DBI Whitepaper

Setup for DBI Profit and Loss Dashboards

An Oracle White PaperNovember 2006

Setup for DBI P&L Dashboard Page 2

Setup for DBI – Profit and Loss Dashboards

TABLE OF CONTENTS

EXECUTIVE OVERVIEW ............................................................................ 3INTRODUCTION....................................................................................... 3SCOPE..................................................................................................... 3OVERVIEW .............................................................................................. 4SCENARIO: DATA ELEMENTS.................................................................... 51. RESPONSIBILITY ................................................................................. 62. ENABLE DASHBOARDS ......................................................................... 73. GLOBAL PARAMETERS.......................................................................... 84. REQUEST SET...................................................................................... 85. DIMENSION SETUP .............................................................................106. ASSIGN SET OF BOOKS .......................................................................107. DIMENSION MAPPING.........................................................................118. REPORTING ATTRIBUTES....................................................................139. MANAGER REPORTING SETUP .............................................................1310. CREATE ORGANIZATION AND ASSIGNMENT.......................................1611. SYNCHRONIZE GL COMPANY COST CENTERS .....................................19

Create And Maintain Company Cost Center .......................................2112. RUN INITIAL LOAD............................................................................21WHAT IS DISPLAYED ON THE DBI DASHBOARD .......................................22SETUP CHECKLIST ..................................................................................24


Setup for DBI Profit and Loss Dashboards

EXECUTIVE OVERVIEW

The purpose of this document is to provide users an overview of how the Daily Business Intelligence (DBI) Profit and Loss dashboards are setup. We also hope that this document will help you build an understanding of the purpose of the various setup steps.

INTRODUCTION

DBI is a robust analytical tool, which presents data in a completely different perspective. The raw data from General Ledger (GL) is analyzed using various dimensions—such as Time, Company, Fund, Line of Business, and so forth. DBI also utilizes the power of manager reporting, while taking data analysis to a different level. DBI utilizes tools such as graphs, pie charts, tables, and hyperlinks to illustrate the data.

Users can navigate from one dashboard to another dashboard Drilldown facilities are offered on various dashboards Reports provide additional information over and above what can be seen on the dashboard.

DBI analytical features are available in different products like Financials, Sales, Projects, and Procurement, to name a few. The DBI Profit and Loss dashboards form part of the Financials dashboards. They provide managers the most sought after information—such as the most important KPIs for the organization viz. expenses, revenue, and operating margin.

SCOPE

The scope of this document is to help you understand the setup steps required for the Profit and Loss Dashboards. The information provided in this whitepaper is relevant to DBI 6.x and 7.x versions.


OVERVIEW

The following discussion offers a broad view of how DBI works for the Profit and Loss dashboards:

When a user invokes a DBI Profit and Loss dashboard, the system goes through the following process to determine what should be displayed:

Check who is the employee attached to the user (N=Navigation Path) System Administrator Responsibility > Security > User > Define Form

From the employee, determine who is in the hierarchy for this employee (i.e., who is his supervisor and who are his subordinates) (N) HRMS Responsibility > People > Create and Maintain Form

Once the system has got the list of employees (i.e., the employee who is currently logged in and his subordinates), DBI displays the Company Cost Center organizations assigned to the employees. (N) HRMS Responsibility > Organizations form. This is where we create or update the organization and fill in the reporting information in the Company Cost Center classifications for multiple organizations

Now we have the organization(s), which should be visible to the user. So how does this actually relate to the GL data? Again DBI looks at the Company Cost Center classification at this time. (N) HRMS Responsibility > Organizations form. This is where we link the organizations to the Company and Cost Center organizations

So once this unique company cost center combination list is available, corresponding data is then populated on the DBI dashboard.

What is shown under each region or heading depends entirely on the mapping done in FDHM. The most important part of the mapping is the assignment of reporting attributes to parent values, in the value set. This reporting attribute decides which values should appear under Revenue, Expenses, and Cost of Goods etc. Note: DBI does not take note of the account types in GL, for the account segment. This is a common misconception amongst DBI users.

So in short, DBI gets the data in the following manner1. Who is the User. 2. Who is the employee attached to that user.3. Which is/are the Organization with Company Cost Center classification to which this employee

has been attached as Manager in the reporting information.4. What are the Company and Cost Center values attached to the organizations in step 3.5. Based on Reporting Attributes set for the values of Financial Category Dimension, what figures

should be shown for the user.

So, we started from the login to DBI and then got to the amounts from GL that should be shown on the dashboards. Of course, DBI does not directly pull data from GL because the data in GL is gathered on a different basis.

DBI works on dimensions. Dimensions are nothing but some of the segments in the Accounting Flexfields (AFF)—Not all the segments are necessarily used in DBI. On the other hand, GL gathers data based on code combinations.


