Epicor EPM Server and Cube Connect

Epicor ERP
Epicor EPM Server and Cube

Connect
10.2.600
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Epicor EPM Server and Cube Connect Contents
Contents
Epicor EPM Server and Cube Connect Course......................................................................6
Before You Begin....................................................................................................................7
Audience.........................................................................................................................................................7
Prerequisites....................................................................................................................................................7
Environment Setup..........................................................................................................................................8
Workshop Constraints..............................................................................................................................9
Application Overview...........................................................................................................10
Epicor EPM Server Management Console...........................................................................13
Workshop - View the EPM Server Management Console Window..................................................................13
Epicor EPM Server..........................................................................................................................................14
Security..................................................................................................................................................16
Workshop - Add a New User Account.............................................................................................18
Licensing................................................................................................................................................19
Workshop - Import a Content Pack License File................................................................................19
ERP System Node...........................................................................................................................................20
User Cube Management.........................................................................................................................20
Workshop - View Cube Status.........................................................................................................23
Workshop - Deploy a Cube in EPM Server Management Console.....................................................24
Deploy the Cube......................................................................................................................24
Define Deployment Parameters.................................................................................................25
Workshop - Re-deploy a Cube in EPM Server Management Console................................................25
Download the Cube to File.......................................................................................................25
Open a Cube for Re-deployment..............................................................................................26
Re-deploy a Cube.....................................................................................................................26
Process the Cube......................................................................................................................27
Workshop - View Cube Properties...................................................................................................28
Content Pack Management...........................................................................................................................29
Workshop - Deploy a Content Pack........................................................................................................29
Workshop - Create a Deployment Context..............................................................................................31
Workshop - Specify Deployment Options................................................................................................32
Epicor EPM Platform Architecture.......................................................................................34
Basic Concepts and Terminology....................................................................................................................35
OLAP Technology Overview....................................................................................................................35
Multidimensional Data Representation Overview.....................................................................................36
Epicor EPM Terms and Definitions...........................................................................................................38
Star Schema...........................................................................................................................................40
EPM Glossary Designer Overview.......................................................................................42
Business Definitions and Attributes................................................................................................................45
Workshop - Launch the EPM Glossary Designer.......................................................................................46
Glossary Designer Start Screen.........................................................................................................46
Epicor ERP | 10.2.600 3

Contents Epicor EPM Server and Cube Connect
Creating New Glossary....................................................................................................................47

Glossary Designer User Interface......................................................................................................48
Glossary Definition Parameters.........................................................................................................49
Workshop - Work with the Glossary Tab.................................................................................................53
Import Glossary Entries....................................................................................................................53
Add Glossary Entry..........................................................................................................................54
Copy Glossary Entry.........................................................................................................................54
Edit Glossary Entry...........................................................................................................................54
View Cube Fields.............................................................................................................................54
View a Glossary Calculated Field......................................................................................................55
View Glossary Templates.................................................................................................................55
Cube Connect........................................................................................................................57
EPM Cube Editor............................................................................................................................................57
Workshop - Edit a Cube from the Content Pack......................................................................................58
Download the Cube Using the Console...........................................................................................58
Open Cube in Cube Editor...............................................................................................................59
Measures.........................................................................................................................................60
Workshop - Add Measures In Cube Editor................................................................................60
Business Definitions..................................................................................................................62
Workshop - Set and Adjust Formulas........................................................................................64
Dimensions......................................................................................................................................71
Workshop - Add Dimensions in Cube Editor.............................................................................72
Adding a Dimension.................................................................................................................73
Workshop - Test Compile the User Cube.........................................................................................75
User Cube Compilation...........................................................................................................................77
Workshop - Compile the User Cube................................................................................................78
Workshop - Save the User Cube.............................................................................................................80
EPM Cube Manager.......................................................................................................................................81
EPM Cube Manager Interface.................................................................................................................82
Workshop - Open a Cube for Deployment.......................................................................................84
Cube Deployment...................................................................................................................................85
User Cube Deployment Status.........................................................................................................87
Workshop - Deploy a Cube..............................................................................................................89
EPM Content Pack Editor...............................................................................................................................90
Workshop - Create a Content Pack.........................................................................................................90
Create a New Empty Content Pack and Populate It..........................................................................90
Add a Cross User Cube Canvas........................................................................................................91
Save the Content Pack.....................................................................................................................92
EPM Content Pack Deployer...........................................................................................................................93
Workshop - Deploy and Process a Content Pack.....................................................................................93
Workshop - Create Deployment Context................................................................................................96
Process a Content Pack...........................................................................................................................97
Workshop - Manage Content Pack Deployments....................................................................................98
View EPM Cubes in EPM Performance Canvas.................................................................100
4 Epicor ERP | 10.2.600

Epicor EPM Server and Cube Connect Contents
Viewing EPM Cubes in External Systems..........................................................................101

Microsoft SQL Server Analysis Services®.......................................................................................................101
Workshop - View a Cube in Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio.................................................101
Microsoft Office Excel®................................................................................................................................102
Workshop - Establish SQL Analysis Connection in Excel.........................................................................102
Workshop - View a Cube in Excel.........................................................................................................103
Conclusion...........................................................................................................................104
Epicor ERP | 10.2.600 5

