SmartView Analysis for Multiple PODs

Although I am quite occupied with my work and RnDs but writing up another blog was one of my goals for Jan’21 so here I am with a short but lifesaving one!!!

Are you working in a consulting firm where you have to deal with multiple customers in a day? Juggling with their issues which involves analyzing the EPM data over smartview especially during actuals closing, then this blog can save your bum.

For connecting to EPM or Fusion cubes in Excel one needs the Smartview (SV) Shared Connection URL to be provided in the SV Options. Lets think of a situation where you unfortunately got reconciliation issues with 5 different clients which needs analysis of Fusion and EPM data with their respective SV connections. Quite Annoying right!!! Every time you need to connect to different EPM or Fusion POD you have to change the SV connection first then disconnect all your current connections and connect again in excel….Damn

Now worsening the situation, in order to troubleshoot the issue further you somehow needs to check if similar issue persists in lower PODs (Non-Prod environments) so more SV URLs to the list!!!

Another case would be if you want your FR reports from different EPM applications to be viewed or opened in excel via SV.

For all above cases, I got single solution – SmartView Shared Connection XML file. Yes I created an XML file with all possible connections to Planning, Fusion and FR for all customers I am working for. Whenever I get new customer aligned, I just add the connection details to this file.

Bingo!!! No more juggling. 😊 Just select the connection name from drop down list and feed in your credentials. Wonders…

So now the main thing, the contents of XML file. Below is the excerpt from my file:

The beginning tags:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>

<res_GetProvisionedDataSources>

Fusion Connection:

<Product id="*** DEV Fusion" name="APS-11.1.2" displayVersion="version"><Server name="*** DEV Fusion" context="https://*****-dev1.fa.***.oraclecloud.com/aps/SmartView"></Server></Product>

Oracle EPM Planning Connection:

<Product id="HP" name="HP-11.1.2" displayVersion="version"><Server name="*** TST Planning" context="https://epm-test-******.epm.***.oraclecloud.com/HyperionPlanning/SmartView"></Server></Product>

FR Connection:

<Product id="RAFramework" name="RAFramework-11.1.2" displayVersion="11.1.2.4.400.11733"><Server name="*** TST Reports" context="https://epm-test-******.epm.***.oraclecloud.com/hr/modules/com/hyperion/reporting/web/repository/HRRepositoryXML.jsp"/></Product>

OAC Connection:

<Product id="OAC-test" name="Oracle® Analytic Cloud - Essbase" displayVersion="12.2.1.1.115"><Server name="Test OAC Server 1" context="https://XXXXXXX.analytics.ocp.oraclecloud.com/essbase/smartview"/></Product>

The Ending:

</res_GetProvisionedDataSources>

Here is the official Oracle doc for further details for you.

Save the File!!!

Now there are two ways either Local or Cloud

Local:

I saved it under standard smartview installation path i.e. C:\Oracle\SmartView

Cloud:

Incase you want to share this file with your team or for instance customers who are having multiple PODs and are using this solution, they can place this file to their cloud storage accounts like Box account. Just share that link to the Admins, Planners & End users. The URL would be like:

https://**********.box.com/shared/static/*********************.xml

Refer the file in Excel SV options

Just open your excel file, under SV ribbon go to options and paste the below path in the combo box next to Shared Connections URL and click ok.

I still remember one of my previous customers got 30 Oracle EPM Planning PODs for some reasons – 15 production instance and 15 test, insane right!!! But this XML file saved my life.

I just love such workarounds. I will be sharing more with you as time permits. Till then keep yourself and your loved ones safe, enjoy life at its best!!!