{ "generated": "20260925T220000Z", "about": "Every item from the monthly Oracle EPM reviews on fmepm.com, written by Fred Mamadjanov (Oracle ACE Pro) from Oracle's What's New documents. Buckets: act (Act now), review (Worth a look), fyi (Good to know). Enable states: on, setup, potential, or a deadline. Products: Planning, FCC, PCM, Tax Reporting, EDM, FreeForm, Narrative Reporting, Account Reconciliation, and EPM Platform for changes that touch every application (EPM Automate, Smart View, Groovy, REST, security, integrations).", "hub": "https://fmepm.com/oracle-epm-updates", "calendar_feed": "https://fmepm.com/oracle-epm-deadlines.ics", "reviews": [ { "versions": [ "26.09" ], "title": "Oracle EPM 26.09. What Matters in the September Update", "url": "https://fmepm.com/epm-update-september-2026", "short": "https://fmepm.com/26.09", "published": "2026-09-18T16:00:00-04:00", "modified": "2026-09-25T08:00:00-04:00", "video": { "url": "https://youtu.be/cevrKwDGSig", "duration": "10:37" }, "brief": [ "26.09 is in production, so the EPM Automate work is due now. Oracle lists two steps: upgrade the client to 26.09, then run encrypt again. Old password files stop working in 26.12.", "The predefined dashboards in the Planning modules, Sales Planning and Strategic Workforce Planning switched to Dashboard 2.0 on their own. Open them in test before your users do.", "A one off patch or a skipped update now comes with a six month clock. If you are on one, plan the way back.", "A slash in a folder name stops the daily backup for everything inside that folder. Rename those folders today.", "The one to try: the Consolidation Assistant in Financial Consolidation and Close. A chat that diagnoses a slow or failing consolidation. Enable Generative AI first." ], "finance_line": "Nothing in 26.09 changes the close calendar. Two small admin tasks before year end, and one AI assistant worth a look for the consolidation team.", "facts": [ { "label": "Test environments", "value": "Fri, Sept 4", "note": "22:00 UTC. 14:00 UTC in OC4 and OC19", "url": null }, { "label": "Production", "value": "Fri, Sept 18", "note": "Applied unless skipped with skipUpdate", "url": null }, { "label": "EPM Automate client", "value": "26.09", "note": "New password file format", "url": null }, { "label": "Integration Agent", "value": "No change", "note": "Keep its password file until 26.10", "url": null }, { "label": "Smart View", "value": "Not in this update", "note": "Separate release cycle", "url": null }, { "label": "Oracle's document", "value": "What's New 26.09", "note": "44 features listed, all 44 on this page. Checked Sept 22 against revision 03 (Sept 11).", "url": "https://docs.oracle.com/en/cloud/saas/readiness/epm/2026/epm-sep26/index.html" } ], "items": [ { "id": "epm-automate-encrypt-now", "url": "https://fmepm.com/epm-update-september-2026#epm-automate-encrypt-now", "bucket": "act", "name": "EPM Automate: new password file format. Upgrade the client, run encrypt again", "version": "26.09", "area": "EPM Automate", "audience": [ "Admin", "Dev" ], "products": [ "EPM Platform" ], "enable": "deadline: 26.12, Dec 18", "effort": "About 10 min per machine", "oracle_url": "https://docs.oracle.com/en/cloud/saas/readiness/epm/2026/epm-sep26/26sep-epm-wn-t77898.htm", "video_seconds": 158, "what_changed": "26.09 changes the encrypted password file (.epw) format. Environments on 26.09, 26.10 and 26.11 read both the old and the new format. From 26.12 only the new format works, and EPM Automate clients older than 26.09 stop working with it. One exception: the EPM Integration Agent keeps using files made with EPM Automate 26.08 or earlier until the agent itself is updated in 26.10.", "why_it_matters": "Almost every scheduled job signs in with one of these files: data loads, backups, cube refreshes, exports. If the file is still in the old format in December, the job stops, and December is close season.", "what_to_do": "Upgrade the EPM Automate client to 26.09 on every machine that runs scripts, then run encrypt again to regenerate each password file. Leave the Integration Agent on its current file until 26.10.", "steps_to_enable": null, "commands": [ "epmautomate encrypt ", "epmautomate login " ], "note_for_users": null, "my_take": "I would do this now, not in November. It is one client upgrade per machine, then encrypt again for each password file that machine uses. Test and production are on 26.09 now, so the new files work right away. Ten minutes per machine, and it is the kind of task that only hurts when it is forgotten." }, { "id": "dashboards-auto-upgraded", "url": "https://fmepm.com/epm-update-september-2026#dashboards-auto-upgraded", "bucket": "act", "name": "Predefined module dashboards became Dashboard 2.0 without asking", "version": "26.09", "area": "Dashboards", "audience": [ "Admin", "User" ], "products": [ "Planning", "Tax Reporting" ], "enable": "on", "effort": null, "oracle_url": "https://docs.oracle.com/en/cloud/saas/readiness/epm/2026/epm-sep26/26sep-epm-wn-f51018.htm", "video_seconds": 197, "what_changed": "The predefined dashboards in the Planning modules (Financials, Workforce, Capital, Projects), in Sales Planning and in Strategic Workforce Planning are upgraded to Dashboard 2.0 automatically, at 26.09 or when a module is enabled. Oracle reviewed them and added newer chart types. Custom dashboards are not touched, including custom dashboards inside module cubes. Tax Reporting gets the same treatment.", "why_it_matters": "Users will open a dashboard they know and see a different layout. Training material with screenshots of the old ones is out of date.", "what_to_do": "Open each predefined dashboard in test, check the numbers and the layout, and refresh the screenshots in your user guides. Tell budget owners before they find it themselves.", "steps_to_enable": null, "commands": null, "note_for_users": "From this month the standard dashboards in Planning have a new look, called Dashboard 2.0. Same numbers, newer charts. Your own dashboards are unchanged. If a screenshot in a guide looks different, that is why. Nothing to do on your side.", "my_take": "The new versions are better. The surprise is the problem, not the dashboards. Five minutes of warning saves an hour of tickets." }, { "id": "six-month-limit", "url": "https://fmepm.com/epm-update-september-2026#six-month-limit", "bucket": "act", "name": "Six months. That is the new limit for one off patches and skipped updates", "version": "26.09", "area": "Administration", "audience": [ "Admin" ], "products": [ "EPM Platform" ], "enable": null, "effort": null, "oracle_url": null, "video_seconds": 229, "what_changed": "An environment can stay on a one off patch for six months at most. If the fix arrives in a monthly update, Oracle moves the environment onto it; if not, onto a new one off patch built on the latest code line. For manual skips, the skipUpdate command still lets you skip up to three consecutive monthly updates yourself; after that you can ask Oracle to skip for at most three more months, then the environment merges back into the main line on its own.", "why_it_matters": "Some teams park an environment on a patch and forget it. From now on the meter runs out, and the merge happens whether the team is ready or not.", "what_to_do": "If any environment is on a one off patch or has skipped updates, write down the date it went there and plan the regression test for the return now.", "steps_to_enable": null, "commands": null, "note_for_users": null, "my_take": "" }, { "id": "folders-and-member-names", "url": "https://fmepm.com/epm-update-september-2026#folders-and-member-names", "bucket": "act", "name": "Two silent breakers: a slash in a folder name, hidden spaces in member names", "version": "26.09", "area": "Administration", "audience": [ "Admin", "Dev" ], "products": [ "EPM Platform" ], "enable": null, "effort": null, "oracle_url": "https://docs.oracle.com/en/cloud/saas/readiness/epm/2026/epm-sep26/26sep-epm-wn-t77898.htm", "video_seconds": 283, "what_changed": "Two items from Oracle's actions and considerations list. First, a folder whose name contains a slash cannot be backed up, so every artifact inside it is missing from the daily backup. Second, the system now trims invisible trailing Unicode whitespace from member and alias names during metadata validation and imports, and a snapshot import fails when a member or alias name is an Essbase reserved word, such as COUNT, or is no longer unique among its siblings after the trim.", "why_it_matters": "The first one is easy to miss: nobody reviews folder names, and the artifacts inside are missing from the backup until someone does. The second one shows up on your next test to production migration, which is the worst moment to learn that a member name had a hidden space.", "what_to_do": "Search your library folders for a slash and rename them. Before the next migration, check member and alias names for trailing spaces, reserved words and near duplicates, and fix the metadata at the source.", "steps_to_enable": null, "commands": null, "note_for_users": null, "my_take": "The hidden spaces usually come from copy and paste out of Excel. It is a two minute check that saves a failed migration." }, { "id": "consolidation-assistant", "url": "https://fmepm.com/epm-update-september-2026#consolidation-assistant", "bucket": "review", "name": "Consolidation Assistant: a chat that diagnoses a slow or failing consolidation", "version": "26.09", "area": "FCC", "audience": [ "Admin" ], "products": [ "FCC" ], "enable": "setup", "effort": null, "oracle_url": "https://docs.oracle.com/en/cloud/saas/readiness/epm/2026/epm-sep26/26sep-epm-wn-f51160.htm", "video_seconds": 302, "what_changed": "A generative AI assistant for Service Administrators in Financial Consolidation and Close. You describe the problem in a guided chat; it analyzes metric anomalies, gives a diagnosis summary and recommends a resolution. Needs Generative AI enabled under Application Settings.", "why_it_matters": "Diagnosing a slow consolidation today means Activity Reports, job logs and settings in different places. This puts the first pass in one window.", "what_to_do": "Enable Generative AI in test and ask it about the consolidation you already know is slow. See if it finds what you know.", "steps_to_enable": "Application, then Settings. Under Enable AI, tick Generative AI and save. Service Administrators only.", "commands": null, "note_for_users": null, "my_take": "This is the one I would try first. An assistant that reads the diagnostics for you is the most useful kind of AI in the close, because it does not touch a number." }, { "id": "consolidation-approvals-assistant", "url": "https://fmepm.com/epm-update-september-2026#consolidation-approvals-assistant", "bucket": "review", "name": "Consolidation Approvals Assistant, built in AI Agent Studio", "version": "26.09", "area": "AI", "audience": [ "Admin", "User" ], "products": [ "FCC" ], "enable": "setup", "effort": null, "oracle_url": null, "video_seconds": 302, "what_changed": "An agent that retrieves approval unit status and performs approval actions through a chat. Delivered as a ZIP with three JSON files to import and publish; two helper agents come along in draft mode. Service Administrators need access to Fusion AI Agent Studio.", "why_it_matters": "Approvals are click heavy in the last two days of the close. A chat that answers what is still open and moves units along shortens them.", "what_to_do": "If you have AI Agent Studio, import the three files in test and let one reviewer use it for a cycle.", "steps_to_enable": null, "commands": null, "note_for_users": null, "my_take": "" }, { "id": "fcc-genai-data-discovery", "url": "https://fmepm.com/epm-update-september-2026#fcc-genai-data-discovery", "bucket": "review", "name": "Generative AI in Data Discovery: trace files you can read", "version": "26.09", "area": "FCC", "audience": [ "User" ], "products": [ "FCC" ], "enable": "setup", "effort": null, "oracle_url": null, "video_seconds": 345, "what_changed": "In Data Discovery, Generative AI can now summarize and format Notes and trace files into one HTML dashboard attached to the cell: single run traces as a table, multi run traces as an expandable list, notes as a list. Same switch: Generative AI under Application Settings.", "why_it_matters": "Reading a raw trace file is slow. A formatted view of the calculation path is what a reviewer needs when a number looks wrong.", "what_to_do": "Turn it on in test and open a trace on a cell you have questioned before.", "steps_to_enable": null, "commands": null, "note_for_users": null, "my_take": "" }, { "id": "fcc-concurrency-settings", "url": "https://fmepm.com/epm-update-september-2026#fcc-concurrency-settings", "bucket": "review", "name": "Consolidation settings for concurrent jobs and queues", "version": "26.09", "area": "FCC", "audience": [ "Admin" ], "products": [ "FCC" ], "enable": "setup", "effort": null, "oracle_url": null, "video_seconds": 345, "what_changed": "Three new settings: maximum concurrent consolidations and translations, maximum queued jobs, and a per user or per group limit. All default to -1, no limit. Set a positive number to turn one on. Jobs above the queue limit fail with a clear message.", "why_it_matters": "Ten people launching consolidations at 5 PM on close day slow everyone down. A queue keeps the system responsive and the order fair.", "what_to_do": "Set the overall limit and the per user limit in test, watch one close cycle, then change production.", "steps_to_enable": null, "commands": null, "note_for_users": null, "my_take": "" }, { "id": "epcm-performance", "url": "https://fmepm.com/epm-update-september-2026#epcm-performance", "bucket": "review", "name": "EPCM: parallel calculation for three allocation rule types, cleaner batch clears, trace in the agent", "version": "26.09", "area": "PCM", "audience": [ "Admin", "Dev" ], "products": [ "PCM" ], "enable": "on", "effort": null, "oracle_url": null, "video_seconds": 382, "what_changed": "Rules that use Same as Source, Different Dimension, Allocate to Parent, or Allocate to Sibling now calculate in parallel instead of one after another. Multi period Clear POV and Clear Calculated Data requests are consolidated into the batch job, with the clear steps reported inside it, and the batch is included in migrations. The enhanced PCM agent now supports trace commands. The original agent goes away in 26.11 (Oracle's 26.10 document moved it from 26.10).", "why_it_matters": "Models with many rules of those three types get a shorter calculation with no redesign. Batch history becomes readable: one parent job, its clears and its reruns in one place.", "what_to_do": "Time a full calculation in test before and after 26.09 and keep the numbers. Move anyone still on the original agent to the enhanced one before 26.11.", "steps_to_enable": null, "commands": null, "note_for_users": null, "my_take": "Allocate to Parent and Allocate to Sibling are common in shared services models. If your calculation window is tight at month end, this is time back for free." }, { "id": "run-application-diagnostics", "url": "https://fmepm.com/epm-update-september-2026#run-application-diagnostics", "bucket": "review", "name": "runApplicationDiagnostics: the health check from the command line", "version": "26.09", "area": "EPM Automate", "audience": [ "Admin" ], "products": [ "Planning", "FreeForm" ], "enable": "on", "effort": null, "oracle_url": null, "video_seconds": 413, "what_changed": "A new EPM Automate command runs the Execute Application Diagnostic job and produces the Application Diagnostics report: how the application follows Oracle's best practices for metadata, forms, rules and other components. Download the report from the environment when it is done. No setup.", "why_it_matters": "Until now the diagnostics report was a click in the user interface. As a command it can run on a schedule and be compared month over month.", "what_to_do": "Add it to your monthly maintenance script and keep the reports. Anyone reviewing a struggling application, including in a rescue assessment, starts with this report.", "steps_to_enable": null, "commands": null, "note_for_users": null, "my_take": "" }, { "id": "di-quick-mode-sql", "url": "https://fmepm.com/epm-update-september-2026#di-quick-mode-sql", "bucket": "review", "name": "Data Integration: SQL mappings now work in Quick Mode", "version": "26.09", "area": "Integrations", "audience": [ "Admin", "Dev" ], "products": [ "EPM Platform" ], "enable": "on", "effort": null, "oracle_url": null, "video_seconds": 413, "what_changed": "Quick Mode integrations can use #SQL mappings and SQL target expressions: CASE logic, character functions, conditions on several source columns. A source dimension is referenced as $ACCOUNT$, $ENTITY$ or $UD1$.", "why_it_matters": "The most common reason an integration stayed in Standard mode was a complex mapping. That barrier is gone, and Quick Mode is the faster path.", "what_to_do": "List the integrations that stayed in Standard mode because of a SQL mapping and move one in test.", "steps_to_enable": null, "commands": null, "note_for_users": null, "my_take": "" }, { "id": "tax-journal-assistant", "url": "https://fmepm.com/epm-update-september-2026#tax-journal-assistant", "bucket": "review", "name": "Tax Journal Assistant: consolidation journals from tax data", "version": "26.09", "area": "AI", "audience": [ "User" ], "products": [ "Tax Reporting" ], "enable": "setup", "effort": null, "oracle_url": null, "video_seconds": null, "what_changed": "An agent in Tax Reporting that builds consolidation journals from TAR Journal Posting data. You give it scenario, year, period, entities and jurisdictions in plain English; it extracts the data by your mapping, asks for approval and creates the journals in Financial Consolidation and Close. Every step is audited in Tax Reporting. Enable Generative AI, then Journals Assistant under Configuration.", "why_it_matters": "The tax to consolidation hand off is manual in most shops. This removes the retyping and keeps the audit trail.", "what_to_do": "Tax teams on Tax Reporting: enable it in test for one entity and compare its journal with the one you post by hand.", "steps_to_enable": null, "commands": null, "note_for_users": null, "my_take": "" }, { "id": "audit-retention", "url": "https://fmepm.com/epm-update-september-2026#audit-retention", "bucket": "review", "name": "Role and group audit reports: 14 days for some data, 120 for the rest", "version": "26.09", "area": "Security", "audience": [ "Admin" ], "products": [ "EPM Platform" ], "enable": null, "effort": null, "oracle_url": null, "video_seconds": 440, "what_changed": "roleAssignmentAuditReport and groupAssignmentAuditReport, and their REST APIs, now follow Oracle Cloud Identity Service retention: application role changes and IDCS group changes are available for 14 days, granular role changes and EPM group changes for 120 days.", "why_it_matters": "If your auditors ask who was given a role in March, a report you run in June will not have it.", "what_to_do": "Schedule both reports every 14 days and archive the files outside the environment.", "steps_to_enable": null, "commands": null, "note_for_users": null, "my_take": "" }, { "id": "isp-conversational-interface", "url": "https://fmepm.com/epm-update-september-2026#isp-conversational-interface", "bucket": "review", "name": "A new Implementation Success Program for conversational interfaces", "version": "26.09", "area": "AI", "audience": [ "Admin", "Dev" ], "products": [ "Planning", "FreeForm" ], "enable": null, "effort": null, "oracle_url": null, "video_seconds": 486, "what_changed": "Oracle's Cloud EPM development team now runs an Implementation Success Program for conversational interfaces on Planning and FreeForm: prompt design, conversation design, and the REST API gaps that block the experience you want. Open to new customers and to existing ones using ChatGPT, Codex, Claude or their own agents. Enrollment is in the Operations Guide. The program now covers FreeForm implementations too.", "why_it_matters": "If your team connects an AI agent to Planning, this is a direct line to the people who own the REST APIs. That is rare.", "what_to_do": "If you have an agent or an MCP server talking to Planning or FreeForm, enroll before you design the next set of prompts.", "steps_to_enable": null, "commands": null, "note_for_users": null, "my_take": "Oracle naming Claude and ChatGPT in a program document is the signal. Conversational access to EPM is now expected, not a side project." }, { "id": "dashboard-default-landing", "url": "https://fmepm.com/epm-update-september-2026#dashboard-default-landing", "bucket": "fyi", "name": "Set a Dashboard 2.0 as your landing page", "version": "26.09", "area": "Dashboards", "audience": [ "User" ], "products": [ "EPM Platform" ], "enable": "on", "effort": null, "oracle_url": null, "video_seconds": null, "what_changed": "From the Dashboards card, Actions, then Set Default. The dashboard opens at sign in. Dashboard 1.0 cannot be set as default. Clear Default removes it.", "why_it_matters": "", "what_to_do": "Tell power users. Nothing for admins to do.", "steps_to_enable": null, "commands": null, "note_for_users": null, "my_take": "" }, { "id": "multi-file-attach", "url": "https://fmepm.com/epm-update-september-2026#multi-file-attach", "bucket": "fyi", "name": "Attach several files at once", "version": "26.09", "area": "Administration", "audience": [ "User" ], "products": [ "EPM Platform" ], "enable": "on", "effort": null, "oracle_url": null, "video_seconds": null, "what_changed": "Task Manager, Supplemental Data Manager, Enterprise Journals and Alerts accept several files in one attachment action, with drag and drop where the workflow supports it. Reconciliation Compliance in Account Reconciliation gets the same.", "why_it_matters": "", "what_to_do": "Nothing to do.", "steps_to_enable": null, "commands": null, "note_for_users": null, "my_take": "" }, { "id": "first-name-optional", "url": "https://fmepm.com/epm-update-september-2026#first-name-optional", "bucket": "fyi", "name": "First name is optional for users", "version": "26.09", "area": "Security", "audience": [ "Admin" ], "products": [ "EPM Platform" ], "enable": null, "effort": null, "oracle_url": null, "video_seconds": null, "what_changed": "Users can be created and updated without a first name, in the identity console, the IDCS API, the addUsers command and the REST API.", "why_it_matters": "", "what_to_do": "Nothing to do, unless your user scripts validate the first name.", "steps_to_enable": null, "commands": null, "note_for_users": null, "my_take": "" }, { "id": "calc-manager-filter", "url": "https://fmepm.com/epm-update-september-2026#calc-manager-filter", "bucket": "fyi", "name": "Calculation Manager: filter by Graphical, Calc Script or Groovy", "version": "26.09", "area": "Groovy", "audience": [ "Dev" ], "products": [ "EPM Platform" ], "enable": null, "effort": null, "oracle_url": null, "video_seconds": null, "what_changed": "A new Rule or Template Type filter with three values.", "why_it_matters": "Handy when the rule list has three hundred entries.", "what_to_do": "Nothing to do.", "steps_to_enable": null, "commands": null, "note_for_users": null, "my_take": "" }, { "id": "simulate-concurrent-usage-files", "url": "https://fmepm.com/epm-update-september-2026#simulate-concurrent-usage-files", "bucket": "fyi", "name": "simulateConcurrentUsage writes output and error files", "version": "26.09", "area": "EPM Automate", "audience": [ "Admin", "Dev" ], "products": [ "EPM Platform" ], "enable": null, "effort": null, "oracle_url": null, "video_seconds": null, "what_changed": "Two optional parameters, outputFile and errorFile, save every passed and failed entry and the simulation errors as CSV.", "why_it_matters": "", "what_to_do": "If you use the command for load tests (my walkthrough), add both files to the script and keep the results.", "steps_to_enable": null, "commands": null, "note_for_users": null, "my_take": "" }, { "id": "rest-api-grouping", "url": "https://fmepm.com/epm-update-september-2026#rest-api-grouping", "bucket": "fyi", "name": "REST APIs regrouped by business process; Get Insights accepts both label and enum", "version": "26.09", "area": "AI", "audience": [ "Dev" ], "products": [ "EPM Platform" ], "enable": null, "effort": null, "oracle_url": null, "video_seconds": null, "what_changed": "The REST API guide now organizes calls by function and maps them to business processes, with a Cloud EPM REST APIs at a glance table. Oracle says this is for people building automation and MCP servers. Get Insights and Get Insight Summary accept display labels or internal enum names for the type filter, so existing integrations keep working.", "why_it_matters": "", "what_to_do": "Nothing to do. Bookmark the table.", "steps_to_enable": null, "commands": null, "note_for_users": null, "my_take": "" }, { "id": "block-contention-guide", "url": "https://fmepm.com/epm-update-september-2026#block-contention-guide", "bucket": "fyi", "name": "Operations Guide: how to avoid block contention in business rules", "version": "26.09", "area": "Groovy", "audience": [ "Dev" ], "products": [ "Planning" ], "enable": null, "effort": null, "oracle_url": null, "video_seconds": null, "what_changed": "New guidance on block contention: what happens when two operations want the same Essbase block, why it slows rules down, and how to design around it.", "why_it_matters": "", "what_to_do": "Read it before the next rule rewrite.", "steps_to_enable": null, "commands": null, "note_for_users": null, "my_take": "" }, { "id": "narrative-books-audit", "url": "https://fmepm.com/epm-update-september-2026#narrative-books-audit", "bucket": "fyi", "name": "Narrative Reporting audit logs include Books", "version": "26.09", "area": "Reports", "audience": [ "Admin" ], "products": [ "Narrative Reporting" ], "enable": null, "effort": null, "oracle_url": null, "video_seconds": null, "what_changed": "System Audit Logs now record Book executions next to reports, report packages and PDF files, so weekly utilization reporting covers Books too.", "why_it_matters": "", "what_to_do": "Nothing to do.", "steps_to_enable": null, "commands": null, "note_for_users": null, "my_take": "" }, { "id": "freeform-creation", "url": "https://fmepm.com/epm-update-september-2026#freeform-creation", "bucket": "fyi", "name": "FreeForm: one place to create an application, and the success program covers it", "version": "26.09", "area": "FreeForm", "audience": [ "Admin" ], "products": [ "FreeForm" ], "enable": null, "effort": null, "oracle_url": null, "video_seconds": null, "what_changed": "FreeForm applications are created only from the FreeForm option on the landing page, and Remove Application returns you there. The Implementation Success Program now accepts FreeForm implementations.", "why_it_matters": "", "what_to_do": "Nothing to do.", "steps_to_enable": null, "commands": null, "note_for_users": null, "my_take": "" }, { "id": "advanced-predictions-fitted", "url": "https://fmepm.com/epm-update-september-2026#advanced-predictions-fitted", "bucket": "fyi", "name": "Advanced Predictions: fitted values for dynamic calc members", "version": "26.09", "area": "AI", "audience": [ "User" ], "products": [ "Planning", "FreeForm" ], "enable": "on", "effort": null, "oracle_url": null, "video_seconds": null, "what_changed": "The Model Estimates line in the Explainability chart now works for dynamic calc members, in Planning and FreeForm. Only in the chart; an ad hoc grid cannot show these values.", "why_it_matters": "Most totals and ratios that finance forecasts are dynamic calc, so the fit is now visible where it matters.", "what_to_do": "Open a prediction on a dynamic calc account and compare the fitted line with actuals.", "steps_to_enable": null, "commands": null, "note_for_users": null, "my_take": "" }, { "id": "ai-docs", "url": "https://fmepm.com/epm-update-september-2026#ai-docs", "bucket": "fyi", "name": "Administering AI chapters in every guide, AI chapters in the Center of Excellence guide, and AI in the OC2 and OC3 realms", "version": "26.09", "area": "AI", "audience": [ "Admin" ], "products": [ "EPM Platform" ], "enable": null, "effort": null, "oracle_url": null, "video_seconds": null, "what_changed": "Each business process guide has an Administering AI chapter: which AI features exist and how to enable them. The Center of Excellence guide adds Working with AI, an AI maturity assessment, and a chapter on which industry use cases to prioritize. Generative AI is now available in the OC2 and OC3 realms.", "why_it_matters": "", "what_to_do": "Nothing to do. Read the chapter for your product before enabling anything.", "steps_to_enable": null, "commands": null, "note_for_users": null, "my_take": "" }, { "id": "edm-2609", "url": "https://fmepm.com/epm-update-september-2026#edm-2609", "bucket": "fyi", "name": "Enterprise Data Management: fifteen changes", "version": "26.09", "area": "Administration", "audience": [ "Admin" ], "products": [ "EDM" ], "enable": "on", "effort": null, "oracle_url": null, "video_seconds": null, "what_changed": "The longest list this month is in EDM: run and monitor Oracle Integration Cloud processes from EDM, contextual properties for nodes in viewpoints, default property groups, Pillar Two tax allocation properties for Tax Reporting applications, a REST API for the system events audit, an OAuth 2.0 access token URI for Cloud EPM connections, and more.", "why_it_matters": "", "what_to_do": "Nothing to do unless you run EDM. All fifteen, from Oracle's EDM document:", "steps_to_enable": null, "commands": null, "note_for_users": null, "my_take": "" } ], "calendar": [ { "when": "26.10 (October)", "what": "Account Reconciliation renames Data Loads to Balance Loads and Invalid Mappings to Missing Profiles; EPM Integration Agent updated for the new password file format", "what_to_do": "Update runbooks and training material, then regenerate the agent's password file after the agent update", "date": "2026-10-16" }, { "when": "26.11", "what": "accountName.userName login format stops working for EPM Automate and the REST APIs; the original PCM agent and its Performance Assistant are no longer available; Transaction Matching audit table moves to numeric codes", "what_to_do": "Switch scripts to the plain user name, move anyone still on the original PCM agent to the enhanced agent, update custom SQL reports that read TM_AUDIT_TRAIL", "date": "2026-11-20" }, { "when": "November 2026", "what": "EPM Skills for Oracle Digital Assistant are de-supported", "what_to_do": "Move to AI Agent Studio if you used them", "date": null }, { "when": "26.12", "what": "Only the new password file format works; EPM Automate clients older than 26.09 stop working", "what_to_do": "Client upgraded and password files regenerated before year end close", "date": "2026-12-18" }, { "when": "Q4 2026", "what": "Legacy Workforce and Strategic Workforce Planning rules deprecated", "what_to_do": "Repoint action menus in pre December 2024 applications to the 2.0 rules", "date": null }, { "when": "Six month clock", "what": "One off patches and manual skips merge back to the main code line", "what_to_do": "Plan the regression test for the return", "date": null }, { "when": "Not announced yet", "what": "IP addresses in connection URLs stop working", "what_to_do": "Switch connections to hostnames now", "date": null }, { "when": "Not announced yet", "what": "Power Users need write access to a folder to create forms and dashboards in it", "what_to_do": "Review folder security assignments", "date": null }, { "when": "Not announced yet", "what": "Calculation Manager enforces its Errors and Considerations diagnostic; a Rule Status column appears on the rules list", "what_to_do": "Clear errors before opening rule SRs with Oracle", "date": null }, { "when": "Not announced yet", "what": "ASO grids from Groovy and the REST API decide on MDX by suppressMissingRows instead of suppressMissingBlocks", "what_to_do": "Check grids where the two suppress flags differ", "date": null } ], "checklist": [ { "key": "s1", "text": "Upgrade EPM Automate to 26.09 on every scripting machine and rerun encrypt for each password file", "due": "by Dec 18" }, { "key": "s2", "text": "Leave the Integration Agent on its current password file until the agent update in 26.10", "due": "until 26.10" }, { "key": "s3", "text": "Open every predefined module dashboard in test and refresh the user guide screenshots", "due": "now" }, { "key": "s4", "text": "Search library folders for a slash and rename them", "due": "now" }, { "key": "s5", "text": "Check member and alias names for trailing spaces, reserved words and duplicates before the next migration", "due": "before the next migration" }, { "key": "s6", "text": "Note the date of any one off patch or skipped update and plan the return to the main line", "due": "now" }, { "key": "s7", "text": "Schedule roleAssignmentAuditReport and groupAssignmentAuditReport every 14 days and archive the files", "due": "every 14 days" }, { "key": "s8", "text": "Enable Generative AI in an FCC test environment and try the Consolidation Assistant", "due": "in test" }, { "key": "s9", "text": "Add runApplicationDiagnostics to the monthly maintenance script", "due": "monthly" }, { "key": "s10", "text": "Move anyone still on the original PCM agent to the enhanced agent before 26.11", "due": "by Nov 20" } ], "notes": [ { "date": "Sept 25", "text": "Oracle's 26.10 document is out (September 24) and it moves two dates. The original PCM agent and its Performance Assistant go away in the November update, 26.11, not in 26.10 as the calendar below said. The Transaction Matching audit table change is 26.11 as well. I have corrected the EPCM card, the calendar and the checklist. The 26.10 review on October 6 will carry the same dates." }, { "date": "Sept 22", "text": "Video is up. Ten minutes, same order as this page, so the chapters take you to the section you need. I also added the fm.epm line at the bottom." }, { "date": "Sept 10", "text": "Oracle's last edits before I wrote this page. They rewrote the description of the Dashboard 2.0 upgrade and fixed the resource link on the Quick Mode SQL item. Two weeks earlier, on August 28, they added the AI chapters for the Center of Excellence guide. I wrote this page on September 18 from that version of the document, revision 03, so all three are in." } ] }, { "versions": [ "26.08" ], "title": "Oracle EPM 26.08. What Matters in the August Update", "url": "https://fmepm.com/epm-update-august-2026", "short": "https://fmepm.com/26.08", "published": "2026-09-03T08:00:00-04:00", "modified": "2026-09-25T08:00:00-04:00", "video": null, "brief": [ "EPM Automate password files change format from 26.09. Upgrade the client and rerun encrypt before 26.12, or scheduled jobs stop.", "Scripts that sign in as accountName.userName stop working in 26.11. Switch them to the plain user name.", "The original PCM agent is removed in 26.10. Plan the switch to the enhanced agent now.", "The new Integration Agent needs Java 17. Check your agent servers before you upgrade.", "The one to try: the Financial Analysis Hub for Financial Consolidation. DSO applications only." ], "finance_line": null, "facts": [], "items": [ { "id": "epm-automate-password-files", "url": "https://fmepm.com/epm-update-august-2026#epm-automate-password-files", "bucket": "act", "name": "EPM Automate password file format changes, hard stop in 26.12", "version": "From 26.09", "area": "EPM Automate", "audience": [ "Admin", "Dev" ], "products": [ "EPM Platform" ], "enable": null, "effort": null, "oracle_url": null, "video_seconds": null, "what_changed": "From 26.09, EPM Automate uses a new encrypted password file format. Environments on 26.09 through 26.11 read both formats. From 26.12, only the new format works, and EPM Automate clients from 26.08 or earlier stop working.", "why_it_matters": "Every scheduled job that signs in with an encrypted password file depends on this, and that is most automation. Finding out in December, during year end close, is the worst case.", "what_to_do": "When your environment reaches 26.09, upgrade the EPM Automate client, then rerun the encrypt command to regenerate your password files. Put it in the calendar now.", "steps_to_enable": null, "commands": null, "note_for_users": null, "my_take": "" }, { "id": "account-prefix-login", "url": "https://fmepm.com/epm-update-august-2026#account-prefix-login", "bucket": "act", "name": "Account prefix login format stops working in 26.11", "version": "26.11", "area": "EPM Automate", "audience": [ "Admin", "Dev" ], "products": [ "EPM Platform" ], "enable": null, "effort": null, "oracle_url": null, "video_seconds": null, "what_changed": "From 26.11, the old account name prefix login format no longer works.", "why_it_matters": "Scripts that sign in as accountName.userName will fail.", "what_to_do": "Find those scripts and switch them to the plain user name before 26.11.", "steps_to_enable": null, "commands": null, "note_for_users": null, "my_take": "" }, { "id": "pcm-agent-switch", "url": "https://fmepm.com/epm-update-august-2026#pcm-agent-switch", "bucket": "act", "name": "PCM agent: the enhanced agent replaces the original in 26.10", "version": "26.08 to 26.11", "area": "PCM", "audience": [ "Admin", "User" ], "products": [ "PCM" ], "enable": null, "effort": null, "oracle_url": null, "video_seconds": null, "what_changed": "In Enterprise Profitability and Cost Management, the enhanced agent now works inside Models, Waterfall Setup, Mass Edit, and Calculation Control. It creates and modifies rules, runs calculations, and manages POVs, including many POVs in one request, like all twelve periods of a new fiscal year. In 26.08 both agents coexist. In 26.10 the original agent is removed. From 26.11, Analyze Performance is only available through the new agent.", "why_it_matters": "Anyone working with the original agent loses it in October.", "what_to_do": "Try the enhanced agent in test now and plan the switch before 26.10.", "steps_to_enable": null, "commands": null, "note_for_users": null, "my_take": "" }, { "id": "integration-agent-java17", "url": "https://fmepm.com/epm-update-august-2026#integration-agent-java17", "bucket": "act", "name": "EPM Integration Agent: new version needs Java 17", "version": "26.08", "area": "Integrations", "audience": [ "Admin" ], "products": [ "EPM Platform" ], "enable": null, "effort": null, "oracle_url": null, "video_seconds": null, "what_changed": "The new EPM Integration Agent version requires Java 17 or newer. OAuth setups gain resource scope support.", "why_it_matters": "An agent server on an older Java version cannot run the new agent.", "what_to_do": "Check the Java version on your agent servers before you upgrade the agent.", "steps_to_enable": null, "commands": null, "note_for_users": null, "my_take": "" }, { "id": "financial-analysis-hub", "url": "https://fmepm.com/epm-update-august-2026#financial-analysis-hub", "bucket": "review", "name": "Financial Analysis Hub for Financial Consolidation and Close", "version": "26.08", "area": "FCC", "audience": [ "Admin", "User" ], "products": [ "FCC" ], "enable": null, "effort": null, "oracle_url": null, "video_seconds": null, "what_changed": "A built in analytics workspace for the close: analysis views on your POV, variances, year over year and period over period trends, custom ratios, drill to detail, and a central validation hub. Three ready statements: balance sheet, income statement, cash flow.", "why_it_matters": "A controller reviews consolidated results with variance and trend views out of the box, without waiting for a report developer. It only works for Dense/Sparse Optimized applications.", "what_to_do": "Check whether your application is DSO. If it is not, this is the reason to start that conversation.", "steps_to_enable": null, "commands": null, "note_for_users": null, "my_take": "" }, { "id": "task-manager-freeform", "url": "https://fmepm.com/epm-update-august-2026#task-manager-freeform", "bucket": "review", "name": "Task Manager comes to FreeForm", "version": "26.08", "area": "FreeForm", "audience": [ "Admin", "User" ], "products": [ "FreeForm" ], "enable": null, "effort": null, "oracle_url": null, "video_seconds": null, "what_changed": "FreeForm applications with valid Year and Period dimensions can now run Task Manager: schedules, orchestration, notifications.", "why_it_matters": "Teams that built planning or reporting processes on FreeForm no longer track the cycle in a spreadsheet next to the application.", "what_to_do": "If you run a process on FreeForm, set up one schedule in test.", "steps_to_enable": null, "commands": null, "note_for_users": null, "my_take": "" }, { "id": "strategic-modeling-redesign", "url": "https://fmepm.com/epm-update-august-2026#strategic-modeling-redesign", "bucket": "review", "name": "Strategic Modeling redesign, Forms 2.0 account grids, no revert", "version": "26.08", "area": "Strategic Modeling", "audience": [ "User" ], "products": [ "Planning" ], "enable": null, "effort": null, "oracle_url": null, "video_seconds": null, "what_changed": "Seventeen screens redesigned and the rest moved to Redwood. Account grids inside models now run on Forms 2.0 with no option to revert. User defined accounts can be created on the web, previously Smart View only. A model checked out by a colleague no longer blocks your scenario rollups. One behavior change: model check in no longer calculates scenarios.", "why_it_matters": "Users will see different screens, and anyone who relied on check in to calculate will get stale numbers.", "what_to_do": "Tell users to calculate first, then check in.", "steps_to_enable": null, "commands": null, "note_for_users": null, "my_take": "" }, { "id": "groovy-open-grids", "url": "https://fmepm.com/epm-update-august-2026#groovy-open-grids", "bucket": "review", "name": "Groovy: grids created in a script and never closed fail validation", "version": "26.08", "area": "Groovy", "audience": [ "Dev" ], "products": [ "EPM Platform" ], "enable": null, "effort": null, "oracle_url": null, "video_seconds": null, "what_changed": "A grid you create in a script and never close now throws a validation error. Deployed rules that still do it report completed with warnings.", "why_it_matters": "Rules that leave grids open will fail validation the next time someone edits them.", "what_to_do": "Review your Groovy rules for grids created in scripts and close them.", "steps_to_enable": null, "commands": null, "note_for_users": null, "my_take": "" }, { "id": "data-intersection-check", "url": "https://fmepm.com/epm-update-august-2026#data-intersection-check", "bucket": "review", "name": "Data Intersection Check Report for FCC and Tax Reporting", "version": "26.08", "area": "FCC", "audience": [ "Admin" ], "products": [ "FCC", "Tax Reporting" ], "enable": null, "effort": null, "oracle_url": null, "video_seconds": null, "what_changed": "Data validation can now show exactly which intersections are invalid, locked, or blocked by write access. Full workflow mode only. Enable Check Intersection in the integration options.", "why_it_matters": "No more guessing why a load dropped rows.", "what_to_do": "Enable Check Intersection if your loads have been dropping rows.", "steps_to_enable": null, "commands": null, "note_for_users": null, "my_take": "" }, { "id": "insights-rest-apis", "url": "https://fmepm.com/epm-update-august-2026#insights-rest-apis", "bucket": "review", "name": "New Insights REST APIs built for AI agents", "version": "26.08", "area": "AI", "audience": [ "Dev" ], "products": [ "Planning", "EPM Platform" ], "enable": null, "effort": null, "oracle_url": null, "video_seconds": null, "what_changed": "Oracle now exposes insights and summaries through REST APIs designed for agents to consume.", "why_it_matters": "This is the plumbing an AI agent needs to read insights without a screen in front of it.", "what_to_do": "If you build or plan agents against EPM, read the API documentation.", "steps_to_enable": null, "commands": null, "note_for_users": null, "my_take": "" }, { "id": "scrollable-dashboards", "url": "https://fmepm.com/epm-update-august-2026#scrollable-dashboards", "bucket": "review", "name": "Scrollable dashboards on a twelve column grid", "version": "26.08", "area": "Dashboards", "audience": [ "User" ], "products": [ "Planning", "FreeForm" ], "enable": null, "effort": null, "oracle_url": null, "video_seconds": null, "what_changed": "Dashboards 2.0 gets a scrollable layout on a twelve column grid. Only available when creating a new dashboard. Existing dashboards cannot convert.", "why_it_matters": "Dashboards can extend down the page instead of squeezing into one screen.", "what_to_do": "Use it for the next new dashboard you build.", "steps_to_enable": null, "commands": null, "note_for_users": null, "my_take": "" }, { "id": "tm-audit-table", "url": "https://fmepm.com/epm-update-august-2026#tm-audit-table", "bucket": "review", "name": "Transaction Matching audit table moves to numeric codes in 26.10", "version": "26.10", "area": "Account Reconciliation", "audience": [ "Admin" ], "products": [ "Account Reconciliation" ], "enable": null, "effort": null, "oracle_url": null, "video_seconds": null, "what_changed": "In 26.10, several text columns in TM_AUDIT_TRAIL move to numeric codes.", "why_it_matters": "Custom SQL reports built on that table will break.", "what_to_do": "Update those reports before 26.10.", "steps_to_enable": null, "commands": null, "note_for_users": null, "my_take": "" }, { "id": "sankey-charts", "url": "https://fmepm.com/epm-update-august-2026#sankey-charts", "bucket": "fyi", "name": "Sankey charts arrive as a dashboard chart type", "version": "26.08", "area": "Dashboards", "audience": [ "User" ], "products": [ "Planning", "FreeForm" ], "enable": null, "effort": null, "oracle_url": null, "video_seconds": null, "what_changed": "Money flow diagrams for allocation and contribution analysis, straight from the dashboard designer.", "why_it_matters": "", "what_to_do": "Nothing to do. Try one on an allocation dashboard.", "steps_to_enable": null, "commands": null, "note_for_users": null, "my_take": "" }, { "id": "smart-view-google", "url": "https://fmepm.com/epm-update-august-2026#smart-view-google", "bucket": "fyi", "name": "Smart View for Google Workspace: connections file sign in", "version": "26.08", "area": "Smart View", "audience": [ "Admin", "User" ], "products": [ "EPM Platform" ], "enable": null, "effort": null, "oracle_url": null, "video_seconds": null, "what_changed": "Admins can hand users a connections file that fills in all connection fields automatically.", "why_it_matters": "One less support headache if you have Google shops in your user base.", "what_to_do": "Hand Google Workspace users the file.", "steps_to_enable": null, "commands": null, "note_for_users": null, "my_take": "" }, { "id": "arcs-renames", "url": "https://fmepm.com/epm-update-august-2026#arcs-renames", "bucket": "fyi", "name": "Account Reconciliation renames coming in 26.10", "version": "26.10", "area": "Account Reconciliation", "audience": [ "User" ], "products": [ "Account Reconciliation" ], "enable": null, "effort": null, "oracle_url": null, "video_seconds": null, "what_changed": "Data Loads becomes Balance Loads. Invalid Mappings becomes Missing Profiles. Same features, new names.", "why_it_matters": "", "what_to_do": "Update your runbooks.", "steps_to_enable": null, "commands": null, "note_for_users": null, "my_take": "" }, { "id": "diagnostics-deletefolder", "url": "https://fmepm.com/epm-update-august-2026#diagnostics-deletefolder", "bucket": "fyi", "name": "Application Diagnostics can run with cube refresh; new deleteFolder command", "version": "26.08", "area": "Administration", "audience": [ "Admin" ], "products": [ "EPM Platform" ], "enable": null, "effort": null, "oracle_url": null, "video_seconds": null, "what_changed": "Application Diagnostics can run automatically as part of cube refresh. A new deleteFolder command cleans up inbox folders in one call.", "why_it_matters": "", "what_to_do": "Nothing to do.", "steps_to_enable": null, "commands": null, "note_for_users": null, "my_take": "" }, { "id": "redwood-wave-2608", "url": "https://fmepm.com/epm-update-august-2026#redwood-wave-2608", "bucket": "fyi", "name": "Redwood wave: alias tables, appearance, and