Splash, OneStream’s annual Global User Conference and Partner Summit, takes place May 20-23 in Las Vegas! OneStream is expecting 2,300+ attendees to converge on Las Vegas for four days of best practices, product updates, networking and hands-on workshops with finance and industry experts from around the globe. Perficient is proud to be a Splash sponsor and we’re looking forward to meeting you in-person at Caesars Forum Convention Center.

We are excited to announce we’ve been selected to present two great customer success stories at this year’s conference. Saju Philips, CPM Director at Perficient looks forward to sharing the stage with Jennifer Blankenship, Sr. Manager Consolidations at Hussmann and Charles Ramirez, CPM Director at Perficient will co-present with Kevin Hill, Director of Finance at RaceTrac.

The official schedule is now available! Learn more about Perficient sessions:

• • From Concept to Reality: CPM Blueprint’s Journey to Go Live at Hussmann 
    Wednesday, May 22, 11:30 AM – 12:15 PM
    Hussmann Corporation started implementation with use of the CPM Blueprint. This concept helped client with redesigning COA and preparing project team for implementation. Client successfully replaced HFM and customized FDM processes to ingest data from 14 plus ERP’s and improved their monthly close.

• • Fueling Change: RaceTrac’s Drive to CPM Transformation
    Thursday, May 23, 10:15 AM – 11:15 AM
    RaceTrac Inc. is an American corporation that operates a chain of service stations across the Southern United States and is listed among the largest private companies in the United States with an annual revenue of $16.2 billion in 2022. They embarked on an initiative to modernize their Corporate Performance Management systems by implementing a scalable Planning and Forecasting OneStream solution that will replace the legacy Excel-based system in place today.The OneStream solution provides the ability to plan at the store level that includes 500+ Stores and Corporate. Store level planning consists of Inside and Outside (Fuel by Grade) Margin with ability to forecast sales by product category, manufacturer, and brand. Historical trends allow forecasting based on RaceTrac’s historical sales and the ability to adjust at a detailed level for changes in the marketplace. Corporate costs are also forecasted and automatically allocated back to individual stores. The OneStream solution provided RaceTrac with a standardized and centralized solution that reduced the amount of time and resources required to complete the forecasting process. This has resulted in more comprehensive and efficient reporting capabilities, which in turn will support better decision-making allowing RaceTrac to thrive in today’s changing market.

“Every year Splash brings together finance professionals across the globe looking to modernize with OneStream,” said Kyla Faust alliance manager. “OneStream customers and prospects will learn how partners like Perficient leverage the power of the platform to bring transformational change. We are truly honored to have been selected to share the amazing Hussmann and RaceTrac success stories with fellow OneStreamers.”

Meet with subject matter experts from Perficient and learn how we’ve leveraged our extensive expertise in Corporate Performance Management to drive digital transformation for our customers. Our CPM practice is part of the broader Perficient, a leading digital consultancy serving customers throughout North America with domain expertise in a wide array of technology platforms. If you have needs beyond CPM, we can help.

As a Diamond level partner, the highest level in the partner ecosystem, you can count on Perficient to help you maximize your return on investment in OneStream.  In addition to having attained Diamond status, Perficient, in partnership with Keyteach, is one of only two OneStream Authorized Training partners in the United States. We deliver instructor-led training from our state-of-the-art training facilities in Houston, TX.

If you’re not able to attend the event, but would like to learn more about any of the topics listed above or more about our OneStream practice, please reach out to us.

Background

Orphan members in OneStream are the members with no parent. Due to this, they are bit difficult to locate using Search Hierarchy feature, since technically they do not sit anywhere in hierarchy. They even do not get captured in grid view. Sometimes, an organization might want to delete them as they are no longer required or maybe align them back into appropriate location in hierarchy. This blog focuses on simple Excel & Notepad++ based techniques, to populate the list of orphan members, and deleting them (if required).

Tools Required

Technique shared in the blog requires 2 software:

1. Microsoft Excel
2. Notepad++

Notepad++ is an open-source software available free of cost. Microsoft 365 version of Excel is required as this technique uses a function named TEXTSPLIT( ) which was rolled out for 365 version of Excel. Alternatively, Excel for Web can also be used which is always updated, and available via free sign-up of Microsoft Account.

Case Study Showcase

Below is the screenshot of UD1 hierarchy for Product brand-wise.

100+ members have become Orphans node, as their relationship was removed to park them outside.

These members were created to incorporate entire catalog but were never purchased / sold. Organization wants to delete them permanently to keep data lightweight for better performance. Deleting 100+ members one-by-one would be herculean task, wasting hours of efforts. Let’s see some simple hacks, to populate list of orphan members. Once the list gets populated, those members can be deleted or re-aligned as desired, using Load/Extract feature.

Population of Orphan Member list

Following are the steps to derive & populate orphan member list:

1. Go to Application > Load/Extract > Extract. In the dropdown, select Metadata. In the Metadata hierarchy, select the desired dimension. Click extract button which will open file Save As dialog, to save the XML file.
   
