Release Notes for the following areas are included in this article:
- Platform
- Consolidation
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Disclosure Management
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- General availability in March 2024 for Fluence DM - contact Fluence Customer Support for upgrade information.
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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.
Note: As of 2402.1, Fluence supports two Release Tracks. Click here for more information.
Platform Enhancements
Data Import Enhancements
Ability to map blank members
A new <BLANK> keyword is now available to map or skip blank members in a data import.
To map blank members, use the <BLANK> keyword in the Source Value column and, select the member to map to in the Mapped Value column. In the screenshot below, any rows with blank Cost Centers in the Import File will be mapped to the [No CostCenter] member in Fluence.
To skip blank members, use the <BLANK> keyword in the Source Value column, and use the SKIP keyword in the Mapped Value column. In the screenshot below, any rows with blank Cost Centers in the Import File will be skipped during import.
Ability to view Skipped records
A new filter option in the View Source Details pane of Data Import Logs to view records that were skipped during the import. This may be helpful when troubleshooting as it provides an easy way to view records that were skipped.
Language Selector
A new language selection control has been added to the header bar. The selected language overrides the default language applied by the browser locale.
Hierarchy Manager Enhancements
The Tags column has been added to the Hierarchy Manager. The Tags column enables users to quickly identify where tags have been added.
Granular Security
Model Authorizations to view, create/update, and delete models have been separated out of the Metadata Management authorizations to provide more granular access to metadata actions.
Performance Enhancements
Performance improvements have been made in the following areas:
- Hierarchy Maintenance
- FluenceXL Report Queries
Workflow Enhancements
New Arrow Options for Tasks that are Overdue or in Error
New workflow arrow options are available to use with tasks that are overdue or have encountered an error. Use the new arrow options in conjunction with Log Message, Send Email or Send Message tasks to inform the Administrator or user that there is a potential problem.
Extended Workflow Syntax to Use with Bursting Workflows
New syntax has been added to be used in conjunction with Bursting Workflows. Within various tasks of the ForEach subprocess, you can now leverage the following syntax to create flexible bursting workflow processes:
- {{Subprocess}.Name} - resolves to the member name, e.g.: E120
- {{Subprocess}.Caption} - resolves to the member caption, e.g.: Houston
- {{Subprocess}.Key} - resolves to the member key, e.g.: 12345
- to be used for specific cases when you require the member key instead of the name
- {{Subprocess}.PropertyName} - resolves to the member property value for the specified PropertyName, e.g.: {{Subprocess}.Region} resolves to South
You can use this syntax when specifying the Data Import Definition in a File Import or Data Transfer task, or when specifying a Model View to export in a Model Export task.
You may also leverage this syntax when assigning Owners, Supervisors and Contributors to workflow tasks within a For Each subprocess.
Passing Parameters through from one Workflow to a Run Workflow Task
The Run Workflow task has been enhanced to include parameters. With this new feature, you can now pass the Start parameters from the initiating workflow (calling workflow) to a Run Workflow task (child workflow).
Ability to add urls to Data Input, Review and Reporting Workflow Tasks
The following workflow tasks have been updated to allow the Workflow Designer to add urls in addition to activity files (found within Fluence Explorer):
- Data input Tasks
- Review Tasks
- Reporting Tasks
This feature allows you to mix and match links to Fluence Forms, FluenceXL reports, direct url links to Administration Web Editors and modules (such as Manage Ownership and Journals), as well as external url links.
Integration Enhancements
- The Model Export workflow task has been enhanced to include Azure Blob Storage as a destination.
- A new workflow task to call external REST APIs has been added.
Consolidation Enhancements
Enhanced Web Editor Validations
Web Administration forms will now validate that all fields have been correctly set. This feature has been introduced to make it easier for administrators to detect if there are underlying issues with any Consolidation rules.
For example, if an Account member has been selected for a rule but its associated Account key is not properly stored, this member will display as invalid. This can happen if the rules were originally created through the Fluence Excel Add-In versions of the editors.
To correct the settings, please reselect the member or list item. This will correct any associated keys.
If you require any assistance with your rule setup or validations, please contact Fluence Support.
Note: These validations are only visual indicators. If the rule fields are showing as invalid, this does not change how the calculation is run. They are soft validations, meaning you can still edit or save your rules even if some settings have been flagged as requiring attention.
Direct Ownership Web Editor
The Direct Ownership input form has been converted to a web editor. This allows for easier switching between entity, intercompany and scenario structures for direct ownership input with the use of the side pane selector.
Audit Selector added to all 'By Audit' web reports
Fluence 'By Audit' web reports have been updated to include a member selector for the audit dimension. This member selector will drive the audit member that is displayed within the report.
Drillback included in all Fluence Web Reports
Acquisition Balance Sheet updated for Audit Selection
Journal Entry Enhancements
New Periodicity Parameter
A new Periodicity parameter has been added to the Copy Journals process. The Periodicity parameter defines if the Journal Entry will be copied Monthly, Quarterly, Semesterly or Annually.