Epicor EPM Server and Cube Connect Course Epicor EPM Server and Cube Connect
Epicor EPM Server and Cube Connect Course
The Epicor Enterprise Performance Management (EPM) Server and Cube Connect course is designed to provide
the system administrator with the tools to manage and deploy online analytical processing (OLAP) user cubes for
use with the EPM suite of business intelligence tools. The EPM suite is considered a Cross Brand product in that
it can use several of the Epicor applications, such as iScala, Enterprise, Clientele, and Epicor ERP as its datasource.
This course has been written generically to provide steps that can be used with any of the Epicor applications.
The course begins with a discussion of basic OLAP and multi-dimensional concepts and finishes with a cube
modification and deployment project.
Hands-on workshops guide you through the steps introducing the components of the EPM Suite as well as the
generic steps to manage cube and content deployment including:
• Epicor EPM Server - The EPM Server is a Windows® NT service responsible for cube deployment. This course
demonstrates how to administer data sources using the EPM Server, as well as how to schedule and deploy
user cubes. The EPM Server Management Console is the system administration interface for Epicor EPM Server.
• EPM Cube Editor - This tool is the cube design tool and the client component of the system. This course
provides instructions for modifying user cubes by adding dimensions and measures to the existing cube
template.
• EPM Cube Manager - Use this tool to monitor, manage and deploy cubes created by the Cube Editor tool.
During this course, you use Cube Manager to deploy user cubes.
• EPM Content Pack Editor - A Content Pack is a collection of cubes and visualizations called Dashboards or
Canvases made for the Epicor EPM Performance Canvas tool. This course introduces the EPM Content Pack
Editor and demonstrates how to add selected content to create a customized Content Pack.
• EPM Content Pack Deployer - Content Packs are created and then deployed for easy access. This course
demonstrates a basic deployment of a simple Content Pack.
• EPM Glossary Designer - An EPM Glossary is a collection of business definitions that guide the pre-defined
analytics for the Epicor applications. With EPM Glossary Designer, you can modify an EPM Glossary to customize
business definitions, shared dimensions, and cube templates which are then available for use in the Cube
Editor or can be directly deployed to EPM Server. This course discusses the basic functionality of the EPM
Glossary Designer and demonstrates how to create or modify dimensions and measures for use with Content
Packs.
The four tools you use to create and deploy OLAP cubes and content packs are referred to as Epicor Cube Connect
tools. These include EPM Cube Editor, EPM Cube Manager, EPM Content Pack Editor, EPM Content Pack Deployer.
Upon successful completion of this course, you will be able to:
• Understand basic Online Analytical Processing (OLAP) concepts.
• Comprehend the Epicor EPM Platform structure and data flow behind the cube.
• Name the four components of Cube Connect and understand their interaction.
• Use the EPM Glossary Designer to create your own business definitions.
• Using the EPM Server Management Console to manage EPM cubes.
• Use the EPM Cube Editor application to create user cubes from a cube template.
• Deploy a customized user cube in EPM Cube Manager.
• Gain an understanding of the EPM Content Pack Editor and EPM Content Pack Deployer.
• Work with an EPM Cube within SQL Server Analysis (SSAS).
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Epicor EPM Server and Cube Connect Before You Begin
Before You Begin
Read this topic for information you should know in order to successfully complete this course.
Audience
Specific audiences will benefit from this course.

• CFO/Controller
• COO/Operations Manager
• Sales Manager
• Customer Service Representative
• Sales Engineer/Pre-Sales
• Account Manager
• Sales Representative
• System Administrator
• IT/Technical Staff
Prerequisites
To complete the workshops in this course, the necessary modules must be licensed and operating in your training
environment. For more information on the modules available, contact your Epicor Customer Account Manager.
It is also important you understand the prerequisite knowledge contained in other valuable courses.
• Database Concepts Course - This course reviews the table and field name identification process using Field
Help, Customization Tools, and the Data Dictionary Viewer functionality. It also describes table linking
procedures and requirements as well as join type definitions and specifications.
• Epicor Portal - This course explores the creation of business views against the application data of major
product lines. These views can be exposed through Microsoft® SharePoint web sites. Epicor Portal uses
application schemas that predefine the links between application tables and present the view builder with
simple documents that describe business entities, such as customers or sales orders. Epicor Portal allows you
to make field selections for portal views without having to know the physical structure of the database. The
views can also expose common business processes such as update addresses, submit sales orders, or log in
support calls based on data provided in the views through Epicor Service Connect workflows.
• Recommended Industry Knowledge: Microsoft® SQL Server Analysis Services (SSAS) - A good
understanding of SSAS is important to understand many of the concepts presented in this course.
• Recommended Industry Knowledge: Online Analytical Process (OLAP) - Although the course provides
a basic overview of the OLAP process, an understanding of the OLAP functionality and its multi-dimensional
cube methodology is recommended.
Epicor ERP | 10.2.600 7

Before You Begin Epicor EPM Server and Cube Connect
Environment Setup
The environment setup steps and potential workshop constraints must be reviewed in order to successfully
complete the workshops in this course.
Your Epicor training environment, in which the Epicor demonstration database is found, enables you to experience
Epicor functionality in action but does not affect data in your live, production environment.
The following steps must be taken to successfully complete the workshops in this course.
1. Verify the following or ask your system administrator to verify for you:
• Your Epicor training icon (or web address if you are using Epicor Web Access) points to your
Epicor training environment with the Epicor demonstration database installed. Do not complete
the course workshops in your live, production environment.
Note It is recommended that multiple Epicor demonstration databases are installed. Contact
Support or Systems Consulting for billable assistance.
• The Epicor demonstration database is at the same version as the Epicor application. The
demonstration database is installed from the Epicor Administration Console using the "Add Demo
Database" command under Database Server. See Epicor ERP installation guides for details. If you are an
Epicor Cloud ERP customer (and have licensed embedded education), the demonstration database is
installed for you.
• Your system administrator restored (refreshed) the Epicor demonstration database prior to
starting this course. The Epicor demonstration database comes standard with parts, customers, sales
orders, and so on, already defined. If the Epicor demonstration database is shared with multiple users
(that is, the database is located on a server and users access the same data, much like your live, production
environment) and is not periodically refreshed, unexpected results can occur. For example, if a course
workshop requires you to ship a sales order that came standard in the Epicor demonstration database,
but a different user already completed this workshop and the Epicor demonstration database was not
restored (refreshed), then you will not be able to ship the sales order. If you are an Epicor Cloud ERP
customer see section below.
2. Log in to the training environment using the credentials manager/manager. If you are logged into your
training environment as a different user, from the Options menu, select Change User.
Important When you log on for the first time, a message appears to inform you that your password
has expired. You will be prompted to set a new password. To set a new password, perform the
following steps:
1. Click Yes.
A Change Password window displays.
2. In the Current Password field, enter manager.
3. In the New password field, enter a new password. An example would be manager2.
4. In the Confirm new password field, re-enter the same password.
5. Click OK. The Change Password window closes and you are logged on with the manager user
ID.
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Epicor EPM Server and Cube Connect Before You Begin
6. Record the new password. This is important as this will be the password everyone uses when
they log on with the manager ID until the database is refreshed.
3. From the Main menu, select the company Epicor Education (EPIC06).
4. From the Main menu, select the Main site.
5. A fully licensed version of Epicor Enterprise Performance Management must be installed and configured.
6. Many workshop require a Designer or Developer user security level. Contact your system administrator for
information on user accounts.
Epicor Cloud ERP Specific Information