2. Open the file using Notepad++ (right-click XML file & choose Edit with Notepad++).
3. Next, we will select value of name field of all the members from XML present in the dimension (which includes orphans too). In the Notepad++ go to menu Search > Mark. In Search Mode, select Regular Expression. In Find what textbox, write the pattern member name=”[\w\s_-]+” and then click Mark All button. This will mark text from member tag with value in name XML attribute.
   (text matching the pattern is highlighted / marked with red background color)
   Pattern Reference: \w = any text/number \s = any space _ = any underscore – = any hyphen + = one or more instances of these characters
   
4. Click Copy Marked Text button, to copy all pattern matching textual instances.
5. Open Microsoft Excel, create 2 worksheets named member and relationship. Paste the copied text into worksheet member (as demonstrated below in cell A2)
   
6. In the cell B2, write following formula expression =TEXTSPLIT(A2, “”””) [refer below screenshot – formula], which will split text based on double quotes. The split will span to 3 cells since member name value is enclosed in two double quotes. Copy-paste this formula expression for all the cells (make use of fill handle) This will produce a list of all members (including orphan) in column C.
   
7. Get back to Notepad++ & press Clear all marks, button. Place cursor in the first line.
8. This time, again invoke Mark dialog as illustrate in step 3 and perform same actions, with expression as parent=”[\w\s_-]+” child=”[\w\s_-]+” which will select parent/child text from relationship part of XML (refer below screenshot obtained to verify accuracy of selection by scrolling to the end of document)
   
9. Repeat the step no 4 to 6, this time copy-pasting text into worksheet relationship as demonstrated in below screenshot.
   
10. Column E contains child member and C contains name of parent, representing hierarchy. Technically, every member (excluding root) from worksheet member, should be populated in this list in column E. Member mapped into alternative hierarchy, would be populated multiple times in this list. But an orphan member would never find a place here since it is missing on relationship totally. So, we will setup a VLOOKUP to carve out such instances, as illustrated below in cell F2 with formula expression as =VLOOKUP(C2,relationship!E:E,1,0) and copy-paste it till last row.
    
11. Apply filter via menu Data > Filter, and check for #N/A in in value filter (i.e. values not found in relationship), which denotes orphan members.
    
12. Below is the result of Orphan members (refer below screenshot)
    

Deletion of Members

The orphan members identified in above steps, can be deleted (if required), by a simple Excel-based hack. Below are the steps:

1. Extend following columns with formulas as shown in the screenshot below, to generate Member deletion XML. Copy-paste formula till last row. Grab the formula text from below to avoid typing mistake.
   =”<member name=”””&C691&””” displayMemberGroup=””Everyone”” action=””delete””></member>”
   
2. Create a new file in Notepad++, copy-paste XML header / footer from exported XML file, as shown in below screenshot, which serves as bare-bones for deletion lines.
   
3. Copy-paste Deletion XML lines generated via Excel formula for all the orphan members in this XML file between <members></members> XML tags, as shown in below sample screen-clipping for 4-5 members.
   
4. Save the above file in Notepad++
5. Import this file in OneStream via Load/Extract menu, which would delete those orphan members.

Precautions

• Always backup entire Dimension hierarchy via Load/Extract menu by exporting it to XML file. This backup XML can be used to revert deletion, provided no further changes were made to hierarchy post deletion.
• Plenty of online backup storage are available for cheap price. It is safe to upload multiple versions of hierarchy backup XML file every time such modifications are made, which might come to the rescue in future.
• It is wise to double-check member list being deleted. OneStream does not provide Undo button like Excel / Word.
• Do not forgot the test things in Development application first and then deploy to Production.

Additional Notes

• This approach assumes that member name consists of letters / number / underscore / hyphen. Any other character used in name would be required to be included in regular expression search pattern.
• Orphan member deletion would fail if any data for it is found loaded. Kindly ensure this before running deletion XML.
• The trick of deletion is generic & works for any member (irrespective of it is orphan or not)

One of our client requirements was to post a multiperiod journal. In the Consolidation process, this kind of request is uncommon; however, this request was from a Planning process perspective. In the following document, I describe the steps to create a multiperiod journal with OneStream XF.

Create a Journal Template

Navigate to and select Application -> Data Collection -> Journal Template and create a journal template.

The first step is creating a Journal Group to organize the journals better. Click on the two blue dots to create a Group.

Add a name and description, define the security (Access Group and Maintenance Group), and save.

Then, we need to create the journal template. Click on the “Create Journal template” icon.

Add a name and description, and fill out the journal template depending on the requirements. Choose the journal template type. “A Journal template can either be a Standard or Auto Approved. If it is auto-approved, a user can create a Journal from the template with limited editing ability, meaning permission to change name, description, and so forth.¹”

For illustration purposes, we left the journal template Type as “Auto Approved.”

To add a dimension, go to the Point of View section. Select the dimension you want to add, and click on the ellipsis.

Select (Default) member and click “OK,” and repeat for each dimension.

After the selections, you can see the dimensions displayed in each journal line.

Once we have created the Journal template, we must create a Journal Profile. For that, click on the three dots icon.

Add a name and description, define the security (Access Group and Maintenance Group), and save.

Once we have created the Journal Template profile, we need to add the journal template to the Journal profile. Select the Profile and click the “Manage Profile Members” icon to do so.

In the profile builder, select the group you want to add to the Profile and click “Add item.”

Once you have added the group, click “OK.”

Now, you will see the journal template in the Profile.

Navigate to and select Application -> Workflow -> Workflow profile and select the Workflow “WF” where you want to create the journal template profile.

Once you select the WF, activate the step by selecting TRUE in “Profile Active.”  In the Setting section of the WF, assign the Journal Template Profile Name to the WF on the “Journal Template Profile Name” line in the Journal Settings section.

