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CUSTOMIZABLE WORKFLOWS, WORKFLOW NOTIFICATIONS, AND MORE 

CXO version 24.1 offers enhancement to the Workflow functionality for increased ease-of-use and uptake. Additionally, some smaller features from our innovations portal have been addressed.

Highlights of this release include:

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• Reintroduced conversations to stimulate collaboration
• Enhanced Oracle EPM Cloud adapter
• Integration with the Tidemark planning application

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CXO Software Version 21.1 introduces conversations, a new way to stimulate collaboration that builds on the key message and table annotations delivered in the previous two releases. With the new, streamlined conversations, you can easily share messages and collaborate to resolve issues, explain variances, or add context to help tell the story behind your numbers:

• When someone starts a conversation with you, you receive a notification in the CXO toolbar
• When you open the conversation, CXO opens the related report simultaneously, automatically shows you the correct POV and selections, and provides easy access to the conversations in a panel
• You can then add your thoughts to the conversation to engage in data-driven dialog with your colleagues

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Conversations in CXO Software are faster, easier, and more secure than emailing screenshots.

This is just the start. Watch out for further enhancements to conversations in coming releases.

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We continue to invest in improving our data source integrations. In Version 20.4, we released updates to our Oracle HFM adapter. Now, in CXO Software Version 21.1, we have introduced an updated adapter for Oracle EPM Cloud, which offers:

• Faster extracts
• New, easy access Oracle EPM Cloud Configurator tool. This web application can be accessed from a browser from within the CXO Designer, so there is no longer a need to go to the server. The Configurator’s new user interface and design make it easier to configure your connection and load sets.
• Simpler installation of the adapter using a packaged installer application

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With Version 21.1, CXO introduces an adapter to insightsoftware’s cloud-based, continuous planning solution: Tidemark.

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If you are currently using CXO against your financial close and consolidation system, adding Tidemark to your financial technology landscape will enable you to enjoy the power of CXO’s reporting against a cloud-based planning and forecasting application that works for everyone on any device.

Tidemark offers unconstrained data storage, scenario planning and modeling, and a scalable platform that simplifies planning for diversified organizations. By adapting to your business processes, supporting granular cross-departmental plans, and providing a consumer-grade UI, people at the edges of your organization can easily plan and interact in the same platform, while finance still retains control. This drives greater accuracy and enables you to adopt a continuous planning process.

To learn more about Tidemark, please contact your account manager.

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CXO VERSION 21.1 CHANGE LOG

For a complete list of all the updates delivered in Version 21.1, please see the CXO Change Log.   

• More control with Customizable Workflow

• Increased ease of use through Workflow Notifications

• Improved User Group Management

• Productivity gain through Maintenance messages

More Control With Customizable Workflows

What are CXO Workflows?

Since version 22.3.0, CXO has offered Workflows; a feature which allows customers to manage their CXO financial closing process from within CXO. With workflows, you can indicate for reports and storyboards who is responsible for adding and validating data and commentary by which date. This way, you can be more efficient as there is no uncertainty about responsibilities and due dates. Because Workflows provide information about report/storyboard completion, they also enabled the implementation of Status Indicators (see screenshot below). On each report for which the customer has a Workflow, we now show an icon which indicates whether data and commentary are ready or not. This gives end users valuable information whether a report is ready for use or now. Workflows are accessible via the CXO web application in the same way as Reports and Storyboards.

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What are CXO Customizable Workflows?

One challenge with the original Workflows is that CXO predefined which five steps every workflow had to go through. Your closing processes may be slightly different than what is described in those steps. Customizable Workflows allow you to adjust the steps in each Workflow to reflect your closing process. The Status Indicator released in the first version of Workflows is compatible with this enhancement, and pre-existing Workflows will continue to work when upgrading to a new version of CXO.

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Increased ease of use through Workflow Notifications

When users are added to Workflows, they already received updates via their own Workflow screen. To avoid users having to browse to workflows to see if actions are available for them, we implemented two notifications which will increase users' awareness of their need to act. Via the already existing notifications menu, a user now gets a notification when they are added to a workflow template, as well as when they have to execute a step in a workflow instance. This way, users are better enabled to meet their deadlines.

Improved User Group Management

In version 24.1.0 we have added a functionality which shows the members of a user group when managing this user group in CXO Designer. This is accessible via the new ‘Users’ tab accessible per user group. As user groups can have many members, it is also possible to export the user list to a csv file for further analysis. Detailed information can be found here: User Groups - Documentation - insightsoftware Confluence (atlassian.net)

Productivity gain through Maintenance messages

It can happen that your EPM source system is down or undergoing maintenance. As a result, you may want your CXO users to not look at the data in CXO at that time. To address that need it is now possible to set a pop-up text under System Announcements. This text will display for 24 hours when users enter CXO. More details can be found here. Please note that this is an addition to existing functionality. If you want to prevent users to look at non-finalized data, we recommend using the Draft Period functionality. Alternatively, you can set up workflows as the status indicator will show whether or not data on a report are finalized or not.

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