Release Notes for the following areas are included in this article:
For more information about any of these features, please contact your Customer Success Manager.
Platform Enhancements
Journal Entries
A new and improved Journal Entries web interface is now available to create, post, and report on Journal Headers and Details. Features include:
- Modern UI that allows you to easily query, navigate and view both the JE Header and its Details in one screen
- Query JE Headers filtered by selected members or tag
- In-cell editing of JE Details
- Configure JE templates and defaults to guide users as they create new journal entries
- Ability to copy journal entries headers and details
- One-time booking and recurring journal entries types
- Validation of members selected
- Debit versus credit balance indicator
- Sum of debits versus credits displayed
- Post and unpost a single or multiple JEs at a time
- Basic Journal Reporting
- Import JE Details from csv
- Export JE Details to csv
Note:
This new web interface replaces the existing Excel-based Fluence form. To leverage the new Journal Entries interface and the latest enhancements, please contact your Customer Success Manager.
Updated Hierarchy Manager
The Hierarchy Manager web interface has been updated with improved usability. Users can now resize columns, filter on property values as well as hide columns from view. Members can be dragged and dropped to re-order, or assign to new parents.
Granular Security Authorizations
A new user interface has been added to set security role authorizations at a more granular level for separation of tasks and duties. Once authorizations are set for a role, you can use the convenient copy feature to copy the authorization settings to another role as a starting point then subsequently modify the new role as needed.
A new Workflow Viewer authorization has been added to grant a role authorization to view the status of workflow processes that they have no direct assignment to. This allows you to set up a role, such as a CFO role, that can view the status of a workflow without needing to add the viewer as a Contributor, Supervisor or Owner to individual tasks.
New role authorizations have been added to grant authorization to the new Journal Entry module, as well as a separate authorization has been added to allow select users to Configure the JE template.
Integration of Consolidation to Disclosure Management and Narrative Reporting
A new workflow step, Generate FluenceXL Report, has been added to support integration of Consolidation and Disclosure Management and Narrative Reporting.
FluenceXL Reporting
Users can now export FluenceXL reports to PDF, Excel or Powerpoint format from within Fluence folders.
HTML Editors for Interactive Workflow Tasks
HTML format editors have been added to ToDo workflow tasks. This allows you to create workflow ToDo instructions that are formatted to include font styles, bullets, images, and even url links.
All interactive tasks now have an additional field called Info Text that leverages the HTML format editor so that additional instruction, information or reference material can be provided.
UI/UX Improvements
UI/UX improvements include:
- Homepage assignment to roles and users is easier with pre-populated droplists to select from
- Several navigation improvements in the Homepage Designer
- The user interface for creating List Panels in Homepage Designer is more intuitive and easier to use
Consolidation Enhancements
Periodic to Year-To-Date calculation
The periodic calculation has been enhanced to include the ability to load period amounts and have Fluence calculate YTD.
- Periodic vs. YTD data load can be defined on the scenario with the addition of a new property Input_Periodic (TRUE, FALSE)
- All standard Fluence input forms have been updated to automatically use the correct measure (Amount or Periodic_Amount) based on the selected scenario
- Running the Periodic/YTD calculation via the Run Tasks form has been enhanced to perform the correct calculation order based on the selected scenario
Updated Trial Balance and Intercompany Input Forms
The Trial Balance and Trial Balance Intercompany Details forms have been updated to adapt to whether an entity imports or inputs their Trial Balance data.
- Entity method of Import or Input can be defined on the entity with the addition of two new properties
- TrialBalanceInputType
- TrialBalanceICInputType
- This allows restricting manual input to entities who import their Trial Balance or Trial Balance Intercompany detail.
- This also allows input to No Intercompany as well as trading partner detail if the entity is defined as input for the Trial Balance Intercompany Detail.
Rules Report
A new Rules Report is now available to allow administrators to view all rules and rule details in one view.