Create a Journal CVS Template

Open an MS Excel file. In the first two rows of Column A, create two Row Type Parameters specifying the Header and the Detail !RowType (H=Header) and !RowType (D=Detail). These tags the corresponding rows with H or D, identifying the Header and Detailed information in the CSV file.

Then, we need to enter the Journal Column Headers. The required headers are the following (make sure you put each title in one specific cell):

JournalName, OriginiatingTemplateName, JournalDescription, JournalType, JournalBalanceType, IsSingleEntity, EntityMemberFilter, ConsName, WFProfileName, WFScenarioName, WFTimeName, and CubeTimeName.

Add the detail in row two, and enter the Journal Detail Headers. The required Journal Detail Headers are:

JournalName, CubeName, EntityName, ParentName, AccountName, FlowName, ICName, all UDNames, DebitAmount, CreditAmount, and LineDescription.

The file will identify the rows depending on the first column tags. H = Header or D = Detail.

NOTE: You must add an H Row (Header) for each journal you want to post.

In this case, I want to affect two periods (2021M6 and 2021M7).

Once you have created the MS Excel file, save it as CVS (Comma Delimited).

Load the Journal via WF

Go to OnePlace and select the WFProfile, Scenario, and Time member to load the journal. In this case, FIN_Admin, Budget2021, 2021

Create the journal using the .cvs file.

Select the journal CSV file to load (make sure you can see “All files.) and click Open.

Once you load the .cvs file in the journal step, OneStream creates two journals.

Click the check box to Select ALL journals, and click on post. 

You will be able to post all the journals with a single post.

Note: Depending on security, you could create, upload, and post the journal, or different persons can manage this separately, e.g., one can upload, and another can post it.

Click “OK” to confirm the posting.

Create a CubeView “CV” or QuickView to validate data. In this case, I used a CV.

Reference

1. Design and Reference > Data Collection > Journal Templates > Journal Template Properties

Last week we published the first blog post in this two-part series sharing highlights of Splash,  OneStream’s Global User Conference and Partner Summit! We enjoyed four days of best practices, product updates, networking, and hands-on workshops with finance and industry experts!

We’ll pick up where we left off with comments from the Perficient team about highlights from our time at this inspirational event.

Hector M.

Attending the OneStream Splash conference was very exciting and a valuable and informative experience. OneStream’s unified platform streamlines financial consolidation, reporting, and planning processes, while providing valuable insights. The conference provided a roadmap for success by showcasing successful OneStream implementations and highlighted how to avoid common pitfalls. It was also an opportunity to connect with like-minded professionals and OneStream and industry experts. Finally, the conference provided a glimpse into the future of OneStream’s platform.

At this conference, there were several technical sessions for those looking to improve their OneStream application. One of the highlights of the conference was learning about how OneStream can be implemented for those looking to expand their ESG reporting capabilities. As ESG reporting becomes increasingly important for businesses, many organizations are seeking to effectively manage the process. In a presentation titled How to implement ESG and Align with Financial, attendees were able to learn how OneStream Software can help conquer ESG reporting. Here are the three key takeaways from this informative presentation:

OneStream Software simplifies ESG reporting

ESG reporting can be a complex and time-consuming process. The platform is designed to help organizations manage ESG data and streamline the reporting process. OneStream Software allows businesses to collect data from various sources and auto-populate the necessary reports. This can save businesses time and resources, while ensuring accuracy in reporting.

OneStream Software provides transparency

Transparency is a key aspect of ESG reporting, as stakeholders expect businesses to provide clear and accurate information about their environmental, social, and governance practices. OneStream Software provides transparency by allowing organizations to track and report on ESG metrics in real-time.

OneStream Software improves decision-making

It also provides businesses with the tools and insights they need to make informed decisions about their operations. The platform allows organizations to track and analyze data over time, identifying trends and patterns that can inform strategic decision-making.

Overall, attending Splash was a valuable experience that provided knowledge, insights, and networking opportunities. Attendees also connected with like-minded professionals and OneStream experts, expanding their networks, and learning from industry experts.

Jason G.

It was a great week at the OneStream Splash 2023 Conference in National Harbor, Washington, DC! After a three-year hiatus, having the Splash Conference back in full swing was very exciting. I know my Perficient colleagues, and I enjoyed meeting each other in person for the first time and conversing with potential and current customers. The annual user conference brings together OneStream users, partners, and experts worldwide for three full days of learning, networking, and fun. A few of the most valuable aspects of OneStream Splash are the opportunity to connect with other OneStream users and experts, share our experiences, learn from each other, and build lasting relationships with individuals in the CPM realm.

My favorite breakout session that I attended was Analytic Blend – Simplifying your OneStream Application while making the granular Details Available When Needed. OneStream Analytic Blend is a powerful tool that allows an organization to combine data from multiple sources, including OneStream cube data and external data sources such as ERP systems, data warehouses, and other systems. The breakout session covered the importance of utilizing Analytic Blend/Services to hone in on granular-level detail, such as product/SKU data. It also dove into some best practices for building analytical blend services.

I want to highlight a few of the key benefits of using the analytical services that OneStream provides:

First, it enables organizations to perform complex analytics on blended data, such as multidimensional analysis, ad-hoc reporting, and visual data exploration, all while maintaining a single source of truth system. This enables organizations to uncover insights and identify opportunities for improvement.

