Epicor EPM Server and Cube
Connect
This document is for informational purposes only and is subject to change without notice. This document and its contents, including the viewpoints, dates and functional content expressed herein are believed to be accurate as of its date of publication. However, Epicor Software Corporation makes no guarantee, representations or warranties with regard to the enclosed information and specifically disclaims any applicable implied warranties, such as fitness for a particular purpose, merchantability, satisfactory quality or reasonable skill and care. As each user of Epicor software is likely to be unique in their requirements in the use of such software and their business processes, users of this document are always advised to discuss the content of this document with their Epicor account manager. All information contained herein is subject to change without notice and changes to this document since printing and other important information about the software product are made or published in release notes, and you are urged to obtain the current release notes for the software product. We welcome user comments and reserve the right to revise this publication and/or make improvements or changes to the products or programs described in this publication at any time, without notice. The usage of any Epicor software shall be pursuant to an Epicor end user license agreement and the performance of any consulting services by Epicor personnel shall be pursuant to Epicor's standard services terms and conditions. Usage of the solution(s) described in this document with other Epicor software or third party products may require the purchase of licenses for such other products. Where any software is expressed to be compliant with local laws or requirements in this document, such compliance is not a warranty and is based solely on Epicor's current understanding of such laws and requirements. All laws and requirements are subject to varying interpretations as well as to change and accordingly Epicor cannot guarantee that the software will be compliant and up to date with such changes. All statements of platform and product compatibility in this document shall be considered individually in relation to the products referred to in the relevant statement, i.e., where any Epicor software is stated to be compatible with one product and also stated to be compatible with another product, it should not be interpreted that such Epicor software is compatible with both of the products running at the same time on the same platform or environment. Additionally platform or product compatibility may require the application of Epicor or third-party updates, patches and/or service packs and Epicor has no responsibility for compatibility issues which may be caused by updates, patches and/or service packs released by third parties after the date of publication of this document. Epicor® is a registered trademark and/or trademark of Epicor Software Corporation in the United States, certain other countries and/or the EU. All other trademarks mentioned are the property of their respective owners. Copyright © Epicor Software Corporation 2014. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without the prior written consent of Epicor Software Corporation.
ED883905 9021-10-9804-58310700 10.0.700 Revision: June 08, 2014 5:28 p.m. Total pages: 104 course.ditaval
Contents
Epicor EPM Server and Cube Connect Course...6
Before You Begin...7
Audience...7
Prerequisites...7
Environment Setup...8
Workshop Constraints...9
Application Overview...10
Epicor EPM Server Management Console...13
Workshop - View the EPM Server Management Console Window...13
Epicor EPM Server...14
Security...16
Workshop - Add a New User Account...18
Licensing...19
Workshop - Import a Content Pack License File...19
ERP System Node...20
User Cube Management...20
Workshop - View Cube Status...23
Workshop - Deploy a Cube in EPM Server Management Console...24
Deploy the Cube...24
Define Deployment Parameters...25
Workshop - Re-deploy a Cube in EPM Server Management Console...25
Download the Cube to File...25
Open a Cube for Re-deployment...26
Re-deploy a Cube...26
Process the Cube...27
Workshop - View Cube Properties...28
Content Pack Management...29
Workshop - Deploy a Content Pack...29
Workshop - Create a Deployment Context...31
Workshop - Specify Deployment Options...32
Epicor EPM Platform Architecture...34
Basic Concepts and Terminology...35
OLAP Technology Overview...35
Multidimensional Data Representation Overview...36
Epicor EPM Terms and Definitions...38
Star Schema...40
EPM Glossary Designer Overview...42
Business Definitions and Attributes...45
Workshop - Launch the EPM Glossary Designer...46
Creating New Glossary...47
Glossary Designer User Interface...48
Glossary Definition Parameters...49
Workshop - Work with the Glossary Tab...53
Import Glossary Entries...53
Add Glossary Entry...53
Copy Glossary Entry...54
Edit Glossary Entry...54
View Cube Fields...54
View a Glossary Calculated Field...55
View Glossary Templates...55
Cube Connect...57
EPM Cube Editor...57
Workshop - Edit a Cube from the Content Pack...58
Download the Cube Using the Console...58
Open Cube in Cube Editor...59
Measures...60
Workshop - Add Measures In Cube Editor...60
Business Definitions...62
Workshop - Set and Adjust Formulas...64
Dimensions...71
Workshop - Add Dimensions in Cube Editor...72
Add a New Dimension...73
Workshop - Test Compile the User Cube...75
User Cube Compilation...76
Workshop - Compile the User Cube...77
Workshop - Save the User Cube...79
EPM Cube Manager...80
EPM Cube Manager Interface...81
Workshop - Open a Cube for Deployment...83
Cube Deployment...84
User Cube Deployment Status...86
Workshop - Deploy a Cube...88
EPM Content Pack Editor...89
Workshop - Create a Content Pack...89
Create a New Empty Content Pack and Populate It...89
Add a Cross User Cube Canvas...90
Save the Content Pack...91
EPM Content Pack Deployer...92
Workshop - Deploy and Process a Content Pack...92
Workshop - Create Deployment Context...95
Process a Content Pack...96
Workshop - Manage Content Pack Deployments...97
Viewing EPM Cubes in External Systems...100
Microsoft SQL Server Analysis Services®...100
Workshop - View a Cube in Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio...100
Microsoft Office Excel®...101
Workshop - Establish SQL Analysis Connection in Excel...101
Workshop - View a Cube in Excel...102
Epicor EPM Server and Cube Connect Course
The Epicor Enterprise Performance Management (EPM) Server and Cube Connect course is designed to provide the system administrator with the tools to manage and deploy online analytical processing (OLAP) user cubes for use with the EPM suite of business intelligence tools. The EPM suite is considered a Cross Brand product in that it can use several of the Epicor applications, such as iScala, Enterprise, Clientele, and Epicor ERP as its datasource. This course has been written generically to provide steps that can be used with any of the Epicor applications. The course begins with a discussion of basic OLAP and multi-dimensional concepts and finishes with a cube modification and deployment project.
Hands-on workshops guide you through the steps introducing the components of the EPM Suite as well as the generic steps to manage cube and content deployment including:
• Epicor EPM Server - The EPM Server is a Windows® NT service responsible for cube deployment. This course demonstrates how to administer data sources using the EPM Server, as well as how to schedule and deploy user cubes. The EPM Server Management Console is the system administration interface for Epicor EPM Server. • EPM Cube Editor - This tool is the cube design tool and the client component of the system. This course
provides instructions for modifying user cubes by adding dimensions and measures to the existing cube template.
• EPM Cube Manager - Use this tool to monitor, manage and deploy cubes created by the Cube Editor tool. During this course, you use Cube Manager to deploy user cubes.
