Release 12.1
Part Number E13481-03
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This chapter covers the following topics:
Enterprise Planning and Budgeting supports the collaborative input of budget and forecast data via worksheet documents. Worksheets are generated and managed within the business process.
The Generate Template task initiates the data collection process. Template settings specified by the business process owner determine worksheet content, appearance, and distribution method and specify whether target setting is enabled. Settings in the business process solve determine the line dimension members for which data will be collected.
If the business process includes a Distribute Template task, worksheets are automatically distributed as specified in the Generate Template task. Distribution may occur as recipients open their worksheets, or in batch via a concurrent request that has been set up for this purpose by the Controller.
Important: The data that each recipient sees in the worksheet and the cells into which he or she will be able to enter data is determined by security settings for ownership, write access, and read access. Oracle recommends that you work with the Security Administrator so that users who will be entering data have the appropriate access. For more information, see the section on data collection in the Oracle Enterprise Planning and Budgeting Implementation Guide.
Enterprise Planning and Budgeting supports three distribution methods:
Cascade — Initial recipients get their worksheets from the business process owner. They can distribute to subordinates who can distribute to their subordinates. Submissions must be approved at each distribution level. For example, you might specify this method for an annual budget process. The first set of users will be upper management who will, in turn, distribute to their subordinates.
Direct with approval — Recipients, who may be data owners or specified individuals, get their worksheet from the business process owner. Submissions must be approved by the business process owner. For example, you might specify this method for a forecast process, distributing the worksheet to the finance liaisons within each group and reviewing the data before it is submitted.
Direct, no approval — Recipients, who may be data owners or specified individuals, get their worksheet from the business process owner. Submissions do not require approval. For example, you might use this method for periodic sales forecasts.
Worksheets can also be manually distributed and redistributed.
As recipients complete data entry, they submit their worksheets. Only data in cells specified as input selections in the business process solve are submitted; data outside the scope of the template or objects such as personal dimension members or calculations are not submitted. If targets have been enabled for the template, target compliance is validated on submission. Once a user submits a worksheet, he or she cannot edit or resubmit it unless it is rejected by the approver or the worksheet is redistributed.
In a cascade distribution or a direct distribution that requires approval, all submissions must be approved. The approval process merges data from input cells in the submitter’s worksheet into the approver’s worksheet. For a cascade distribution, this occurs at each level of distribution — until the worksheet is approved by the business process owner.
The Manage Submission tasks completes the data collection process for the template, transferring data to the shared Analytic Workspace. At this point worksheets cannot be redistributed or resubmitted.
The worksheet remains until the view that supports it is deleted.
An option for direct distribution is to distribute the worksheet to "All Data Owners." When this option is selected, Enterprise Planning and Budgeting determines the owners of input selection cells and distributes the worksheet to them.
Ownership is determined by the ownership rules set by the Security Administrator. When no explicit owner exists for a cell, Enterprise Planning and Budgeting identifies the owner as follows:
A distribution hierarchy is specified in the Generate Template task. This is a hierarchy in a global ownership dimension. This serves as a primary hierarchy when there are two global ownership dimensions.
The system looks up the default hierarchy for the distribution hierarchy dimension until an owner is found. If there is no explicit owner and a second global ownership dimension has been specified, Enterprise Planning and Budgeting looks up the default hierarchy of the second global ownership dimension for an owner.
If there is still no owner, then the business process owner is the owner.
In both the direct and cascade distribution modes, users can set targets for cells that are subordinate to those that they own. For example, if a user owns US, he or she could set targets for California, but not for US.
For more information, see the section on data collection in the Oracle Enterprise Planning and Budgeting Implementation Guide.
Users who are expected to enter data into cells but do not have ownership of these cells, must have explicit write access granted to them by the Security Administrator.
The business process owner also requires explicit write access to input cells in order to submit data to the shared Analytic Workspace for a template that has been distributed directly with approval required.
For more information, see the section on data collection in the Oracle Enterprise Planning and Budgeting Implementation Guide.
If the business area has been set up to support currency, the user experience with currency selection for a worksheet depends on the business process owner’s specification on the Currency tab for the business process. See Specifying Currency for a Business Process and the section on data collection in the Enterprise Planning and Budgeting Implementation Guide.