Note If you are an Epicor Cloud ERP customer, then note the following about your Epicor-hosted education
company. All logins referenced in the course (such as manager, or epicor) should be changed to be the
<site ID>-. For example, if your site ID is 98315, then wherever you are instructed to use the login manager,
instead use 98315-manager. The password is 'Train18!'.
Note To refresh your Epicor training data, enter a support ticket in EpicCare and include your site ID.
Workshop Constraints
Below is a list of workshops in this course that can be performed only once in each instance of a restored (refreshed)
shared database. Where applicable, a detailed explanation of the workshop constraints is documented in the
workshop itself.
All workshops in the course use a connected Epicor application, for example Epicor ERP, datasource and a deployed
Content Pack. Contact your system administrator to inquire about the datasource and deployed Content Pack.
• Workshop - Deploy a Content Pack - This workshop can only be performed one time on a non-refreshed
environment and by a member of the Administrator or Designer user profile.
• Workshop - Create a Cube Context - This workshop can only be performed one time on a non-refreshed
environment and by a member of the Administrator or Designer user profile.
• Workshop - Add a New User Account - This workshop can only be completed by a member of the
Administrator, Designer or Developer user profile.
• Workshop - Import a License - This workshop is informational only and can not be performed as the product
must be licensed before you can use it.
• Workshop - Deploy a Cube with EPM Server - This workshop can only be performed one time on a
non-refreshed environment by a member of the Administrator or Designer user profile.
• Workshop - Set and Adjust Formulas - This workshop requires an Epicor application database be created
and listed in the EPM Server window. The workshops that follow display information only available using a
user-defined value. Use the new measure, XXX_NewMeasure (where XXX are your initials) added in the
Workshop - Add a New Measure to view the details that follow.
Epicor ERP | 10.2.600 9

Application Overview Epicor EPM Server and Cube Connect
Application Overview
Epicor Enterprise Performance Management (EPM) is a decision support system. It is a powerful Online Analytical
Processing (OLAP)-based tool for online analysis of large data volumes. EPM facilitates information provisioning,
while assisting analysts and managers and enabling comprehensive analysis on different aspects of the company
operation.
The EPM tools exist in the distributed computational environment with LAN and WAN capabilities and span
different working platforms. EPM targets modern Microsoft Windows® platforms for the server and workstation
families and therefore has no single target specification.
EPM Component Explanation

Following is an explanation of the EPM Components.
Component What is it?

Epicor EPM Server The Server product used for data source administration, cube scheduling and deployment,
content pack creation and deployment, and integration with Microsoft's SQL Server
Analysis Services (SSAS).
The EPM Server Management Console, also known as Manage Epicor EPM Servers,
is the system administration interface for Epicor EPM Server. With the EPM Server
Management Console, you can monitor, manage, and deploy cubes as well as view
deployed content packs.
EPM Cube Connect The set of client tools you use to create and deploy cubes and content packages. Cube
Connect is comprised of the following four tools which install together and interface
with Epicor EPM Server.
EPM Cube Editor used to customize cubes.
EPM Cube Manager used to monitor, manage, and deploy cubes created by the Cube
Editor.
EPM Content Pack Editor used to create and package collections of custom cubes and
dashboards.
EPM Content Pack Deployer used to manage the deployment of Content Packs created
in the EPM Content Pack Editor.
EPM Glossary Designer An EPM Glossary is a collection of business definitions that guide the table relationships.
With EPM Glossary Designer, you can modify an EPM Glossary to customize business
definitions, shared dimensions, and cube templates which are then available for use in
the Cube Editor or can be directly deployed to EPM Server.
Epicor Performance The web-based analysis platform used to create visualizations for OLAP-related
Canvas information.
An integral part of Epicor Performance Canvas is Epicor Performance Canvas Mobile
- the interface to use a Canvas on a mobile phone device such as an iPhone® or
Blackberry®
Separately installed, the Epicor Performance Canvas SharePoint ™ component gives
you the ability to use a Canvas within Microsoft SharePoint.
Refer to the EPM Performance Canvas course for more information.
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Epicor EPM Server and Cube Connect Application Overview
Component What is it?

Epicor Performance The platform for advanced analytics such as budgeting and planning, and advanced
Canvas Planning forecasting.
Replication
Another tool often used with EPM and Epicor ERP is Replication Configuration. Use it to set up replication of
a datasource (Epicor ERP database) to another database. When you use replication, analysis and other read-only
activities, such as reporting, execute from the offloaded datasource.
During replication, a static copy of data from the source ERP system database is extracted and a Microsoft® SQL
Server database called Operational Data Store (ODS) is built. The replicated database can contain data from
multiple companies. The ODS can then be used by the EPM suite for reporting.
The main replication purpose is to facilitate the offloading of reporting, tracking and query functions from the
main transactional server. Another advantage replication provides is that the ODS database schema is optimized
for specific reporting tasks.
Replication Configuration uses the Microsoft® SQL Server Replication. For more details refer to http://techne
t.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms151198(v=sql.105).aspx and http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms1511
76.aspx. No additional setup on the source ERP side is required. To monitor, customize settings, and configure
advanced options on the replicated database, use the Microsoft tools. SQL Server Management Studio provides
UI to manage replication (http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms152751.aspx).
EPM Content
Following is an explanation of the items EPM tools operate.
Item What is it?

Epicor EPM User Cubes EPM formatted cube and ETL definition. It encapsulates how to get the data,
how to flatten it for use in cubes, and how to organize the structure of an
SSAS cube for browsing.
Epicor EPM Content Pack One or more industry-specific individually licensed and prepackaged OLAP
cubes and visualizations (Performance Canvases).
Software Installation Requirement

The full installation instructions and the latest software requirements are available from the Epicor EPM Server
Installation Guide and EPM Content Pack Installation Guide. Following are the software requirements for
the EPM Server and EPM Client components:
Requirements for the Epicor EPM Server, Epicor EPM Performance Canvas
Requirements for Applications and Web Server:
• MS Windows Server® 2008 R2
• MS Internet Information Services® (IIS) version 7.0 or greater
• MS Internet Information Services® (IIS) 6.0 Compatibility Mode (required for the XMLA Web Service)
• MS SQL Server Standard 2008 R2 or greater (x64 Recommended)
• SQL Server Database Engine
• SQL Server Analysis Services (Multidimensional Mode in SQL Server 2012)
• SQL Server Agent
Note MS SQL Enterprise is recommended, but Standard edition is compatible.
Epicor ERP | 10.2.600 11

Application Overview Epicor EPM Server and Cube Connect
• MS .NET® Framework version 2.0 (required for XMLA web service)

• MS .NET® Framework version 4.0 (required for EPM applications)
• MS Visual C++ 2012 Update 1 Redistributables
For x32 systems install this redistributable:
vcredist_x86.exe
For x64 systems install this redistributable:
vcredist_x64.exe
You can download the Visual C++ Redistributable Packages from http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/downloa
d/details.aspx?id=30679.
Requirements for Database and Replication:

• MS Windows Server® 2008 R2
• MS .NET® Framework version 3.5, or higher
• MS replication and RMO/SMO
Requirements for EPM Client components, both Epicor Cube Connect and Epicor EPM Server Management
Console:
• MS Windows XP SP2, MS Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows Vista SP1, or Windows 7
• MS .NET Framework version 4.0 or higher
Requirements for Epicor EPM Performance Canvas
Epicor EPM Performance Canvas supports the following internet browsers:
• Chrome 10
• Microsoft Internet Explorer 7, 8 and 9
• FireFox 3 and 4
• Safari 3, 4 and 5
Installation Overview
With the exception of the EPM Glossary Designer and Content Packs, all major components of the suite are
installed using the EpicorEpmServer-x.exe file in the default location of: c:\Program Files\Epicor
Software\EPM\EAS\. This location can be changed during installation. A base license is imported to support
the suite.
The EPM Performance Canvas (Performance Canvas) installation is done separately using the
EpicorEpmPerformanceCanvas-x.exe file.
Content Packs are purchased based on your Epicor application to provide the pre-defined analysis tools as well
as the data cubes for use with the Performance Canvas. A separate license is required by the Content Pack. A
base glossary also installs with the Content Pack(s). All Content Packs must be deployed before they can be
accessed.
The EPM Glossary Designer is an optional installation for advanced technical users who need to make major
customizations to the Epicor EPM application. Use the EpicorEpmGlossaryDesigner-x.exe file and a separate
license code. Each Content Pack has a separate license and updates the EPM Glossary Designer. The default
location for the Content Pack and EPM Glossary details is c:\_EPM_Client_Install.
The EPM product family integrates with Windows® and with Microsoft SQL Management Studio®. A base SQL
database, named EAS, is generated and added to the database node of SQL Management Studio.
See the Epicor EPM Server Installation Guide and EPM Content Pack Installation Guide for more specific details.
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Epicor EPM Server and Cube Connect Epicor EPM Server Management Console
Epicor EPM Server Management Console
Epicor Enterprise Performance Management (EPM) Server Management Console (Console) is the interface for
the EPM Server where you can set up and maintain the EPM suite of products. The Console is a Microsoft
Management Console® (MMC) snap-in that displays all connected servers and databases. It also displays content
packs as they are added.
Use the Console to perform the following activities:
• Deploy and process user cubes and deploy user cube content packs
• Monitor the status of each deployed user cube
• Manage pre-packaged user cubes and EPM content packs
• Manage communication with SQL Server Analysis Services ® (SSAS)
• Manage user security groups for one or more server connections
• Maintain licensing at the content level or at the user cube level
Navigation path: Start > All Programs > Epicor Software > Epicor Enterprise Performance Management
> Manage Epicor EPM Servers
Workshop - View the EPM Server Management Console Window

You can launch the Epicor Enterprise Performance Management (EPM) Server Management Console (Console)
from the Microsoft Windows® Start menu.
Launch Epicor EPM Server Management Console
Use the following path to navigate to the Console:
Start > All Programs > Epicor Software > Epicor Enterprise Performance Management > Manage EPM
Servers.
Important The datasource references in this workshop rely on a connected Epicor ERP datasource and
deployed Content Packs. This workshop can only be performed by a user account that is a member of the
Administrators group.
The Console window consists of three panes:

• The left pane, or Console tree, displays the available EPM servers (connected datasources) and databases.
Deployed user cubes and EPM Content Packs also display in the Console tree.
• The middle pane, or results pane, shows the information about, and functions pertaining to the item currently
selected in the Console tree.
• The right pane, or Action pane, lists the actions that are currently available based on the item selected in
the Console tree and the results pane. These actions are also available from the Action menu (or right clicking
the item on which you want to perform an action).
The Console toolbar provides the following buttons to navigate within the window and to show various MMC
elements:
• Back and Forward arrows - Use the arrows to move forward and back between selections.
• Up One Level - Use this button to move up one level on the Console tree.
• Show/Hide Console Tree - Use this button to either display or hide the left pane, or Console tree.
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Epicor EPM Server Management Console Epicor EPM Server and Cube Connect
• Show/Hide Action Pane - Use this button to either display or hide the right pane, or Action pane.
• Export List - Use this button to export the contents of the columns in the results pane.
• Question Mark - Use this button to open Microsoft Management Console® (MMC) 3.0 Application Help.
1. Expand the path: Epicor EPM Servers > localhost > Epicor EPM Server.
The datasources are listed under the server name. A datasource displays in the Console if a connection has
been established. Deployed User Cubes and EPM Content Packs display only when deployed.
2. From the Toolbar, toggle the Show/Hide Action Pane button to see the view differences.
3. Expand Epicor 10 > ERP10.

This is the location on the Ready Tech image. ERP10 is a sample database designed for Epicor 10. Other ERP
systems, including Clientele and iScala, display in the tree view if they are installed and EPM can detect their
databases. Check with your system administrator for the name of your datasource.
4. In the Console tree, expand the Deployed User Cubes node.

All the available cubes are listed. The cubes populate from the Content Packs listed under the License -
Features node. In this example, the cube listing is specific to the Epicor ERP. The cubes on the listing are not
available for use until you deploy them in the EPM Server Management Console or EPM Cube Manager.
5. In the Console tree, expand the EPM Content Packs node.

As Content Packs are added, they display in the Console.
Epicor EPM Server
The Epicor Enterprise Performance Management (EPM) Server, a Windows® service, performs all deployment
and management functions and is the administrative piece of the Epicor EPM suite. The EPM Server also distributes
content packs and deploys OLAP user cubes dependent on the server version.
You access EPM Server through the Epicor EPM Server Management Console and the Cube Connect tools.
EPM Server tasks include the following:
• Deployment and management of user cubes on Microsoft SQL Server Analysis® server
• Deployment and management of user cube content packages
• Extract, transform, and load (ETL) processing for all user cubes
Complex Multidimensional eXpression® (MDX) programming and Epicor ERP's database logic combine to provide
an easy to use environment.
Epicor EPM Server in EPM Analysis Infrastructure

A Windows® NT service, Epicor EPM Server is the server product used for data source administration, cube
scheduling and deployment, content pack creation and deployment, and integration with Microsoft SQL Server
Analysis Services (SSAS).
The complete EPM suite infrastructure is represented by the following image.
14 Epicor ERP | 10.2.600

EPM Server Management Console

The EPM Server Management Console (Console) is the system administration interface for Epicor EPM Server.
The Console is powered by the Microsoft Management Console™ (MMC) snap-in that provides simple user
interface to monitor, manage, and deploy OLAP cubes as well as view deployed content packs. Use the Console
to monitor the status of each deployed user cube, as well as manage pre-packaged user cubes and EPM Content
Packages.
The system administrator uses the Console to manage user security groups for one or more server connections.
The Console maintains licensing which can be at the content level or the cube level.
Cube Connect Tools