• EPM Content Pack Editor - A Content Pack is a collection of cubes and visualizations called Dashboards or Canvases made for the Epicor EPM Performance Canvas tool. This course introduces the EPM Content Pack Editor and demonstrates how to add selected content to create a customized Content Pack.
• EPM Content Pack Deployer - Content Packs are created and then deployed for easy access. This course demonstrates a basic deployment of a simple Content Pack.
• EPM Glossary Designer - An EPM Glossary is a collection of business definitions that guide the pre-defined analytics for the Epicor applications. With EPM Glossary Designer, you can modify an EPM Glossary to customize business definitions, shared dimensions, and cube templates which are then available for use in the Cube Editor or can be directly deployed to EPM Server. This course discusses the basic functionality of the EPM Glossary Designer and demonstrates how to create or modify dimensions and measures for use with Content Packs.
The four tools you use to create and deploy OLAP cubes and content packs are referred to as Epicor Cube Connect tools. These include EPM Cube Editor, EPM Cube Manager, EPM Content Pack Editor, EPM Content Pack Deployer. Upon successful completion of this course, you will be able to:
• Understand basic Online Analytical Processing (OLAP) concepts.
• Comprehend the Epicor EPM Platform structure and data flow behind the cube. • Name the four components of Cube Connect and understand their interaction. • Use the EPM Glossary Designer to create your own business definitions. • Using the EPM Server Management Console to manage EPM cubes.
• Use the EPM Cube Editor application to create user cubes from a cube template. • Deploy a customized user cube in EPM Cube Manager.
• Gain an understanding of the EPM Content Pack Editor and EPM Content Pack Deployer. • Work with an EPM Cube within SQL Server Analysis (SSAS).
Before You Begin
Read this topic for information you should know in order to successfully complete this course.
Audience
Specific audiences will benefit from this course. • CFO/Controller
• COO/Operations Manager • Sales Manager
• Customer Service Representative • Sales Engineer/Pre-Sales • Account Manager • Sales Representative • System Administrator • IT/Technical Staff
Prerequisites
To complete the workshops in this course, the necessary modules must be licensed and operating in your training environment. For more information on the modules available, contact your Epicor Customer Account Manager at [email protected]. It is also important you understand the prerequisite knowledge contained in other valuable courses.
• Database Concepts Course - This course reviews the table and field name identification process using Field Help, Customization Tools, and the Data Dictionary Viewer functionality. It also describes table linking procedures and requirements as well as join type definitions and specifications.
• Epicor Portal - This course explores the creation of business views against the application data of major product lines. These views can be exposed through Microsoft® SharePoint web sites. Epicor Portal uses application schemas that predefine the links between application tables and present the view builder with simple documents that describe business entities, such as customers or sales orders. Epicor Portal allows you to make field selections for portal views without having to know the physical structure of the database. The views can also expose common business processes such as update addresses, submit sales orders, or log in support calls based on data provided in the views through Epicor Service Connect workflows.
• Recommended Industry Knowledge: Microsoft® SQL Server Analysis Services (SSAS) - A good understanding of SSAS is important to understand many of the concepts presented in this course.
• Recommended Industry Knowledge: Online Analytical Process (OLAP) - Although the course provides a basic overview of the OLAP process, an understanding of the OLAP functionality and its multi-dimensional cube methodology is recommended.
Environment Setup
The environment setup steps and potential workshop constraints must be reviewed in order to successfully complete the workshops in this course.
Your Epicor training environment, in which the Epicor demonstration database is found, enables you to experience Epicor functionality in action but does not affect data in your live, production environment.
The following steps must be taken to successfully complete the workshops in this course.
1. Verify the following or ask your system administrator to verify for you:
• Your Epicor training icon (or web address if you are using Epicor Web Access) points to your
Epicor training environment with the Epicor demonstration database installed. Do not complete
the course workshops in your live, production environment.
Note It is recommended that multiple Epicor demonstration databases are installed. Contact
Support or Systems Consulting for billable assistance.
• The Epicor demonstration database is at the same service pack and patch as the Epicor
application. Epicor's education team updates the Epicor demonstration database for each service pack
and patch. If your system administrator upgrades your Epicor application to a new service pack or patch, he or she must also download the corresponding Epicor demonstration database from EPICweb > Support > Epicor > Downloads and install it. If this is not performed, unexpected results can occur when completing the course workshops.
• Your system administrator restored (refreshed) the Epicor demonstration database prior to
starting this course. The Epicor demonstration database comes standard with parts, customers, sales
orders, and so on, already defined. If the Epicor demonstration database is shared with multiple users (that is, the database is located on a server and users access the same data, much like your live, production environment) and is not periodically refreshed, unexpected results can occur. For example, if a course workshop requires you to ship a sales order that came standard in the Epicor demonstration database, but a different user already completed this workshop and the Epicor demonstration database was not restored (refreshed), then you will not be able to ship the sales order. Epicor's education team has written the course workshops to minimize situations like this from occurring, but Epicor cannot prevent users from manipulating the data in your installation of the Epicor demonstration database.
2. Log in to the training environment using the credentials manager/manager. If you are logged in to your training environment as a different user, from the Options menu, select Change User.
3. From the Main menu, select the company Epicor Education (EPIC06).
4. From the Main menu, select the Main site.
5. A fully licensed version of Epicor Enterprise Performance Management must be installed and configured.
6. Many workshop require a Designer or Developer user security level. Contact your system administrator for information on user accounts.
Workshop Constraints
Below is a list of workshops in this course that can be performed only once in each instance of a restored (refreshed) database. Where applicable, a detailed explanation of the workshop constraints is documented in the workshop itself.
All workshops in the course use a connected Epicor application, for example Epicor ERP, datasource and a deployed Content Pack. Contact your system administrator to inquire about the datasource and deployed Content Pack. • Workshop - Deploy a Content Pack - This workshop can only be performed one time on a non-refreshed
environment and by a member of the Administrator or Designer user profile.
• Workshop - Create a Cube Context - This workshop can only be performed one time on a non-refreshed environment and by a member of the Administrator or Designer user profile.
• Workshop - Add a New User Account - This workshop can only be completed by a member of the Administrator, Designer or Developer user profile.
• Workshop - Import a License - This workshop is informational only and can not be performed as the product must be licensed before you can use it.
• Workshop - Deploy a Cube with EPM Server - This workshop can only be performed one time on a non-refreshed environment by a member of the Administrator or Designer user profile.
• Workshop - Set and Adjust Formulas - This workshop requires an Epicor application database be created and listed in the EPM Server window. The workshops that follow display information only available using a user-defined value. Use the new measure, XXX_NewMeasure (where XXX are your initials) added in the Workshop - Add a New Measure to view the details that follow.
Application Overview
Epicor Enterprise Performance Management (EPM) is a decision support system. It is a powerful Online Analytical Processing (OLAP)-based tool for online analysis of large data volumes. EPM facilitates information provisioning, while assisting analysts and managers and enabling comprehensive analysis on different aspects of the company operation.