The user's experience with currency also depends on how worksheet data is being distributed.
If data is being distributed dynamically when recipients open their worksheets following a distribution, users are prompted to specify the currency to use for data entry when they open the worksheet.
If data is being distributed via a batch process that runs in the background, recipients are not prompted to specify the currency to use for data entry when they open the worksheet. In this case, the currency setting defaults to each user’s system profile setting for currency. The System Administrator can change this setting.
Note: For a new installation, the default distribution method is that data is distributed when users open their worksheets. The Controller can override this by explicitly setting up batch distribution. For more information, see Distributing Worksheets in Batch.
Regardless of the currency mode, all data is solved and submitted to the shared Analytic Workspace in the business process currency as set on the Currency tab.
If a user is working in multiple currencies, the worksheet will display multiple currencies as well as an additional column (or row or page) for the business process currency, which is calculated by converting each entered currency to the business process currency and summing them. Whenever the data is recalculated, the data in the business process currency column is updated using the conversion parameters specified for the business process.
For example, if the business process currency is USD, then the user can choose to input data using the business process currency (in this case, USD) or in multiple currencies. If the choice is multiple currencies, he or she will be able to enter values for a particular line item in several currencies, including USD.
For more information, see Choosing the Currency for Data Entry and Worksheet Data Entry: Switching the Currency View.
The data collection template is the foundation of the data collection process. Template settings determine the data that will be collected, the appearance of the worksheet, and the distribution method.
Depending on the scope of the business process, you might define a single Generate Template task for a business process or you might define multiple Generate Template tasks. For example, if you want to separate revenues from expenses you might set up a single business process with Generate Template tasks such as "Generate Revenue" and "Generate Expense Budget." Alternatively, you could implement two separate business processes, with one Generate Template task for each process.
When a data collection template is generated, the system creates a data collection view. The name of the view concatenates the template name and the name and number of the business process run. For example, if the template name is "Overhead Expenses" and the business process run is "Forecast 2006 001," then the name of the data collection view would be "Overhead Expenses Forecast 2006 001." he view name may also have a currency code suffix.
If you opt to enable targets for the template, the system also creates a Target view. The name of the Target view concatenates the template name, the "target" designation, and the name and number of the business process run. For example if the template name is "Overhead Expenses" and the business process run is "Forecast 2006 001," then the name of the target view would be "Overhead Expenses Target Forecast 2006 001."
For the steps that you follow to define a Generate Template task, see Defining a Generate Template Task.
If you chose the Wait for Review option when you set up the Generate Template task, a notification informs you when the template has been generated and is ready for review. At this point, the status of the template is "Review Pending."
When you review a template you can modify the layout and format, refine data selections, provide instructions, edit the worksheet name, and set a deadline date for worksheet submission. If you chose the Enable Target option in the Generate Template task, you can also adjust the layout and format of the Target view.
Note: It not mandatory to enter or modify anything during the review. At minimum, you must open the template and explicitly indicate that the review is complete (see Step 5 of the following procedure). If you fail to do this, the template status will remain "Review Pending" and the worksheet cannot be distributed automatically or manually.
Note: If the template has just been generated, click Refresh View in the page header area before you perform the following procedure. This is equivalent to logging out and logging in again and will give you access to the template.
Log in with the responsibility that you used to create the template.
Navigate to the Templates page for the business process (Administration > Monitor tab > Template icon for business process).
The Templates: Business Process Name page opens, listing data collection templates for the business process.
Identify the template that you want to review and click the Update icon.
The Business Process Name: Template Name page opens.
Modify the template as desired.
For more information, see Modifying a Data Collection Template.
When your review is complete, click Finish Review on any page.
You will be prompted to specify if you want to continue. If you proceed, the review process will complete and Finish Review will be disabled.
You can change the layout and format of a template, refine data selections, add reference data, provide instructions for recipients, edit the worksheet name, and set a deadline date for worksheet submission. If you chose the Enable Target option in the Generate Template task, you can also adjust the layout, format, sort order and line dimension members included in the Target view.
Note: If you are modifying the template during a review (the Wait for Review option was selected in the Generate Template task), your modifications will be reflected in the distributed worksheet. However, if you change the template after it has been distributed, modifications will only take effect if the worksheet is redistributed and you select the Overwrite option.
