Oracle Cloud Applications delivers the first Cloud Financials update of the year. Oracle has recently released this document to guide and educate users in adopting and using the latest features and functionality of the 22A Cloud Financials update. Users will discover need-to-know features and additional information for their Oracle Cloud Financials application. The document describes in detail what (if any) steps users need to perform to opt-in and use these latest features and functionality.
Features are either delivered already enabled where users need not ‘take action’ to make use of them, or they are delivered disabled, in which case Cloud users will need to enable these features themselves. Here, we will summarize the features and functionality of this latest release that will help your organization thrive.
Collaboration Messaging Framework
Receive Order Forecasts from Customers
With the latest 22A Cloud Financials update, users are now able to receive an order forecast message from customers and use it for an organization’s demand planning. Set up the message definition as an inbound collaboration message for a trading partner, and then associate the trading partner and Order Forecast with a customer using the Manage Customer Collaboration Configuration task. Once the message is received and transformed, a compressed file is placed in Oracle WebCenter Content and processed by the Collaboration Customer Demand Uploads resource.
Financials Common
Oracle Enterprise Performance Management Financial Consolidation and Close Skill in Digital Assistant for Fusion Applications
You can now use the digital assistant for Fusion Applications to view and update consolidation data, start consolidation jobs directly within the digital assistant, and view task summary and status. The integrated Financial Consolidation and Close skill can be used in Oracle Web channel or Microsoft Teams as well.
Collections Strategy Change Using a REST API
22A delivers changes to the collections strategies assigned to customers using the Collections Strategies REST API. Users can leverage the Collections Strategies REST API to replace the existing strategy assigned to a customer with a new strategy.
Unpaid Reason Code Update Using a REST API
You can update the unpaid reason code on collections delinquencies using the Collections Delinquencies REST API. Perform activities using the Collections Delinquencies REST API such as obtaining the details of collection delinquencies, updating the Unpaid Reason Code on collections delinquencies, and creating a collections delinquency record for an invoice to capture the unpaid reason code of the invoice. The Collections Delinquencies REST API allows you update the unpaid reason code in bulk resulting in both time and resource savings.
Simplified Workflow Rules Configuration
In 22A, use the Simplified Workflow Rules Configuration feature to create workflow rules using spreadsheets for Payables Invoice Approval and General Ledger Journal Approval workflows. This feature was first introduced in update 18C, and in update 22A, you can define rules to send FYI notifications to members of a Supervisory or Job Level hierarchy.
Using this FYI option in the Approval Routing column, you can define rules to send information-only notifications that do not require user action to approvers. Administrators can use this option to define rules to send FYI notifications to members of a Supervisory Hierarchy or Job Level Hierarchy. You can configure rules to send information-only notifications to users based on Supervisory Hierarchy, Job Level Hierarchy, Approval Group, User, and Role.
Accounting and Control
Ability to Create Private Budget Accounting Groups
Use the Budget Account Group page to create budget account groups to view budget accounts and balances that cannot be viewed by others. Create a budget account group that you can use and share with your organization and use private budget account groups for the budget accounts that you want to monitor. Use public budget account groups for budget accounts that your organization monitors.
Budget Balances Synchronization from Budget Transfers in Both Budgetary Control and General Ledger
Enter any budget transfers in the Review Budgetary Control Balances page and synchronize budget balances for both Budgetary Control validation and General Ledger query and reporting. Users can transfer budget and then simultaneously update the budget balances in both Budgetary Control and General Ledger. You can also continue to transfer budget in Budgetary Control and General Ledger separately. Use the Budget Usage field in the Budget Transfer Request page to control the impact of budget data.
Review Budgetary Control Balances Page Personalization
You can use the power of personalizations to add or remove fields from the Review Budgetary Control Balances page default display. Customize your personal view, or your organization’s view of the Review Budgetary Control Balances page to create the user experience you prefer. Customizations are then retained across sessions which enable you and your organization to focus on the data that matters.
Historical Rates Entry Using File-Based Data Import
You can now create, update, or delete historical rates for multiple ledgers at once using a standard File Based Data Import (FBDI) template. Use the Historical Rates Import file-based data (FBDI) template to import historical rates from external and legacy sources to General Ledger. This method is particularly useful when entering or updating large volumes of historical rates.
Attachments for Joint Venture Definitions and Partner Contributions
Add and retrieve attachments of different types and at various levels within Joint Venture Definitions and Partner Contributions. These include attachments related to joint operating agreements, operational documents, specific joint venture stakeholders, ownership definitions, merger and acquisition activities, scope changes, and changes in partner responsibilities. Attachments can be documents, such as signed contracts, emails, statements, blueprints, spreadsheets, and permits.
Asset and Lease Management
Index-Based Rent Increases
The update to 22A allows you to capture a rent increase index and automatically modify the rent as the index increases or decreases. The lease terms and conditions often include an automatic change of the payment amounts based on an index. For example, the terms and conditions of the lease tie the lease payments to the Consumer Price Index (CPI).
