Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) About FreeForm

FreeForm Business Process interactive FAQ with documentation links:

Business and Essbase Users FAQ

What is the FreeForm Business Process, and what can you do with it?

the FreeForm Business Process lets you import Essbase cubes into Oracle Fusion Cloud Enterprise Performance Management as standalone SaaS apps. They can also be used as a SaaS replacement for Excel-based solutions.

You can create up to twelve cubes with up to twenty-nine dimensions to model, analyze, and report multidimensional data within EPM Cloud.

Learn more: Introduction to the FreeForm Business Process.

What are the advantages of using the FreeForm Business Process in Cloud EPM?

  • SaaS benefits with no on-premises infrastructure to manage
  • Hybrid architecture combining Essbase cubes and relational metadata
  • Flexible multi-cube support (up to twelve cubes)
  • Unified security and single place for reporting and planning
  • Continuous Oracle updates and integration with EPM features
  • No Excel file isolations
  • Inbuilt Web based and Excel Reporting

Details: Why Use the FreeForm Business Process

Are Cloud EPM IPM and GenAI Reporting features available with the FreeForm Business Process?

Yes, all IPM features are currently available.

If we are an Essbase customer, why move to the FreeForm Business Process?

FreeForm simplifies administration with SaaS deployment, improves security management, eliminates data latency, and gives access to enhanced cloud features. It simplifies integration with other EPM Business Processes while also providing inbuilt reporting capabilities. This avoids data latency and movement.

See: Essbase Migration Considerations

Should Excel-focused users move to the FreeForm Business Process?

Yes, FreeForm is an efficient centralized excel replacement with full SmartView compatibility. Smart View integration supports Excel users with shared connections across FreeForm apps, preserving user experience. SmartView also works with Google Sheets and Office 365 Web.

More info: Smart View with FreeForm

What is the learning curve for SmartView Essbase users moving to FreeForm Apps?

Minimal, as Smart View usage remains the same with added capabilities for cloud.

Read: Smart View Usage in FreeForm

What are the web-based benefits for Essbase customers moving to the FreeForm Business Process in Cloud EPM?

Oracle Essbase customers shifting to the FreeForm Business Process in Cloud EPM gain from having centered SaaS advantages—scalability, centralized access, easy cloud deployment, rich analytics via web and Excel, tighter governance, and eliminating IT overhead while preserving Essbase end user capabilities. This enables faster, flexible, and collaborative cloud planning and reporting from a browser or Excel client. Customers do not have to maintain separate licenses and solutions for web-based reports since they can use EPM’s native reporting capabilities.

What is the advantage of using the FreeForm Business Process as your corporate reporting solution?

Reporting solutions need a different metadata hierarchy and need a different user access security from other EPM Business Processes. Maintaining your EPM or enterprise reporting in FreeForm empowers organizations to move beyond fragmented siloed reporting systems to a scalable, customizable, flexible, and connected cloud platform that enhances decision-making and operational agility across the enterprise.

What is the difference between Essbase and FreeForm apps in Cloud EPM?

Essbase can be on-premises or OCI IaaS; FreeForm is SaaS in Cloud EPM with hybrid relational Essbase architecture and multi-cube flexibility.

Details: Essbase vs FreeForm Comparison

Are all FreeForm apps custom built?

Yes. It is a fully customizable application. You can customize all dimensions and members fully within limits.

Learn more: FreeForm Customization

Can you create custom dimensions and rules?

Yes, it is fully customizable.

What admin interfaces are available?

Calculation Manager, dimension editor in the FreeForm app, and general Cloud EPM web admin.

Guide: Administration Interface

Can I use Narrative Reporting with the FreeForm Business Process?

Yes. You can use the native Reports feature within FreeForm or use Narrative Reporting in Cloud EPM across multiple FreeForm apps.

Is direct Smart View and Oracle Analytics access supported?

Yes, fully supported.

See: Smart View and Analytics Integration

Do FreeForm Business Process apps offer extended dimensionality?

Yes, FreeForm apps can have varying dimensionality and dimension hierarchies across cubes,

Do FreeForm Business Process apps offer relational blending?

Yes, you can relationally blend FreeForm apps with extended ADW instance to perform drill through data with relational blending in ADW’s tables with extended dimensionality. The ADW instance can also be used as a staging area for data load and extracts fully supported through Cloud EPM Data Integration.