Log in with the responsibility that you used to create the template.
Navigate to the Templates page for the business process (Administration > Monitor tab > Template icon for business process).
The Templates: Business Process Name page opens, listing data collection templates for this run of the business process.
Identify the template that you want to work with and click the Update icon.
The Business Process Name: Template Name page opens.
Modify the template as desired. For more information, see the following topics:
Click Apply.
You can use the Layout tool to change the layout of the worksheet generated by the template. You can perform the following functions:
Move a dimension in relation to another dimension.
Move a dimension to the row, column, or page edge.
Exchange a dimension with another dimension.
Exchange an edge with another edge.
For a dimension with multiple members, display a specific member.
For more information, see Changing the layout.
You can use the Format tool to change the appearance of selected cells in the worksheet generated by the template. You can specify the following formats:
Font style — You can change font size and apply bold, italic, and underline formats.
Font color — You can set font color.
Background color — You can set cell background color. Do not choose red or blue as these colors are used by various system cell-level icons.
Borders — You can specify border formats.
Warning: Do not use the Format tool to set decimal places, scale, or round numbers. Numeric values in a worksheet are always saved and submitted exactly as entered. Although the formats will appear to change, the original values will apply.
For more information, see Specifying formatting through the format tool and Specifying formatting through the Format Cells page.
You can use the Sort tool to change the order in which members of a dimension will be displayed in the worksheet generated by the template. You can sort dimension members by name or hierarchy. If the dimension is in the row or column position, you can also sort by View.
For more information, see Sorting dimension members.
You can add dimensions to, delete dimensions from, or refine dimension member selections for the worksheet generated by the template.
Log into Enterprise Planning and Budgeting with the responsibility that you used to create the template.
Navigate to the Templates page for the business process (Administration > Monitor tab > Template icon for the business process).
The Templates: Business Process Name page opens, listing data collection templates for this run of the business process.
Identify the template that you want to work with and click the Update icon.
The Business Process Name: Template Name page opens.
Click the Edit button.
The Refine Selections page opens where you can modify dimension member selections.
For more information, see Using the Refine Selections Page.
You can provide recipients with instructions for completing the worksheet generated by the template. You can enter short text, extended text, and links to other files that explain budget or forecast procedures and assumptions. When the worksheet generated by the template is distributed, the top of the document will display the short text and a "More" link. When the recipient clicks the “More” link, an Instructions page will open, displaying extended instruction text and links.
Log into Enterprise Planning and Budgeting with the responsibility that you used to create the template.
Navigate to the Templates page for the business process (Administration > Monitor tab > Template icon for the business process).
The Templates: Business Process Name page opens, listing data collection templates for the business process.
Identify the template that you want to work with and click the Update icon.
The Business Process Name: Template Name page opens.
Click the Instruction Text subtab.
Fields for defining instructions appear.
In the Short Text box, you can enter up to 100 characters.
In the Long Text box, you can enter additional text, up to 4000 characters.
In the Links area, you can provide hyperlinks to one or more files. For example, you might provide a link to a word processor file, a spreadsheet file, or an HTML file.
In the Label column, type a label for the link, up to 80 characters long. This is the text that users will click to access the file.
In the URL column, type the complete URL for the link, up to 1000 characters long.
To add a hyperlink, click Add Another Row.
To delete a hyperlink, click the Delete icon for the link.
Click Save to save your settings and continue working.
Click Apply to save and exit.
You can change the name that users will see for the worksheet generated by the template. You can also provide a brief description and enter a deadline date.
If you do not change the name, then the worksheet name will be the name that you specified for the template in the Generate Template task. If you do not provide a description, then only the template name will appear on the Templates page. If you do not provide a deadline, then no deadline will be visible on the Worksheets list that recipients see.
Note: The deadline that you enter here can be overwritten, either in the Distribute Template task or as part of a manual distribution. Worksheet recipients in a cascade distribution can also provide their own deadlines when they distribute to subordinates.
Log into Enterprise Planning and Budgeting with the responsibility that you used to create the template.
Navigate to the Templates page for the business process (Administration > Monitor tab > Template icon for the business process).