Note: If no value is selected, the Journal Entry copy will be performed monthly (Default mode)
The valid values for Periodicity are:
- Opening
- Quarter
- Semester
- Year
- (blank) for monthly
Transfer of Net Income accounts to Retained Earnings
Today, during the year end JE Copy process, Fluence transfers all Income Statement accounts to the Retained Earnings account. Fluence also copies the Net Income amount to Current Year Net Earnings account during the posting process.
We have extended this functionality to two other accounts:
- Net Income Minority
- Net Income Group
By setting up the SysNames in the table below for the appropriate accounts, the Posting Process and the JE Copy Process will work as described below:
Posting Process
- Transfer the Net Income Group account to the Current Earnings Group account
- Transfer the Net Income Minority account to the Current Earnings Minority account
JE Copy Process
- Copy Net Income Group account to Retained Earnings Group account
- Copy Net Income Minority account to Retained Earnings Minority account
| Income Statement SysNames | Balance Sheet SysNames | |
| Net Income Account | Retained Earnings Account | Current Earnings Account |
| NetIncome Group | Retained Earnings Group | Current Earnings Group |
| NetIncome Minority | Retained Earnings Minority | Current Earnings Minority |
Read only Journal Details
In these cases, the JE Copy process will create line items with the Opening movement, but the details will be set to Read-Only. Furthermore, the Movement Classification validation rules will skip over all line items that have been set to Read-Only.
Note: New JE line items that are created with the Opening member will be blocked by the JE validation process.
Calculate Closing Balances for Manual Audit Members in Copy Opening procedure
Note: This is only applicable in certain regions based on local accounting consolidation practices.
Members in the Audit dimension have a property called Audit Type. One of the values for Audit type is ‘Manual’. This Audit type is often used to post journal entries.
Journal entries posted to these manual audit members will automatically calculate and post the Closing movement values. The Copy Opening process has been enhanced to calculate the Closing balances for manual audit members.
Disclosure Management Enhancements
In addition to general issues and functional updates, the following enhancements have been added to Fluence Disclosure Management.
Redesigned Home Screen and Data Source Screen
A revised design of the two major FluenceDM screens has been implemented. The main benefit of this change is the ability to define multiple levels of folders in the DM document or data source repositories, allowing for a greater flexibility in organizing documents and data sources.
Clone Documents Across Tenants
A new tool is available to tenant administrators for copying one or more documents with all their related data sources and properties directly from one FluenceDM environment to another.
It is also possible to perform this in two separate steps: an export feature creates a ZIP file containing all the appropriate information and documents, and a corresponding import feature can be used to load the zip file into the desired tenant.
Insert Word document Data Sources by Paragraph
Word documents used as data source can now be inserted by paragraph and not just as whole documents. A preview feature helps identify the paragraph the user intends to insert in the destination document.
Two-way Synchronization of Data Source Jobs
Two-way synchronization of data source jobs is now available. Whenever a data source is saved in FluenceDM storage, the same version can be saved back into the shared folder of the synchronization job. This feature may be activated by enabling the Save data source to sync folder parameter from the properties of the desired data source.
Improved Auditability (2402.2)
The auditability of the shared language dictionary has been improved with the introduction of a
few additional fields that tell what records have been added or changed and when, either
automatically by the procedure or manually by some users. Below is a filtered list of records added
by the translation job (“Last Update By”) and of records manually changed (Last Review By).
Management of multi-level folders (2402.2)
The management of multi-level folders, introduced with version 2402.1, has been significantly improved as explained in the following enhancements:
From the properties of a given document it is possible to indicate a new destination folder and at the same time move other documents in the current folder to the same destination folder.
The dropdown panel allowing to perform directly some tasks has been improved to include new options.
Improved Usability (2402.2)
The size of tab characters used to indent the labels in a table has been adjusted to better reflect the appearance they have in the originating Excel range.
Tables alignment in the Word documents can be now also defined with the “indent from left” field of the table properties. The alignment will remain even if the “retain excel formats” option is active.
From the view of work flow states from the home screen it is now possible o go back to the default home view hitting an “X” icon to the top right of the screen.
It is now possible to change the position of an existing folder using a new option appearing in the pulldown list of tasks associated to a folder.
The home screen now displays the number of documents contained in each folder (including those contained in sub-folders).
The “search document” task now behaves more correctly. Hitting the “loop” icon will place the next occurrence at the top of the right pane.
The auto-check-in feature has been re-enabled, after some modifications that make it more reliable Here an example of a document that has been automatically checked-out (and will be checked-in automatically) and one that has been checked out manually (and will require a manual check-in).
The export feature has been enriched with two new options that allow the user to decide what to do with possible comments or tracked changes existing in the document.
A tooltip has been added to the “export all data sources” option in the copy of documents across tenants, to clarify the purpose of the option.
A refresh performed from the add-in now does not let the entire document as “selected” any more. Only the refreshed object becomes “selected”. The screen is also automatically positioned on the refreshed object.