Sunday, 15 December 2013

HFM-Hyperion Financial Management training interview Questions and Answers


HFM - Hyperion Financial Management training interview Questions and Answers



What is Configurable Dimensions?

Configurable Dimension allows the HFM administrator to set the number of custom dimensions in the application. For each dimension it is possible to set the size of the dimension and give a short name and a long name (alias). 

What are the benefits of Configurable Dimensions?

Configurable Dimensions provides HFM the flexibility lacking in the traditional tools with predefined fixed structures. HFM applications can be built with the exact number of custom dimensions needed. If 2 custom dimensions are necessary, then the application can be built with 2 dimensions. If it needs 4 or 6, the number of custom dimension can be set accordingly. Customer requirements drive the design and the structure of the application without constraints or compromises.
What kind of application can be built in HFM?

HFM is the preferred tool to create financial reporting applications. Management reporting and legal consolidation can be handled within the same application. Configurable dimension provides an expandable framework ideal to handle all the required details, whether it is operational or legal. For instance some dimensions can be used to analyze Product and Market information, while other dimensions for type of adjustments or eliminations. All the information in these configurable dimensions is automatically available in Web forms, Reports and in Excel using the SmartView module.

What is the “size” of a dimension?

The size of a dimension determines the total number of elements in the dimension. Depending on the size of the dimension, the system allocates in the database a different number of bytes for the index .
The size of a dimension can be either:
Large: 2 billions members (4 bytes used internally)
Medium: 32,000 members (2 bytes used internally)
Small: 128 members (1 byte used internally)

What is the minimum number of custom dimensions in an application?

The minimum is 2 custom dimensions. Technically the system requires these 2 dimensions to store the source and destination currencies for the exchange rates. The system will automatically create these 2 dimensions with a Large size.


What is the maximum number of dimension in an application?

The number of dimensions is limited by the total number of bytes used for all the index of these dimensions. This total must not exceed 40 bytes.
The system will always create the first two dimensions as Large, which will use 8 bytes. There will be 32 bytes remaining for additional customs.

When creating an application, can I mix Large, Medium and Small dimensions in the same application?

Yes. It is possible to create some custom dimensions as Large and other dimensions as Medium or Small.

What happens when I reach the maximum number of elements in a dimension?

Although the officially published maximum number of elements is 128; 32,000; 2 billions for Small, Medium, and Large dimension, internally the system can accommodate twice this number of elements. Once the maximum number of elements is reached in a dimension, it is not possible to create additional elements. The solution is then to create a new application and set the dimension with a larger size.

Can we delete elements in order to regain some index number for new elements?

No. The system does not reuse index number of deleted elements.
After the application has been created in a Development environment, it is recommended to create a brand new application for Production containing only the final version of metadata and using internally only the exact number of index

Does Configurable Dimension have an impact on performance?

Configurable dimension does not have a direct impact on performance. In an application where Calculation rules are correctly written, performance is driven by the amount of data in the application, not by the number of dimensions or the number of elements in each dimension.

Does adding dimension to an existing application have an impact on performance?

Adding dimensions to an existing application is likely to introduce more detailed reporting and therefore require additional data and additional calculation rules. These additional data and rules will have an impact on performance.

What is the optimal number of custom dimension?

There is no technical optimum number independent from the business requirements. For a specific application, the optimal number of dimensions is the smallest number of dimensions necessary to handle the business requirements.
Is usability better with more dimensions or fewer dimensions?

Usability is better with fewer dimensions. It will be easier for the users to view and set the Point of View with fewer dimensions. There will be less dimensions to use in Journals, Reports, Grids, Web forms, SmartView.

Should existing applications be modified following the introduction of configurable dimensions?

The existing applications can be converted using the migration utility, they can continue to be used as is. 

We have an existing application with 4 custom dimensions where only 3 custom dimensions are used. How can I remove the 4th unused dimension?

It is not possible to remove a dimension from an existing application. A new application must be created.

Should existing applications be redesigned to take advantage of configurable dimensions?

If the business requirements are the same, then the existing application should remain the same. If the reporting needs are evolving, then it is possible add new dimensions to the existing application.

How many custom dimensions should be used in an application?

The number of custom dimensions depends on the level of details of the reporting. When the same detailed analysis exist for multiple accounts, this detail should be created in a custom dimension. For instance, if Sales, Cost of Good Sold and Gross Margin must all be detailed by products, then it is advised to create a Product hierarchy in a custom dimension. When an account must be analyzed by a combination of details, for instance Sales by Product and also simultaneously by Market, then these details should be be created in separate dimensions. The more analytical details are required, the more dimensions are necessary. For instance, if Sales, Cost of goods sold and Gross margin must be analyzed simultaneously by Product, Market, Channels, and Packages, then it is advised to use 4 custom dimensions.


