by Tatiana Vazquez – Oracle EPM Cloud Consultant
Picture this: you’ve been handed a fresh new project with the initial scope outlining the number of Oracle Cloud EPM reports required. As you strategize your efforts, you suddenly encounter a startling realization— the volume of reports needed far exceeds the initial budget allocation, and a change order is not an option. Boom! What’s your next move? We had a similar case with one of our clients and a collaborative build effort was the answer to keep the budget intact while still executing a successful implementation.
Today, I’m thrilled to share the journey we went on with our client, shedding light on valuable insights and practical strategies for navigating collaborative Oracle Cloud EPM workloads seamlessly, without encroaching on our client’s availability or budget.
Best Practices for Oracle Cloud EPM Collaborative Report-Building Projects
To kickstart the collaborative process, as a consultant, it’s crucial to establish a realistic number of reports and delineate the responsibilities between your team and the client. Once this framework is in place, the client provides a list of reports along with any existing report files they may already be using. Here’s where strategic decision-making comes into play—identify which reports will be managed by the client and which ones will need the expertise of your consulting team.
With roles assigned, it’s time to streamline the process. Each report is allocated to a specific team member from both sides, and a meticulous tracker is recommended to maintain clarity and accountability. The tracker shouldn’t just be a static list of assigned reports; it’s a dynamic tool that requires active participation from each user to update the status and completion progress. With a designated column for comments, it’s essential for your project manager to monitor this section closely for any emerging questions or concerns.
Additionally, we integrated a ‘Client Review’ column to ensure each completed report is reviewed in collaboration with the client. This step not only guarantees that the report meets their specific needs but also enhances their understanding of the data presented.
Once reports are allocated, it’s crucial to schedule training hours and working sessions with the client to equip them with the skills to independently build reports. These sessions should be recorded for future reference, enabling the client to revisit them as needed.
It’s suggested you establish a primary contact within your consulting team to streamline communication for any report-building queries from the client’s end. Mutually, ensure the client also designates a knowledgeable resource familiar with the data, to assist with any questions or challenges your consulting team may encounter during the report-building process. Encouraging active participation from all team members during scheduled working sessions promotes a collaborative environment where shared insights and solutions can alleviate common roadblocks.
Streamlining Collaborative Workflows
At the beginning of our collaboration with our client, we were tasked with developing approximately 28 reports. While two of our team members were assigned nine reports, the remaining 19 were delegated to three members of client’s FP&A team. Despite being just one component of the overall project, it quickly became apparent that effective management of this task was crucial.
Ensuring adequate hours for our project manager to oversee this added responsibility was essential. Initiating report building early in the project timeline proved invaluable, as it allowed us to proactively address potential roadblocks that could have otherwise jeopardized our deadlines.
A delicate challenge we encountered was working with a newly formed FP&A team. They were still in the process of familiarizing themselves with their own data, and many team members had not yet experienced a complete budgeting cycle. This became evident during the report-building phase when they discovered missing calculations that had not been brought to our attention during the requirements phase. Fortunately, we were able to address and resolve this promptly. Again, another reason for starting report building early in the project timeline.
Providing Clarity of Scope
Having clarity regarding the scope of the project and responsibilities for each team member is very important. One best practice we recommend is to align with the client regarding the number of applicable revisions for each report within the project. This approach helps keep the project in scope and on time.
We hope that our insights from the collaborative journey with our client provide valuable guidance for your future report-building endeavors. By establishing clear roles, fostering communication, and proactively addressing challenges, we aim to empower you to execute your implementations with confidence and success. We look forward to hearing about the positive impact these strategies will have on your projects.
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