Moving from MaxL to EPM Automate

What is EPM Automate?

• Admin

EPM Automate is a utility that comes with the new Oracle Planning and Budgeting Cloud Service (PBCS)

• It uses secure HTTP connections to communicate the PBCS Service instance
• This utility enables Service Administrators to remotely perform and automate various administrative tasks.
• Administrators can create scripts that are capable of completing a wide array of tasks and automate their execution using Windows Scheduler

EPM Automate Tasks

• Import and export metadata and data
• Refresh the application
• Run business rules on data
• Copy data from one database to another
• Upload and manage files into service instances
• Run a Data Management batch rules
• Export and import application and artifact snapshots

EPM Automate Architecture

Why Use EPM Automate?

• In response to companies looking for more decentralized services with less IT overhead, Oracle has launched the Planning and Budgeting Cloud Service (PBCS).
• PBCS is a hosted version of the Oracle Hyperion Planning and Data Management/Integration (FDMEE) tools with a particular focus on a completely online-based interface
• When moving to Oracle PBCS you no longer have direct access to the Essbase server's operating system
• Without access to the Essbase server we also lose access to the tool that is commonly used to automate a wide variety of administrative tasks, MaxL
• To address this, Oracle has developed a new utility named EPM Automate

Tasks commonly automated Using MaxL

• Import and export data
• Dimension metadata updates
• Refresh the application
• Run business rules
• Creating Backups
• Updating Variables

User Process Scenario - via E-mail

The user receives an email notification of an outstanding task

• The user receives an email notification of an outstanding task
• From the email, the user selects the link for the page where the required process is documented
• The user reviews the instructions for the task and selects the Go to Task link in the Task Actions page to launch Financial Data Management
• The user extracts data through Financial Data Management and loads it to Financial Management
• When the task is completed, the user returns to the Task Actions page in Financial Close Management
• The user enters a comment about the task, answers any required questions before submitting and submits it for approval

User Process Scenario - via FCM

The user receives an email notification of an outstanding task

• The user logs on to Financial Close Management and reviews the tasks displayed in the Dashboard in the My Worklist portlet
• The user clicks the link for an assigned task
• The Task Actions page is launched with instructions for the task, and a reference document (any attached document)
• The user reviews the instructions and the reference document, processes the updates, enters a comment about the task, and submits it for approval
• The system automatically updates the task status and sends a notification to the assigned approver

Installing EPM Automate

Running EPM Automate

Double clicking on the batch file that is installed starts the EPM Automate Utility.

A new command line widows opens when you start EPM Automate

EPM Automate Login Help

Type 'epmautomate login help' for information on the command line parameters needed to login to EPM Automate

The login command needs the username, password, url and the identity domain parameters. Here is an example of a login command:

A "Login Successful" message is displayed when you are logged into EPM Automate

Oracle PBCS Inbox/Outbox Folder

• All files uploaded to Oracle PBCS using the EPM Automate utility get uploaded to the Inbox/Outbox folder
• There is a new second interface delivered with PBSC called the Simplified Interface
• Not to worry the standard interface is still available if you prefer
• However the Inbox/Outbox folder can only be accessed only through the PBCS Simplified Interface
• To go to Simplified interface, navigate to Administer- >Planning and Budgeting

From the Simplified Interface, click on the 'Console' option. You will see the Inbox/Outbox Explorer under 'Actions'

Setting Up and Important Data Job

• Before you use epm automate to automate certain tasks, you need to setup an import or export operation and save that as a job and then use epm automate to refer to that job and carry out the import or export operation
• To setup an import job, from Console click on 'Actions'->Import Data. (To create an export job, click on Export) On the Import Data page, click on 'Create'.

• Click on 'Save as Job' to create the job
• To Enter a job name and then click on save

Quick Links

Case Studies