The EPM tools exist in the distributed computational environment with LAN and WAN capabilities and span different working platforms. EPM targets modern Microsoft Windows® platforms for the server and workstation families and therefore has no single target specification.
EPM Component Explanation
Following is an explanation of the EPM Components.
What is it? Component
The Server product used for data source administration, cube scheduling and deployment, content pack creation and deployment, and integration with Microsoft's SQL Server Analysis Services (SSAS).
The EPM Server Management Console, also known as Manage Epicor EPM Servers, is the system administration interface for Epicor EPM Server. With the EPM Server Epicor EPM Server
Management Console, you can monitor, manage, and deploy cubes as well as view deployed content packs.
The set of client tools you use to create and deploy cubes and content packages. Cube Connect is comprised of the following four tools which install together and interface with Epicor EPM Server.
EPM Cube Editor used to customize cubes.
EPM Cube Connect
EPM Cube Manager used to monitor, manage, and deploy cubes created by the Cube
Editor.
EPM Content Pack Editor used to create and package collections of custom cubes and
dashboards.
EPM Content Pack Deployer used to manage the deployment of Content Packs created
in the EPM Content Pack Editor.
An EPM Glossary is a collection of business definitions that guide the table relationships. With EPM Glossary Designer, you can modify an EPM Glossary to customize business definitions, shared dimensions, and cube templates which are then available for use in the Cube Editor or can be directly deployed to EPM Server.
EPM Glossary Designer
The web-based analysis platform used to create visualizations for OLAP-related information.
An integral part of Epicor Performance Canvas is Epicor Performance Canvas Mobile - the interface to use a Canvas on a mobile phone device such as an iPhone® or Blackberry®
Epicor Performance Canvas
Separately installed, the Epicor Performance Canvas SharePoint ™ component gives you the ability to use a Canvas within Microsoft SharePoint.
What is it? Component
The platform for advanced analytics such as budgeting and planning, and advanced forecasting.
Epicor Performance Canvas Planning
Replication
Another tool often used with EPM and Epicor ERP is Replication Configuration. Use it to set up replication of a datasource (Epicor ERP database) to another database. When you use replication, analysis and other read-only activities, such as reporting, execute from the offloaded datasource.
During replication, a static copy of data from the source ERP system database is extracted and a Microsoft® SQL Server database called Operational Data Store (ODS) is built. The replicated database can contain data from multiple companies. The ODS can then be used by the EPM suite for reporting.
The main replication purpose is to facilitate the offloading of reporting, tracking and query functions from the main transactional server. Another advantage replication provides is that the ODS database schema is optimized for specific reporting tasks.
Replication Configuration uses the Microsoft® SQL Server Replication. For more details refer to http://techne
t.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms151198(v=sql.105).aspx and http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms1511 76.aspx. No additional setup on the source ERP side is required. To monitor, customize settings, and configure advanced options on the replicated database, use the Microsoft tools. SQL Server Management Studio provides UI to manage replication (http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms152751.aspx).
EPM Content
Following is an explanation of the items EPM tools operate.
What is it? Item
EPM formatted cube and ETL definition. It encapsulates how to get the data, how to flatten it for use in cubes, and how to organize the structure of an SSAS cube for browsing.
Epicor EPM User Cubes
One or more industry-specific individually licensed and prepackaged OLAP cubes and visualizations (Performance Canvases).
Epicor EPM Content Pack
Software Installation Requirement
The full installation instructions and the latest software requirements are available from the Epicor EPM Server
Installation Guide and EPM Content Pack Installation Guide. Following are the software requirements for
the EPM Server and EPM Client components:
Requirements for the Epicor EPM Server, Epicor EPM Performance Canvas Requirements for Applications and Web Server:
• MS Windows Server® 2008 R2
• MS Internet Information Services® (IIS) version 7.0 or greater
• MS Internet Information Services® (IIS) 6.0 Compatibility Mode (required for the XMLA Web Service) • MS SQL Server Standard 2008 R2 or greater (x64 Recommended)
• SQL Server Database Engine
• SQL Server Analysis Services (Multidimensional Mode in SQL Server 2012) • SQL Server Agent
• MS .NET® Framework version 2.0 (required for XMLA web service) • MS .NET® Framework version 4.0 (required for EPM applications) • MS Visual C++ 2012 Update 1 Redistributables
For x32 systems install this redistributable: vcredist_x86.exe
For x64 systems install this redistributable: vcredist_x64.exe
You can download the Visual C++ Redistributable Packages from http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/downloa d/details.aspx?id=30679.
Requirements for Database and Replication:
• MS Windows Server® 2008 R2
• MS .NET® Framework version 3.5, or higher • MS replication and RMO/SMO
Requirements for EPM Client components, both Epicor Cube Connect and Epicor EPM Server Management Console:
• MS Windows XP SP2, MS Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows Vista SP1, or Windows 7 • MS .NET Framework version 4.0 or higher
Requirements for Epicor EPM Performance Canvas
Epicor EPM Performance Canvas supports the following internet browsers: • Chrome 10
• Microsoft Internet Explorer 7, 8 and 9 • FireFox 3 and 4
• Safari 3, 4 and 5
Installation Overview
With the exception of the EPM Glossary Designer and Content Packs, all major components of the suite are installed using the EpicorEpmServer-x.exe file in the default location of: c:\Program Files\Epicor
Software\EPM\EAS\. This location can be changed during installation. A base license is imported to support
the suite.
The EPM Performance Canvas (Performance Canvas) installation is done separately using the
EpicorEpmPerformanceCanvas-x.exe file.
Content Packs are purchased based on your Epicor application to provide the pre-defined analysis tools as well as the data cubes for use with the Performance Canvas. A separate license is required by the Content Pack. A base glossary also installs with the Content Pack(s). All Content Packs must be deployed before they can be accessed.
The EPM Glossary Designer is an optional installation for advanced technical users who need to make major customizations to the Epicor EPM application. Use the EpicorEpmGlossaryDesigner-x.exe file and a separate license code. Each Content Pack has a separate license and updates the EPM Glossary Designer. The default location for the Content Pack and EPM Glossary details is c:\_EPM_Client_Install.
The EPM product family integrates with Windows® and with Microsoft SQL Management Studio®. A base SQL database, named EAS, is generated and added to the database node of SQL Management Studio.
Epicor EPM Server Management Console
Epicor Enterprise Performance Management (EPM) Server Management Console (Console) is the interface for the EPM Server where you can set up and maintain the EPM suite of products. The Console is a Microsoft Management Console® (MMC) snap-in that displays all connected servers and databases. It also displays content packs as they are added.