Miscellaneous Lease Payments
You can now complete payments for miscellaneous lease-related expenses. Lessees often receive charges in addition to the regular period rent charges. Cleaning fees, fees to decorate the lobby for holidays, and other one-off expenses are examples of miscellaneous lease expenses. The lease administrator can capture these expenses, associate them to a lease, and submit them for transfer to Payables.
Payables and Expenses
Display of Fields by Expense Type in Oracle Expenses Mobile Application
Discover simplified expense entry in the Expenses mobile application in the 22A update due to the ability to only enable the applicable fields for each expense type. The Description, Merchant, Expense Location, and Number of Days fields are exposed based on the field behavior defined for expense type and the template. Previously, the mobile application displayed these fields based on profile options, expense category field setup, and policies, and now with this update, the field behavior defined for the expense type and the expense template takes precedence.
Receipt Attachment After Expense Report Approval
Employees can attach receipts and supporting documents to an approved expense report, even after expenses are paid. This helps employees comply with government regulations about providing adequate proof of employee expenses. Receipt attachment after expense report approval provides these benefits to your business such as granting you additional information to approved employee expense reports for post-accounting audits, improved organization of expense data, reduction of expense management manual updates, and enhanced audit compliance.
Configurable Payables Workflow Notifications
The Configurable Payables Workflow Notifications feature was introduced in update 17D, with additional capabilities added in update 19D. In update 22A, there are changes in the privileges required for a user to drill down to the invoice from the email and in-app notifications for the Invoice Approval, Invoice Accounting Coding, and Hold Resolution Payables workflows.
Receivables and Cash
Collections Data Point for Total Receivables Balance
Using the Edit Scoring Data Point page, you’re able to open and review the Total Receivables Balance data point for a customer, customer account, or customer site. The data point displays the total outstanding amount in USD for a customer, customer account, or customer site. Bills receivables, on-account, and unapplied cash are included in the calculation of the current outstanding balance.
Additional Control of Currency Conversion
When it comes to enabling the Disable Override function from Source option, do so in the Manage System Options for Revenue Management page to control currency conversions. This option ensures that only the default conversion type and conversion dates are applied when converting foreign currency revenue contract lines to the ledger currency. When this option is enabled, Revenue Management only applies the currency conversion settings defined in the Manage System Options for Revenue Management to convert your foreign currency revenue contract lines to ledger currency for processing in Revenue Management.
Region and Country-Specific Features
Enhanced Fiscal Document Extraction for Brazil
Use the enhanced fiscal document extract for Brazil to provide the Receivables Transaction Type and the Bill-To Party State Inscription Classification to tax authority integration partners. In order to support custom reporting scenarios, tax authority integration partners may need to identify the Receivables Transaction Type or the Bill-To Party State Inscription Classification. These new elements are implemented in the existing FISCAL_DOC_HEADER group in the output file of the Send Fiscal Document to Tax Authority process.
Legal Entity Parameter for Z4 and Z5A Reports for Germany
22A allows you to specify a legal entity when producing the Z4 and Z5A reports for Germany. The Legal Entity parameter enables users to generate the reports for ledgers with multiple legal entities. If you have set up ledgers with multiple legal entities, the Legal Entity parameter will allow you to generate the Z4 and Z5A reports for a specific legal entity, so that the reporting is appropriate and accurate for your organization structure.
Unique Fiscal Identifier for Portugal
Generate and assign a unique fiscal identifier, called the ATCUD, to Receivables transactions in accordance with Portuguese legal requirements. The ATCUD is also included in the SAF-T extract. This features helps comply with the Portuguese legal requirement to create and print ATCUD in all billing documents.
Netting Letter Distribution to Multiple Email Addresses
Send netting letters by email to trading partners and internal stakeholders with the details of the settled transactions. This helps to communicate with multiple recipients using a single email. You can update all the involved stakeholders about a successful Netting Settlement using a Netting Letter, in the form of a single email which can be sent to multiple email recipients as specified during the agreement creation.
U.S. Federal Financials
U.S. Federal Receipt Accounting for Delivery to Expense Event Class
Generate Federal budgetary accounting that complies with U.S. Standard General Ledger requirements for Delivery to Expense event class receipts. Oracle U.S. Federal Financials enables you to complete the accounting process for Delivery to Expense event class receipts using Oracle Subledger Accounting. Subledger Accounting creates the final accounting for subledger journal entries and transfers the accounting data to the General Ledger. It includes a common user interface and a set of programs that can generate accounting for Delivery to Expense event class receipts.
Tracking and applying all of these new features can be challenging. Ensure that you’re getting the most out of your Cloud Financials investment by reaching out to [email protected] to connect with our Cloud Experts and discuss your organization’s unique needs. Whether that’s reviewing your current Cloud application and finding quick wins or applying these new features released in 22A, our team is here to help. In the meantime, check out all of our Cloud services here.