Integration between HFM and SAP

Posted on by Vince Tran

The integration between HFM (Target System) and SAP (Source System) is accomplished via the use of FDMEE (Financial Data Quality Management, Enterprise Edition). FDMEE is the ETL tool that handles integrations between source and target systems. FDMEE Version 11.1.2.4 supports both SAP ERP Financial and SAP BW (Business Warehouse). The integration is supported for these SAP ERP Financial modules: Classic and New General Ledger, Profit Center, Cost Center, Vendor Balances, and Customer Balances.

The integration includes both data loading and drill through, which is the ability to drill from places like HFM Data Grids, HFM Data Forms, Smart View workbooks, Financial Reporting content, etc., back to the source system via a landing page. The way it typically works is that is passes information via a token to a landing page(or query screen) for the source system. The token contains things like Entity information, Account information, etc.; information that one would generally select or fill in on an ERP query screen.

Because the data being loaded to HFM, is passing through FDMEE, where mappings and other transformations are taking place, FDMEE knows how a “target” (HFM) number translates into the pieces, or “source” amounts (SAP), that make it up. This information in FDMEE is used for the drill through feature. For some integrations, there is also the ability to write-back data to the ERP. The write-back feature is NOT available for SAP integrations.

One thing to note is that FDMEE sits on top of (or uses) ODI (Oracle Data Integrator) as its engine, much like Planning uses Essbase for its DB engine. Integrations with the various ERP systems is accomplished by prepackaged or predefined Source Adapters. These source adapters consist of 2 primary components: (1) Oracle Data Integrator (ODI) Project and (2) Adapter Definition XML. The ODI Project is basically the necessary code for extracting and loading the data from the source system to the FDMEE staging tables. The Adapter Definition XML contains the definition of the integration. It contains 3 primary components: (1) Source columns, (2) Parameters, and (3) the Drill Through URL.

For integrations with Oracle ERP’s, like E-Business Suites and Peoplesoft, Oracle supplies the ODI Project and Adapter Definition XML. However, for SAP integrations, these are supplied by Oracle’s integration partner Bristlecone. To obtain these components, the client must first register at Bristlecone’s website: http://bristleconelabs.com/edel/edel_login.asp to obtain login information. Bristlecone also provides the necessary documentation regarding the necessary configuration of the SAP adapter they provide.

With regards to SAP versions supported, FDMEE supports the following: (1) SAP ERP Financials 4.6c, 4.7, ECC 6.0, Enhancement Pack 3.0 and up, and (2) SAP BW 7.x Both must have the database client SAP JCO Version 3.0.7

Once the adapter and documentation are obtained from Bristlecone, then there is installation and configuration work to perform in ODI. After that is completed, then the setup and configuration can be done in FDMEE.

 

Vince Tran | Key Contributor

Vince Tran has 20+ years of both corporate and consulting experience with in enterprise wide project management including 12+ years of Hyperion specific experience. As an Oracle Certified Implementation Consultant in Essbase, Planning, Planning & Budgeting Cloud Service (PBCS) and PMI certified Project Manager, he has personally overseen 30+ technology and Hyperion projects. His leadership and implementation of Hyperion products presents a rare blend of project, functional and technical skills encompassing the Oracle/Hyperion suite of products including the new Planning & Budgeting Cloud Service (PBCS).