Second, unlike some ERP and CPM solutions, OneStream supports advanced data modeling capabilities, including creating alternate hierarchies, mappings, and calculations. This makes it easier to manage complex data structures and perform calculations on blended data.

With the ability to gain insight into this granular level of detail and report on KPIs that would otherwise be nearly impossible to report on in a timely manner, the decision-makers in an organization are able to view data in real-time and make more informed decisions, which can lead to improved performance and increased profitability.

Lastly, as AI and machine learning expand across companies, the analytical blend services that OneStream provides serve as a foundation for further enhancements.

Overall, OneStream Splash is a must-attend event for anyone who uses OneStream or is interested in learning more about CPM. The conference offers a unique combination of education, networking, and fun, all in a beautiful location. If you want to take your skills and knowledge to the next level, consider attending OneStream Splash 2024 in Las Vegas. We hope to see you there!

Coming from IBM Planning Analytics (TM1) and Anaplan background OneStream’s first-hand experience was quite distinctive and interesting.

There are no prerequisites to have experience in any EPM tool but it provides a slight edge.

Anyone with technical / finance background can learn this tool.

As compared to other EPM tools OneStream has the unique capability of both Financial Consolidation and Planning in the same platform.

I started initially with OneStream Essentials-Getting Started with OneStream. This module provides basic information about the tool as well capability of the tool. This model was helpful to continue the certification journey.

Below are 3 certifications/badges for the beginner level. All this course needs is between 20-30 hours to complete.

1. OneStream Essentials: Implementing OneStream
2. OneStream Architect Design an application
3. OneStream Essentials: Building Basic Reports

How will this course help you?

One of the main benefits I found through taking this course was to follow best practices. who earned this certification have demonstrated the knowledge to analyze customer requirements and initiate the design of a OneStream application.

Additionally, earning OneStream Badge demonstrates key industry knowledge to customers and can help differentiate employees in today’s competitive world.

OneStream Essentials: Implementing OneStream

This module covers key components of tools and builds the application along with best practices. I spent around 3 hours per day absorbing the concept. This model is broken out into multiple chapters. I was able to cover 1-2 chapters each day. Each chapter has a hands-on Lab and test which needs to be completed before moving on to the next chapter. Over 12 assessment tests are included in these modules. The questions can be a little tricky, but completing LAB / hands-on exercises helped me a lot to tackle the questions.

OneStream Architect: Design an application

Learning Path provides students with access to metadata, workflow, and model design-related courses. Using a variety of interactive tools, students can navigate through a series of lessons and activities that enable them to comprehend the key elements of a project’s design phase. This module was made available only after clearing the pre-assessment test. The tests followed by each chapter consist of 12 assessment tests.

OneStream Essentials: Building Basic Reports

This module covers Integrating with different data sets. The module contains 16 assessment tests.

Keys to Successfully Completing the Certificate:

• Make notes of key points and complete the practical lab before you take the test after each chapter.
• Don’t try to complete them in one or two days rather break these into a week.
• During the test please refer to your Lab exercises which will help you to answer the questions.
• 7 to 10 questions are to be answered after each chapter.
• During each chapter, they have a few quick questions to check your understanding which will help to prepare for the final test.

Certified Badge:

Once the assessments are completed for each module you will receive your Badge through Credly within a week of completion, which can be shared on social media.

All the Best!

Sachin Bongale

Badge URL:

https://www.credly.com/badges/364e5096-edc4-4306-bb9c-a4280b387710/public_url

I have 15 plus years of experience in EPM domain working in end-to-end implementation of tools like IBM planning analytics, PBCS/EPBCS, and Anaplan.

I am a certified Scrum Master, PMP, OneStream, Hyperion EPM, Anaplan, and IBM Planning Analytics.

Certified Chartered Accountant with strong functional knowledge of financial statements, budgeting, forecast & planning processes.

Background

OneStream supports exporting metadata into XML file for backup and restore purpose (via menu Application > Tools > Load/Extract). This blog covers technique to extract this information from metadata XML using technology named XSLT (eXtensible Stylesheet Language Transformation), which can read XML hierarchy & extract information from it.

Tools Required

Microsoft Visual Studio supports creating/editing XML & XSLT files, with in-built intellisense (auto-complete) and a validator, which checks for correctness of XSLT file. Visual Studio comes with XSLT processor for handy XML transformations which developers might require. Microsoft offers Community Edition of Visual Studio, available freely, suitable for light-weight development & tasks.

Data at a Glance

Below is the demo Account Member hierarchy which we shall be extracting from XML (screenshot below)

Below is the screenshot of Metadata XML as appearing in Visual Studio, extracted via Load/Extract menu

Understanding XPath

XML file contains hierarchal data. Querying tree structure data is a tricky task compared to tabular data, which can be queried easily using SQL. XPath is used to query XML data.

Let’s see, we want to query description value of Account member 1001. Below will be the XPath expression for this

/OneStreamXF/metadataRoot/dimensions/dimension[@type=’Account’]/members/member[@name=’1001′]/@description

XML tags are represented by /tag and XML attributes by @attribute. XPath supports filtering of data, by specifying query condition in square braces for that tag.

Drafting XSLT

XSLT is used for querying & transforming data from XML file, and generating output in XML or text format. XSLT is written using XML itself, with few XML tags instructing how to transform data. Visual Studio ships XSLT processor, capable of executing on-the-fly transformations via GUI menu. Below is the demo XSLT file, which extracts data from above XML file & generates textual output in Tab delimited format, which can be dumped into Excel or even imported into SQL Server easily.

