Release Notes for the following areas are included in this article:
- Platform
- Consolidation
- Account Reconciliation
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FluenceXL Reporting
- To download the latest FluenceXL Add-in for creating and designing reports, use the following link: FluenceXL Add-in.
For more information about any of these features, please contact your Customer Success Manager.
Platform Enhancements
File Imports - Logging
A new Logs module has been added where users with the appropriate authorization can view a log of previously run File Imports. The table displays pertinent information including the name of the Data Import, the user who ran the import, when it was run and the status of the import. From here, the user can View Details about the Import, such as errors encountered during the import.
File Imports - Viewing Source Mapping Details
A new feature to retain and view the source records used in a data import has been added. The new View Source Details interface displays a report showing the source and mapped values for any mappings between the staging table and the model during import. From this report, a user can deduce which source accounts make up the value of a target account within Fluence. To enable this feature, the Track Data Import checkbox must be enabled for each File Import as needed.
This feature applies to Data Transfer tasks as well. If data has been imported to a Staging Table via another means such as a DataBlend integration, an Azure Data Factory Pipeline or a REST API, you can enable source mapping details tracking in the Data Transfer task that transfers the data from the staging table to the model.
Mappings - New Keyword to Skip Records
A new mapping option, SKIP, has been added. When SKIP is used in the mapped value, the corresponding source record will be ignored. In the screenshot below, Entities in the source file with the value "Unknown" or within the range 100-120 will be skipped during the file import.
Assign Access to Mappings and Data Import Definitions
Additional access permissions can be granted to specify user roles that can modify specific Maps and Data Import Definitions. This prevents users from modifying Mappings and Data Imports owned by other individuals.
New authorizations have been added to allow assigning of this additional access. Users with this authorization can assign Maps and Data Imports as read-only or writeable for specific roles.
- If a Map or Data Import does not have any roles assigned, it is available for viewing or updating by anyone who has the appropriate authorizations.
- If a Map or Data Import has specific roles assigned to it, then it is only available for viewing or updating by users in those assigned roles.
Metadata Audit Logging
A new Metadata Audit Trail report has been added to allow authorized users to view logs that track changes to hierarchies, models and dimensions. This report can be used for troubleshooting or audit purposes. The Metadata Audit Trail report can be found in the Logs module.
Homepage Designer
The List Panel now has an option which allows Homepage Designers to set FluenceXL Reports to open in Excel instead of in the web browser. This is useful if end-users need to take advantage of features in Excel version of the Fluence Add-in.
List Panel items can now easily be reordered by dragging and dropping.
Workflow Bursting
The ability to create a bursting workflow is now available using the ForEach workflow task. Users can create a workflow process for several business units quickly and easily by defining the workflow once and selecting the business units to be bursted or cascaded through. Homepage panels can be configured to show the status of each task by each business unit.
Journal Entry Enhancements
Several enhancements have been added to the Journals module to enhance usability and provide more control over posted data.
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Journal Entry ID (JE ID): The Journal Entry ID (JE ID), a unique identifier, is now available for journal entries in both the Journals module and the Journal Entry Reporting window. The JE ID enhances traceability and simplifies cross-referencing, aiding in the tracking and management of journals.
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Thousands Separators: Thousands separators have been added to the debit and credit columns for readability. In addition, in Journal Entry Reporting, a new Format Numbers checkbox has been added to the Journal Reporting Configure pane to display the thousands separators for debit and credit amounts.
- Attachments: An "Add Attachment" option has been added to the context menu for the Header section of the Journals module.
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Updated Toolbar Icon Arrangement: Icons within the module have been reordered to optimize usability and prioritize key functionalities for a more a seamless journal workflow.
REST APIs
Select REST APIs are now available to login, populate and retrieve data to or from a Fluence client staging table.
REST APIs also are provided to start and stop a workflows, and interrogate workflow status. This enables data imports to be externally initiated from staged data, or exported and retrieved using a model or model view export.
REST APIs to retrieve model information such as dimensions and members (including their parent-child relationship and properties) are also available.
Consolidation Enhancements
There are several significant functional and usability enhancements to Fluence Consolidation.