The Templates: Business Process Name page opens, listing data collection templates for the business process.
Identify the template that you want to work with and click the Update icon.
The Business Process Name: Template Name page opens.
Click the Properties subtab.
In the Name box, you can enter a new name for the template, up to 680 characters long.
In the Description box, you can enter or update a description for the template.
In the Deadline Date box, you can enter a deadline date. Click the Calendar icon to select a date or enter a date.
Click Apply.
If you chose the Enable Target option in the Generate Template task, the worksheet will include a Target view.
When you review a template for which targets have been enabled, you can specify the dimension members that will be included in the Target view. You can also modify the layout, format, and sort order.
Note: The following procedure describes how to set up the target view. For information on how to populate targets prior to distribution, see Setting Targets Prior to Distribution.
Log into Enterprise Planning and Budgeting with the responsibility that you used to create the template.
Navigate to the Templates page for the business process (Administration > Monitor tab > Template icon for the business process).
The Templates: Business Process Name page opens, listing data collection templates for the business process.
Identify the template that you want to work with and click the Update icon.
The Business Process Name: Template Name page opens.
Click the Targets subtab.
The Target view opens.
Note: The Targets subtab is only available if the Generate Template task for the template specifies that targets are enabled.
To select the dimension members that will be displayed in the Target view, click Edit.
The Refine Selections page opens where you can modify the current selections.
For more information, see Using the Refine Selections Page.
To change the layout, format, or sort order of the Target view, use tools on the Worksheet toolbar.
Use the Layout tool to change the layout. For more information, see Changing the layout,
Use the Sort tool to sort values. For more information, see Sorting dimension members.
Use the Format tool to modify formats. For more information, see Specifying formatting through the format tool and Specifying formatting through the Format Cells page.
Warning: Do not use the Format tool to set decimal places, scale, or round numbers. Numeric values in a worksheet are always saved and submitted exactly as entered. Although the formats will appear to change, the original values will apply.
Click Save to save your settings and continue working.
Click Apply to save and exit.
If you want to populate data manually and have recipients see your values, you must enter the data into your worksheet prior to distribution.
If you chose the Wait for Review option in the Generate Template task, you can do this before the template is automatically distributed. Before you finish the review, open your worksheet and enter and save the data.
If the template has been previously distributed, you can enter the data in your worksheet and then redistribute the template manually using the Overwrite option.
Note: This refers only to data that you populate manually — it does not apply to data that has been automatically populated as a result of the Initialized Worksheet Input option in the solve for the business process.
For information about the Wait for Review option, see Defining a Generate Template Task. For information about redistribution, see Distributing a Data Collection Template Manually.
If you chose the Enable Target option in the Generate Template task, you can enter target amounts in cells that are subordinate to those that you own. You can set targets on input lines or calculated lines. You cannot set targets on loaded lines.
The actual process of target setting is typically a managerial responsibility in a cascade distribution. Managers enter target amounts before distributing to subordinates. However, if this is a direct distribution or if you want to specify targets for the initial recipient in a cascade distribution, you can do so.
Note: If you forget to enter targets before you finish a review, you can redistribute the worksheet to ensure that recipients receive the targets.
You can designate a target as maximum or minimum; advisory (deviance allowed) or absolute (no deviance allowed). If you enter a target amount but do not specify other information, Enterprise Planning and Budgeting will enforce an advisory target. Whether the target is maximum or minimum depends on the "Better / Worse Indicator" attribute for the line dimension member in the Enterprise Performance Foundation: for example, Revenue lines will default to minimum; Expense lines will default to maximum.
Note that data ownership affects the cells on which you can set targets. See How data ownership affects template distribution and target setting.
Navigate to the Templates page for the business process (Administration > Monitor tab > Templates).
Identify the template for which you want to set targets and click Set Targets.
The Targets page is displayed.
Enter target values into one or more cells. You can also use Autofill functions (Grow, Increase, Spread, and Aggregate) to populate cells.
Note: By default, newly entered target values are advisory. Proceed to Step 4 to change target type.
Specify target type as follows:
Click in the cell and then click the Target tool.
Note: To specify the target type for multiple cells in a row or column, select the row or column before you select an option.
