The MFR Project Team is preparing for the implementation of the Financial dashboards including developing the security model, training school/ department users, and preparing to retire financial reporting systems. Mode details on those activities are highlighted below.
Data Access Controls
Data Access Controls (DAC) 2.0 provides the latest iteration of user security for OBI and allows for security based on both which dashboards a user should see (content roles) and on what data returns (data roles). The MFR Project Team encountered an Oracle Business Intelligence bug in mid-April which stalled the development of DAC 2.0 and caused a 5 week delay in the May release. The bug has been fixed and DAC 2.0 will be released in the June release, scheduled for June 26, 2017. At this time, schools will begin piloting the DAC 2.0 functionality to ensure it meets their security needs.
Some key changes associated with the DAC 2.0 implementation includes dual segment access and the ability to switch between multiple roles. Dual segment access will provide security based on select two-segment combinations of the Chart of Accounts, such as Org-Fund, Tub-Fund, Org-Activity, Org-Root, or Fund-Root. DAC 2.0 provides the ability for a user to have multiple roles for the most commonly used dashboards.
This new level of security access caused the MFR Project Team to create a new process and form for submitting user security responsibilities within the OBI Tool. As a result, Authorized Requestors will receive training on this process beginning June 21. For more information about the Authorized Requestor Training, reach out to Teresa Butler or review the OBI Training Calendar. To help schools manage access, the Project Team has also created a new dashboard, the OBI Data Access Control dashboard, which will show what access a user has across all subject areas.
Pilot users who currently have access to the OBI Financials dashboards will not lose access with the June release but they also will not be granted any additional access. If additional access is required then they will need to work with their Authorized Requestors to identify the necessary roles needed.
OBI Financials Training
Instructor Led Training (ILT) is well underway for OBI Financials dashboards. The schools have worked with the project team to outline their training plan, schedule training dates, and book local training rooms, where applicable. The OBI Tools Training and OBI Tool Training Competency Assessment have been revised and are now live for users. Users can view availability through the Harvard Training Portal or the OBI Training Calendar. Following the June release, schools will have access to the new public “OBI Financial Training Status” dashboard, which will provide them with users who have registered or completed an ILT session.
OBI Financials ILT will be supported by weekly webinars for each of the 19 financial dashboards beginning June 22, monthly brown bag sessions for specialized populations, OBI Drop-In Hours held twice a month from June to October, and readily accessible online simulations. Please check out the OBI Training Calendar for the dates and relevant details for all training events.
Decommissioning
A crucial deliverable for the MFR Project is not only successfully delivery of a new financial reporting solution to the University community, but also retiring the CREW application and the web-based version of Interactive Reporting (IR). The retirement of 29 CREW Financial Reports, the CREW application and the web based version of Interactive Reporting is planned for November 1st. At that time OBI will serve as the primary source for financial reporting. Until November 1st, Financial reports will be available in both CREW and OBI. There will be no changes to the desktop version of Interactive Reporting (also known as BRIO or Hyperion Interactive Reporting Studio) at this time. Users of IR/BRIO will be still be able to use the desktop version for their ad hoc reporting needs. Please note that IR/BRIO is no longer supported by the vendor and will at some point also be decommissioned.