The tools you use to create and deploy OLAP cubes and content packages are under the Epicor Cube Connect
umbrella.
Cube Connect, which was developed by Epicor to leverage Microsoft SQL Server Analysis Services, is comprised
of the following four products that install together and interface with the EPM Server:
• EPM Cube Editor - Use EPM Cube Editor to customize, edit, and tailor OLAP cubes to include your own
measures and dimensions. The wizard-type interface guides you through selecting measures and dimension
attributes from a pre-defined list of available fields. EPM Cube Connect ships with over 500 pre-defined
measures. You can use a calculation designer interface to add custom measures and dimensions to each user
cube as necessary.
• EPM Cube Manager - Use EPM Cube Manager to monitor, manage and deploy OLAP cubes. EPM Cube
Manager requires little knowledge of data warehousing and OLAP-design techniques but is limited to data
defined in the EPM Glossary.
• EPM Content Pack Editor - Use EPM Content Pack Editor to create and package collections of custom cubes
and dashboards.
• EPM Content Deployer - Use EPM Content Deployer to manage deployment of the content packs created
in the EPM Content Pack Editor.
Epicor ERP | 10.2.600 15

EPM Glossary Designer and EPM Glossary

An EPM Glossary is a collection of business definitions (measures or dimension attributes) for a source system
such as Epicor ERP or iScala, and is a definition of the overall dimensional schema for your data warehouse.
Building a set of shared dimensions helps ensure that OLAP data is presented in a common way throughout the
data warehouse. With EPM Glossary Designer, you can modify an EPM Glossary to customize business definitions,
shared dimensions, and cube templates which are then available for use in the Cube Editor or can be directly
deployed to EPM Server.
Epicor EPM Performance Canvas

Epicor EPM Performance Canvas (Performance Canvas) is the visualization piece of Epicor EPM suite. Performance
Canvas is the web-based analysis platform used to create canvases, or dashboards, for OLAP-related information.
In the Performance Canvas you can create gems and slicers as performance indicators that display on the canvas
to provide performance analysis. The canvases can be viewed on several mobile devises for wireless access on
the go, as well as deployed to a SharePoint® site.
A powerful platform for advanced analytics such as budgeting and planning, and advanced forecasting is Epicor
Performance Canvas Planning. A Microsoft Excel add-in, it is flexible and scalable and can handle very large
implementations across multiple installations, as well as manage mixed content from multiple sources.
Security
For setting up and maintaining security in Epicor Enterprise Performance Management (EPM), the Epicor EPM
Server Management Console (Console) supports two types of entities: user accounts and user groups. Each
user account and user group has one or more roles.
User Accounts
In the Epicor EPM Server Management Console Security node, you can add and delete user accounts, view and
edit account properties, and export the user account list to a text file.
Note
To be able to add user accounts, you must import the product license.
Each user account has one or more roles. The following roles are available:
• User
A user account assigned this role can deploy user cubes and manage the cubes deployed by this user account.
New user accounts are assigned this role by default.
• Power User
A user account assigned this role can perform all the actions a User can. Power Users can also execute EPM
special operations not directly related to OLAP cubes such as handling objects in the target ERP database.
Such operations only exist for iScala; there are no such operations for Epicor ERP at the moment. For iScala,
the EPM Power User can create additional tables in the iScala database and manage them. The data from
those tables are used in iScala cubes. This option is required when you want to add additional information
to the target ERP database. This information is stored in the target ERP database as extra tables and is referred
to as a database extension in the context of EPM in general and Epicor EPM Server Management Console in
particular.
• Administrator
A user account assigned this role can manage application security. Only user accounts with the Administrator
role can add other user accounts.
16 Epicor ERP | 10.2.600

User Groups
User Groups in Epicor Enterprise Performance Management are Windows NT users groups and are used for
convenience - to group users by their application role.
Note
• Epicor Enterprise Performance Management does not have its own user groups; only Windows NT users
groups can be used.
• You cannot create new user groups or edit existing user groups in EPM; however, you can map Windows
NT user groups as EPM user groups.
Working with User Groups is similar to working with user accounts. All actions on user groups supported by EPM
are available in Epicor EPM Server Management Console under the Security > Groups node.
Epicor ERP | 10.2.600 17

Workshop - Add a New User Account

Before a user can work with EPM, their user account must be added in the EPM Server Management Console.
Important Workshop Constraint - This workshop can only be completed by an Administrator user
account. The product license must be imported before users can be added.
All actions on user accounts supported by EPM are available in Epicor EPM Administration Console under the
Users sub-node of the Security node.
If necessary, navigate to the following path and start the EPM Server Management Console: Start > All Programs
> Epicor Software > Enterprise Performance Management > Manage EPM Servers.
1. In the Console tree, expand the Epicor EPM Server node.
2. Expand the Security node.
3. Click the Users node.
4. From the Action menu, select New User or, right-click the Users node and select New User.
The Users and Groups management dialog displays.
5. In the top pane of the Users and Groups management dialog, specify the domain and the user name
in the corresponding fields.
You can also expand a domain in the tree view located at the bottom of the window and then select the
user name in this domain.
6. Click OK to add the user, or click Cancel to cancel the operation.
18 Epicor ERP | 10.2.600

Licensing
Epicor Enterprise Performance Management is a licensed software product. The ability to use the EPM tools is
regulated by the license availability..
A separate Epicor license is required for the following Epicor EPM tools:
• Epicor EPM Server and Epicor Cube Connect - This includes the Console, Cube Manager, Cube Editor, Content
Pack Editor, and Content Pack Deployer.
• EPM Performance Canvas
• EPM Performance Canvas Planning
• Epicor EPM Glossary Designer
• Each Epicor EPM content pack - This includes cube templates and visualizations.
At least two licenses codes require importing:
• Epicor Enterprise Performance Management - This is the license for Epicor EPM Server and Epicor Cube
Connect.
• Individual Content Pack - Each purchased content pack includes a new license code that you must import
to make the Content Pack available for deployment.
The imported license file controls the display of features under the Features node.
Workshop - Import a Content Pack License File

License codes are issued for each Content Pack. Before you install a new Content Pack, use the EPM Server
Management Console to import the corresponding license file.
1. In the Console tree, expand the localhost > Epicor EPM Server node.
2. Select the License node.
3. From the Action menu, select All tasks > Import License.
Alternatively, right-click the License node, and select All tasks > Import License.
4. In the Supply License File dialog, browse to and select the license file.
The license file has the .lic extension and is provided with each Content Pack.
5. Click Open.
All features become available once the license file is imported and display under the License > Features node.
Note You can also use EPM Content Pack Deployer to import a license.
Epicor ERP | 10.2.600 19