Select an option in the Target Type box and click Go. You can select one of the following:
Minimum amount - Advisory
Minimum amount - Absolute
Maximum amount - Advisory
Maximum amount - Absolute
An arrow representing the target type is displayed.
To clear settings, select the cell or cells and click Clear.
To enter target values for another page, change one or more dimension selections, scroll to the right of all the dimension selection boxes, and click Go.
Click Save on any page to save your settings and continue working.
Click Apply to save and exit.
The Distribute Template task automatically distributes a worksheet. In order to implement automatic distribution, you must include a Distribute Template task after the Generate Template task on the task list for the business process.
The Distribute Template task is not mandatory. You might opt to always distribute certain templates manually.
Note: If you chose the Wait for Review option in the Generate Template task, the Distribute Template task will not run until the review is marked as complete. For more information, see Reviewing a Data Collection Template.
For the steps that you follow to define a Distribute Template task, see Defining a Distribute Template Task.
Use manual distribution to distribute a data collection template to specified users on an ad hoc basis. Also use manual distribution to redistribute a template that has been previously distributed.
In certain circumstances you might want to make manual distribution the standard distribution method for a template. Should you choose to do this, do not include a Distribute Template task for the template on the task list for the business process.
Distributing a template that has been previously distributed replaces existing worksheets. As part of the distribution process you can specify what will happen to data and personalizations in existing worksheets.
Navigate to the Templates page for the business process (Administration > Monitor tab > Templates).
Identify the template that you want to distribute and click the Template icon.
The Template: Template Name page opens.
Click the Distribute icon.
The Distribute Template: Template Name page opens.
Note: The Distribute icon is not available if the process run status is "Submitted" or "Submitted to Shared." It is also unavailable if a review is pending.
In the Worksheet Recipients area, specify the users who will receive the worksheet generated by the template. Click Add to add a user.
In the Distributions Options area, you can specify an optional deadline by which recipients must submit the worksheet. Click the Calendar icon to select a date or enter a date.
Users who receive the distribution will see the deadline on the Worksheets list.
In the Message box, enter text for the notification that recipients will see when the worksheet generated by the template is distributed to them.
Use the Overwrite Options area to specify how the distribution will affect recipients' worksheets.
Worksheet Layout — Select Overwrite to overwrite personalizations that recipients have made to the worksheet. This option will overwrite layout, format, and any added or refined dimension members. Select Do not Overwrite to preserve recipients' personalizations.
Worksheet Data — Select Overwrite to overwrite data and annotations in recipients' worksheets. Select Do not Overwrite to preserve data and annotations.
If the worksheet includes targets, target amounts and layout will always be overwritten.
Note: Choosing to overwrite layout when redistributing a template will overwrite layout personalizations for all recipients of the original distribution — not just the recipients specified in the redistribution.
Click Apply.
Your site may be set up so that data is distributed dynamically as users open their worksheets, or data distribution may occur via a concurrent process that runs periodically and populates worksheets in batch.
When worksheet data is distributed dynamically, users must wait to open their worksheets while the data is being populated. If the worksheet supports data entry in multiple currencies, each user will be prompted to specify the currency in which he or she initially wants to enter data.
When worksheet data is distributed in batch, worksheets open fully populated with data. If the worksheet supports data entry in multiple currencies, each user is not prompted to specify a currency when he or she opens a new worksheet. Instead, the worksheet for that user opens in the currency of the distributor (the default), or as determined by setting for the user’s ZPB: Distribution Currency View Profile option. This setting can be changed by the System Administrator. It is the Controller who is responsible for setting up batch distribution of worksheets. For more information, seeDistributing Worksheets in Batch.
The distributor is notified when each recipient submits his or her worksheet. If the Generate Template task for the worksheet specified a cascade distribution or a direct distribution with the "Require Approval" option, then the distributor must approve or reject the submission. For a direct distribution that requires approval, the business process owner is the approver; for a cascade distribution, approval must occur at each distribution level, with the business process owner as the final approver.
Note: An approver cannot edit data prior to approval. He or she can only approve or reject the submission.
When a submission is approved, data for input selections (including any annotations that have been entered) are merged into the distributor's worksheet and recalculated as specified in the business process solve. The worksheet status is set to "Approved." If the submission is not approved, then the status is set to "Rejected" and becomes available for a fresh submission. Approval or rejection notifications are sent to submitters.