Use the Console to perform the following activities:
• Deploy and process user cubes and deploy user cube content packs • Monitor the status of each deployed user cube
• Manage pre-packaged user cubes and EPM content packs
• Manage communication with SQL Server Analysis Services ® (SSAS) • Manage user security groups for one or more server connections • Maintain licensing at the content level or at the user cube level
Navigation path: Start > All Programs > Epicor Software > Epicor Enterprise Performance Management
> Manage Epicor EPM Servers
Workshop - View the EPM Server Management Console Window
You can launch the Epicor Enterprise Performance Management (EPM) Server Management Console (Console) from the Microsoft Windows®Start menu.
Launch Epicor EPM Server Management Console
Use the following path to navigate to the Console:
Start > All Programs > Epicor Software > Epicor Enterprise Performance Management > Manage EPM Servers.
Important The datasource references in this workshop rely on a connected Epicor ERP datasource and
deployed Content Packs. This workshop can only be performed by a user account that is a member of the Administrators group.
The Console window consists of three panes:
• The left pane, or Console tree, displays the available EPM servers (connected datasources) and databases. Deployed user cubes and EPM Content Packs also display in the Console tree.
• The middle pane, or results pane, shows the information about, and functions pertaining to the item currently selected in the Console tree.
• The right pane, or Action pane, lists the actions that are currently available based on the item selected in the Console tree and the results pane. These actions are also available from the Action menu (or right clicking the item on which you want to perform an action).
The Console toolbar provides the following buttons to navigate within the window and to show various MMC elements:
• Back and Forward arrows - Use the arrows to move forward and back between selections. • Up One Level - Use this button to move up one level on the Console tree.
• Show/Hide Action Pane - Use this button to either display or hide the right pane, or Action pane. • Export List - Use this button to export the contents of the columns in the results pane.
• Question Mark - Use this button to open Microsoft Management Console® (MMC) 3.0 Application Help.
1. Expand the path: Epicor EPM Servers > localhost > Epicor EPM Server.
The datasources are listed under the server name. A datasource displays in the Console if a connection has been established. Deployed User Cubes and EPM Content Packs display only when deployed.
2. From the Toolbar, toggle the Show/Hide Action Pane button to see the view differences. 3. Expand Epicor 10 > ERP10.
This is the location on the Ready Tech image. ERP10 is a sample database designed for Epicor 10. Other ERP systems, including Clientele and iScala, display in the tree view if they are installed and EPM can detect their databases. Check with your system administrator for the name of your datasource.
4. In the Console tree, expand the Deployed User Cubes node.
All the available cubes are listed. The cubes populate from the Content Packs listed under the License -Features node. In this example, the cube listing is specific to the Epicor ERP. The cubes on the listing are not available for use until you deploy them in the EPM Server Management Console or EPM Cube Manager.
5. In the Console tree, expand the EPM Content Packs node.
As Content Packs are added, they display in the Console.
Epicor EPM Server
The Epicor Enterprise Performance Management (EPM) Server, a Windows® service, performs all deployment and management functions and is the administrative piece of the Epicor EPM suite. The EPM Server also distributes content packs and deploys OLAP user cubes dependent on the server version.
You access EPM Server through the Epicor EPM Server Management Console and the Cube Connect tools. EPM Server tasks include the following:
• Deployment and management of user cubes on Microsoft SQL Server Analysis® server • Deployment and management of user cube content packages
• Extract, transform, and load (ETL) processing for all user cubes
Complex Multidimensional eXpression® (MDX) programming and Epicor ERP's database logic combine to provide an easy to use environment.
Epicor EPM Server in EPM Analysis Infrastructure
A Windows® NT service, Epicor EPM Server is the server product used for data source administration, cube scheduling and deployment, content pack creation and deployment, and integration with Microsoft SQL Server Analysis Services (SSAS).
EPM Server Management Console
The EPM Server Management Console (Console) is the system administration interface for Epicor EPM Server. The Console is powered by the Microsoft Management Console™ (MMC) snap-in that provides simple user interface to monitor, manage, and deploy OLAP cubes as well as view deployed content packs. Use the Console to monitor the status of each deployed user cube, as well as manage pre-packaged user cubes and EPM Content Packages.
The system administrator uses the Console to manage user security groups for one or more server connections. The Console maintains licensing which can be at the content level or the cube level.
Cube Connect Tools
The tools you use to create and deploy OLAP cubes and content packages are under the Epicor Cube Connect umbrella.
Cube Connect, which was developed by Epicor to leverage Microsoft SQL Server Analysis Services, is comprised of the following four products that install together and interface with the EPM Server:
• EPM Cube Editor - Use EPM Cube Editor to customize, edit, and tailor OLAP cubes to include your own measures and dimensions. The wizard-type interface guides you through selecting measures and dimension attributes from a pre-defined list of available fields. EPM Cube Connect ships with over 500 pre-defined measures. You can use a calculation designer interface to add custom measures and dimensions to each user cube as necessary.
• EPM Cube Manager - Use EPM Cube Manager to monitor, manage and deploy OLAP cubes. EPM Cube Manager requires little knowledge of data warehousing and OLAP-design techniques but is limited to data defined in the EPM Glossary.
• EPM Content Pack Editor - Use EPM Content Pack Editor to create and package collections of custom cubes and dashboards.
• EPM Content Deployer - Use EPM Content Deployer to manage deployment of the content packs created in the EPM Content Pack Editor.
EPM Glossary Designer and EPM Glossary
An EPM Glossary is a collection of business definitions (measures or dimension attributes) for a source system such as Epicor ERP or iScala, and is a definition of the overall dimensional schema for your data warehouse. Building a set of shared dimensions helps ensure that OLAP data is presented in a common way throughout the data warehouse. With EPM Glossary Designer, you can modify an EPM Glossary to customize business definitions, shared dimensions, and cube templates which are then available for use in the Cube Editor or can be directly deployed to EPM Server.
Epicor EPM Performance Canvas
Epicor EPM Performance Canvas (Performance Canvas) is the visualization piece of Epicor EPM suite. Performance Canvas is the web-based analysis platform used to create canvases, or dashboards, for OLAP-related information. In the Performance Canvas you can create gems and slicers as performance indicators that display on the canvas to provide performance analysis. The canvases can be viewed on several mobile devises for wireless access on the go, as well as deployed to a SharePoint® site.
A powerful platform for advanced analytics such as budgeting and planning, and advanced forecasting is Epicor
Performance Canvas Planning. A Microsoft Excel add-in, it is flexible and scalable and can handle very large
implementations across multiple installations, as well as manage mixed content from multiple sources.
Security
For setting up and maintaining security in Epicor Enterprise Performance Management (EPM), the Epicor EPM Server Management Console (Console) supports two types of entities: user accounts and user groups. Each user account and user group has one or more roles.
User Accounts
In the Epicor EPM Server Management Console Security node, you can add and delete user accounts, view and edit account properties, and export the user account list to a text file.