Can custom dimensions contain details of different natures?
 
Yes. A custom dimension can contain different type of details, as long as these details are used on different accounts. For instance if the P&L accounts are detailed by Products and the Balance Sheet accounts are detailed by Flows, then it is possible to use the same custom dimension for both details. Products and Flows will be created as separate hierarchies in the same dimension. When defining the accounts, P&L accounts will be associated with Product hierarchy and Balance Sheet accounts will be associated with Flow hiearchy.

Is it better to create more custom dimensions or fewer custom dimensions?

We believe it is better to create fewer dimensions because it will be easier for the user to navigate in the product. When possible we think it is better to use the same dimension for different type of details, using the top member attributes in accounts to define the correct intersections.
How does the system associate custom elements with accounts?

Like in prior version, the valid custom dimension elements are associated with accounts using metadata attribute <Dimension Name>TopMember.

Should I create the application with extra unused dimensions, just in case it will be needed later?

No. The application should be created with the exact number of dimensions required for the current business requirements. We will provide a separate utility to add custom dimensions to existing application. When a new dimension will be added to an existing application, all historical data will be preserved. The new dimension will contain a [None] element. The existing data will be set to [None] for the new dimension.

What is the impact of Configurable Dimensions on the User interface?

Several changes were made in the User Interface of the product to accommodate a variable number of custom dimensions. For instance, it is possible to control the dimensions displayed in the Point of View and also how the Point of View is displayed.

Are all Custom dimensions required when entering Journal?

Yes. In order to adapt the Journal module to a possibly large number of custom dimensions, the system can automatically move common elements from the rows to the page so that the user does not have to repeat the same element on every row.

How do the Rules work with Configurable Dimensions?

All existing functions continue to work. Some new generic functions have been created to handle applications with more than 4 custom dimensions.

How are custom dimension names and dimension alias used in the system?

Both custom dimension name and alias can be referenced in rules, web forms and system reports.

What is the impact of custom dimensions on the infrastructure platform?

There is no direct impact of custom dimension on the infrastructure. The infrastructure must be sized based on the number of concurrent users, the amount of data processed during consolidation, the amount of data processed in reports or other data retrieval mechanisms, the intensity of the calculation required. For best performance, 64 bit system using fast processors and large enough amount of memory is recommended.

How will you calculate minority interest in hyperion financial management?

ANS: We need to write in rules as PCon=POwn-PMin, to calculate percentage of minority     intrest.
                                  %Minority=%consolidation-%ownership

Why we are using hyperion? We are having many olap tools in the market. What feature makes 
hyperion unique with other tools?

Hyperion as compared to other tools is security used in the shared services. There is no IIS for   OLAp's but there is a IIS for HFM, If there is no IIS its time taking process to retrieve the financial data.

Can we have multiple databases in single applications?

yes.

Can we start and stop an application individually and how to increase performance using
this?

We can manage our server resources by starting only applications which receive heavy user traffic. When an application is started, memory is accompanied by all associated data bases.

Which type of tasks can you define in a task list?

data forms and data grids
What are the requirements for creating a dataform?
Created metadata design, users is necessary to create data forms

Can anyone explain the variable POV in TaskFlow automation?
 
the variables are only used to store the result of other stages as Success or Failure.  You will need to enter the POV for each stage.

What is the limitation of Scenario dimension? How many number of scenario's we can define in HFM Applicaiton?

ANS: no limitation

where the value will adjust after posting journal?

we can see the adjustments in data grid. After posting the journal the adjustable value comes under entity currency adjustments.

where the value stores after done icp eliminations?

the values are store under eliminations in value dimension.

when we change the value in dataform, is that value will effect the data grids or not?

no, because we can create the data forms through data grids only.

what is the importance of hyperion financial management?

Many finance executives face the daunting task of consolidating their Companies financial and operating results using spreadsheets that are difficult to maintain and audit.

What is recurring journal?
some journals we use rapidly. So, for the purpose, we will create recurring templates, we will create recurring journals.

What is an Auto Reversing Journal?

If we create a journal as Auto Reversing Journal, the journal will posted in the next period by reversing the Debit and Credit.

What is consolidation?

Aggrigating the data from base level member to the parent level members.

How will you perform Currency  Translations? 
                                                               
First we have to create all the currencies in the Meta Data Item called currencies. Then we have to perform currency translations in Explore data module by using custom dimensions and value dimension.

Which sub routines of Rules will execute when you run consolidations ?

Calculate, Translation, Consolidation

How do you enable Rules to customize consolidation ?

Application Settings -> consolidation Rules -> Y

What is Translation ?