So to convert the data from the traditional code combinations base to dimension base, DBI uses the Initial Load and Incremental Load to summarize the data. There are numerous steps completed by the Initial Load and Incremental Load, but the process of summarizing the data is one of the most important functions. This data conversion ensures that the DBI pages are robust and that they provide instant information with no performance issues.

SCENARIO: DATA ELEMENTS

The setup steps are explained in the subsequent sections, from start to finish. The following is the sample data that we will use in our example to illustrate the setup steps.

1] Set of books: Rollback_Two

2] Employee Hierarchy is as follows: P. Khot and M. Mehra report to V. Subramanian. V. Subramanian reports up to V. Sinha

V.SINHA

V.SUBRAMANIAN

P.KHOT M.MEHRA

3] Organizations: In our example, we will manually create organizations for the following Cost Center and Company Combinations:

RB-01-410-ME RB-01-420-PK RB-01-430-VS

Note that this process is generally automated. By setting up the profile option correctly and running the concurrent request, the system will generate all the required organizations.

Level 1 Manager

Level 2 Manager

Level 3 Managers


1. RESPONSIBILITY

All DBI Setups are done using the Daily Business Intelligence Administrator Responsibility


2. ENABLE DASHBOARDS

To enable one or more dashboard, you must access the Administer Content function.(N) Setup: Global > Administer Content

From the list of values for ‘Functional Area’ select ‘Financials’ this will list all the Financial Dashboards. Select the Implement checkbox for the Dashboards for which you intend to use, then click ‘Apply’.


3. GLOBAL PARAMETERS

You will begin by defining the global parameters.(N) Setup: Global > Define Parameters

The following parameters are the most important ones on this page:- Primary Currency- Primary Rate Type- Enterprise Calendar- Global Start Date

4. REQUEST SET

The next step is to create the Request Sets, which will be used to generate the data for the DBI P&L Dashboards. (N) Daily Business Intelligence Administrator > Data Summarization: Request Sets

IMPORTANT NOTE:

For the Initial Load Ensure that the “Clear and Load All Summaries” option is selected Only select the following three dashboards: Expenses Management, Profit and Loss, Profit and

Loss by Manager

For the Incremental Load Ensure that the “Incremental Load” option is selected


Screenshot of Initial Load Request Set for Profit and Loss Dashboards

Screenshot of Incremental Load Request Set for Profit and Loss Dashboards


5. DIMENSION SETUP

The basic setup is now done. The next step is the dimension setup.(N) Daily Business Intelligence Administrator > Setup: Global: Request Sets: Setup: Financial Intelligence: (T) Financial Dimensions Setup

This is where the required dimensions are enabled and/or disabled.

The only dimension that is mandatory for the Profit and Loss Dashboards is the Financial Category.Profit and Loss dashboards do not use company, cost center, and user-defined dimensions. The Line of Business and Product dimensions are optional.

6. ASSIGN SET OF BOOKS

Next, you will assign the Set of books, from where the data will be pulled. This is where you can select a number of Sets of Books, and/or Balancing Segment Values from those Set(s) of Books.


7. DIMENSION MAPPING

Now you will complete the Dimension Mapping. For the dimensions that are enabled, you can assign the segments.

DBI automatically picks up the Natural Account segment and maps it to the Financial Category Dimension. For the other dimensions, the user has to specify the dimension.

Once the dimensions have been assigned the segments from where the data is pulled, the next thing is to do the mapping for the individual values in the segments. There are two parts to this process:

1. Select a TOP NODE from the values in the parent value set for the dimension. The Top Node is the top most value in the hierarchy for that particular dimension. Note: Setting up the Top Node is mandatory for all dimensions. For example: In a master value set, the Child values are rolled up to the parent values of A, B and C. These three parent values are then rolled up to another parent value T. This is the top most parent value. So this value will be used as a Top Node. This value will act as a center point from which DBI will map all the values.

2. Map the values from the Child Value Set to the Master Value Set. This step is only necessary if you are using multiple sets of books in DBI, which means you will be using different Chart of Accounts. If you are using only one set of books, which means you only have one Child Value Set, then this value set will be treated as a Master Value Set.

In this example, there is no need to do any mapping since the same value set plays the role of the Master value set, as well as Child Value Set. So in this scenario, it is enough to just set a Top Node.


3. Select the Reporting Attributes. You must select the reporting attributes for only the Financial Category Dimension. In our example, this step is necessary so that DBI shows the data under the correct headings.

There are six options to choose from Revenue Cost of Goods Sold Operating Expenses Travel and Entertainment Deferred Revenue Product Expenses

The first four options are used and shown on the Profit and Loss dashboards, while the last two options (Deferred Revenue and Product Expenses) are used outside the Profit and Loss dashboards.

To do the mapping, click on the “Launch Hierarchy Manager” link. It will open FDHM (Financial Dimension Hierarchy Manager)

The following screenshot illustrates how the Top Node is set. Select any value and right click on the same. From the list, select “Set Top Node”. Remember that for each dimension, there can only be one Top Node.


8. REPORTING ATTRIBUTES

You are now ready to setup the reporting attributes for each of the values. Select any value and right click on the same. From the list, select “View Attributes”.

The Dimension Setup is now complete.

The next step is to complete the manager reporting setup.

9. MANAGER REPORTING SETUP

In this section, you will complete the manager reporting setup. This example shows the bare minimum setups required. In the example we are using in this document, there are four employees. Three of them have a supervisor assigned to them.

a. Create the employees in the HR Application. (N) HRMS Super User Responsibility> People: Enter and Maintain


Remember that the second, third and fourth employees have a supervisor assigned to them. (N) Personal Tab > Click Assignment > go to Supervisor in the Assignment Form > Enter the name of the supervisor.

There are two employees defined at the third level. The second level manager is assigned to them as a supervisor.


Repeat the steps of creating the employee records.


b. Assign Employee records to the Users.After you have created the employee records, you must assign them to the Users.(N) System Administrator Responsibility > Security: User: Define

10. CREATE ORGANIZATION AND ASSIGNMENT

Next you will create the organization and complete the assignment of managers for those organizations:

Create Organizations for the Cost Centre and Company Combinations RB-01-410-ME RB-01-420-PK RB-01-430-VS

Assign the managers to these newly created organizations RB-01-410-ME – Meenakshi Mehra RB-01-420-PK – Pradeep Khot RB-01-430-VS – Vaideeswaran Subramanian

1. The organization is defined in HR. (N) HR responsibility > Work Structures: Organization: Description Under Organization Classification: Company Cost Center > Select GL Company Cost Center.


2. Assign managers to the organization. Under the Organization Classification: Company Cost Center > Select Reporting Information.


Repeat the process of creating the organizations and assigning the managers to them:P. Khot: RB-01-420-PK – Pradeep Khot

Repeat the same process for the employee V. Subramanian:RB-01-430-VS – Vaideeswaran Subramanian


11. SYNCHRONIZE GL COMPANY COST CENTERS

Run the Synchronize GL Company Cost Centers Request for the existing Organizations and for the specified Chart of Accounts.

In our example, the organizations are created manually. However, you should note that DBI allows the creation of organizations automatically.

Set the following two profile options and the system generates the organizations when the Create and Maintain Company Cost Center Organizations request set is run:

HR: GL cost center org classifications HR: GL cost center synchronization options



Create And Maintain Company Cost Center

Before running the Create and Maintain Company Cost Center Organizations program, ensure that you have created a placeholder organization. The placeholder organization should not have any classification attached to it. Now run the Create and Maintain Company Cost Center Organizations program.

12. RUN INITIAL LOAD

Once the above setups are complete, submit the Initial Load Request Set that was created in Step 4 Above. The request set can be submitted from the Daily Business Intelligence Administrator responsibility.


WHAT IS DISPLAYED ON THE DBI DASHBOARD

The following is a sample of what the user might see. The user, V. SINHA, is the manager on the top of the hierarchy. She can see the following in the Profit and Loss Dashboard. The Manager LOV shows a manager below her.

1. Select the manager listed under V. Sinha, which is V. Subramanian. 2. Then go to the Profit and Loss by Manager dashboard. 3. The system shows the following revenue region. 4. You can see that V. Sinha can see all her direct and indirect managers under her organization. 5. For the manager directly under V. Sinha, she can see the word Direct in brackets next to the

employee’s name.

Select the second level manager, V. Subramanian. Then go to the Profit and Loss by Manager dashboard and you should see something similar to the following screen shot.


Next, let us see what the level three managers are able to see. Log into the system as M. MEHRA.M. Mehra can see her own data, but in the Managers LOV (list of values), she can only see her name.


SETUP CHECKLIST

1. Create Set of book(s)2. Enable Dashboards3. Setup Global Parameters4. Create request sets for DBI (Incremental and Initial Load Request Sets)5. Dimensions setup6. Assign Set of books7. Setup Dimension Mapping (including FDHM mappings)8. Reporting Attribute9. Manager Reporting Setup 10. Setup Organizations and assignment11. Run Synchronize GL Company Cost Centers with Existing Organizations12. Run the initial load

White Paper Title: Setup for DBI Profit and Loss Dashboards

November 2006

Author: Pradeep Khot

Contributing Authors:

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