XSLT can be copy-paste from below

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<xsl:stylesheet version="1.0" xmlns:xsl="http://www.w3.org/1999/XSL/Transform"
    xmlns:msxsl="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:xslt" exclude-result-prefixes="msxsl"
>
    <xsl:output method="text" indent="yes"/>

    <xsl:template match="/">
        <xsl:text>Dimension&#x9;Name&#x9;Description&#x9;Account Type&#xA;</xsl:text>
        <xsl:for-each select="OneStreamXF/metadataRoot/dimensions/dimension[@type='Account']/members/member">
            <xsl:value-of select="../../@name"/>
            <xsl:text>&#x9;</xsl:text>
            <xsl:value-of select="@name"/>
            <xsl:text>&#x9;</xsl:text>
            <xsl:value-of select="@description"/>
            <xsl:text>&#x9;</xsl:text>
            <xsl:value-of select="./properties/property[@name='AccountType']/@value"/>
            <xsl:text>&#xA;</xsl:text>
        </xsl:for-each>
    </xsl:template>
</xsl:stylesheet>

Let’s understand various parts of XSLT:

<xsl:output method=”text” indent=”yes”/>

This instruct XSLT to generate output in textual format

<xsl:text>Dimension&#x9;Name&#x9;Description&#x9;Account Type&#xA;</xsl:text>

This line will insert a static column header in output file. XSLT being XML internally, needs escaping of tab (&#x9;) & newline (&#xA;)

<xsl:for-each select=”OneStreamXF/metadataRoot/dimensions/dimension[@type=’Account’]/members/member”>

Above XSLT line, runs a for-each loop of all the member under the dimension which are of type Account.

<xsl:value-of select=”@description”/>

This line emits content of description attribute of member tag from XML.

<xsl:value-of select=”../../@name”/>

../ is XPath expression to fetch value of relative parent. So we are going 2 levels up, to then dimension XML node and then extracting value of name attribute from it.

<xsl:value-of select=”./properties/property[@name=’AccountType’]/@value”/>

./ is XPath expression to extract values from relative child XML node.

Generating Output File

Steps to generate textual output file

1. Open XSLT file in Visual Studio
2. Go to Properties window and browse XML file in Input and specify location of Output file in Output browse section
   
3. Navigate to XML > Start XSLT without Debugging
   
4. This will generate & save Output file and open it in Visual Studio
   
5. This content can be copy-pasted into Excel or even imported into Database using BULK INSERT statement
   

Other Benefits

• It can filter & extract data from entire backup metadata XML contains multiple Dimensions like Account, Entity etc.
• This approach is not limited to Accounts Dimension, but works for all the Dimensions like Entity, Scenario, etc by just changing XPath filter to [@type=’Entity’] and so on.
• This approach can be extended to pull even further columns like IsIC, etc
• Multiple for-each loop can be initiated in single XSLT file to scan all Dimensions like Account, Entity, Scenario, etc to generate consolidated output to be upload into some Database or Data Lake.
• XSLT transformation can be automated via C#/VBA program (in .NET using XslCompiledTransform), or by invoking XSLT compiler from command-line Check this MSDN tutorial

Conclusion

XML is globally used for data interchange, enjoying compatibility with majority of software. OneStream highly leverages XML to backup almost every object / artifact available in the system. Objective of this blog is not just to perform specific task covered in case study, but to gain basic understanding of concept of XPath & XSLT. With a good command over XSLT, one can apply this technique even to re-create XML files with bulk modifications. Endless possibilities exists with varied business use cases one can think of.

Splash, OneStream’s annual Global User Conference and Partner Summit, is only two months away – April 17-20 in Washington, D.C.! Attendees can expect four days of best practices, product updates, networking and hands-on workshops with finance and industry experts from around the globe. Perficient is proud to be a Splash sponsor and we’re looking forward to meeting you in-person at Gaylord National Harbor Resort & Convention Center, or virtually online.

We are excited to announce we’ve been selected to present two great sessions at this year’s conference — one in-person and one virtual. That’s right! If you are unable to attend Splash in person, OneStream has a virtual experience just for you. In-person conference attendees are in store for a fantastic customer success story delivered by not one, but two finance professionals from HNI, Terra Simpson and Jennifer Curry as well as our own Racheal Crowder, an award-winning speaker that took home top honors at Splash 2022 for Highest Ranked Partner Session.

The official schedule is now available! Learn more about Perficient sessions including:

• • Cash Flow Automation at HNI Corp: An Account Reconciliation Success Story (in-person)
    April 19, 1:15 PM – 2:15 PM  |  Location: National Harbor  2-3
    The focus of this presentation is the use of OneStream RCM Account Reconciliations Solution to automate CashFlow Adjustment and Reporting process at HNI Corporation in Muscatine, Iowa, the second-largest office furniture manufacturer in the world. The enhancement developed by Perficient identifies Cash Flow adjustments using Reconciling Item Types within Account Reconciliations solution and automates the posting of these adjustments to Actuals. This solution demonstrates the power of OneStream platform to streamline the month-end close and eliminate redundant manual Excel-based adjustment process used in the past.