ERP System Node
The <ERP System> node in the EPM Server Management Console is intended for company databases and cubes
administration.
Important
Microsoft Management Console® version 3.0 is required to enable the Epicor EPM Server Management
Console <ERP System> node.
If you have Microsoft Management Console version 2.0, update it to version 3.0 by installing Microsoft
KB907265 hotfix for Windows 2003 Server or Windows XP. This hotfix is included in the Epicor Enterprise
Performance Management delivery package.
Note EPM Server Management Console displays the top level tree nodes for the available ERP systems
only.
For example, if you have an iScala database installed, and a Clientele database installed on your EPM server,
EPM detects them, and the EPM Server Management Console displays two top level tree nodes: Scala and
Clientele.
The nodes for the ERP systems that are not available in the installation are hidden.
When you expand the <ERP System> node, you are prompted to enter the user name and password to access
the selected ERP system. After you enter ERP system logon credentials, the list of companies for this ERP system
displays.
The tree structure under the <ERP System> - <database name> node differs for different ERP systems. When you
select the database name under the <ERP System> node in the left pane, for ERP systems other than iScala, the
Deployed User Cubes node displays in the right pane. When you select the company database name under
the Scala node in the left pane, the company name and company code for this company display in the right pane.
For each Scala company, the following three nodes display: Deployed User Cubes, Database Extensions, and
Years.
User Cube Management
In the Epicor EPM Server Management Console, you can view the properties of a user cube, check the user cube
status, deploy and re-deploy a user cube, run (process) a user cube on demand, reconfigure a user cube, or
download a user cube from the server.
User cubes are not available until they are deployed and processed. The cube deployment process creates a
physical OLAP cube from the glossary definition of the user cube being deployed. The cube processing process
stores a static picture of the data in the new cube.
You can deploy a cube from the following applications:
• Epicor EPM Server Management Console
• EPM Cube Editor
• EPM Cube Manager
You can deploy and process a user cube on demand or set a schedule to update the cube on a regular basis.
You can deploy and process cubes with different parameters. You have several ways to control how data refreshes
during processing which directly determines the length of the deployment or processing. If you want to change
the specifications of the cube, you must re-configure or re-deploy it.
20 Epicor ERP | 10.2.600

Cube's life cycle

A cube is a replication of data in the database at the time of deployment. A cube passes through several stages:
1. Cube Compilation - This stage creates the data structure and brings back data as a test without writing it
to the server.
2. Cube Deployment - Cube deployment compiles the data into a multidimensional structure based on the
EPM Glossary business definition. Deployment includes the structure, but does not include the data.
3. Cube Processing - Cube processing is the process that publishes the cube for user consumption. During
processing, data is written to the cube's structure and saved. The processing command saves the cube with
the data, making it available to all users.
Cube Deployment Parameters

Cubes can be deployed multiple times. For each cube deployment, you define parameters to tell EPM how to
rebuild the cube's structure, data, or both. The deployment parameters are as follows:
• Data Source Rebuild Type - The selection made for this parameter provides details on how to re-build the
data in the cube. Options include:
Rebuild Type Description

No Optimization Use this option to consider the data for all financial years when processing the
user cube. In this case, during each subsequent user cube processing, EPM collects
information for all the financial years specified for deployment configuration to
feed the user cube.
Only Last Fiscal Year Use this option to consider only the data for the last financial year when processing
the user cube. In this case, during each subsequent cube processing, EPM recollects
information only for the last financial year, among those specified for deployment
configuration, to feed the user cube. This occurs only between two subsequent
cube processings for which the operational year configuration (the number of
years and their values) is the same.
Only since Current Use this option to re-process starting from the current fiscal year and also process
Fiscal Year any years defined in the future.
• Scheduling - You can set a schedule for cube deployment, that is define how often you want to deploy the
cube: once a month, once or several times a week, every day, or every hour. For example, you can set the
deployment at a time when resource usage is at a minimum. There is also an option to deploy the cube only
manually.
• OLAP Isolation - You can select if you want to deploy your cube as a single isolated fact and set of dimensions,
or so that it interacts with other deployed cubes. This second option implies that dimensions are shared
between multiple cubes that are deployed separately within EPM Server. The following options are available:
Standalone Use this option to deploy your cube separately from other cubes.
Shared Database Use this option to enable dimension sharing.
• OLAP Naming - When a cube is deployed, a unique deployment ID is generated and appended to the name
of the cube to ensure that multiple deployments of the same cube can coexist on the same server. The
following options are available:
Epicor ERP | 10.2.600 21

Naming Description
Globally Unique The globally unique deployment ID is the identification of the deployment registration
record in the EPM cube tracking database. This deployment ID is used by the server.
Cube Unique The cube unique deployment ID is the cube ID, which uniquely identifies the specific
user cube. When a new user cube is created with EPM Cube Editor and saved to file,
a unique ID is generated and is stored for that cube.
User Defined When you select this option, a field displays where you must specify your own cube
deployment ID for the cube. The user-defined deployment ID is not appended to the
end of the cube name, rather, is used as a cube deployment name.
The user-defined deployment ID should be unique within the server and should not
contain the following characters: . , ; ' ` : / \ * | ? " & % $ + = ( ) [ ] { } < >
View Cube Properties

You can view properties of any user cube in the Epicor EPM Server Management Console, or by invoking the
Properties dialog directly from Windows.
Information that displays in the Properties dialog invoked from Epicor EPM Server Management Console is
cube-specific and deployment-specific; the information that displays on the General tab of the Properties dialog
invoked from Windows is file-specific.
Reconfigure a Cube
Reconfiguring a cube means changing cube deployment parameters without deploying and processing the cube.
For example, if you want to change the processing schedule to a new time for a cube that is already running,
you should reconfigure the cube.
Note Reconfiguring does not alter the cube's structure.
Delete a Cube
Cubes remain in the Deployed User Cube listing in the EPM Server Management Console whether they deployed
successfully or not. Deleting a cube from the Console does not remove the .cbn cube file from the main storage
folder, which is the My Analysis folder by default. When you delete a user cube from the EPM Server Management
Console, all extract transform and load (ETL) processing schedules, database contents, and other linked properties
of the cube are also deleted from the application.
22 Epicor ERP | 10.2.600

Workshop - View Cube Status

Complete the following to view the cube status:
1. In the EPM Server Management Console tree, expand the <ERP System> node.
2. Expand the <database> node.
3. Click the Deployed User Cubes node.
4. Notice, in the results pane, the user cube deployment status displays for each user cube deployment in the
Status column.
5. In the list of user cube deployments, right-click the user cube deployment of which you want to check the
status, and select All Tasks > Check status.
6. In the Poll cube status dialog, click Refresh to view the latest cube status.
The Poll cube status dialog displays the following data on the cube status:
• Status Server Time - This field displays the server time when the cube's status has changed to the status
displayed in the Status field.
• Status - This field contains detailed information on the cube's status.
• Problem Detail - This field displays the fault details in case the cube has one of the following statuses:
Failed Deployment or Failed Processing.
Epicor ERP | 10.2.600 23