Investment Registry
- A new Investment Registry feature allows you to track key information throughout the life of an investment. Information is entered for the initial investment by an entity in a subsidiary and additional information can be recorded such as incremental investment, divestiture or any changes to the total number of shares held by a holding company.
- Once this data is populated in the Investment Registry, Direct Ownership percentages are automatically calculated for the specific entity and subsidiary during the consolidation process.
- Ownership cannot be entered in the Investment Registry form unless the 'Use Investment Registry' global variable is set to TRUE.
Account Netting
- Fluence now has the ability to reclassify account values as assets or liabilities based on their sign. For example, if Cash is negative it is reclassed to Bank Overdraft. The netting calculation is also able to consider groups of accounts such as Taxes Receivable and Taxes Payable. If the net of the two accounts has a debit balance, the net amount is recorded in the associated Asset account. If the net of the two accounts has a credit balance, the net amount is recorded in the associated Credit account.
Web Based Administration Forms
- The main Fluence Consolidation Administration forms are now available as forms within the Fluence web portal. This allows for easier Consolidation rule administration, with the ability to create, edit, delete and duplicate rules along with their details within the Fluence portal.
- In order to utilize the Web Based Administration forms, the Maintenance role authorization for Consolidation must be enabled.
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The following web administration forms are now available:
- Calculation
- Conversion
- Consolidation
- Intercompany Matching
- Intercompany Booking
- Rollover
- Validation
Note: Existing XML based administration forms will continue to be supported but will be decommissioned in a future release. XML based administration forms will work with the new Web administration forms.
Member Tag Support in Allocations
- When a member is tagged within Fluence, that member can be referred to by its tag in different areas of the application. This allows member names to differ across tenants and customer data models, but still allow all centralized Fluence logic to work across these tenants through use of the generic tag definitions.
- The use of tags in defining allocation members is now supported.
Account Reconciliation Enhancements
Several enhancements have been added to Fluence's Account Reconciliation solution for matching.
Matching Interface Enhancements
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Restricted End Date Updates: Users now have the capability to update End Dates for closed periods in matching, provided that the End Date falls within an open period or the last closed period.
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Supporting Item Management: Users can now directly delete supporting items from the Matching interface.
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Transaction import restriction: A restriction has been implemented to prevent the importing of transactions if associated supporting items already exist against that transaction.
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Supporting Item Tracking: The supporting item icon will now be displayed even for items created under different match groups or datasets. Informative messages will highlight Match Group or Dataset mismatches, aiding in the identification of discrepancies. Updates to supporting items in such cases will be restricted.
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Undo for Supporting Item Changes: Supporting item changes can now be easily undone by clicking the Cancel button, protecting against the risk of unintended modifications.
FluenceXL Reporting Enhancements
Formatting in FluenceXL Writeback Reports
FluenceXL writeback reports now apply highlight formatting based on model security access to writeable cells. Users can easily distinguish the intersections to which they have access to write back based on the formatting.
Restricting FluenceXL Writeback Reports to Open Periods
A new application option WritebackOnlyOnOpenPeriodsConsol, can be enabled to prevent users from writing back to closed periods. If this option is set, and the model is a Consolidation model, then only open periods will be writeable in the FluenceXL writeback report. The open periods will have formatting applied to indicate they are writeable.
Note: Open periods are set in the Configure Open Periods Fluence Form and are a combination of both Date and Scenario, for example: August 2023 Actuals.
Passing Workflow Parameters through to FluenceXL Reports
Workflow parameters that are set when starting a workflow can now be passed through to FluenceXL Reports.
The FluenceXL Report will need to be configured to accept web parameters. In addition, when adding the FluenceXL report to the task, the Parameter values will need to be set. The parameters can be set to hard-coded values, workflow process parameters, or global variables.
When the workflow is started, the Workflow Administrator will select the parameters values. The selected parameter values will pass through to the FluenceXL reports that were added.
Comment Tagging in FluenceXL Reports
FluenceXL commentary now supports @user tags to tag other in-tenant users. This allows a user to send MS Teams messages or email notifications with the comment, its data intersection, and a tenant link referenced within the message.
This feature is available for FluenceXL reports opened in Excel as well as on the web.
Once commentary is enabled, users can tag other users or MS Teams channels with commentary for a specific intersection.
The tagged user or MS Teams channel will be notified. A sample email is shown below.