This document outlines a presentation on defining dimensions for an Oracle EPM solution. It discusses dimensional modeling concepts like facts, dimensions, and hierarchies. It also covers Oracle EPM's dimensional requirements like standard and custom dimensions. Finally, it explores common design scenarios such as currency conversion, audit trails, restatements, and time-based dimensions. The goal is to help companies properly define dimensions to meet business requirements and make data accessible in a timely manner.

1. Dimension Decisions: A Guide to Defining
Dimensions for Your Oracle EPM Solution
September, 2013
RJ Linehan
rj@innovuspartners.com

2. Presentation Agenda
 Profile
 A True Story
 Dimensional Modeling Concepts
 Oracle EPM Dimensional Requirements
 Common Design Scenarios
 Questions

3. Company/Presenter Profile
 Innovus Partners
 Oracle/Hyperion Enterprise Performance
Management
 Oracle Gold Partner
 Based in the NY Tri-State Area
 Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn
 RJ Linehan
 Over thirteen years experience consulting in
the EPM/BI Space
 OAUGNYC Board Member
 Sleep Deprived…

4. A True Story Part 1
 The Life of Tom Jones
 Works at XYZ Company for past 15 years
 Financial Planning & Analysis Department
 Leverages Oracle/Hyperion EPM tools
 Experienced two upgrades in past 8 years
 No changes to core EPM solution in that time
 Uses Excel to do his job

5. Dimensional Modeling Concepts
 A single set of common data that satisfies the following user
requirements
 Ability to make informed business decisions based on the right
data
 Expectation of accurate data provided at the correct grain
 Delivery of the data in a secure and timely fashion
 Capacity to change with business requirements
What is a dimensional model?
(Borrowed from "The Data Warehouse Toolkit" by Ralph Kimball and Margy Ross)

6. • A fact is a business measure that is typically numeric
• A fact is the numerical data stored in an EPM application
• A fact can be additive or non-additive
• The list of dimensions that encompass an EPM application
defines the grain of the fact and the scope of measurement
What is a Fact?
(Borrowed from "The Data Warehouse Toolkit" by Ralph Kimball and Margy Ross)
Dimensional Modeling Concepts

7. • A dimension and its attributes describe the facts
stored in an EPM application
• Dimension attributes define the 'By' in a report
(Revenue by Quarter by Region)
• A dimension is a type of Metadata
What is a Dimension?
(Borrowed from "The Data Warehouse Toolkit" by Ralph Kimball and Margy Ross)
Dimensional Modeling Concepts

8. Dimensional Modeling Concepts
• Insist on complete functional/business requirements
• Know the data that will encompass the subject area
• Engage and learn from the business users
• Provide detailed pre-design questions for the business
and IT
• Request sample dimensions from source systems
Successfully Defining Dimensions During Design

9. A True Story Part 2
 The Life of Tom Jones
 Queries data against ERP system and DW
that is not available in Oracle/Hyperion
EPM tools
 Uses Excel to incorporate that data into
his analysis
 Uses Access to reorganize data
 Process takes 3 days to complete
 Publishes reports to management

10. Typical Dimensional Requirements
• Chart of Accounts
• Currency Conversion
• Calendars – Regular, Fiscal, Other
• Organization
• Legal Entity
• Business Groups
• Departments
• Operating Units
• Inventory Organization
• HR Organization
Dimension Definitions for Oracle Financials

11. Oracle EPM Dimensional Requirements
• Oracle EPM applications support standard and custom
dimensions
• A dimension member is an element of the dimension that is
typically unique to the application
• A hierarchy denotes a roll-up of dimension members within
a dimension that is either aggregating or non-aggregating
• Fact data must be loaded to a member from each dimension
in the EPM application
• Dimensions are often shared across EPM applications
Dimension Definitions for Oracle EPM Applications

12. • A standard dimension is a required dimension in an
EPM Application
• A standard dimension offers consistency
• A standard dimension provides out-of-the-box
functionality for select features of an EPM
Application
Standard Dimensions in an Oracle EPM Application
Oracle EPM Dimensional Requirements

13. • A custom dimension is typically not a required
dimension in an EPM Application
• A custom dimension provides for customization to
satisfy reporting requirements
• A custom dimension expands the perspective of
data stored in an EPM Application
Custom Dimensions in an Oracle EPM Application
Oracle EPM Dimensional Requirements

14. Common Design Scenarios
• Avoid building one application with many
dimensions to support all planned data
• Organize data sets that will be planned into
groups of common dimensionality
• Leverage a separate application to support
consolidated reporting
Dimensional Design for Budget & Forecasting Applications

15. Common Design Scenarios

16.  Three types of currencies
 Functional currency
 Transactional currency
 Reporting currency
 Implementing currency conversion
 Native vs. Custom
 Design for future support of currency
conversion
Dimensional Design for Currency Conversion
Common Design Scenarios

17. Common Design Scenarios – Currency Conversion

18.  Types of Audit Trails
 User
 Track data entry by user
 Entity
 Track data movement across entities
 Scenario/Version
 Track data movement across data sets
such as allocations
Dimensional Design to Support Audit Trails
Common Design Scenarios

19. Common Design Scenarios - Restatements

20.  View Dimension
 Provides for different perspectives of
reporting
 Calculation standardization
 Dynamic calculations to reduce overhead
Dimensional Design to Extend Reporting
Common Design Scenarios

21. Common Design Scenarios – View Dimension

22. Time-Based Dimensions
DEMONSTRATION
A True Story Part III
 The Life of Tom Jones
 Initiative undertaken at XYZ Company to
better understand business requirements
 Redesign of EPM Solution warranted to
support changing business requirements
 3 day process drops to 1 hour process
 Tom is now analyzing data and not
transforming it

23. Dimension Decisions: A Guide to Defining
Dimensions for You Oracle EPM Solution
September, 2013
RJ Linehan
rj@innovuspartners.com