The review process for you, as the business process owner, is similar. You are notified when each recipient to whom you originally distributed submits his or her worksheet. You can open the worksheet and review the data. For a worksheet distributed in a cascade distribution or a direct distribution that requires approval, you can approve or reject the submission. Approved data from input level cells will be merged into your worksheet and recalculated as specified in the business process solve. If this is a direct distribution with no approval required, you can view the submitted data. However you cannot approve or reject the worksheet and data will not be merged into your worksheet.
Navigate to the Templates page for the business process (Administration > Monitor tab > Templates). Identify the template for which you want to review worksheets and click the Template icon.
Alternatively, you can use the Worksheets page (Documents > Worksheets tab).
Identify the worksheet for which you want to review data and click the Status hypertext. The status should be "Submitted."
The Status page for the worksheet opens.
Click All to see the status of subordinate worksheets. Alternatively, you can enter a user name or search for a user. You can also limit the display by status.
Identify the user whose worksheet you want to review and click the Review icon.
The Review Worksheet: Worksheet Name page opens, displaying the worksheet.
If the submission requires approval, click Approve to approve it. Click Reject to reject it.
If you chose Reject in Step 5, enter a comment. Comment text will be displayed in the rejection notification that will appear on the user's Home page.
Input level data from approved submissions is merged into your worksheet. Before you submit your worksheet, you can edit the data.
In addition to normal data editing and "what-if analysis," you have the ability to overwrite data values. Note, however, that these edits will not be visible to the submitter.
Note: The ability to edit only applies to worksheets that require approval. Although you can view data from submitted worksheets for which approval is not required, you will not be able to edit the data.
The data collection process ends when the Manage Submission task for the template runs. The Manage Submission task specifies the data collection template or templates for which data will be submitted to the shared Analytic Workspace.
For a cascade distribution or a direct distribution that requires approval, the Manage Submission task runs after you (the business process owner) successfully submit the template. For a direct distribution that does not require approval, the Manage Submission task runs when all recipients have submitted their worksheets or when you submit the template.
For the steps that you follow to define a Manage Submission task, see Defining a Manage Submission Task.
Important: In order to submit a template for worksheets that have been distributed directly and require approval, the business process owner must have explicit write access to input cells.
For a direct distribution that does not require approval, the Manage Submission task runs when all recipients have submitted their worksheets. If all recipients have not submitted their worksheets, the Manage Submission task will run when you submit the template.
A successful submission updates data in the shared Analytic Workspace. Users who are logged in when data is updated can see the refreshed data by clicking Refresh View at the top of any page.
When the Manage Submission task is complete, the data collection process finishes and the next task in the business process starts.
Navigate to the Templates page (Administration > Monitor >Templates icon).
Identify the template that you want to submit.
Click the Submit icon.
As the owner of a business process you can monitor the status of data collection templates for the business process. You can also view the status of underlying worksheets.
Note: The following process describes how to view worksheet status via Administration > Monitor. You can also use the Documents tab to view the status of underlying worksheets. For more information, see Viewing Worksheet Status.
Navigate to the Templates page for the business process (Administration > Monitor tab > Business Process Name > Template).
Click the Template icon for the business process.
The Templates: Business Process Name page opens, listing templates associated with the business process. The Status column displays the status of each template. Template status designations are as follows:
Review Pending — The template has been generated and is waiting for review. (This can only appear if the Wait for Review option was enabled for the template).
Review Completed — The template has been reviewed and is ready for distribution. (This can only appear if the Wait for Review option was enabled for the template).
Distributed — The worksheet generated by the template has been distributed.
Submitted — The template has been submitted to the shared Analytic Workspace but the Manage Submission task has not yet run.
Submitted to Shared — The Manage Submission task has run.
To view the status of underlying worksheets, click the status hypertext.
The Status page opens.
The initial display is limited to information about your worksheet and the worksheets of individuals to whom you have distributed. To view status information for subordinates in a cascade distribution, in the User box, enter the name of a user and click Go.
Note: Status information is not available if the process run status is Completed, Completed with Warnings, or Error.
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