• • Cash Flow Implementation Made Simple (virtual)
    April 18, 10:45 AM – 5:00 PM EDT
    Building a cashflow model in OneStream can be a daunting task. Lack of specific training, multiple approaches to implementation, perceived complexities around business rules, and assembly of multiple cashflow components into a holistic model can be overwhelming. This presentation will break cashflow down into its base components focusing on mechanics and translating into a real-world easy to understand OneStream cashflow application. This model can be easily leveraged during deployments or utilized as a baseline for more robust solutions if required. This session is intended for consultants and administrators looking to better understand how to setup cashflow in OneStream.

“As we prepare for Splash our excitement for the event grows,” said Juliette Collins alliance manager. “OneStream customers and prospects will fill the seats to hear how partners like Perficient bring the platform to life. We will learn from each other and have rich conversations that create opportunities for Perficient to Go To Market with OneStream around the globe.”

Make sure to stop by Perficient’s booth to meet with subject matter experts and thought leaders and learn how we’ve leveraged our extensive expertise in Corporate Performance Management to drive digital transformation for our customers. Our CPM practice is part of the broader Perficient, a leading digital consultancy serving customers throughout North America and UK/EMEA with domain expertise in a wide array of technology platforms. If you have needs beyond CPM, we can help.

Perficient has achieved Diamond level partner status within the OneStream partner network, the highest level in the partner ecosystem. This represents the exceptional work of Perficient’s OneStream specialists and commitment to 100% customer success. In addition to having attained Diamond status, Perficient is one of only three OneStream Authorized Training partners in the United States. We deliver instructor-led training from our state-of-the-art training facilities in Houston, TX and are expanding to other locations.

If you’re not able to attend the event, but would like to learn more about any of the topics listed above or more about our OneStream practice, please reach out to us.

The Guided Reporting solution is used to provide business users with an intuitive and easy-to-use report viewing experience. This solution provides a framework for integrating customer data content into a report viewer workspace that is organized around the hierarchical Entity structure of an organization. In addition, reports are tailored to the data available for the specific Entity selected by the business user.

Keywords used in this post and their definition:

• Row Set: Unique set of rows for each report is termed a Row Set
• Column Set: Unique set of columns for each report is termed a Column Set
• Report: A combination of Row and Column sets generates a report
• Guided Reporting: Promotes the creation of independent Row and Column sets, which can then be cherry-picked to showcase different variations of a report

With a Marketplace solution as dynamic as the Guided Reporting, the possibilities to render different versions of the same report are endless, with the Total number of potential reports = Total number of Row Sets x Total number of Column Sets. It was during its implementation for one of Perficient’s clients that we realized the following:

• User needs to remember which column set helps generate their standard management reporting view
• It can be time-consuming having to navigate through these column sets to attain that report

While the increase in variations leads to better reporting capabilities, it also exacerbates the problems mentioned above.

As a solution, we decided to introduce a feature that helps set a default column set for each report. This default can either be the FP&A team’s preference or be driven by internal standard reporting guidelines. When Default is selected for any report, the pre-set report design gets executed immediately, saving time and improving productivity. Alternatively, the user can always toggle through the other Column sets to generate a reporting view that best suits their needs. Let’s dive into this with the following design details:

Note: This content assumes that Guided Reporting is already installed in your environment and operational

1. Creating a Cube View:

Cols_Default_IMGN_GRTT2 is a column set that can have basic configurations such as T#WF. It’s a dummy whose only purpose is to redirect Default requests to another set. In case a Default hasn’t been set up for any report, it will showcase the Workflow Year in this case based on our T#WF value

2. Setting up the Variable:

Once a reporting content cube view has been prepared, there is a variable setup to reference the dynamic Column templates and a fixed value that points to the report’s row template.

The ColumnSet_GRT2 variable is a bound list prepared from the stored column template (cube view) values in the Guided Reporting Administration table. Upon user selection, the Column Template name is passed to this variable, which then prepares the cube view/report based on it.

Column definition in GRT Administration Table

This is the original solution design for Guided Reporting.

To enable setting Defaults, we introduced another variable called ColumnSet_Dyn_GRT2 which consumes the ColumnSet_GRT2 variable, processes it using XFBR and returns the Default for the selected report

and updated the Report Content Cube View with the new variable

3. Code:

XFBR is used to read the user selection (passed to variable Columnset_GRT2), check which Row/Report dashboard has been executed, check if the Default column template (cube view) has been selected, and accordingly return the preferred Default or the user-selected one (Columnset_GRT2) back to the ColumnSet_Dyn_GRT2 variable in the report cube view

4. Execution:

The description field in the Guided Reporting Administration table represents the label for every column template that would be visible to the end user for selection. In the above screenshot, Default has been added as the first available selection, with Cols_Default_IMGN_GRTT2 created in step 1 as its tagged cube view. With that, when the Guided Reporting dashboard is opened, the following is the view available to the user when the column drop-down is clicked upon:

If the configurations have been done so far as per this post, selecting Default in combination with the Row set will generate different reports based on the XFBR code evaluation.

Alternate Solution Approaches

• Custom Table: One can potentially maintain the Report to Default Column set mapping in a custom table and refer to it upon report execution. This idea can be further extended to customize it by the user if the username field is added to that table.
• Use the transformation rule to set up the mapping between the report and its target default column (thanks to Werner Nindl for the idea)

Whatever the technology, everything revolves around three main components: Process, People, and Tools. And while “Tools” receive the majority of focus in any discussion in the technology arena, it’s the People that are the crucial component of successful organizations. We understand this here at Perficient and is a major reason why we continue to be recognized as a “Top Workplace” in countless markets across the U.S.