- Ability to switch between different rules:
- Calculation
- Consolidation
- Conversion
- Intercompany Matching
- Intercompany Booking
- Ability to drill into each rule to view the rule details
Account Audit Report
A new Account Audit Report is now available. This report allows administrators to:
- View all calculations defined on a specified account
- View any calculations defined on parents of the specified account
Rules Check Report
A new Rule Check Report is now available. This report allows administrators to validate rules in the system to ensure that they do not contain any issues, for example invalid member names or incorrectly set rule parameters. The report allows you to validate any of the following rule types:
- Calculation
- Consolidation
- Conversion
- Copy Opening
- Intercompany Matching
- Intercompany Booking
- Validation
The report also contains a 'Reset Keys' button which will reset all incorrect values in the rules.
Copy Opening Source and Target Scenario
The Copy Opening process has been enhanced to allow selecting a Source and Target scenario.
The Run Tasks form has been updated to include the source scenario parameter selection.
CYNI Audit Member Exclusion
The Current Year Net Income (CYNI) calculation has been enhanced to allow excluding audit members from the calculation. This can be defined on the audit member with the addition of a new property CopyNetIncome (TRUE, FALSE).
Balance Sheet Continuity - Audit Selection
- The Balance Sheet Continuity Schedule now allows audit member selection (Input or Manual audit members)
- Balance Sheet Elimination Continuity Schedule now allows audit selection (Manual audit members only)
Account Reconciliation Enhancements
Alternate Currencies
A feature has been added to display reconciliation information in alternate currencies. This information includes: items, schedule line items, supporting items, summary and reconciliation details and reports. Alternate currency types can be defined in Currency Types setup form. Each currency type is associated with an account reconciliation alternate currency property (RecAltCurrency) in the Entity dimension. Currency can be selected as an input parameter in each form and the form will display based on the selected currency. Exchange rates can be maintained in the Exchange Rates form by period.
Reconciliations | Description, Purpose, and Instructions
Description, Purpose, and Instructions properties have been added to the Reconciliation groups setup form that can be customized per entity and period in the Details form. These properties flow through to the next period when they are available for reconciliation.
Details Form Rearrangements
A new tab has been added to the Details Form to display group information and attachments. Processing Status, Supporting Items, and Unidentified Differences have been moved to the top of the form.
Item Schedule Additional Fields | Type, Movement, Journal Entry, and Additional Info
New properties have been added to the Item Schedule. Two new tabs in Static Data have been added to manage schedule line items' Type and Movement. Improvements have also been made to Item Schedule, Schedule Generator forms and on applicable reports.
Handling Staging/Transaction Tables with no Primary Key
The ability to ingest staging tables that don't have primary key by adding an identity column to the transaction table. A new feature to delete unmatched records has been added to avoid redundancy in case of multiple ingestions.
Matching Forms - Add Date Selector and Total Records
The Period selector has been replaced with a Date Selector selector . A Total Records indicator has been added to the form with a feature to limit the maximum records to be displayed. Validations on unmatched and deleted records in case of partial loading has also been added.
2022.3 Fluence Release Notes (August 21, 2022) Full
Release Notes for the following areas are included in this article:
For more information about any of these features, please contact your Customer Success Manager.
Platform Enhancements
Advanced Member Mappings
When importing data, member mappings define relationships between source members from source systems like ERPs and General Ledgers and target dimension members within Fluence.
Fluence 2022.3 includes enhanced ETL integration by adding support for WILDCARD, IN and RANGE member mappings. These enhancements to mappings will greatly reduce on-going maintenance when new members are added to source systems.
Search
Quickly search for reports and forms using a new Search tool within Fluence Explorer.
Favorites
Set specific folders and files as favorites for quick access to frequently used reports and forms.
