Unlocking Business Insights: How to Create Powerful OTBI Reports in Oracle Fusion Financials

OTBI (Oracle Transactional Business Intelligence) is a powerful reporting tool built into Oracle Fusion Financials. It allows users to quickly build and customize reports, providing valuable insights into their financial data. In this blog, we’ll guide you through creating your own OTBI reports.

Understanding OTBI

• Subject Areas: OTBI draws data from pre-defined subject areas, essentially organized collections of related financial data (e.g., Accounts Payable, General Ledger, Assets). Each subject area contains folders with columns of information you can include in your reports.
• Real-Time Data: One key advantage of OTBI is its ability to access real-time data within your Oracle Fusion Financials system. This means you always have the most up-to-date information.

Step-by-Step Guide to Creating OTBI Reports

1. Navigation:
   • Log into your Oracle Fusion instance.
   • Go to the Navigator menu.
   • Under “Tools,” click “Reports and Analytics.”
   • Select “Browse Catalog” to open the OTBI catalog.
2. Create a New Analysis:
   • Click the “New” button and select “Analysis.”
   • Choose the subject area relevant to your report. For example, if you want to create a report on supplier invoices, you might select “Payables Invoices – Real Time.”
3. Select Your Data:
   • Double-click on the folders within the subject area to find the specific columns of data you want to include in your report.
   • Drag and drop the desired columns into the “Results” tab.
4. Filtering Your Results:
   • Add filters to narrow down the data. Click the “Filters” tab and add filters based on criteria such as date, supplier, invoice status, etc.
   • Use the “Is prompted” operator to allow users to input dynamic filter values when they run the report.
5. Calculations and Customizations:
   • Use the “Formulas” tab to create calculated fields or measures.
   • Customize the appearance of your report with charts, graphs, and visualizations.
6. Prompts (Optional):
   • Create prompts to give users flexibility when running the report. For example, add a prompt for a date range or a department.
7. Save and Run:
   • Save your analysis with a meaningful name and location.
   • Click the “View Results” tab to preview your report.

Additional Tips

• Start Simple: Begin with straightforward reports to familiarize yourself with the process. Gradually increase complexity as you gain comfort.
• Leverage Pre-Built Analyses: Oracle provides many pre-built OTBI reports. Use these as starting points and customize them to fit your specific needs.
• Formatting: Pay attention to formatting; a well-formatted report is easier to read and understand.
• Testing: Always test your reports thoroughly to ensure they are pulling accurate data and applying the correct calculations.

Example Use Cases for OTBI Reports in Financials

• Accounts Payable Aging Report: Tracks outstanding invoices and identifies overdue payments.
• General Ledger Balance Analysis: Provides insights into account balances and trends
• Budget vs. Actual Variance Analysis: Compares budgeted expenditures with actual spending.
• Profitability Analysis: Reports on crucial profitability metrics.

Conclusion

OTBI is a valuable tool within Oracle Fusion Financials that enables you to extract and analyze critical financial data. By following these steps and best practices, you’ll be able to create insightful reports that aid in better business decision-making.