As a CPM (Corporate Performance Management) team member here at Perficient, I can easily see why this is the case. Being a member of Perficient’s CPM team has been, and continues to be, one of the most enjoyable experiences of my career. I invite you to continue reading below for a handful of the reasons why I (and so many others) feel this way!

3 Reasons to Join the Perficient CPM Team

1. Empowerment

The work we do changes lives. No, we’re not doctors performing life-saving operations. Nor do we rush into burning buildings to rescue people and pets. However, we do provide impactful solutions that result in tangible improvements to the daily work lives of our customers. It’s not uncommon to hear our customers express excitement about efficiency gains due to partnering with us. These efficiency gains empower our customers to utilize their time in more productive ways. Even to the point of improving their work-life balance. And that is very rewarding for our team.

Improving customers’ lives would not be possible if we ourselves didn’t feel empowered. We trust our team members to make the best decisions about their work. But we also know that new responsibilities or new types of projects can be daunting. Providing guidance and clear expectations are critical steps we take to empower team members.

Additionally, we are continuously encouraging colleagues to take steps to improve their own work experience, increase their engagement levels, and help to expand our inspiring culture. Below are just a few examples of opportunities for everyone:

• Leadership training seminars (online and in-person)
• Continuing education support
• Task forces inclusive of members from various levels and departments across the organization & globe
• Mentorship programs
• Career development plans and assistance
• Global recognition awards
• 360 Feedback

2. Team-Focused Success

How many “teamwork” posters have you seen in the workplace throughout your career? I’d bet dozens, if not more. I’ll admit, anytime I see a teamwork poster or quote, I instantly think of the printer scene from the movie Office Space. The scene beautifully portrays several team members coming together to resolve, or should I say attack, a problem.

On a more serious note, teamwork is very prevalent at Perficient. Our customers engage us to solve many of their more complex and challenging problems. These complexities require collaboration among our organization’s peers to provide solutions. This desire to collaborate and drive success is so prevalent that colleagues are willing to help even if they are not directly involved in the project/client. This dedication and willingness to help have always made me confident in the fact that there is no printer too big for our team.

3. A Caring Culture

There are only so many hours in the day. And this can many times lead organizations, especially in the consulting industry, to lose sight of the bigger picture of life. Not so at Perficient. Our leadership encourages involvement in many different ways to give back. Donations, volunteer work, hunger drives, employee-driven resource groups, etc. are just a few examples of the culture here. Not only does leadership encourage involvement, but they often “walk the walk” and lead the way. Out of these three reasons to consider joining us, this is probably the biggest… if we didn’t have the right culture, there’s no possible way empowerment or teamwork would be possible. I encourage you to read click the links above and read more about our community. Even if you decide not to join our great company, take a few minutes to learn more about us!

Interested in learning more about joining Perficient? Or want to speak with me directly? Feel free to reach out… here or on LinkedIn. I’d be happy to speak with you!

At Perficient, it’s our people who make a difference, and we’re excited to introduce the newest addition to our team. Meet OneStream and Informatica Partner Alliance Manager, Juliette Collins!

With over twenty years of sales and relationship management experience, Juliette is using her expertise to build meaningful bonds and drive even bigger, better Perficient partnerships.

So, I sat down with our latest team member to gain insight as to what her vision is for this new role.

What is your overall goal as the new OneStream Alliance Lead? How do you plan to achieve that goal?

Juliette: The overall goal is to pave the way for new and add on revenue for both Perficient and the partners I manage. To do that, I need to build, nurture and support relationships along the way. My goal is to educate both Perficient sellers and partner contacts on what a successful partnership offers and expand on the thoughts and ideas that are available from the experts on both sides, making sure that I’m connecting the dots along the way.

What is your main responsibility within this role?

Juliette: My role is to create and execute a go to market strategy with my partners and to support events, campaigns. activities and marketing efforts that brand us together and make Perficient the go-to partner. Create, execute, support. The trifecta.

How do you plan to promote Perficient and our partnerships with OneStream and Informatica?

Juliette: Shout it from the rooftops! I plan to educate people on the outrageous value of OneStream as the CPM platform for the Office of Finance. OneStream can transform the office of the CFO to the point where it’s been life changing, freeing people to leave the office on time or to take time off. The power of Perficient and OneStream make a difference to the quality of the environment that people in the Office of Finance are working in. Sharing these ideas with Perficient about the transformation that OneStream brings to the Office of Finance is my top priority.

What are you most excited about as the new OneStream Alliance Manager?

Juliette: The opportunities. The opportunity for growth right now is limitless. Being a OneStream diamond partner already positions us as a trusted, successful partner in that ecosystem. What’s next is continuing to grow that relationship from east to west, north to south, and potentially globally. It’s exciting to know that I can drive the energy and revenue growth by supporting our team in their efforts to implement OneStream.

Do you have any advice for our consultants and sellers?

Juliette: The fortune is in the follow up.

It’s important to remember to go back to sales 101, to the basics, to the beginning. I’m there to support those efforts when looking at a potential opportunity or discussing a deal or needing to gather information to reply to someone. I want to support the follow up and make sure that we do what we’re saying we’re going to do when we say we’re going to do it. That’s how we earn the respect to be the first call that someone’s going to make. That’s how we earn the opportunity to be at the table. Together, we have a lot to do, let’s get some time on the calendar to get it done.