It is Currency translation happens when a parent entity's default currency is different from a child entity's default currency. runs when you choose Translate or Consolidate.

What is Adjustment ?

Adjusment is to correct the data. It is done by Journals at value dimension member Entity currency Adjs and Parent curr Adjs.

What is the difference between consolidate, consolidate all and consolidate all with the data ?

consolidate : only entities that require logic or consolidation are updated by the system.
Consolidate All with Data option is available for any parent entity regardless of its  status.NODATA are skipped.
Consolidate All : any Parent entity regardless of its status. NODATA are also consolidated.

how can you cancel consolidation ?

HFM Web client -> Administration -> running Tasks -> click on the Red button


what is ICP ?

The Intercompany Partnership Dimension provides an efficient way to identify, report, and reconcile intercompany account differences. With the ability to view detail transaction at any time, you can reconcile intercompany account differences frequently and thus minimize their impact on the closing cycle.

You are not able to load ICP tansactions. what is the Reason ?

Cause: IC Period is not opened.
expand Tasks and select IC Transaction Tasks Select Manage IC Periods.
From the Scenario drop-down list, select a scenario for the period.
From the Year drop-down list, select a year for the period.
select the check box next to each period that you want to open.

How to extract Intercompany Transactions ?

In the Browser View, expand Tasks and select Extract Tasks Select Extract IC Transactions. From the Point of View bar, select the scenario, year, and period. Enter the names of the Entity and Partner dimension members, or click Browse to find the Entity and Partner members. Select to include one or more of the following options in the extract process: UnMatched, Matched, MisMatched, Posted, UnPosted, Reason Codes.

what is Tolerance amount ?

Tolerance amount is small discrepancies in the amounts in Intercompany Transactions.
What are the types of consolidation and methods of consolidation
Types:
1.Legal Consolidation
2.Geographical Consolidation
3.Consolidation by entity
Methods:
1.Consolidate
2.Consolidate all
3.Consolidate all with data

What is the difference between switch sign for and switch type for and in which dimension it exists

It exists in custom dimension
        Switch sign for: It is ticked to change
       _ ASSET to LIABILITY
       _ LIABILITY to ASSET
       _ EXPENSE to REVENUE
       _ REVENUE to EXPENSE
       _ BALANCE to FLOW
       _ FLOW to BALANCE
        Switch type for: It is ticked to change
       _ ASSET to EXPENSE
       _ EXPENSE to ASSET
       _ LIABILITY to REVENUE
       _ REVENUE to LIABILITY
       _ BALANCE to FLOW
       _ FLOW to BALANCE

What are the types of journals?

 Recurring journal
 Reversing journal
 Auto reverse journal.
what are system defined dimensions?

value dimension, ICP dimension, 

How many custom dimensions are defined in HFM?

There are four custom dimensions defined in HFM like (Custom1,2,3,4.)
 
How many rules are defined in HFM?

There are 8 type of rules.
        1)calculation
        2)dynamic
        3)translation
        4)consolidation
        5)icp rule
        6)input, 7) No input, 8) Allocation

What is the difference between data form & data grid?

point of view is restricted in data from.
Data form supports for export& import of XL.
We will add and delete the data forms.

explain the scenario types?

Actual, Budget, Forecast.

what are the types loading data in HFM?

Merge, Replace, Accumulation, Replace by security.

Explain percent control and percent console?

percent control is upper boundary of consolidation percentage,

Percent console contains the actual percentage of consolidation.

Explain member list and define types of member list?

A member where we can use to see the data and modify the data is called member list.              System defined member list User defined member list static and dynamic member list.

what are the HFM tasks?

collect & load, adjust, calculate, translate, consolidate, lock data, publish data.

Explain HFM Architecture?

HFM is designed to operate as a mlti tier system.
Client tier user interface and ability to communicate with the application.
Middle tierconnections to database
web tier it contains web server and all functions of the application.
Database tier contains RDBMS and all HFM data and metadata.

How do you load the data in to HFM?

HFM directly can’t take the data from ERP packages. Then loaded into FDM and mapped with HFM.

What is Triangulation?

A mean of converting balances from one currency to another via a third common currency.

How do you eliminate the intercompany transactions?

Intercompany transactions are eliminated through plug account.

What is data lock?

 A user controlled mechanism that prevents changes to data according to specified criteria, such As period or scenario.

Difference between balanced, unbalanced and balanced by entity journals?

1) all debits and credits will be balanced
2) all debits and credits will not be  balanced.
3) All debits and credits are balanced for particular entity.

What is Dynamic memberlist?

 As the dimension members are added and deleted, the dynamic member list automatically
 Reflects the changes by replying the user defined criteria.


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