Workshop - Deploy a Cube in EPM Server Management Console

You can use the Epicor Enterprise Performance Management (EPM) Server Management Console (Console) to
deploy user cubes. The cube deployment process executes the multidimensional data structure against the live
database and permanently writes the data to the server.
Workshop Constraint - This workshop can only be performed one time on a non-refreshed environment by a
member of the Administrator user profile. If your System Administration deploys the cube for you, begin the
course with the Work with Business Definitions section.
Deploy the Cube

The steps below describe cube deployment in the EPM Server Management Console. If necessary, navigate to
the Console: Start > All Programs > Epicor Software > Epicor Enterprise Performance Management >
Manage Epicor EPM Servers.
1. In the Console tree, expand the <ERP System> node, for example, Epicor 10.
2. Expand the database node, for example, ERP10 (this is the database on the Ready Tech image; the database
may differ based on your Epicor application).
3. Expand the Deployed User Cubes node.
4. Notice, the list of deployed user cubes displays in the Console tree and in the Console middle pane.
5. Right-click the Deployed User Cubes node and select All Tasks > Deploy User Cube.
The Manage Epicor EPM Servers - Open User Cube File window displays opening to the My Analysis
folder. The My Analysis folder points to the repository for the education database. Check with your system
administrator for the exact location of your Content Pack repository.
6. Select a cube from the list of .cbn files.

Only the cube files with extensions .cbn or .cbx can be selected.
7. Click Open.
8. In the Manage Epicor EPM Servers - Deploy for <ERP System> dialog, select the database from the
Application Database list.
9. Click the Get fiscal companies from the selected database button to load the list of companies from
the selected database.
As a result, the list of companies for this database displays in the Application Context pane.
10. In the Application Context pane, verify the Deploy against all companies check box is selected.
This check box is selected by default. You may clear the check box and deploy the cube against a specific
company or companies. To do this, first clear the check box for the all companies and then select the check
box for the desired Company ID. In this case, only data for the selected company or companies is collected
and used in user cube processing.
11. Select the Report Currency.
12. Above the Year list, verify the Deploy against all fiscal years check box is selected.
This check box is selected by default. Clear this to select specific financial years to be included in the cube
processing.
24 Epicor ERP | 10.2.600

Although the fiscal years can be individually selected, you are limiting the initial pull of data to the selected
years in the cube. It is best to select all fiscal years for the initial deployment then adjust the data with each
subsequent deployment; this way you have access to all the fiscal years in your Epicor application.
13. Remain in the Manage EPM Servers - Deploy for <ERP System> window.
Define Deployment Parameters

Once the cube is selected for deployment, define the rules, referred to as parameters, for the deployment. Multiple
versions of the cube can be produced and uniquely named during the process. You can use different parameters
with each cube deployment.
1. In the Processing pane, accept the default deployment parameters.
2. In the Scheduling pane, no selections are required at this time.
3. In the OLAP Isolation pane, accept the default Standalone setting.
4. In the OLAP Naming pane, accept the default Globally Unique setting.
5. In the toolbar, click the Deploy Cube button.
6. The message displays stating the deployment request is accepted. Click OK.
7. Notice, the cube status displays as Ready for deployment but then changes to Deployed.
You can check if the cube is already deployed by polling the cube status. From the Administration Console tree,
select the Deployed User Cubes node and then in the Console menu, select the Actions - Refresh. As a result,
the list of the cubes displays with refreshed statuses.
Workshop - Re-deploy a Cube in EPM Server Management Console

When you deploy a cube, EPM creates a physical OLAP cube out of the user cube being deployed. The cube
structure is filled with the live data. If you modify your user cube after it was deployed, you should re-deploy the
cube. In this case, the cube is processed on the server once again. Re-deploying keeps the same properties, so
usually you won't change the name of the cube.
Re-deploying a cube means that the cube should be recompiled. Generally it may occur in one of the following
cases:
• you updated the cube, and so need to re-deploy it
• you updated the configuration of the target ERP system (such as installing database extensions) and want to
recompile the cube on that new configuration
• the cube failed compilation, but you want to try again
You can use the Epicor Enterprise Performance Management (EPM) Server Management Console (Console) to
re-deploy user cubes.
Download the Cube to File

Use the EPM Server Management Console to download the cube from the Content Pack.
1. In the Console tree, expand the Epicor 10 > ERP10 > Deployed User Cubes nodes.
2. Right-click the MM1_Inv.OnHand cube.
Epicor ERP | 10.2.600 25

3. Select All Tasks > Download into file.
4. On the Manage Epicor EPM Servers - Save Downloaded User Cube As screen, name the cube file
InvOnHand and place it on the Desktop.
5. Click Save.
Open a Cube for Re-deployment
1. On the Manage Epicor EPM Servers screen, in the tree pane, expand the Epicor 10 > ERP10> Deployed
User Cubes nodes.
2. Right-click the MM1_Inv.OnHand cube.
3. Select All Tasks > Re-deploy.

Re-deployment will replace the existing cube with a new version.
4. On the Manage Epicor EPM Servers - Open User Cube File screen, select the InvOnHand.cbn user cube
file you downloaded in the previous workshop.
5. Click Open.
The Manage Epicor EPM Servers - Re-deploy for Epicor 10 window displays.
Remain on the Manage Epicor EPM Servers - Re-deploy for Epicor 10 screen.
Re-deploy a Cube
The configuration choices tell EPM how to pull the data to build the structure of the cube and fill it with data.
The Deployment can be redefined or scheduled to save processing time.
1. On the Manage Epicor EPM Servers - Re-deploy for Epicor 10 screen, in the Application Context
section, verify the Deploy against all companies check box is cleared.
2. Select EPIC03 Company.

Verify no other company is selected.
3. In the Report Currency field, verify a currency name displays.
4. Verify the Deploy against all fiscal years check box is selected.
5. In the EPM Context section, in the Scheduling section, make sure to do the following changes:
• Frequency: Weekly
• Week Days: Saturday
• Time of Day: 21:00:00
6. From the Toolbar, click the Re-deploy cube button to begin the re-deployment process.
7. To the The re-deployment request has been sent and accepted by the Epicor EPM server... message,
click OK.
26 Epicor ERP | 10.2.600

8. On the Console screen, in the Deployed User Cubes section, track the cube deployment status. Right click
over Deployed User Cubes and select Refresh.
The status changes from Registered to Deploying, then to Deployed at the successful completion of the
process.
If the status Failed Deployment displays, right-click the cube and select All Tasks > Check status. The error
message is helpful in troubleshooting the failed deployment.
Process the Cube
1. On the Manage Epicor EPM Servers screen, right-click the recently deployed cube and select All Tasks
> Run Now.
The cube status changes from Processing to Processed at the successful completion.
2. Right-click the Deployed User Cubes node, and select Refresh.

