Oracle EPM Cloud Update – Apr’21 (21.04)

Posted by: PARC’s Oracle EPM Team

Each month PARC analyzes Oracle’s EPM Cloud updates with an eye toward our customers’ ability to take full advantage of them. The monthly updates include things like bug fixes, modest changes, and even powerful new functionality. This update is part of PARC’s service to its valued customers and is centered around changes to the products and technologies most impacted in their implementations.

The below changes are scheduled to take place during the first nightly maintenance period after 2AM ET on Saturday April 3, 2021 (test environments) and on or after 2AM ET on Saturday, April 17, 2021 (production environments).

Customers with questions about any of the changes summarized below should contact us. Oracle’s web page for the full contents of the update can be found through this link:

ORACLE ENTERPRISE PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT CLOUD – APRIL 2021 UPDATE

EPM Cloud Common

EPM Automate Updates

Several new commands have been added to the EPM Automate language, including those that import and export Cell-Level Security and Valid Intersections, including via REST API, as well as a new SendMail command.

Updated Clone Environment Features

This feature, which allows “cloning” one environment (such as a test environment) to another (such as production), or vice-versa, and can be a substitute for manual or EPM Automate-driven methods. The use of this new (released in 21.03) feature can significantly simplify and speed up migrations from, say, Production environments to Test.

Other Important Notices

Upcoming Change to Smart View Ad hoc Behavior

Within the next few months, all customers will be defaulted to “Standard” mode instead of “Native” mode for the Smart View Ad Hoc Behavior option in Application Settings. “Standard” mode provides additional features like multiple-grid support, in-sheet POV, submit without refresh, and other features. Since this will cause a change in user interaction expectations, customers who wish to continue with “Native” ad hoc behavior can, at that time, change their application setting for Smart View Ad Hoc Behavior to “Native” mode.

Please note that “Native” mode in Smart View Ad Hoc Behavior will eventually be phased out. We recommend that all customers switch their applications to “Standard” mode ad hoc behavior soon.

Runbusinessrule EPM Automate Command

Starting with the May’21 (21.05) update, the runBusinessRule EPM Automate command will no longer run a ruleset. 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.

Support for Composite Forms

Starting in the May’21 (21.05) update, Oracle EPM Cloud plans to stop official support for composite forms. The ability to create new composite forms has already been disabled. Customers are advised to convert existing composite forms to EPM Cloud dashboards.