Homepage Designer
A new user interface to design homepages has been added to the Configure Module. This new feature allows Designers to:
- Create new homepages
- Assign homepages to roles
- Easily add panels to homepages using drag and drop
- Configure panel content in a preview mode
- Export and import homepages and their panels
Calc Scripts
Newly added Calc Script functionality allows users to define multidimensional calculations that can be executed against a model. The Calc Script is created in an editor of your choice and can be run via:
- including the Calc Script as part of a Calculation task in a Workflow Process
- through a Fluence Form
- selecting a Calc Script in Fluence Explorer and running the calculation manually
Time Balancing
A time balancing property has been added to the Measure dimension. In order to leverage Time Balancing, ensure that this property is set for required Measures (SUM, LAST) as well as Accounts (SUM, FIRST, LAST) and then click the Process button in Metadata Manager so that the changes will take effect. If the Process button is not clicked, the time balancing properties will not work as expected.
Consolidation Enhancements
Productized Reports
Newly redesigned and productized reports. These reports include:
- Balance Sheet Consolidated
- Calculation Lineage
- Cash Flow Consolidated
- Cash Flow Details
- Cash Flow Statement - By Audit
- Cash Flow Statement - By Entity
- Consolidated Financials - By Audit
- Consolidated Financials - By Entity
- Consolidated Financials - By Period
- Contribution Detail
- Drill Report
- Income Statement Consolidated
- Intercompany Matching Report
- Intercompany Matching Report - Details
- Intercompany Matching Report By Transaction Currency
- Journal Detail
- Validations - Movement
- Validations - Opening Period
- Validations - Validation Rules
These new report forms will adjust to model dimensionality and custom dimension members.
Continuity Roll Forward Movement and Account Protection
Not all movement categories apply to all accounts within the Balance Sheet Continuity Schedule. For example, the dividend movement member is only used for dividend accounts whereas the repayment movement member is only used by debt accounts.
Fluence 2022.3 now includes the ability to define valid intersections of account and movement combinations.
Cash Flow Details
A new Cash Flow Details report is now available which provides the ability to view the Trial Balance accounts and movements that were used in calculating each cash flow account.
Cash Flow Reconciliation Starter Kit
A new Cash Flow Reconciliation Starter Kit is now available which provides the ability to view Cash Flow Accounts along with Balance Sheet Accounts in a matrix format. Cash Flow accounts can be expanded to view movement details for specific cash flow accounts. This report greatly reduces the initial setup time and provides the required controls to ensure the cash flow balances.
A validation section in the report provides:
- The ability to ensure that cash in the Cash Flow equals the Cash in the Balance Sheet
- A summarized Continuity Schedule that shows the Open, Closing and Total Variation including the amount of CTA which should not be included in the Cash Flow Statement. This allows validation against the sum of all cash flow accounts
Intercompany Matching with Transaction Currency
A new Intercompany matching report is now available. This new report includes transaction currency which simplifies reconciliation between entities with different local currencies.
OCI/AOCI Calculation
The Current Year Net Income calculation has been updated to include the ability to calculate OCI/AOCI (other comprehensive income and accumulated other comprehensive income).
New Administration forms
Additional administration forms have been provided to allow administration of:
- Equity Pickup Rules
- Consolidation methods
- Conversion rates
- Ownership Percentages
Run All for All Periods
A new procedure is now available that provides the ability to perform the “Run All” calculations on all periods within a given year.
Variation due to Ownership Change
Fluence calculation engine has been enhanced to calculate any variation due to changes in ownership such as:
- Increase/ decrease in ownership percentage of subsidiary/ associate
- Changes to method of consolidation (i.e. Equity Method, Consolidation Method)
- Acquisition/ Disposition of Business
Time Balancing for Accounts and Measures
The Attribute Maintenance form has been enhanced to allow setting the Time Balancing property on both Account (Sum, First, Last) and Measures (Sum, Last). This enhancement calculates the proper quarterly amount for Balance Sheet accounts when looking at the YTD Measure.
