Contact Dave Hogg
Tel: +44 (0)7900 013007
Email: Dave@EPMinfra.com
Yes and no... It has many of the same terminology and features as DRM but works in a fundamentally different way.
It is more like a cloud version of DRM that is based around use via DRG (Data Rel Governance) module alied to a consumer/subscriber centric set of Apps/Views. It has what in DRM would be a persistent 'Master Version'. So every change is done via the context of a "Request", which is atomic (so can hold other related changes and be approved & committed as one).
Gone are concepts around Version containers with Property Category 'groups'... once a Request is approved the a change is committed to the local originating View/App with New/Pending changes visible 'through the lens' of a request.
What is new/better (in our opinion) is the concept of subscriptions... actions in one App/View can flow to others to keep related viewpoints in sync with a master app, or have a simplified business entry layer that can feed more complex as it goes deeper towards specific App level properties. The Gategory Groups effectively become their own self contained Apps/Views.
It helps to facilitate the idea of "Manage by exception" by say keeping a business entry/change layer simple thus allows business users to take ownership of their own data (leaving IT Tech teams to just manage framework and deeper Technical elements/properties unique to each app technology).
While initially we were helping M&G to repatriate HFM to UK based servers they, like many others committed to a Journey 'to the Cloud'.
Oracle's EPM cloud of course, and we helped them with use of EPM Agent, REST API and EPM Automate in an Azure DevOps 'zero on-prem footprint' model, to get data to and from the Cloud plus orchestrate the overall processes. Some interesting challenges, especially given things like performance of Cloud Data Management (now much improved with likes of direct mode).
Remember all the Arrows you see on any nice pretty diagram about how it will all work, as most need to be built or at least configured ... you will need a "Fletcher" to make your arrows - thats us!
We were able to carve out enough time during 2018 to also assist Honda with their Hyperion upgrades to 11.1.2.4 and OBIEE + ODI to 12c.
All very successul, despit hitting issues due to the change in technology underpinning HFM. Its all now Java API and ODI 12c is not set up with a knowledge module for it.
We instead developed some basic stand alone Java routines that would set the required EPM class-paths, and allow data load/extract/calc/consolidate from ODI via basic shell-out.
There has also been some fun with Essbase patches, as Oracle now have a grace period for fix support, but nobody told their Planning developers so they still only certify an out of support Essbase. Madness.
From around Oct 2017 we were helping HSBC direct, though more in a Portfolio Architecture capacity.
This included the struggle to decide when (or if) it would be approriate to move the likes of Hyperion Planning from a on-premise version (in Oracle cloud) to the PBCS, or even consider different products.
There was never any clear roadmap of when the likes of the Cloud versions of tools would be capable of handling some of the large/complex Plannign models, or allocation cubes.
Safe harbour statement of course surround every possible future path, and roumours of mythical new On-Prem versions.
From around June 2015 till Sept 2017 we were helping Deloitte to deliver new financial systems for the HSBC Service Company.
As all Banks had to do, HSBC needed to have seperation between retail banking and their services back end operations. For that to work they needed to be able to spin up a subsidiary that had its own financial ledgers, planning, and ERP.
We were brought in to help with the Master Data management. Using DRM to turn the non-globalised Chart Of Accounts (like Cost Centres) into somethign that woudl work with the Oracle ERP Cloud solution (and Hyperion Planning).
I would urge anyone thinking of a new Global system to first tackle getting their master data globalised as the likes of the ERP needs a Cost Centre ID for example, to be the same CC/Description across all entities (even if the Entity would give it context during the GL posting). We managed to get data from golden sources within the Bank, and use DRM to knit these together to produce a consistent (but ever changing) COA.