1.
Getting the Most out of EPM
Automating Data Loads with FDMEE
January 22, 2016
Deborah R Newborn
(dnewborn@finitsolutions.com)

2.
• Founded in 2002
• 75+ employees in 20+ states
• Mostly CPAs, MBAs
• 50+ Planning / Essbase Clients
• 80+ HFM Clients
• Managed largest roll-out of HFM in North America
• Market Leader in ARM/FCM
• World Leader in FDM implementations and custom
solutions
Finit Overview

3.
EPM Services
Full Cycle Implementations
Upgrades
Dedicated Support

4.
• We make and deliver
personalized financial
reporting solutions and
experiences.
• Listening, questioning, and
analyzing
• Building relationships … not
company to company, but
person to person.
• We are Makers and Doers
Why is Finit Here?

5.
The Finit Family
• All owners actively involved in the
business
• No debt or external owners
• Prioritize the customer, not
profitability
• Long term stability
• employees, not subcontractors
• Compensation model based on
client satisfaction
How do we achieve our beliefs?

6.
• Our values, on which we ask you to provide consultant
feedback:
Finit Values

7.
Our values, culture, and approach to
becoming a trusted advisor to our
customers has led to 100% customer
success for every Finit client (225+) and
every project (450+)
Finit Customer Success

8.
Some Finit Customers

9.
Deborah R Newborn
dnewborn@finitsolutions.com
• 9 years of Hyperion experience
• Integration team at Finit
• FDM, FDMEE, HFM, Essbase,
Enterprise
• Specializing in large scale,
multi-product
implementations
• Kscope Speaker – FDM
Integrations with Essbase and
Planning
About the Presenter

10.
Questions

11.
• What will be discussed?
• Batch Processing Basics
• Defining Batches
• Batch Types
• Settings and Parameters
• Working with custom scripts and rules
• Working with multiple batches
• Executing and scheduling batches
• What will be held for future webinars or blog posts?
• Working with multi-period data files
• Batch processing of metadata rules
• Working with Batch Groups
Agenda

12.
Batch Processing Basics

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• Batch Definition Summary – list of existing batches
• Batch Definition Details – all the settings/options of a
batch listed in the Batch Summary section
• Batch Job – a rule associated with a batch. There can be
one or more jobs associated with a batch.
Key Terminology

14.
• Setup
• On the SetUp tab of the
FDMEE Task Pane there is a
menu item called Batch.
Under Batch we have Batch
Definition. This is where
batches are created and
managed.
• Workflow
• On the Workflow tab under
Other we have Batch
Execution. This is where
batches are processed. They
can be executed or
scheduled. You can also
check the status of the batch
here.
Basic Navigation

15.
Defining Batches

16.
• The high level steps involved in setting up a batch are:
• Determine the type of batch to create and where data will load.
• Select from various settings to supply the details of the batch.
• Specify any associated rules that should be processed when the
batch is executed. (Only available with certain batch types.)
• Consider if the batch should be scheduled and if so, what sort
of schedule is desired.
Batch Creation

17.
• In the Batch Summary, define the batch by giving it a
name. Then specify the target application for the load as
well as the type of batch and how it should be
processed.
• FDMEE Batch Types
• Metadata – for processing metadata rules
• Data – for processing data load rules
• Batch – for processing a group of batch processes (batch of
batches)
• Open Batch – for processing data files
• Open Batch multi-period – for processing data files with multiple
periods
• Write back – for processing write back rules (only available with
certain integrations)
Batch Definition Summary

18.
• A batch definition consists of a number of options. Most
options are common to all batches but a few are batch
type specific.
• Let’s take a look at the Batch Definition Summary and
Details in an FDMEE application.
Batch Definition Details

19.
• Promotes automation of data file loads with the POV
being specified by the file name. This functionality is
similar to what is used in FDM Classic and only works
with files.
• The file name should be arranged in the following format:
FileID~RuleName~Period~LoadMethod
• FileID – The user can specify a naming convention to force the
sequence of processing files.
• RuleName – This is the data rule that will be used to process the
file. This can be auto created when the batch runs based on the
file name or the batch can use the location’s existing data rule.
• Period – This is the reporting period for the file’s data.
• LoadMethod – The load method determines how data is
imported into FDMEE and exported to the target application.
Open Batch Processing

20.
• The key steps for creating an open batch are:
• Create a batch with batch type Open Batch
• Complete the batch definition and parameters tabs with the
desired options.
• NOTE: No batch jobs are allowed with Open Batch.
Open Batch Processing

21.
• A batch can be executed by accessing Batch Execution on
the Other menu of the Workflow tab.
• The Batch Execution screen will show all batches (of all
types) to which you have access.
• Select a batch and click Execute.
• You can view the status of a batch by clicking Check
Status. This will take you to the Process Details screen
which can also be accessed directly from the Workflow
tab of the FDMEE task pane.
Open Batch Processing – Batch
Execution

22.
• All batches are listed in the batch execution with high
level information such as the target application and type
of batch.
Open Batch Processing – Batch
Execution

23.
• The results of the batch run are available on the Process
Details screen.
Open Batch Processing – Batch
Execution

24.
• Working with Batch Scripts
• Batch scripts are used to add custom scripting to a basic batch
process.
• Only Custom Scripts under the Script Editor are valid to be used
as a batch script.
• Batch scripts can be set to run before and/or after a batch
process run and are assigned to the batch in the definition
screen.
• Parameter values can be used with custom scripts allowing user
inputs to be collected as a part of the overall batch process.
Custom Scripting

25.
• Assume an integration with PeopleSoft and Planning
• A custom script can be used to collect user inputs for the data
that should be extracted from Planning.
• The input parameters can be used to dynamically update a
write back rule.
• The write back rule is called by a batch and the data is
processed.
• The batch also launches a batch script used to scrub the data
after it is pulled.
Custom Script – Example 1: Write Back

26.
• A user accesses the custom script by going to Script
Execution and launching the script.
Custom Script – Example 1: Write Back

27.
• The custom script includes prompts for collecting the
parameters that will be passed to the write back rule.
• API calls are used in the custom script to get the
parameter values.
Custom Script – Example 1: Write Back

28.
• The user inputs are passed to the write back rule table.
Custom Script – Example 1: Write Back

29.
• The write back rule reflects the parameters collected
from the user during each process run.
Custom Script – Example 1: Write Back

30.
• A batch job with type Write Back is created with the
write back rule and the After Batch Script assigned.
Custom Script – Example 1: Write Back

31.
• The After Batch Script is used to clean up the data after
it is pulled.
Custom Script – Example 1: Write Back

32.
• In the previous example the After Batch Script included
custom log entries for the updates to the PeopleSoft
tables after the batch run.
• API calls are available for custom log entries at various
levels such as fdmAPI.logDebug and fdmAPI.logInfo.
Custom Script – Example 2: Logging

33.
Batch Jobs

34.
• Batches can be created to launch rules depending on the
type of batch. Only one type of rule can be associated
with a batch.
Working with Rules
Batch Type Type of Job/Rule
Metadata Metadata Rules
Data Data Load Rules
Batch An existing batch
Open Batch Not allowed

35.
• Sample Data Load Rule
Working with Rules

36.
• To create a batch to run a data load rule, create a new batch on the
Batch Definition screen. For the type, select Data. In the Batch
Definition section, complete the required fields.
• Add a new batch job by clicking Add in the Batch Jobs section at the
bottom of the Batch Definition screen. Type in the rule name or
select it by browsing out to the current list of rules in the
application.
Working with Rules

37.
• FDMEE makes it possible to manage the launching of
multiple data load rules.
• Within the Batch Jobs section, multiple batch jobs can be
added to the batch.
• Add a sequence for multiple rules to control the processing
order.
Working with Rules

38.
• Multiple batches can be launched together by creating a
“batch of batches”
• Use Case: Assume regions North America, Europe, and Asia are
on a different instance of EBS and their process needs to run at
different times. They each have a batch process in place to
process the data for the region’s locations.
• Assume their will be a point during the close calendar where
we want to run all 3 batches at the same time.
• To accomplish this, we can create a new batch of type Batch.
All three batches can then be added to the “master” batch.
Working with Rules

39.
Working with Rules
• The existing batch for each region can be added as a
batch job to the consolidated batch.

40.
Scheduling Batches

41.
• Batches can be scheduled from the Batch Execution
screen. Select the batch name to be scheduled and click
Schedule.
• The Schedule menu has various options for scheduling.
• Currently, there isn’t an option to schedule a batch to
run at specific times during the day. To accomplish this,
associate multiple schedules to the batch for the desired
times.
Scheduling Batches

42.
Scheduling Batches – Sample
Schedules

43.
Questions?
Email us for a copy of the slides
or link to the recording
insights@finitsolutions.com
Past webinars:
www.finitsolutions.com/
webinars
Thank you for attending!
Presenter:
Deborah R Newborn
dnewborn@finitsolutions.com
General Questions:
Greg Barrett
gbarrett@finitsolutions.com
Joe Mizerk
jmizerk@finitsolutions.com