Account Reconciliation Enhancements
New Intercompany Reconciliation reports
These reports include:
- Intercompany Status and Balance report
- Intercompany Reconciliation Review report
- Intercompany Group and Intercompany target entities on the Reconciliation Audit Log report
- Intercompany Open Supporting Items by Aging Bucket report
- Intercompany Assignments report
Intercompany Reconciliation Setup
For Intercompany Reconciliation, setup now restricts the selection of Intercompany target entities and accounts in the Group Intercompany Entities and Intercompany Account Group Details maintenance forms to those using #ICAcctReconcile and #ICEntityReconcile tags, respectively. These are assigned in Model management.
Matching Group and Rule Setup
- Improvement to Match group and Dataset name validations - restriction of special characters and spaces in names.
- Improved validations and restrictions when deleting and updating datasets in the Match Group Datasets maintenance form. Only datasets that have not been referenced in matching rules can be deleted/removed from the selected Match Group.
- Added the capability to set a Match Group as “Active” or “Inactive” in the Match Group table. “Inactive” Match Groups will set all fields to read-only in forms that display Match Group information, and disable the “Process Matching Rules” option.
- Match Group setup form also validates if a Match Group has matches. If matches exist, the group cannot be deleted. If no matches exist, it can be deleted
- Added the capability to set any Match Rule as “Active” or “Inactive”. Match Rule Details will become read-only for Inactive rules.
Account Reconciliation Group Management
- On the Group Accounts maintenance form, Fluence now restricts the assignment of an account to more than one group when reconciliation template type assignment is different between the groups, or when the same account is assigned multiple times to the same group.
- For example: If account 1500-Prepaid Expenses is assigned to a group named “Prepaid Expenses” and uses the Prepaid/Amortizable reconciliation template type, any subsequent assignment of 1500-Prepaid Expenses can only be done to group(s) that also use the Prepaid/Amortizable reconciliation template.
Improved Transaction Imports
- Improvements to duplicate transaction handling and data clearing control on staging table imports for transaction matching datasets.
- Duplicates are not allowed for transactions, Fluence will evaluate existing transactions and handle the duplicates as follows:
- Duplicate transactions that have not been previously matched will automatically update with the latest transaction detail.
- Duplicate transactions that have been previously matched will not be ingested into Fluence. These duplicates will be logged and can be examined in the Transaction Duplicate Log report form.
- Users can navigate directly to match details for duplicates that were not ingested. This enables users to unmatch as necessary and re-ingest transactions if appropriate.
- Duplicates are not allowed for transactions, Fluence will evaluate existing transactions and handle the duplicates as follows:
General Account Reconciliation Enhancements
- French localization for forms and reports
- Additional control over the calculation of variances in the Matching interface form via applying the following functions against transaction totals within a dataset:
- ABS, Reverse or Natural
- Updated validations and bug fixes for Intercompany Reconciliation form
- Navigation improvements and bug fixes to the Matching interface
- A new option has been added to clear the staging data after processing
FluenceXL Reporting Enhancements
Fluence Model Writeback
Data entry is now possible using XLCubed. This means that administrators and power users can easily create simple to advanced data entry forms without coding.
Writeback capability is set in the Workbook Options:
This will enable writeback at a grid level:
Alternatively, Writeback can be set using the XL3DoWriteback & XL3LookupRW formulae.
These writeback reports are currently available in Fluence Excel. Web support for writeback will be coming in a future update.
Fluence Model View Support
Model views are now available when connecting via FluenceXL. Model Views provide a simplified view of the Fluence data model for reporting purposes, hiding dimensions that are not relevant for some users.
Model Views are defined using the Fluence Model Views web interface.
When connecting to Fluence via FluenceXL, users can select a model view. Any limitations applied by the model view are automatically applied within FluenceXL.
Intrinsic Property support
Additional built-in Fluence member properties can be retrieved.
Alias Manager
Member properties can be used as the source for aliases
This enables report-level switching from caption to name:
Fixed Header Rows in Grids
Fixed headers can be used to control the area that a Grid uses. Typically, as more hierarchies are added to the headers for a Grid, the headers will push the data area downwards:
You can now fix the number of rows, with excess rows wrapping into adjacent columns (or hide them entirely):
This feature is enabled in the Grid Properties:
