Oracle Planning Overview
Oracle Planning is a comprehensive budgeting, planning, and forecasting solution designed to provide immediate value and productivity for business planners, analysts, and decision-makers.
It facilitates streamlined data entry through:
- Web interfaces
- Mobile devices
- Microsoft Excel
The platform is powered by a robust calculation engine capable of handling:
- Complex business modeling
- Business rules
- Allocations
- Driver-based calculations
Pre-built Planning Modules
Oracle Planning includes several out-of-the-box modules that incorporate best practices and predefined content such as:
- Forms
- Dashboards
- KPIs
- Business processes
Financials
Supports integrated:
- Driver-based planning
- Trend-based planning
Used for:
- Income statements
- Balance sheets
- Cash flow planning
Workforce
Links:
- Financial plans
- Headcount planning
- Compensation planning
Capital
Manages:
- Long-term impact of capital assets
- Capital expense prioritization
Projects
Bridges the gap between:
- Specialized project planning systems
- Enterprise financial planning
Strategic Modeling
Focuses on:
- Long-term strategic objectives
- Simulations
- Scenario analysis
- Acquisition planning
Cloud Service Subscriptions
Available features depend on the selected Oracle EPM Cloud Service subscription.
EPM Standard Cloud Service
Designed for:
- Small to midsize businesses
- Lower complexity planning requirements
EPM Enterprise Cloud Service
Designed for:
- Large enterprises
- Complex planning cycles
Includes all standard capabilities plus:
- FreeForm Planning
- Custom Groovy scripting
- Profitability and Cost Management
- Tax Reporting
- Advanced integrations
Typical Planning Process
A standard Oracle Planning workflow typically includes the following phases.
1. Enter Data
Users can input data through:
- Web forms
- Smart View grids
- Direct data loads
2. Adjust Data
Data can be refined using:
- Manual adjustments
- Mass Allocate
- Grid Spread
These features improve planning efficiency and consistency.
3. Calculate
Administrators or users execute:
- Predefined business rules
- Custom calculation rules
Rules are managed through:
- Calculation Manager
4. Annotate
Users can provide business justification through:
- Cell text annotations
- Document attachments
- Supporting detail
5. Review and Approve
Organizations can implement:
- Approval workflows
- Organizational review hierarchies
- Submission and sign-off processes
6. Report
Oracle Planning supports:
- Dynamic reports
- Static reports
Output formats include:
- HTML
- XLS
Key Tools and Utilities
Oracle Planning provides several utilities that enhance both:
- User experience
- Administrative operations
Smart View
Smart View provides a Microsoft Office integration layer that allows users to work directly inside:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft PowerPoint
Benefits include:
- Familiar spreadsheet interface
- Ad hoc analysis
- Data submission capabilities
EPM Automate
EPM Automate is a command-line utility used to:
- Automate repeatable tasks
- Execute maintenance operations
- Manage environments remotely
Typical use cases:
- Daily integrations
- Backups
- Data loads
- Snapshot migrations
Data Exchange
Data Exchange enables integration between:
- Source systems
- Oracle Planning modules
Capabilities include:
- Mapping rules
- Data transformations
- Integration workflows
Dashboards and Infolets
Dashboards and Infolets provide:
- Visual storytelling
- High-level summaries
- Aggregated business insights
These components help executives and planners quickly analyze key metrics and performance indicators.