variables pages", "version": "26.08", "area": "All apps", "audience": [ "User" ], "products": [ "EPM Platform" ], "enable": null, "effort": null, "oracle_url": null, "video_seconds": null, "what_changed": "The alias tables, appearance, and variables pages moved to the Redwood design.", "why_it_matters": "Screens look different. Nothing else changed.", "what_to_do": "Nothing to do.", "steps_to_enable": null, "commands": null, "note_for_users": null, "my_take": "" } ], "calendar": [ { "when": "26.09 (September)", "what": "New EPM Automate password file format arrives; both formats readable through 26.11", "what_to_do": "Upgrade the EPM Automate client, then rerun the encrypt command", "date": null }, { "when": "26.10", "what": "Original PCM agent removed; Account Reconciliation renames; Transaction Matching audit table moves to numeric codes", "what_to_do": "Switch to the enhanced agent, update runbooks and custom SQL reports", "date": null }, { "when": "26.11", "what": "Analyze Performance only through the new PCM agent; account prefix login format stops working", "what_to_do": "Update scripts using accountName.userName to the plain user name", "date": null }, { "when": "26.12", "what": "Only the new password file format works; EPM Automate clients from 26.08 or earlier stop entirely", "what_to_do": "Client upgraded and password files regenerated before year end close", "date": null }, { "when": "Not announced yet", "what": "IP addresses in connection URLs will stop working", "what_to_do": "Switch connections to hostnames now", "date": null }, { "when": "Not announced yet", "what": "Power Users will need write access to a folder to create forms and dashboards in it", "what_to_do": "Review folder security assignments", "date": null }, { "when": "Not announced yet", "what": "Calculation Manager will enforce its Errors and Considerations diagnostic", "what_to_do": "Clear diagnostics before opening rule SRs with Oracle", "date": null } ], "checklist": [ { "key": "a1", "text": "Calendar the EPM Automate work for when your environment reaches 26.09: upgrade the client, then run encrypt again", "due": null }, { "key": "a2", "text": "Inventory every scheduled job that logs in with an encrypted password file", "due": null }, { "key": "a3", "text": "Find scripts logging in as accountName.userName and switch them to the plain user name before 26.11", "due": null }, { "key": "a4", "text": "Check whether your Financial Consolidation app is Dense/Sparse Optimized; if not, start the DSO conversation", "due": null }, { "key": "a5", "text": "Plan the PCM agent switch before the original agent disappears in 26.10", "due": null }, { "key": "a6", "text": "Warn Strategic Modeling users: calculate first, then check in", "due": null }, { "key": "a7", "text": "Verify Java 17 on Integration Agent servers before upgrading the agent", "due": null }, { "key": "a8", "text": "Review Groovy rules for grids created in scripts and never closed", "due": null }, { "key": "a9", "text": "Enable Check Intersection in integration options if loads have been dropping rows (full workflow mode)", "due": null }, { "key": "a10", "text": "Hand Google Workspace users the Smart View connections file for the new sign in", "due": null } ], "notes": [] }, { "versions": [ "26.05", "26.06", "26.07" ], "title": "Oracle EPM 26.05 to 26.07. What You Missed and What Still Matters", "url": "https://fmepm.com/epm-update-may-july-2026", "short": "https://fmepm.com/26.07", "published": "2026-09-01T08:00:00-04:00", "modified": "2026-09-25T08:00:00-04:00", "video": null, "brief": [ "Groovy rules can fail validation under the stricter 26.05 engine. Validate every rule and fix what breaks.", "The IP allowlist commands are gone and the allowlists they created were deleted. Check where yours lives now.", "OAuth 2 integrations need a token policy and secondary audience update (26.07). One ticket to your identity team.", "Generative AI features need 26.04 or later. If AI options are missing from your menus, this is why.", "The one to try: the Reporting Agent. Open a report in HTML preview and ask it questions." ], "finance_line": null, "facts": [], "items": [ { "id": "groovy-engine", "url": "https://fmepm.com/epm-update-may-july-2026#groovy-engine", "bucket": "act", "name": "Groovy engine update: stricter validation of existing rules", "version": "26.05", "area": "Groovy", "audience": [ "Admin", "Dev" ], "products": [ "EPM Platform" ], "enable": null, "effort": null, "oracle_url": null, "video_seconds": null, "what_changed": "26.05 shipped a new, stricter Groovy engine. Rules that ran for years can now fail validation. The Groovy Script Validator that used to flag affected scripts was removed in 26.06.", "why_it_matters": "A rule that fails validation does not run. If a rule broke this summer, this is the most likely cause. There is no tool left to find the affected scripts for you.", "what_to_do": "Validate every Groovy rule and update the scripts that fail. 26.08 adds one more check, for grids created in a script and never closed. Details in the 26.08 update.", "steps_to_enable": null, "commands": null, "note_for_users": null, "my_take": "" }, { "id": "ip-allowlist", "url": "https://fmepm.com/epm-update-may-july-2026#ip-allowlist", "bucket": "act", "name": "IP allowlist commands removed, existing allowlists deleted", "version": "26.05", "area": "Security", "audience": [ "Admin" ], "products": [ "EPM Platform" ], "enable": null, "effort": null, "oracle_url": null, "video_seconds": null, "what_changed": "The EPM Automate commands and REST APIs for IP allowlists are gone. Allowlists set up through them were deleted. The replacement is Network Perimeter in Oracle's identity system, managed at the domain level.", "why_it_matters": "If your security team believes an IP allowlist protects your environment, and that allowlist lived in the removed commands, nothing is protecting it now.", "what_to_do": "Check where your allowlist lives. If it was in the removed commands, rebuild it as a Network Perimeter.", "steps_to_enable": null, "commands": null, "note_for_users": null, "my_take": "" }, { "id": "oauth2", "url": "https://fmepm.com/epm-update-may-july-2026#oauth2", "bucket": "act", "name": "OAuth 2 token policy and secondary audience update", "version": "26.07", "area": "Integrations", "audience": [ "Admin", "Dev" ], "products": [ "EPM Platform" ], "enable": null, "effort": null, "oracle_url": null, "video_seconds": null, "what_changed": "Administrators must update the token issuance policy and configure the secondary audience for Cloud EPM.", "why_it_matters": "Every REST API and EPM Automate integration that signs in with OAuth 2 depends on this setting.", "what_to_do": "Open one ticket with whoever owns your identity setup. Do it in a quiet week, not during close.", "steps_to_enable": null, "commands": null, "note_for_users": null, "my_take": "" }, { "id": "genai-2604", "url": "https://fmepm.com/epm-update-may-july-2026#genai-2604", "bucket": "act", "name": "Generative AI features require 26.04 or later", "version": "Since 26.04", "area": "AI", "audience": [ "Admin", "User" ], "products": [ "EPM Platform" ], "enable": null, "effort": null, "oracle_url": null, "video_seconds": null, "what_changed": "Generative AI features only work in environments on 26.04 or later.", "why_it_matters": "Environments that skipped past 26.04 lost GenAI access. If AI options are missing from your menus, this is the reason.", "what_to_do": "Confirm every environment is on 26.04 or later.", "steps_to_enable": null, "commands": null, "note_for_users": null, "my_take": "" }, { "id": "reporting-agent", "url": "https://fmepm.com/epm-update-may-july-2026#reporting-agent", "bucket": "review", "name": "Reporting Agent: ask questions inside report preview", "version": "26.07", "area": "Reports", "audience": [ "Admin", "User" ], "products": [ "Narrative Reporting", "EPM Platform" ], "enable": null, "effort": null, "oracle_url": null, "video_seconds": null, "what_changed": "Open a report in HTML preview and ask it questions in plain English: values, trends, rankings, comparisons. Follow up questions stay inside that report, grid, and POV. Works in Planning, FreeForm, Financial Consolidation, Tax Reporting, Enterprise Profitability, and Narrative Reporting.", "why_it_matters": "A controller in a review meeting can ask which three entities drove the increase in operating expense and get the answer from the grid on screen. No export to Excel. Many finance users will use this without knowing it is AI.", "what_to_do": "Try it on one report in HTML preview.", "steps_to_enable": null, "commands": null, "note_for_users": null, "my_take": "" }, { "id": "ai-assistants", "url": "https://fmepm.com/epm-update-may-july-2026#ai-assistants", "bucket": "review", "name": "AI assistants across PCM, Tax, Account Reconciliation, EDM, and FCC", "version": "26.05 to 26.07", "area": "AI", "audience": [ "Admin", "User" ], "products": [ "PCM", "Tax Reporting", "Account Reconciliation", "EDM", "FCC" ], "enable": null, "effort": null, "oracle_url": null, "video_seconds": null, "what_changed": "26.05: a Narrative Reporting assistant, a PCM assistant for questions about models and rules, and a Tax assistant that builds Return to Accrual configurations from written instructions. 26.06: Task Manager assistants for users and administrators, four Account Reconciliation assistants that run Auto Match and manage periods from chat, and an Ask Oracle assistant in Enterprise Data Management. 