Note
To be able to add user accounts, you must import the product license. Each user account has one or more roles. The following roles are available: • User
A user account assigned this role can deploy user cubes and manage the cubes deployed by this user account. New user accounts are assigned this role by default.
• Power User
A user account assigned this role can perform all the actions a User can. Power Users can also execute EPM special operations not directly related to OLAP cubes such as handling objects in the target ERP database. Such operations only exist for iScala; there are no such operations for Epicor ERP at the moment. For iScala, the EPM Power User can create additional tables in the iScala database and manage them. The data from those tables are used in iScala cubes. This option is required when you want to add additional information to the target ERP database. This information is stored in the target ERP database as extra tables and is referred to as a database extension in the context of EPM in general and Epicor EPM Server Management Console in particular.
• Administrator
A user account assigned this role can manage application security. Only user accounts with the Administrator role can add other user accounts.
User Groups
User Groups in Epicor Enterprise Performance Management are Windows NT users groups and are used for
convenience - to group users by their application role.
Note
• Epicor Enterprise Performance Management does not have its own user groups; only Windows NT users groups can be used.
• You cannot create new user groups or edit existing user groups in EPM; however, you can map Windows NT user groups as EPM user groups.
Working with User Groups is similar to working with user accounts. All actions on user groups supported by EPM are available in Epicor EPM Server Management Console under the Security > Groups node.
Workshop - Add a New User Account
Before a user can work with EPM, their user account must be added in the EPM Server Management Console.
Important Workshop Constraint - This workshop can only be completed by an Administrator user
account. The product license must be imported before users can be added.
All actions on user accounts supported by EPM are available in Epicor EPM Administration Console under the
Users sub-node of the Security node.
If necessary, navigate to the following path and start the EPM Server Management Console: Start > All Programs
> Epicor Software > Enterprise Performance Management > Manage EPM Servers. 1. In the Console tree, expand the Epicor EPM Server node.
2. Expand the Security node. 3. Click the Users node.
4. From the Action menu, select New User or, right-click the Users node and select New User.
The Users and Groups management dialog displays.
5. In the top pane of the Users and Groups management dialog, specify the domain and the user name
in the corresponding fields.
You can also expand a domain in the tree view located at the bottom of the window and then select the user name in this domain.
Licensing
Epicor Enterprise Performance Management is a licensed software product. The ability to use the EPM tools is regulated by the license availability..
A separate Epicor license is required for the following Epicor EPM tools:
• Epicor EPM Server and Epicor Cube Connect - This includes the Console, Cube Manager, Cube Editor, Content Pack Editor, and Content Pack Deployer.
• EPM Performance Canvas
• EPM Performance Canvas Planning • Epicor EPM Glossary Designer
• Each Epicor EPM content pack - This includes cube templates and visualizations. At least two licenses codes require importing:
• Epicor Enterprise Performance Management - This is the license for Epicor EPM Server and Epicor Cube Connect.
• Individual Content Pack - Each purchased content pack includes a new license code that you must import to make the Content Pack available for deployment.
The imported license file controls the display of features under the Features node.
Workshop - Import a Content Pack License File
License codes are issued for each Content Pack. Before you install a new Content Pack, use the EPM Server Management Console to import the corresponding license file.
1. In the Console tree, expand the localhost > Epicor EPM Server node. 2. Select the License node.
3. From the Action menu, select All tasks > Import License.
Alternatively, right-click the License node, and select All tasks > Import License.
4. In the Supply License File dialog, browse to and select the license file.
The license file has the .lic extension and is provided with each Content Pack.
5. Click Open.
All features become available once the license file is imported and display under the License > Features node.
ERP System Node
The <ERP System> node in the EPM Server Management Console is intended for company databases and cubes administration.
Important
Microsoft Management Console® version 3.0 is required to enable the Epicor EPM Server Management Console <ERP System> node.
If you have Microsoft Management Console version 2.0, update it to version 3.0 by installing Microsoft KB907265 hotfix for Windows 2003 Server or Windows XP. This hotfix is included in the Epicor Enterprise Performance Management delivery package.
Note EPM Server Management Console displays the top level tree nodes for the available ERP systems
only.
For example, if you have an iScala database installed, and a Clientele database installed on your EPM server, EPM detects them, and the EPM Server Management Console displays two top level tree nodes: Scala and Clientele.
The nodes for the ERP systems that are not available in the installation are hidden.
When you expand the <ERP System> node, you are prompted to enter the user name and password to access the selected ERP system. After you enter ERP system logon credentials, the list of companies for this ERP system displays.
The tree structure under the <ERP System> - <database name> node differs for different ERP systems. When you select the database name under the <ERP System> node in the left pane, for ERP systems other than iScala, the
Deployed User Cubes node displays in the right pane. When you select the company database name under
the Scala node in the left pane, the company name and company code for this company display in the right pane. For each Scala company, the following three nodes display: Deployed User Cubes, Database Extensions, and
Years.
User Cube Management
In the Epicor EPM Server Management Console, you can view the properties of a user cube, check the user cube status, deploy and re-deploy a user cube, run (process) a user cube on demand, reconfigure a user cube, or download a user cube from the server.
User cubes are not available until they are deployed and processed. The cube deployment process creates a physical OLAP cube from the glossary definition of the user cube being deployed. The cube processing process stores a static picture of the data in the new cube.
You can deploy a cube from the following applications: • Epicor EPM Server Management Console
• EPM Cube Editor • EPM Cube Manager
You can deploy and process a user cube on demand or set a schedule to update the cube on a regular basis. You can deploy and process cubes with different parameters. You have several ways to control how data refreshes during processing which directly determines the length of the deployment or processing. If you want to change the specifications of the cube, you must re-configure or re-deploy it.
Cube's life cycle
A cube is a replication of data in the database at the time of deployment. A cube passes through several stages:
1. Cube Compilation - This stage creates the data structure and brings back data as a test without writing it
to the server.
2. Cube Deployment - Cube deployment compiles the data into a multidimensional structure based on the
EPM Glossary business definition. Deployment includes the structure, but does not include the data.
3. Cube Processing - Cube processing is the process that publishes the cube for user consumption. During
processing, data is written to the cube's structure and saved. The processing command saves the cube with the data, making it available to all users.
Cube Deployment Parameters
Cubes can be deployed multiple times. For each cube deployment, you define parameters to tell EPM how to rebuild the cube's structure, data, or both. The deployment parameters are as follows:
• Data Source Rebuild Type - The selection made for this parameter provides details on how to re-build the data in the cube. Options include:
Description Rebuild Type
Use this option to consider the data for all financial years when processing the user cube. In this case, during each subsequent user cube processing, EPM collects
No Optimization
information for all the financial years specified for deployment configuration to feed the user cube.