About Our OneStream Practice

Perficient is a OneStream Diamond Partner and Authorized Training provider. We help companies of today become the companies of tomorrow by implementing the next-generation capabilities of OneStream.

Perficient has more than 20 years of experience delivering Corporate Performance Management solutions. Our CPM Practice includes an advisory services capability focused on optimizing financial business processes while aligning workflows and technology to best practices.

We have successfully delivered more than 1500 projects for leading brands across multiple industries.

Read more about our OneStream partnership.

People of Perficient

It’s no secret, our success is because of our people. No matter the technology or time zone, our colleagues are committed to delivering innovative, end-to-end digital solutions for the world’s biggest brands, while bringing a collaborative spirit to every interaction. Meet more of our Perficient team.

We’re always seeking the best and brightest to work with us. Check out our careers page to learn more!

Leading healthcare organizations are presented with opportunities to meet an accelerated demand for services being driven by a rise in health consumerism, the need to improve patient outcomes and satisfaction, increased cost pressures, and alternative reimbursement models. These healthcare organizations are undergoing Finance transformation and utilizing technology to bridge the gap. 

Watch on-demand to learn how leading healthcare companies, with Perficient’s help, have overcome common financial challenges that hindered their ability to meet these opportunities.

Discussion includes:

• Inflexible, non-driver-based planning models
• Lack of ability to report by department and/or service line
• Difficulty linking annual plans to strategic plans for different business areas
• Managing consolidation and close processes across various acquired entities
• Lack of integration between workforce and financial planning

Additionally, Dave Collins from OneStream provided a live demonstration of a new OneStream healthcare solution that addresses common payer and provider challenges with planning, analysis, and reporting.

If you are interested in learning more about how you can modernize and streamline CPM applications and financial processes with a move to the cloud, Perficient can help.

OneStream’s annual User Conference and Partner Summit known as Splash, is just around the corner – May 23-26 in San Antonio, Texas! Attendees can expect four days of best practices, product updates, networking and hands-on workshops with finance and industry experts from around the globe. If you are unable to attend Splash in person, OneStream has a virtual experience just for you. Perficient is proud to be a Splash sponsor and we’re counting down the days until we see you in-person at Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center, or virtually online.

We are excited to be one of the Hands-On-Workshops sponsors at this year’s show. These workshops will take place on Monday, May 23rd and are designed to give valuable insight into OneStream through hands-on learning by OneStream experts. There are workshops for attendees unfamiliar with OneStream as well as experienced professionals looking to increase their skill set – literally something for everyone. Workshops fill up quickly, so secure your seat today.

Make sure to stop by Perficient’s booth to meet with subject matter experts and thought leaders and learn how we’ve leveraged our extensive expertise in Corporate Performance Management to drive digital transformation for our customers. Our CPM practice is part of the broader Perficient, a leading digital consultancy serving customers throughout North America with domain expertise in a wide array of technology platforms. If you have needs beyond CPM, we can help.

Perficient has achieved Diamond level partner status within the OneStream partner network, the highest level in the partner ecosystem. This represents the exceptional work of Perficient’s OneStream specialists and commitment to 100% customer success. In addition to having attained Diamond status, Perficient is one of only three OneStream Authorized Training partners in the United States. We deliver instructor-led training from our state-of-the-art training facilities in Houston, TX and are expanding to other locations.

We are excited to announce three great sessions at this year’s conference, two selected for the in-person presentation line-up and one virtual session. The official schedule is now available! Learn more about Perficient sessions including:

• • Rule Writing: When to Use a For Each Loop? Not as often as you think. (in-person)
    Wednesday, May 25, 10:15 AM – 11:15 AM  |  Room 221 (A-B)
    Aside from limiting calculations to Base Entity and Local Currency (appropriate in most cases), using For Each loops is the second most common mistake rule writers make.  The functions may execute successfully but may come with a performance hit.  In this presentation, we will review the performance of functions using For Each Loops for Data Unit Variables and for Account Type Variables.  We will present alternate approaches and demonstrate the performance improvement by reducing the number of For Each Loops.

• • Right-Time Finance: Design Strategies for Weekly Planning Cycles (in-person)
    May 25, 11:30 AM – 12:00 PM  |  Room 303
    Increasingly we see disruptions to the ordinary business cycle (Covid-19, Log4j, shipping delays).  Finance leaders need to collect data more frequently.  Traditional planning cycles do not adequately address these needs.  Informal Flash reporting and weekly planning cycles are frequently employed by customers outside of their CPM solution.  Increasing the cadence of the planning cycles requires careful consideration and intentional design.  Join us to review and discuss some road-tested approaches to Right-Time Finance.

• • Zero-Based Budgeting Leveraging Thing Planning and Relational Blending (virtual)
    May 23, 10:00 AM – 10:00 AM
    Join BMC Software and Perficient as members of the project team present the path from Excel-based data collection to OneStream. A discussion will occur of how MarketPlace solution, Thing Planning, was implemented to accumulate Zero Based Budgeting data as well as the utilization of relational blending and cube data to enable reporting. The team will review how the solution was integrated into the existing application leveraging prior development of Expense and Workforce as well as customizations to Thing Planning to enhance the end-user experience.

  If you’re not able to attend the event, but would like to learn more about any of the topics listed above or more about our OneStream practice, please reach out to us.