26.07: an Activity Reports assistant for usage and performance questions, plus two Financial Consolidation assistants, one that builds consolidation rules and one that diagnoses performance problems.", "why_it_matters": "Most of these need Fusion AI Agent Studio, identity federation, and an Enterprise subscription. Setup takes work. Deciding what an assistant may see and do in a finance system is design work, not a switch.", "what_to_do": "Check the requirements before you promise these to your CFO.", "steps_to_enable": null, "commands": null, "note_for_users": null, "my_take": "" }, { "id": "advanced-predictions", "url": "https://fmepm.com/epm-update-may-july-2026#advanced-predictions", "bucket": "review", "name": "Advanced Predictions: regression algorithms", "version": "26.06", "area": "Planning", "audience": [ "Dev", "User" ], "products": [ "Planning", "FreeForm" ], "enable": null, "effort": null, "oracle_url": null, "video_seconds": null, "what_changed": "Advanced Predictions now supports Linear, Lasso, and Ridge regression.", "why_it_matters": "You can predict from drivers, like shipping cost from volume and fuel price, instead of only projecting a line from history.", "what_to_do": "Test one driver based prediction next to the method you use today.", "steps_to_enable": null, "commands": null, "note_for_users": null, "my_take": "" }, { "id": "ipm-insights", "url": "https://fmepm.com/epm-update-may-july-2026#ipm-insights", "bucket": "review", "name": "IPM Insights shown directly on forms and dashboards", "version": "26.07", "area": "Planning", "audience": [ "User" ], "products": [ "Planning", "FreeForm" ], "enable": null, "effort": null, "oracle_url": null, "video_seconds": null, "what_changed": "IPM Insights now appear on forms and dashboards. A new Period Movement Variance insight flags significant variances against benchmarks you define.", "why_it_matters": "A planner sees variance callouts for the exact slice on screen, without opening a separate page.", "what_to_do": "Turn insights on for one busy form and see whether planners use them.", "steps_to_enable": null, "commands": null, "note_for_users": null, "my_take": "" }, { "id": "narrative-summaries", "url": "https://fmepm.com/epm-update-may-july-2026#narrative-summaries", "bucket": "review", "name": "AI written narrative summaries in Reports", "version": "26.06", "area": "Reports", "audience": [ "User" ], "products": [ "Narrative Reporting", "EPM Platform" ], "enable": null, "effort": null, "oracle_url": null, "video_seconds": null, "what_changed": "Reports can draft written narrative summaries with generative AI in three modes: Describe, Compare, and Causality.", "why_it_matters": "The first draft of the commentary comes from the numbers on the page. A person still edits the result.", "what_to_do": "Test it on one management report and compare the draft with what your team writes today.", "steps_to_enable": null, "commands": null, "note_for_users": null, "my_take": "" }, { "id": "environment-backups", "url": "https://fmepm.com/epm-update-may-july-2026#environment-backups", "bucket": "review", "name": "New environment backups, restoreEnvironment, cloneEnvironment", "version": "26.05", "area": "EPM Automate", "audience": [ "Admin" ], "products": [ "EPM Platform" ], "enable": null, "effort": null, "oracle_url": null, "video_seconds": null, "what_changed": "A full physical backup of everything, taken during daily maintenance and restorable to the exact state at backup time. A new restoreEnvironment command and an enhanced cloneEnvironment.", "why_it_matters": "Production to test cloning and disaster recovery without juggling snapshots. The most underrated feature of the three months.", "what_to_do": "Test the backup and restoreEnvironment in a non production environment.", "steps_to_enable": null, "commands": null, "note_for_users": null, "my_take": "" }, { "id": "approvals-in-forms", "url": "https://fmepm.com/epm-update-may-july-2026#approvals-in-forms", "bucket": "review", "name": "Approvals worked directly inside forms", "version": "26.06", "area": "Planning", "audience": [ "User" ], "products": [ "Planning" ], "enable": null, "effort": null, "oracle_url": null, "video_seconds": null, "what_changed": "Promote, reject, change owner, annotate, and see approval status without leaving the form. Also available in Smart View 26.100 by right click.", "why_it_matters": "A regional controller can run the whole approval cycle from the form they already work in.", "what_to_do": "Show it to approvers before the next budget cycle.", "steps_to_enable": null, "commands": null, "note_for_users": null, "my_take": "" }, { "id": "application-diagnostics", "url": "https://fmepm.com/epm-update-may-july-2026#application-diagnostics", "bucket": "review", "name": "Application Diagnostics: self service design check", "version": "26.06", "area": "Administration", "audience": [ "Admin", "Dev" ], "products": [ "EPM Platform" ], "enable": null, "effort": null, "oracle_url": null, "video_seconds": null, "what_changed": "A self service tool checks your application design against Oracle best practices and delivers an Excel report of findings. Renamed Application Monitoring in the menu as of 26.08.", "why_it_matters": "You find design issues before Oracle Support asks you to.", "what_to_do": "Run it and work through the findings report.", "steps_to_enable": null, "commands": null, "note_for_users": null, "my_take": "" }, { "id": "autonomous-database", "url": "https://fmepm.com/epm-update-may-july-2026#autonomous-database", "bucket": "review", "name": "Autonomous Database integration without the Integration Agent", "version": "26.06", "area": "Integrations", "audience": [ "Admin", "Dev" ], "products": [ "EPM Platform" ], "enable": null, "effort": null, "oracle_url": null, "video_seconds": null, "what_changed": "Extract and load against Autonomous Database directly. No Integration Agent in the middle.", "why_it_matters": "One less moving part in the data pipeline.", "what_to_do": "If you load from Autonomous Database, test the direct connection.", "steps_to_enable": null, "commands": null, "note_for_users": null, "my_take": "" }, { "id": "essbase-load-rules", "url": "https://fmepm.com/epm-update-may-july-2026#essbase-load-rules", "bucket": "review", "name": "Essbase load rules reusable in the cloud", "version": "26.05", "area": "Essbase", "audience": [ "Admin" ], "products": [ "EPM Platform" ], "enable": null, "effort": null, "oracle_url": null, "video_seconds": null, "what_changed": "Customers migrating from on premises can reuse existing load rules and source files directly.", "why_it_matters": "A big time saver on Hyperion migrations.", "what_to_do": "If a migration is planned, keep the existing load rules instead of rebuilding them.", "steps_to_enable": null, "commands": null, "note_for_users": null, "my_take": "" }, { "id": "pipeline-restart", "url": "https://fmepm.com/epm-update-may-july-2026#pipeline-restart", "bucket": "fyi", "name": "Integration pipelines restart from the failed stage", "version": "26.05", "area": "Integrations", "audience": [ "Admin" ], "products": [ "EPM Platform" ], "enable": null, "effort": null, "oracle_url": null, "video_seconds": null, "what_changed": "A pipeline that fails at step nine of ten no longer reruns from step one.", "why_it_matters": "Less rerun time for whoever watches the loads.", "what_to_do": "Nothing to do.", "steps_to_enable": null, "commands": null, "note_for_users": null, "my_take": "" }, { "id": "predictive-planning-retired", "url": "https://fmepm.com/epm-update-may-july-2026#predictive-planning-retired", "bucket": "fyi", "name": "Predictive Planning in Smart View retired", "version": "26.06", "area": "Smart View", "audience": [ "User" ], "products": [ "Planning", "EPM Platform" ], "enable": null, "effort": null, "oracle_url": null, "video_seconds": null, "what_changed": "No longer downloadable or supported. The replacement is the prediction stack inside the platform.", "why_it_matters": "Users who relied on it need the newer tools, which are stronger anyway.", "what_to_do": "Point those users to Advanced Predictions.", "steps_to_enable": null, "commands": null, "note_for_users": null, "my_take": "" }, { "id": "pcm-redwood-only", "url": "https://fmepm.com/epm-update-may-july-2026#pcm-redwood-only", "bucket": "fyi", "name": "PCM legacy screens removed, Redwood only", "version": "26.07", "area": "PCM", "audience": [ "User" ], "products": [ "PCM" ], "enable": null, "effort": null, "oracle_url": null, "video_seconds": null, "what_changed": "The legacy Rules Outline and Waterfall tabs are gone. The redesigned EPCM screens are the only option, with no way back.", "why_it_matters": "Muscle memory built on the old screens needs a short retraining.", "what_to_do": "Nothing to configure. Plan a short refresher for PCM users.", "steps_to_enable": null, "commands": null, "note_for_users": null, "my_take": "" }, { "id": "redwood-wave", "url": "https://fmepm.com/epm-update-may-july-2026#redwood-wave", "bucket": "fyi", "name": "Redwood wave: Data Integration is now Data Exchange", "version": "26.07", "area": "All apps", "audience": [ "User" ], "products": [ "EPM Platform" ], "enable": null, "effort": null, "oracle_url": null, "video_seconds": null, "what_changed": "Data Integration became Data Exchange. Transaction Matching, several Planning Modules screens, and the EPCM screens moved to the Redwood design automatically.", "why_it_matters": "Users will ask why screens look different.", "what_to_do": "Nothing to do. Have the answer ready.", "steps_to_enable": null, "commands": null, "note_for_users": null, "my_take": "" }, { "id": "smart-view-26100", "url": "https://fmepm.com/epm-update-may-july-2026#smart-view-26100", "bucket": "fyi", "name": "Smart View 26.100", "version": "26.06", "area": "Smart View", "audience": [ "User" ], "products": [ "EPM Platform" ], "enable": null, "effort": null, "oracle_url": null, "video_seconds": null, "what_changed": "Analyze Advanced Predictions in Excel, insert insights into PowerPoint, and faster member search.", "why_it_matters": "For users who live in Excel, this is their update.", "what_to_do": "Roll out the new Smart View version.", "steps_to_enable": null, "commands": null, "note_for_users": null, "my_take": "" } ], "calendar": [ { "when": "Already in effect", "what": "Generative AI features require 26.04 or later", "what_to_do": "If AI options are missing from your menus, bring the environment current", "date": null }, { "when": "26.10", "what": "Transaction Matching audit table moves text columns to numeric codes", "what_to_do": "Update custom SQL reports built on TM_AUDIT_TRAIL", "date": null }, { "when": "November 2026", "what": "EPM Skills for Oracle Digital Assistant de-supported", "what_to_do": "Plan the move to AI Agent Studio", "date": null }, { "when": "Q4 2026", "what": "Legacy Workforce and Strategic Workforce Planning rules deprecated", "what_to_do": "Repoint action menus in pre December 2024 apps to the 2.0 rules", "date": null }, { "when": "Not announced yet", "what": "IP addresses in connection URLs will stop working", "what_to_do": "Switch connections to hostnames now", "date": null }, { "when": "Not announced yet", "what": "Power Users will need write access to a folder to create forms and dashboards in it", "what_to_do": "Review folder security assignments", "date": null }, { "when": "Not announced yet", "what": "Calculation Manager will enforce its Errors and Considerations diagnostic", "what_to_do": "Clear diagnostics before opening rule SRs with Oracle", "date": null } ], "checklist": [ { "key": "cu1", "text": "Run a validation pass on your Groovy rules and fix scripts failing under the 26.05 engine", "due": null }, { "key": "cu2", "text": "Verify where your IP allowlist lives; rebuild it as a Network Perimeter if it lived in the removed commands", "due": null }, { "key": "cu3", "text": "Open a ticket to update the OAuth 2 token issuance policy and configure the secondary audience", "due": null }, { "key": "cu4", "text": "Confirm every environment is on 26.04 or later so GenAI features stay available", "due": null }, { "key": "cu5", "text": "Try the Reporting Agent on one report in HTML preview", "due": null }, { "key": "cu6", "text": "Check Fusion AI Agent Studio prerequisites before promising assistants to your CFO", "due": null }, { "key": "cu7", "text": "Run Application Diagnostics and work through the Excel findings report", "due": null }, { "key": "cu8", "text": "Test the new environment backup and restoreEnvironment in a non production environment", "due": null }, { "key": "cu9", "text": "Repoint pre December 2024 Workforce action menus to the 2.0 rules", "due": null }, { "key": "cu10", "text": "Scope the 26.10 TM_AUDIT_TRAIL column changes if you have custom SQL reports on it", "due": null } ], "notes": [] } ], "deadlines_page": "https://fmepm.com/oracle-epm-deadlines", "features_page": "https://fmepm.com/oracle-epm-features", "calendar_feeds_by_product": { "Planning": "https://fmepm.com/oracle-epm-deadlines-planning.ics", "FCC": "https://fmepm.com/oracle-epm-deadlines-fcc.ics", "PCM": "https://fmepm.com/oracle-epm-deadlines-pcm.ics", "Tax Reporting": "https://fmepm.com/oracle-epm-deadlines-tax.ics", "EDM": "https://fmepm.com/oracle-epm-deadlines-edm.ics", "FreeForm": "https://fmepm.com/oracle-epm-deadlines-freeform.ics", "Narrative Reporting": "https://fmepm.com/oracle-epm-deadlines-narrative.ics", "Account Reconciliation": "https://fmepm.com/oracle-epm-deadlines-arcs.ics", "EPM Platform": "https://fmepm.com/oracle-epm-deadlines-platform.ics" }, "feeds_by_product": { "Planning": "https://fmepm.com/feed-planning.xml", "FCC": "https://fmepm.com/feed-fcc.xml", "PCM": "https://fmepm.com/feed-pcm.xml", "Tax Reporting": "https://fmepm.com/feed-tax.xml", "EDM": "https://fmepm.com/feed-edm.xml", "FreeForm": "https://fmepm.com/feed-freeform.xml", "Narrative Reporting": "https://fmepm.com/feed-narrative.xml", "Account Reconciliation": "https://fmepm.com/feed-arcs.xml", "EPM Platform": "https://fmepm.com/feed-platform.xml" }, "cycle": [ { "version": "26.09", "test": "2026-09-04", "review": "2026-09-18", "production": "2026-09-18" }, { "version": "26.10", "test": "2026-10-02", "review": "2026-10-06", "production": "2026-10-16" }, { "version": "26.11", "test": "2026-11-06", "review": "2026-11-10", "production": "2026-11-20" }, { "version": "26.12", "test": "2026-12-04", "review": "2026-12-08", "production": "2026-12-18" } ], "deadlines": [ { "group": "In effect", "date": null, "what": "Generative AI features require 26.04 or later", "what_to_do": "Nothing, unless an environment is parked on a one off patch below 26.04", "products": [ "EPM Platform" ], "url": "https://fmepm.com/epm-update-may-july-2026#genai-2604", "first_noted_in": "26.05 to 26.07" }, { "group": "In effect", "date": null, "what": "The new EPM Automate password file format arrived with 26.09; both formats are readable through 26.11", "what_to_do": "Upgrade the EPM Automate client, then rerun the encrypt command", "products": [ "EPM Platform" ], "url": "https://fmepm.com/epm-update-september-2026#epm-automate-encrypt-now", "first_noted_in": "26.08" }, { "group": "26.10", "date": "2026-10-16", "what": "Account Reconciliation renames Data Loads to Balance Loads and Invalid Mappings to Missing Profiles", "what_to_do": "Update runbooks and training material", "products": [ "Account Reconciliation" ], "url": "https://fmepm.com/epm-update-august-2026#arcs-renames", "first_noted_in": "26.08" }, { "group": "26.10", "date": "2026-10-16", "what": "EPM Integration Agent updated for the new password file format", "what_to_do": "Regenerate the agent's password file after the agent update", "products": [ "EPM Platform" ], "url": "https://fmepm.com/epm-update-september-2026#epm-automate-encrypt-now", "first_noted_in": "26.09" }, { "group": "26.11", "date": "2026-11-20", "what": "accountName.userName login format stops working for EPM Automate and the REST APIs", "what_to_do": "Switch scripts to the plain user name", "products": [ "EPM Platform" ], "url": "https://fmepm.com/epm-update-august-2026#account-prefix-login", "first_noted_in": "26.08" }, { "group": "26.11", "date": "2026-11-20", "what": "The original PCM agent and its Performance Assistant are no longer available", "what_to_do": "Move anyone still on the original PCM agent to the enhanced agent", "products": [ "PCM" ], "url": "https://fmepm.com/epm-update-september-2026#epcm-performance", "first_noted_in": "26.08" }, { "group": "26.11", "date": "2026-11-20", "what": "Transaction Matching audit table moves text columns to numeric codes", "what_to_do": "Update custom SQL reports that read TM_AUDIT_TRAIL", "products": [ "Account Reconciliation" ], "url": "https://fmepm.com/epm-update-august-2026#tm-audit-table", "first_noted_in": "26.05 to 26.07" }, { "group": "November 2026", "date": "2026-11-30", "what": "EPM Skills for Oracle Digital Assistant are de-supported", "what_to_do": "Move to AI Agent Studio if you used them", "products": [ "EPM Platform" ], "url": "https://fmepm.com/epm-update-september-2026#dates", "first_noted_in": "26.05 to 26.07" }, { "group": "26.12", "date": "2026-12-18", "what": "Only the new password file format works; EPM Automate clients older than 26.09 stop working", "what_to_do": "Client upgraded and password files regenerated before year end close", "products": [ "EPM Platform" ], "url": "https://fmepm.com/epm-update-september-2026#epm-automate-encrypt-now", "first_noted_in": "26.08" }, { "group": "Q4 2026", "date": "2026-12-31", "what": "Legacy Workforce and Strategic Workforce Planning rules deprecated", "what_to_do": "Repoint action menus in pre December 2024 applications to the 2.0 rules", "products": [ "Planning" ], "url": "https://fmepm.com/epm-update-september-2026#dates", "first_noted_in": "26.05 to 26.07" }, { "group": "Six month clock", "date": null, "what": "One off patches and manual skips merge back to the main code line six months after they start", "what_to_do": "Plan the regression test for the return", "products": [ "EPM Platform" ], "url": "https://fmepm.com/epm-update-september-2026#six-month-limit", "first_noted_in": "26.09" }, { "group": "Not announced yet", "date": null, "what": "IP addresses in connection URLs stop working", "what_to_do": "Switch connections to hostnames now", "products": [ "EPM Platform" ], "url": "https://fmepm.com/epm-update-september-2026#dates", "first_noted_in": "26.05 to 26.07" }, { "group": "Not announced yet", "date": null, "what": "Power Users need write access to a folder to create forms and dashboards in it", "what_to_do": "Review folder security assignments", "products": [ "Planning", "FreeForm" ], "url": "https://fmepm.com/epm-update-september-2026#dates", "first_noted_in": "26.05 to 26.07" }, { "group": "Not announced yet", "date": null, "what": "Calculation Manager enforces its Errors and Considerations diagnostic; a Rule Status column appears on the rules list", "what_to_do": "Clear errors before opening rule SRs with Oracle", "products": [ "Planning", "EPM Platform" ], "url": "https://fmepm.com/epm-update-september-2026#dates", "first_noted_in": "26.05 to 26.07" }, { "group": "Not announced yet", "date": null, "what": "ASO grids from Groovy and the REST API decide on MDX by suppressMissingRows instead of suppressMissingBlocks", "what_to_do": "Check grids where the two suppress flags differ", "products": [ "Planning", "EPM Platform" ], "url": "https://fmepm.com/epm-update-september-2026#dates", "first_noted_in": "26.09" } ] }