Use this option to consider only the data for the last financial year when processing the user cube. In this case, during each subsequent cube processing, EPM recollects
Only Last Fiscal Year
information only for the last financial year, among those specified for deployment configuration, to feed the user cube. This occurs only between two subsequent cube processings for which the operational year configuration (the number of years and their values) is the same.
Use this option to re-process starting from the current fiscal year and also process any years defined in the future.
Only since Current Fiscal Year
• Scheduling - You can set a schedule for cube deployment, that is define how often you want to deploy the cube: once a month, once or several times a week, every day, or every hour. For example, you can set the deployment at a time when resource usage is at a minimum. There is also an option to deploy the cube only manually.
• OLAP Isolation - You can select if you want to deploy your cube as a single isolated fact and set of dimensions, or so that it interacts with other deployed cubes. This second option implies that dimensions are shared between multiple cubes that are deployed separately within EPM Server. The following options are available:
Use this option to deploy your cube separately from other cubes.
Standalone
Use this option to enable dimension sharing.
Shared Database
• OLAP Naming - When a cube is deployed, a unique deployment ID is generated and appended to the name of the cube to ensure that multiple deployments of the same cube can coexist on the same server. The following options are available:
Description Naming
The globally unique deployment ID is the identification of the deployment registration record in the EPM cube tracking database. This deployment ID is used by the server.
Globally Unique
The cube unique deployment ID is the cube ID, which uniquely identifies the specific user cube. When a new user cube is created with EPM Cube Editor and saved to file, a unique ID is generated and is stored for that cube.
Cube Unique
When you select this option, a field displays where you must specify your own cube deployment ID for the cube. The user-defined deployment ID is not appended to the end of the cube name, rather, is used as a cube deployment name.
The user-defined deployment ID should be unique within the server and should not contain the following characters: . , ; ' ` : / \ * | ? " & % $ + = ( ) [ ] { } < >
User Defined
View Cube Properties
You can view properties of any user cube in the Epicor EPM Server Management Console, or by invoking the
Properties dialog directly from Windows.
Information that displays in the Properties dialog invoked from Epicor EPM Server Management Console is cube-specific and deployment-specific; the information that displays on the General tab of the Properties dialog invoked from Windows is file-specific.
Reconfigure a Cube
Reconfiguring a cube means changing cube deployment parameters without deploying and processing the cube. For example, if you want to change the processing schedule to a new time for a cube that is already running, you should reconfigure the cube.
Note Reconfiguring does not alter the cube's structure.
Delete a Cube
Cubes remain in the Deployed User Cube listing in the EPM Server Management Console whether they deployed successfully or not. Deleting a cube from the Console does not remove the .cbn cube file from the main storage folder, which is the My Analysis folder by default. When you delete a user cube from the EPM Server Management Console, all extract transform and load (ETL) processing schedules, database contents, and other linked properties of the cube are also deleted from the application.
Workshop - View Cube Status
Complete the following to view the cube status:
1. In the EPM Server Management Console tree, expand the <ERP System> node.
2. Expand the <database> node.
3. Click the Deployed User Cubes node.
4. Notice, in the results pane, the user cube deployment status displays for each user cube deployment in the
Status column.
5. In the list of user cube deployments, right-click the user cube deployment of which you want to check the status, and select All Tasks > Check status.
6. In the Poll cube status dialog, click Refresh to view the latest cube status. The Poll cube status dialog displays the following data on the cube status:
• Status Server Time - This field displays the server time when the cube's status has changed to the status displayed in the Status field.
• Status - This field contains detailed information on the cube's status.
• Problem Detail - This field displays the fault details in case the cube has one of the following statuses: Failed Deployment or Failed Processing.
Workshop - Deploy a Cube in EPM Server Management Console
You can use the Epicor Enterprise Performance Management (EPM) Server Management Console (Console) to deploy user cubes. The cube deployment process executes the multidimensional data structure against the live database and permanently writes the data to the server.
Workshop Constraint - This workshop can only be performed one time on a non-refreshed environment by a
member of the Administrator user profile. If your System Administration deploys the cube for you, begin the course with the Work with Business Definitions section.
Deploy the Cube
The steps below describe cube deployment in the EPM Server Management Console. If necessary, navigate to the Console: Start > All Programs > Epicor Software > Epicor Enterprise Performance Management >
Manage Epicor EPM Servers.
1. In the Console tree, expand the <ERP System> node, for example, Epicor 10.
2. Expand the database node, for example, ERP10 (this is the database on the Ready Tech image; the database
may differ based on your Epicor application).
3. Expand the Deployed User Cubes node.
4. Notice, the list of deployed user cubes displays in the Console tree and in the Console middle pane. 5. Right-click the Deployed User Cubes node and select All Tasks > Deploy User Cube.
The Manage Epicor EPM Servers - Open User Cube File window displays opening to the My Analysis folder. The My Analysis folder points to the repository for the education database. Check with your system administrator for the exact location of your Content Pack repository.
6. Select a cube from the list of .cbn files.
Only the cube files with extensions .cbn or .cbx can be selected.
7. Click Open.
8. In the Manage Epicor EPM Servers - Deploy for <ERP System> dialog, select the database from the Application Database list.
9. Click the Get fiscal companies from the selected database button to load the list of companies from
the selected database.
As a result, the list of companies for this database displays in the Application Context pane.
10. In the Application Context pane, verify the Deploy against all companies check box is selected.
This check box is selected by default. You may clear the check box and deploy the cube against a specific company or companies. To do this, first clear the check box for the all companies and then select the check box for the desired Company ID. In this case, only data for the selected company or companies is collected and used in user cube processing.
11. Select the Report Currency.
12. Above the Year list, verify the Deploy against all fiscal years check box is selected.
Although the fiscal years can be individually selected, you are limiting the initial pull of data to the selected years in the cube. It is best to select all fiscal years for the initial deployment then adjust the data with each subsequent deployment; this way you have access to all the fiscal years in your Epicor application.
13. Remain in the Manage EPM Servers - Deploy for <ERP System> window.
Define Deployment Parameters
Once the cube is selected for deployment, define the rules, referred to as parameters, for the deployment. Multiple versions of the cube can be produced and uniquely named during the process. You can use different parameters with each cube deployment.
1. In the Processing pane, accept the default deployment parameters. 2. In the Scheduling pane, no selections are required at this time. 3. In the OLAP Isolation pane, accept the default Standalone setting. 4. In the OLAP Naming pane, accept the default Globally Unique setting. 5. In the toolbar, click the Deploy Cube button.
6. The message displays stating the deployment request is accepted. Click OK.
7. Notice, the cube status displays as Ready for deployment but then changes to Deployed.
You can check if the cube is already deployed by polling the cube status. From the Administration Console tree, select the Deployed User Cubes node and then in the Console menu, select the Actions - Refresh. As a result, the list of the cubes displays with refreshed statuses.
Workshop - Re-deploy a Cube in EPM Server Management Console
When you deploy a cube, EPM creates a physical OLAP cube out of the user cube being deployed. The cube structure is filled with the live data. If you modify your user cube after it was deployed, you should re-deploy the cube. In this case, the cube is processed on the server once again. Re-deploying keeps the same properties, so usually you won't change the name of the cube.
Re-deploying a cube means that the cube should be recompiled. Generally it may occur in one of the following cases:
• you updated the cube, and so need to re-deploy it
• you updated the configuration of the target ERP system (such as installing database extensions) and want to recompile the cube on that new configuration
• the cube failed compilation, but you want to try again
You can use the Epicor Enterprise Performance Management (EPM) Server Management Console (Console) to re-deploy user cubes.
Download the Cube to File
Use the EPM Server Management Console to download the cube from the Content Pack.
1. In the Console tree, expand the Epicor 10 > ERP10 > Deployed User Cubes nodes. 2. Right-click the MM1_Inv.OnHand cube.
3. Select All Tasks > Download into file.
4. On the Manage Epicor EPM Servers - Save Downloaded User Cube As screen, name the cube file InvOnHand and place it on the Desktop.
5. Click Save.
Open a Cube for Re-deployment
1. On the Manage Epicor EPM Servers screen, in the tree pane, expand the Epicor 10 > ERP10> Deployed User Cubes nodes.
2. Right-click the MM1_Inv.OnHand cube. 3. Select All Tasks > Re-deploy.
Re-deployment will replace the existing cube with a new version.
4. On the Manage Epicor EPM Servers - Open User Cube File screen, select the InvOnHand.cbn user cube
file you downloaded in the previous workshop.
5. Click Open.
The Manage Epicor EPM Servers - Re-deploy for Epicor 10 window displays. Remain on the Manage Epicor EPM Servers - Re-deploy for Epicor 10 screen.
Re-deploy a Cube
The configuration choices tell EPM how to pull the data to build the structure of the cube and fill it with data. The Deployment can be redefined or scheduled to save processing time.
1. On the Manage Epicor EPM Servers - Re-deploy for Epicor 10 screen, in the Application Context
section, verify the Deploy against all companies check box is cleared.
2. Select EPIC03 Company.
Verify no other company is selected.
3. In the Report Currency field, verify a currency name displays. 4. Verify the Deploy against all fiscal years check box is selected.
5. In the EPM Context section, in the Scheduling section, make sure to do the following changes:
• Frequency: Weekly • Week Days: Saturday • Time of Day: 21:00:00
6. From the Toolbar, click the Re-deploy cube button to begin the re-deployment process.
7. To the The re-deployment request has been sent and accepted by the Epicor EPM server... message,
8. On the Console screen, in the Deployed User Cubes section, track the cube deployment status. Right click
over Deployed User Cubes and select Refresh.
The status changes from Registered to Deploying, then to Deployed at the successful completion of the process.
If the status Failed Deployment displays, right-click the cube and select All Tasks > Check status. The error message is helpful in troubleshooting the failed deployment.
Process the Cube
1. On the Manage Epicor EPM Servers screen, right-click the recently deployed cube and select All Tasks > Run Now.
The cube status changes from Processing to Processed at the successful completion.
2. Right-click the Deployed User Cubes node, and select Refresh.
Perform this step until the Console displays the Processed cube status. Your updated cube is now ready for use.
Workshop - View Cube Properties
Complete the following to view the cube properties:
1. In the EPM Server Management Console tree, expand the <ERP System> node. 2. Expand the <Database> node, for example ERP10.
3. Click the Deployed User Cubes node. 4. In the list of cubes, select the cube.
5. From the Action menu, select the Properties item, or right click the cube name and select Properties.
The <Cube name> Properties screen displays. The following information about the cube displays: • Name
The name of the cube specified in the Cube Editor - Name dialog when the cube was created. • Cube ID
Cube ID uniquely identifies specific user cube. When a new user cube is generated with EPM Cube Editor, and is saved to file, a unique ID is generated and is stored in that cube. Because cube names and cube file names can be not unique, the ID is the only way to establish the origin of a specific cube.
Note
When cube is deployed this ID is not used. In the physical cube name on the server the user cube name is used.
• Deployment ID
Deployment ID is a unique identification of the deployment registration record in the Epicor EPM cube tracking database. The deployment ID is used by the server.
• Description
The description of the cube specified in the Cube Editor - Name dialog box when the cube was created. • Status
The current cube status. • Status time
The server time when the cube's status has changed to the status that displays in the Status field. • Scheduled for deleting
This field can display one of the following values:
Yes - The cube is scheduled for deletion. This value displays when you executed the Delete cube command. No - The cube is not scheduled for deletion.
Content Pack Management
The EPM Content Packs node of Epicor Enterprise Performance Management (EPM) Server Management Console is one of two ways to deploy predefined EPM Content Packs or packs created in the EPM Content Pack Editor application. You can also view the list of the deployed EPM Content Packs, deployment details and status details under this node.
Pre-defined collections of cubes and canvases, called Content Packs, are available for the following applications: • Epicor ERP
• iScala • Avante • Clientele
Each content pack includes many cubes and visualizations for your immediate analytical needs. The Epicor Enterprise Performance Management (EPM) Server can be used to deploy a content pack.
You must deploy a Content Pack to be able to view the canvases in the EPM Performance Canvas. You can deploy Content Packs against a single company or against multiple companies for cross company analysis of trends and performance.
There are similarities between the EPM Content Packs node and the EPM Content Pack Deployer application. The difference is that the EPM Content Packs Console node allows the managing and deploying of the content packs (both local and stored on the server), while the EPM Content Pack Deployer allows managing and deploying local Content Packs. Local Content Packs are those for which you have the content pack files physically available.
Workshop - Deploy a Content Pack
Important Workshop Constraint - This workshop can only be performed one time on a non-refreshed
environment. The product license must be installed before you can deploy Content Packs.
Navigate to the EPM Server Management Console using the following path: Start Menu > All Programs >
Epicor Software > Epicor Enterprise Performance Management > Manage EPM Servers. 1. In the Console tree, select the EPM Content Packs node.
2. From the Action menu, select All Tasks > Deploy Pack.
The Manage EPM Servers - Open EPM Content Pack File window displays.
3. Browse to and select the <Content Pack>.bpk file from your Epicor application Content Pack listing (for
example, MaterialManagement.bpk for Epicor ERP). The .bpk is the file extension for a content pack.
4. Click Open.
The Target Epicor EPM Server screen displays.
5. In the Specify the Target EPM Server where the pack will be deployed field, specify the physical name
of the host - Epicor EPM server.
EPM Content Pack Deployer uses this host name to access the server. For example, accept the default value or enter localhost.
The Target Performance Canvas Server screen displays.
