Oracle is continuously working to improve the features and functionality of its Cloud Apps software. The latest Cloud PPM 23C updates were released in early July 2023 and offer a range of updates in Billing, Cost, Planning, Resource, Program, and Grant Management. This particular Quarterly Release introduces several new or enhanced features to support its Oracle Cloud PPM customers better. 

Project Management Common 

Oracle continues to invest in service excellence

• Project Management Common 
  • File-based Data Import Excel Templates using Apple Macs 
  • Project Source Application References Update using a REST API 
• Billing and Revenue Management 
  • Project Billing: Bill Transactions Real Time OTBI Subject Area Enhancement 
  • Projects: Billing and Revenue Exceptions Real-Time OTBI Subject Area Enhancements 
  • Support of Cancel Invoice Crediting Action for Standard Invoices having Process Configurator Sourced Transactions with the Invoice Configurator Expression based on either Descriptive Flexfields or Inception to Date, or Period to Date Configurator Sources 
• Cost Management and Control 
  • Payroll Cost Expenditure Item Date Derivation 
  • Project Role Visibility in Project Cost Pages 
• Grant Management 
  • Selecting a Sponsor when Creating an Award 
• Planning, Scheduling, and Forecasting 
  • Forecasting Improvements for Project Scope Changes 
  • Scheduled Process for Offline Project Scheduling: This is a significant item that was identified via Customer and System Implementor efforts. Firms with large projects were experiencing performance lags in the update of the Project Plan after completion of the Project Creation/Update via REST API. Oracle has delivered a new scheduled program, Schedule Work Plan Based on Dependencies and Constraints, which can be run for a single project or a range of projects.  

Billing and Revenue Management

• Additional Cost in Project Currency Sources for Project Process Configurators: This new functionality allows revenue calculation based on cost amounts converted to the Project Currency. Thus, it provides a means to effectively manage currency fluctuations when the ledger currency is more volatile.  
• Bill Transaction Creation on Cost Import: This feature allows for the reporting of unbilled amounts, also known as work in progress, or WIP, without generating draft invoices or recognizing revenue. Thus, avoiding recognizing revenue on costs more frequently than accounting requires and removing the need to draft invoices iteratively and prematurely. An SR must be logged to enable this feature, as it is still under Controlled Availability.
• Display Header and Footer on Downloaded Word Document 

Cost Management & Control

• Project Accounting Period Close Warnings Removal: The Accounting Period Close process for the Project Costing sub-ledger will now validate for and report errors when you close an Accounting Period. The Accounting Period Close Exceptions report can be run to check for warnings, errors, or both using a new Report Scope parameter with the default value being both Errors and Warnings. 
• Project Cost Transfer to New Project Role Using a REST Service: This service was added due to the enhanced Role Based functionality introduced in 23B. Users can now leverage a REST Service to change the Project Role associated with a transaction when large volumes of updates need to be made. 
• Project Cost Split Using a REST API: Created from a customer idea, this new API supports processing split transaction adjustment types. 

Planning, Scheduling, and Forecasting

• Common Resource Rates for Task Assignments Across Work and Financial Planning: This is another example of Oracle listening to the feedback from the User Community. This feature allows project managers to estimate the costs and bill amounts of projects and tasks with vastly improved accuracy. As an example, as tasks are planned, the application now derives the cost and bill rates using the task start and finish dates instead of the general rates at the project level. This drives the rates to be more precise, which in turn drives more accurate project cost and revenue projections. 
• Resource Replacement Across Multiple Financial Plan Lines: Based upon input from the Idea Lab, Oracle has now added functionality that will allow Project Managers and Project Administrators to replace resources on budgets, award budgets, and forecasts to keep their financial plans up-to-date. For example: initially, a project role was used to create a high-level plan, and a specific named person can replace the same. Replacements can now be made across plan lines with a single action as well as partial replacements from a specific period. It is also possible to replace plan lines later. 
• Task Date Rollup to Project Dates Across Work and Financial Planning: In an effort to improve the user experience, Oracle has delivered a solution that eliminates a nuisance step when attempting to align Project dates and Task dates. The setting, Automatically Roll Up Task Planned Dates, will remain Yes even when the Update Financial Project Plan and Progress action is selected. This will drive the project dates and task dates to align automatically.  

Program Management

• Graphical Program Headlines with Project Performance Trends and Insights: This new feature allows users to gain performance insight for projects in programs through a graphical display of measures and trends. Program Managers can evaluate metrics such as margin, revenue, earned value, and cost across different projects. 

Resource Management

• Visual Resource Planning and Scheduling: Resource Managers can now create new assignments and events as well as adjust assignment schedules by leveraging the new interactive Resource Gantt chart. In addition, Resource Managers can also review and manage multiple resource schedules across projects. Assignments can be updated by Drag and Drop approach as well as extended or shortened via the graphical interface. This feature is part of a focused investment to automate and accelerate business flows for the professional services industry. 
• Resource Assignment Scheduling Rules: Another Idea Lab item delivers the ability to apply business rules to support resource assignment scheduling. There are two rules delivered with this Quarterly Release: 
  • Project Request Assignment Dates – The option to control Assignment Dates outside of Project Dates is now maintained via a Yes/No option. 
  • Project Assignment Overbooking Options – Overbooking can now be managed via three options: 
    • Allow overbooking of project assignments. 
    • Don’t allow overbooking of billable assignments. 
    • Don’t allow overbooking of any project assignments. 
  • The Maintain Project Resource Management Implementation Options setup maintains the new rules. 

Grant Management

• Burden Indicator Toggling for Internal Funding Source on Award: This new feature, introduced in response to an Idea Lab item, now allows burdening on Internal Funding Sources to be controlled. This flexibility allows for quickly correcting data entry errors, thus ensuring new costs are reported accurately.  
• Consistent Treatment of Amount for Award Funding and Budgeting: This functionality supports displaying and storing the award funding amount and the budget amount for sponsored projects according to the precision defined for the award currency.  

As you can see, several improvements are coming to Oracle Cloud PPM with the 23C Quarterly Update, most of which came from customers. What do these updates mean for your project-centric organization? Start a conversation with our consultants today to learn more.