reports, Maintenance, etc.) have been changed and moved from the top of the UI to the left side

  • Budget module has been renamed Planning

  • Budget Control Panel has been renamed Planning Control Panel

  • Favorites and Recent have been added to the File Cabinet navigation pane for Reports

• Numerous system icons have been updated for a more modern look and feel. You can hover over the icon for contextual information. Some icons may have a small visual indicator incorporated in their design, to wit: 

  • Locked symbol — Item locked from editing or use

  • Minus sign — Item disabled

  • Red exclamation point — Attention required

  • Check mark — Item is completed

• The Maintenance module and its navigational components have been updated

• Report properties (type, location, owner, etc.) can be viewed by selecting the report and then clicking More > Show Properties.

Collaboration

Collaboration allows you to communicate with users at a module level. This allows you to share files, post messages and comments. To enable Collaboration you must provision and map users.

You can access collaboration from the following pages:

• Main page (click Collaboration icon from left navigation pane)

• Planning Control Panel

• Dynamic Reports

Google for Work Integration

Several components within the application have been integrated with Google for Work to enhance productivity, allowing you to: 

• Save Templates as Google Sheets

• Save Dynamic Reports as Google Sheets

• Output Report Collections as Google Sheets

Navigate to Maintenance > Admin > Configuration Tasks to enable Cloud Services for Google for Work integration.

Customized Branding

You can now customize the branding of the UI by adding your company's logo and background to the top navigation bar, via the Maintenance > Admin > Customize Branding page.

Modeling Integration

You can now login to Modeling from the application in single sign-on (SSO) fashion. A link to Modeling appears in the left navigational pane, if you have purchased the Modeling application.

Two Step Login Verification

In order to enhance login security for your tenants, an optional two step verification feature is now available.

When enabled for a user, they will be prompted to select a verification code method (SMS, email, or phone app) which they will use for login verification.

Currency Exchange Rate Enhancement

A pull-down menu labeled Currencies has been added to the Currency Exchange Rate page to allow for easier, more selective viewing of data. (Previously, all currency types populated in the page). To view this enhancement, navigate to Maintenance > Currency > Exchange Rates.

Financial Package Publisher (FPP) Updates

Financial Package Publisher is now enabled to run on all supported IE and non-IE browsers. Additionally, the HTML component of the text editor has been updated, to enhance system security.

Simulation Engine Cloud Scheduler Integration

Simulation Engine is now supported as a process task type in the Process flow setup of Cloud Scheduler.

To view this enhancement, navigate to Maintenance > Admin > Cloud Scheduler. Add a Process Flow, then add a Task; Simulation Engine is shown as a Task Type.

Simulation processes are available with the process flows. Any Simulation Engine process, as configured in the simulation process setup screen, is available for the scenario selected. For example, after a data load, you can run a simulation process and then have scenario processing invoke a report collections process.

Scheduling is also supported, similar to other process types (DLRs, Report Collections), with the same frequency and Run Now options, and one-time processing for a specific date and time is also supported.

Client Requirement Updates

Browser and operating system (OS) client requirements have been updated, as follows: 

• Browser — Windows 7 now supporting IE 11 and latest Firefox

• OS — Windows 7 now supporting Office 2016; Windows 10 now supporting Office 2007

Financial Hierarchy Management

Hierarchy Management now includes Financial Hierarchies. Users can create, manage, modify the financial hierarchies including, Account, Company and other dimensions.

This hierarchy is designed to load faster and handles higher number of segment members.

You can search for members in search mode. Bread crumbs help you as a navigational aid within the hierarchy. Additional features like show/hide, search, locking, preview, save/save & publish, usage reports, and adding a new members are applicable.

To view hierarchies:

1. Navigate to Maintenance > Hierarchy and click Hierarchy Management.

2. In Hierarchy Selection panel, use Type drop down list to select Financial Hierarchies.

13 Period Support in Consolidation

Consolidation module had support for 12 periods only where as Planning and Budgeting areas had support for additional periods – period 13, 14,15 for adjustment periods.

With this release, consolidation module is enhanced to support additional periods that are required for posting adjustment entries.

However, this feature would be available in case of new tenant creation as host does not allow change of period configuration. For more information about how to define periods, see Define Fiscal Year Setup.

Cross Browser

Data filters are enabled for the Global templates.

Multiple Set of Books

Different accounting standards require a different way of handling accounting issues and will result in different financial statements. This would require users to have multiple set of books through which financial statements under different sets can be generated. This requirement is planned to be addressed by providing option of multiple set of books.

For more information, see Multiple Set of Books.