7. Clear the Deploy EPM Performance Canvas Dashboards check box. 8. Click Next.
The Select Content Pack screen displays.
The Select the content pack to be deployed field displays the content pack you selected before.
9. Review the content pack properties, structure and contents.
10. Review the message at the bottom of the Select Content Pack screen.
This content pack was never deployed on this machine before, so the No already deployed versions of
the pack found. message displays. 11. Click Next.
The Application Context screen displays. Remain in the Application Context window.
Workshop - Create a Deployment Context
When you deploy an EPM content pack, you first specify basic content pack deployment information. After that you define the application context for all the cubes in the Content Pack on the Application Context screen.
Note
You can create specific contexts for some cubes in the content pack later on the Review Deployment Options screen.
Context options are based on the ERP system datasource. The following example creates a context based on the Epicor ERP.
Important Workshop Constraint - This workshop can only be performed one time on a non-refreshed
environment.
1. On the Application Context screen, in the Application Database field, select the source database where
the pack will retrieve data. For example, select ERP10.
2. Click the Get fiscal companies from the selected database
button to load the list of companies from the selected database.
3. Clear the Deploy against all companies check box.
If this check box is selected, all the companies are selected, and you are not able to deselect any of them; in this case the cubes from the content pack are deployed for all the companies in the current database.
4. Select one of the companies.
For example, select EPIC05.
5. In the Report Currency field, select the report currency for the content pack deployment, for example EURO.
For each company, three report currencies and one base currency are defined in the Epicor ERP system. For details on the report currency, refer to Epicor ERP on-line documentation.
The Report Currency field displays the list of currencies, which are defined in all the companies, selected for deployment. If the Report Currency field is empty, and no options are available for selection in this field, then the selected companies do not have common currencies. In this case, reduce the number of companies for deployment.
For example, if USD and EUR are defined for Company A, USD and RUR are defined for Company B, and CAD is defined for Company C, then the Report Currency field is empty, when all three companies are selected for deployment. If you select Company A and Company B, only USD is available in the Report Currency field.
6. Clear the Deploy against all fiscal years check box.
If this check box is selected, all the financial years in the years list are selected, and you are not able to deselect any of them; in this case the cubes from the content pack are deployed for all financial years of the current fiscal calendar.
7. Select the required financial years.
8. Click Next.
The OLAP Isolation screen displays.
You should now specify deployment options such as Processing Schedule, Data Source Rebuild Type and so on.
Remain on the OLAP Isolation screen.
Workshop - Specify Deployment Options
After you specify basic content pack deployment Information, and create EPM content pack application context, you are taken to the OLAP Isolation screen.
1. On the OLAP Isolation screen, select Standalone.
This option means that each cube in the content pack will be deployed separately from other cubes. Another available option is Shared Database. Use this option if you want to enable dimension sharing.
2. Click Next.
3. On the Processing Schedule screen, in the Process cubes field, select Weekly. 4. Click in the Day of Week field, and select Sunday and Wednesday.
5. Click in the Day of Week field again to close the days list.
6. In the Starting at field, specify the time when you want to process your cubes.
For example, 01:00:00.
7. In the Start cubes .. minutes apart field, select the interval between cube processings.
Other available cubes processing frequency options are:
Additional scheduling settings Option
Daily • Starting at - Specify the time when you want to process your cubes.
• Start cubes ... minutes apart - Specify the interval between cube processing.
Monthly • Day of Month - Select the day of month when you want to process your cubes. • Starting at - Specify the time when you want to process your cubes.
• Start cubes ... minutes apart - Specify the interval between cube processing. Use this option to deploy content pack cubes with no processing schedule. When the On Standby option is selected, the cubes can only be processed manually.
On Standby
8. On the Processing Schedule screen, click Next.
9. On the Processing Options screen, select Rebuild only for the current fiscal year and on.
This means that the content pack cubes will be re-processed for the current fiscal year and also for any years defined in the future.
Use this option to consider only the data for the last financial year, when processing the content pack cubes.
Rebuild only for the last fiscal year
In this case, during each subsequent cube processing Epicor EPM recollects information only for the last financial year, among those which are specified for deployment configuration, to feed the cubes. This occurs only between two subsequent cube processings, operational year configuration of which (the number of years and their values) is the same. This option saves processing time.
Use this option to consider the data for all financial years when processing the cubes.
Rebuild for all fiscal years
In this case, during each subsequent cube processing Epicor EPM recollects information for all the financial years specified for deployment
configuration to feed the cubes.
10. Click Next.
11. On the Date Format screen, click Next.
12. On the Link to Enterprise Search screen, click Next.
The Review Deployment Options screen displays. You are now ready to deploy the EPM content pack.
13. Review the information you provided for each cube from your content pack.
You can adjust application context, scheduling, OLAP naming and isolation for each cube individually.
14. Click Next.
15. On the Deploy screen, clear the Process pack cubes after deployment check box to deploy the cubes
in the content pack without further processing.
In this case, you can process the cubes later using EPM Cube Manager or EPM Server Management Console.
16. Click Deploy to start deployment.
The wizard screen displays the deployment progress. You can select each of the steps to view detailed action description.
After deployment, the The cubes from the EPM content pack have been successfully deployed message displays at the top of the Content Pack Deployer screen.
17. When the EPM content pack deployment is complete, click Exit to leave the EPM Content Pack Deployer
application.
Epicor EPM Platform Architecture
Epicor Enterprise Performance Management (EPM) is a set of tools that collectively provide management, deployment, and customization services to manage EPM Content.
The EPM tools use the architecture explained below to manage the data. For this example, the Epicor ERP application is the datasource.
(1) EPM Overview Key
This section identifies the components of the graphic overview.
(2) OLTP and Replication
Online transaction processing (OLTP) is real-time processing of SQL transactions in a datasource. In this example, the datasource is Epicor ERP which requires replication to extract and build a SQL Operational Data Store (ODS). Other datasources may not require replication, however Epicor recommends to create a replicated ODS to increase performance.
The EPM management tools are available across many OLTP sources and can be used to extract data in two ways: • Directly - Data can be extracted directly and made available for use in reporting tools such as the Management
Reporter and Advanced Financial Reporting (AFR). Data extracted directly is real-time and subject to the resources available to the OLTP.
• Replicated - Some datasources, such as Epicor ERP, use replication to extract a static copy of the OLTP system data which is offloaded to another location using Sonic MQ. The replicated data can be extracted on a scheduled basis and becomes a static datasource referred to as the ODS.
The ODS serves as a data warehouse for staging, consolidation, and data cleansing. Consolidation includes merging of data from multiple sources. Data cleansing is the process of removing or correcting invalid data. This is often called conforming the data.
(3) User Cubes to Content Packs
The Extract, transform, and load (ETL) box represents the logic that moves the data from the ODS into the relational database structure that holds multi-dimensional data for one or more business processes. The data is transformed