Is there a Task Manager like in Financial Consolidation?

No, only basic task lists are available in FreeForm. We have plans to integrate Task manager with FreeForm apps.

Can the FreeForm Business Process be used to back up on-prem HFM Apps?

Yes. From 26.02 FreeForm Apps will be supported to import HFM apps into Cloud EPM using on-prem FDM.

Where to find administrative FAQs?

See the FreeForm Getting Started Guide for Administrators FAQ.

Technical FAQ

What Essbase version is used in the FreeForm Business Process?

Essbase 21c (version 21.7) is used in all new and updated FreeForm apps.

Details: Essbase Version Info

How do FreeForm and OCI Essbase 21c work together?

They operate on separate platforms. Data movement requires export/import, Smart View connects natively to both.

More info: Hybrid Architecture Explanation

Recommended migration approach for Essbase cubes?

Migrate on-premises Essbase cubes to the FreeForm Business Process in Cloud EPM to unify, simplify, and leverage SaaS benefits.

Guide: Migrating Essbase Cubes

What hardware limits processing?

Oracle manages hardware in the cloud; customers can request adjustments through support if needed.

Reference: EPM Cloud Performance Policies

Does Cube Refresh refresh all cubes at once?

Yes, refresh is application wide.

Are there size limits?

No fixed limits: scaling managed via Oracle support protocols.

Are slow changing attributes supported?

Not yet, under review based on customer feedback.

Are hybrid cubes supported?

Yes, both hybrid BSO and ASO cubes are supported. You can deploy FreeForm as independent.

Are multiple FreeForm applications supported in one environment?

Each application is separate but can connect and blend data using EPM connection manager and navigation flows.

Is metadata load via Data Integration supported?

Yes, for apps with BSO cubes; ASO-only support is coming soon.

Info: FreeForm Data Management

Do you lose Planning app features?

No significant loss: some Planning-specific features like approvals and task manager are not applicable.

Can Groovy be used?

Yes, fully supported.

Can Planning Migration files be used like Essbase OTL?

FreeForm supports Essbase OTL/Migration imports; direct Planning migration files cannot be imported into FreeForm applications.

Can multiple outline or migration files be imported?

No, only one file per FreeForm app.

How to upload dimensions from legacy Hyperion Planning?

Use Essbase outline files, extracts, web interface, Smart View, or manual creation

Can the database be refreshed from Smart View?

Yes, via right-click > Refresh Databases.

How is security configured?

Access controls and cell-level security control user permissions. We also support Default Ancestor access settings in App settings page which allows for read write and none access to dimension members in grids and member selector without using cell level security.

How to manage dimensions?

You can do this within theapp through the dimension editor on the web or in SmartView Oracle Cloud Enterprise Data Management.

Can FreeForm backups migrate to Planning or Close apps?

No, FreeForm apps are distinct and not portable.

Are business rule scripts portable?

Yes, Essbase calcscripts can be imported into Calc Manager in the FreeForm App.

Does OTL migration support all Essbase versions?

It supports fom 11.1.2.4.xxx and later.

Are there restrictions on Data Integration scenarios?

Minimum Account, Period, and Scenario dimensions are required.

Can data be imported after app creation?

Yes, using data import, but Essbase OTL/LCM migration imports only during creation.

How is EPM Integration Agent used?

It cnnects on-premises or third-party data sources to Cloud EPM for data and metadata loads.

Read: EPM Integration Agent

How is tuning handled?

Oracle manages tuning and limited property adjustments through Calculation Manager.

Is partitioning (transparent, linked, replicated) supported?

Replicated partitions are supported through Data Maps. Other partitions are not supported due to SaaS infrastructure security restrictions. We will investigate it in the roadmap once we move FreeForm to the Federated Essbase version.

Is MaxL supported?

Use EPM Automate, EPM Agent, or Groovy scripting. MaxL flat file exports using MaxL are in the roadmap.

Are MDX functions supported?

Partial support: ASO calcs, Groovy for custom calc/allocation, admin MDX via future updates.

Preferred data import/export for large databases?

Level 0 Groovy import/export and Essbase file format using data import/export commands. Data Integration is also an option.

Any plans for a CDF to Groovy migration tool?

No, Groovy is the modern replacement.