..designing a scenario

Hi all,

In this post I am trying to clarify my thoughts regarding the Scenario dimension.

The scenario dimension in HFM holds the different data sets reported by the group. Despite the fact that scenario dimension has usually up to ten members, it is one of the most important dimensions of the application. The reason is that the scenario dimension defines the input frequency (month-to-date, quarter-to-date or year-to-date), the calculation sequence between Periodic and YTD for the flow accounts, the process management, the data audit and the execution of the consolidation rules.

From a functional perspective, the most common scenarios that I have seen up to today are:

• Flash
• Actual
• Budget
• Forecast
• Translation scenarios of the previous data sets

Following, I have a quick description of the scenario dimension setting. The description is based on my experience, on the HFM admin manual and on discussions that I had with other consultants.

1. Member or Label or Name:

The name or the label of the scenario. After version 11.1.1.3, the name must be unique and can contain up to 80 characters,

Next post is coming…

Hello all,

It was an HFM update period for my company…As a result, all the effort was focused on the update and I postponed the publishing of the post… The subject will be the scenario dimension.

See you soon,

Thanos

..HFM project steps

 Hi all,

The topic that I had in mind the last two weeks is related with the question of how to build the best project plan for a Hyperion project (HFM or Essbase). I believe that this is a question that most of the consultants have at least one time in their life after completing 4 or 5 Hyperion projects.

Based on a my experience, the best approach to build a project is: 

..Value dimension

Hi all,

In 2008, I was asked to train the admin users of a financial group and explain them how their future application will work. Everything was really simple until I started thinking on how to present the Value dimension… since then I keep on trying to find the best way to present the Value dimension. So, I will start with the basics and then try to present my understanding on more complicated points.

Purpose

The Value dimension is not used for a single purpose. The three purposes that I have identified are:

1. It is used to store and identify the different types of data within HFM (data and journals).
2. It is used to translate the values from local currency to parent currency and eventually calculate the contribution to the parent entity.
3. Finally, it is used to maintain all the foreign currencies that the application can support.

Structure

The Value dimension is a system defined dimension. The Value dimension members are

..calculation options

Hi again,

There is a really interesting topic that I believe the majority of the administrators and users are confused with. What calculation option to select when they are working on a grid or a form.

The available options are Calculate, Force Calculate, Translate, Force Translate, Calculate Contribution, Force Calculate Contribution, Consolidate, Consolidate all with data and Consolidate all.

Analysis:

• The first option available in every entity is the

...HFM Application Copy Utility

Hi all,

This is a post for one of the most useful utilities that Oracle has provided us. The Financial Management Application Copy Utility!!!

The main purpose of this utility is to copy a single HFM application to a new HFM application in the same or in a different environment. The utility will copy all the HFM tables from the source application to the target application including the tables with metadata, rules and data.

Based on my experience, I believe that the main reasons of using the application copy utility are:

...Apps 13, London

Hi all,

Apps13 was a great event organized by UKOUG for Hyperion community. It was an opportunity to be updated for the product developments, hear about products or services that are offered to support the day-to-day tasks and to networks with other Hyperion customers and professionals.

I attended the event for two days and I had the opportunity to get introduced to the new features of versions 11.1.2.3 and 11.1.2.4, to meet ex-colleagues and to listen to the stories of other Hyperion users. Interesting part of the event was the social time when we drunk, ate and danced until late.

The key points that are in my mind after these two days are:

...cash flow: accounts vs movements design

Hi all,

Building a cash flow report within HFM is always a challenge.

Up to today, I have seen two main approaches of building a cash flow report:

• Use account dimension to build calculated accounts that will retrieve data from balance sheet.
• Use the custom dimension that is used to maintain the balance sheet movements and build an alternative hierarchy for balance sheet movements to simulate the cash flow.

The first set of questions that I will try to answer is:

...locking entities in HFM

Hi all,

Recently, I was working on an assignment to start locking the entities in an HFM application with 8 scenarios, 9 years of data and 600 base entities.

The options were the following:

1. Should we lock only the base entities?
2. Should we lock both the base entities and the parents?
3. Should we not lock anything? 

In the end, we decided that the best approach is

...about me (the first post)

Thanos is an Oracle Hyperion Financial Management Certified Specialist with extensive experience in delivering Financial Consolidation solutions and active involvement in Business intelligence projects.

Main objective in all the projects is the optimisation of the finance processes through the integration, simplification and the automation of the various existing financial processes. Key strength is the combination of my accounting background with my technical expertise. This combination enables me to gather detailed business requirements, create effective processes and compile financial calculation and consolidation rules, supported from efficient data management models. The wide experience in management and statutory reporting allows me to rapidly produce complex financial reports for internal and external purposes. This combination is supported by a proven track record of excellent social and communication skills, which includes challenging and guiding the client to make important decisions. My in-depth knowledge of the HFM structure permitted me to build a metadata design application in order to improve the management process and reduce the required time and effort for maintaining an HFM application.

The last years, I have actively participated and led implementation projects in different industries, which includes banking, construction and consumer goods industries as well as public sector.

Specialties:
- IFRS Consolidation and Reporting
- FinRep Reporting
- Management Reporting
- Tax Reporting

- Oracle Hyperion Financial Management 9/11.1.1.3/1.2.1/1.2.2 (soon 1.2.3)
- Hyperion Reports
- Hyperion Shared Services
- Hyperion Workspace
- Oracle Smart View
- Hyperion Data Relationship Management

- Microsoft Business Intelligence
- Microsoft SQL Server 2005/2008 (Integration - Analysis - Reporting)
- Microsoft Excel

- Profitbase Management Studio