Perform this step until the Console displays the Processed cube status. Your updated cube is now ready
for use.
3. Close the Console window.
Epicor ERP | 10.2.600 27

Workshop - View Cube Properties

Complete the following to view the cube properties:
1. In the EPM Server Management Console tree, expand the <ERP System> node.
2. Expand the <Database> node, for example ERP10.
3. Click the Deployed User Cubes node.
4. In the list of cubes, select the cube.
5. From the Action menu, select the Properties item, or right click the cube name and select Properties.
The <Cube name> Properties screen displays.

The following information about the cube displays:
• Name
The name of the cube specified in the Cube Editor - Name dialog when the cube was created.
• Cube ID
Cube ID uniquely identifies specific user cube. When a new user cube is generated with EPM Cube Editor,
and is saved to file, a unique ID is generated and is stored in that cube. Because cube names and cube file
names can be not unique, the ID is the only way to establish the origin of a specific cube.
Note
When cube is deployed this ID is not used. In the physical cube name on the server the user cube name
is used.
• Deployment ID
Deployment ID is a unique identification of the deployment registration record in the Epicor EPM cube tracking
database. The deployment ID is used by the server.
• Description
The description of the cube specified in the Cube Editor - Name dialog box when the cube was created.
• Status
The current cube status.
• Status time
The server time when the cube's status has changed to the status that displays in the Status field.
• Scheduled for deleting
This field can display one of the following values:
Yes - The cube is scheduled for deletion. This value displays when you executed the Delete cube command.
No - The cube is not scheduled for deletion.
28 Epicor ERP | 10.2.600

Content Pack Management
The EPM Content Packs node of Epicor Enterprise Performance Management (EPM) Server Management Console
is one of two ways to deploy predefined EPM Content Packs or packs created in the EPM Content Pack Editor
application. You can also view the list of the deployed EPM Content Packs, deployment details and status details
under this node.
Pre-defined collections of cubes and canvases, called Content Packs, are available for the following applications:
• Epicor ERP
• iScala
• Avante
• Clientele
Each content pack includes many cubes and visualizations for your immediate analytical needs. The Epicor
Enterprise Performance Management (EPM) Server can be used to deploy a content pack.
You must deploy a Content Pack to be able to view the canvases in the EPM Performance Canvas. You can deploy
Content Packs against a single company or against multiple companies for cross company analysis of trends and
performance.
There are similarities between the EPM Content Packs node and the EPM Content Pack Deployer application.
The difference is that the EPM Content Packs Console node allows the managing and deploying of the content
packs (both local and stored on the server), while the EPM Content Pack Deployer allows managing and deploying
local Content Packs. Local Content Packs are those for which you have the content pack files physically available.
Workshop - Deploy a Content Pack

Important Workshop Constraint - This workshop can only be performed one time on a non-refreshed
environment. The product license must be installed before you can deploy Content Packs.
Navigate to the EPM Server Management Console using the following path: Start Menu > All Programs >
Epicor Software > Epicor Enterprise Performance Management > Manage EPM Servers.
1. In the Console tree, select the EPM Content Packs node.
2. From the Action menu, select All Tasks > Deploy Pack.
The Manage EPM Servers - Open EPM Content Pack File window displays.
3. Browse to and select the <Content Pack>.bpk file from your Epicor application Content Pack listing (for
example, MaterialManagement.bpk for Epicor ERP).
The .bpk is the file extension for a content pack.
4. Click Open.
The Target Epicor EPM Server screen displays.
5. In the Specify the Target EPM Server where the pack will be deployed field, specify the physical name
of the host - Epicor EPM server.
EPM Content Pack Deployer uses this host name to access the server.
For example, accept the default value or enter localhost.
6. Click Next.
Epicor ERP | 10.2.600 29

The Target Performance Canvas Server screen displays.
7. Clear the Deploy EPM Performance Canvas Dashboards check box.
8. Click Next.
The Select Content Pack screen displays.
The Select the content pack to be deployed field displays the content pack you selected before.
9. Review the content pack properties, structure and contents.
10. Review the message at the bottom of the Select Content Pack screen.
This content pack was never deployed on this machine before, so the No already deployed versions of
the pack found. message displays.
11. Click Next.

The Application Context screen displays.
Remain in the Application Context window.
30 Epicor ERP | 10.2.600

Workshop - Create a Deployment Context

When you deploy an EPM content pack, you first specify basic content pack deployment information. After that
you define the application context for all the cubes in the Content Pack on the Application Context screen.
Note
You can create specific contexts for some cubes in the content pack later on the Review Deployment
Options screen.
Context options are based on the ERP system datasource. The following example creates a context based on the
Epicor ERP.
Important Workshop Constraint - This workshop can only be performed one time on a non-refreshed
environment.
1. On the Application Context screen, in the Application Database field, select the source database where
the pack will retrieve data.
For example, select ERP10.
2. Click the Get fiscal companies from the selected database button to load the list of companies
from the selected database.
3. Clear the Deploy against all companies check box.

If this check box is selected, all the companies are selected, and you are not able to deselect any of them;
in this case the cubes from the content pack are deployed for all the companies in the current database.
4. Select one of the companies.

For example, select EPIC05.
5. In the Report Currency field, select the report currency for the content pack deployment, for example
EURO.
For each company, three report currencies and one base currency are defined in the Epicor ERP system. For
details on the report currency, refer to Epicor ERP on-line documentation.
The Report Currency field displays the list of currencies, which are defined in all the companies, selected for
deployment. If the Report Currency field is empty, and no options are available for selection in this field,
then the selected companies do not have common currencies. In this case, reduce the number of companies
for deployment.
For example, if USD and EUR are defined for Company A, USD and RUR are defined for Company B, and
CAD is defined for Company C, then the Report Currency field is empty, when all three companies are
selected for deployment. If you select Company A and Company B, only USD is available in the Report
Currency field.
6. Clear the Deploy against all fiscal years check box.

If this check box is selected, all the financial years in the years list are selected, and you are not able to
deselect any of them; in this case the cubes from the content pack are deployed for all financial years of
the current fiscal calendar.
7. Select the required financial years.

For example, select 2012 and 2013.
8. Click Next.
Epicor ERP | 10.2.600 31

The OLAP Isolation screen displays.

You should now specify deployment options such as Processing Schedule, Data Source Rebuild Type and
so on.
Remain on the OLAP Isolation screen.
Workshop - Specify Deployment Options

After you specify basic content pack deployment Information, and create EPM content pack application context,
you are taken to the OLAP Isolation screen.
1. On the OLAP Isolation screen, select Standalone.

This option means that each cube in the content pack will be deployed separately from other cubes.
Another available option is Shared Database. Use this option if you want to enable dimension sharing.
2. Click Next.
3. On the Processing Schedule screen, in the Process cubes field, select Weekly.
4. Click in the Day of Week field, and select Sunday and Wednesday.
5. Click in the Day of Week field again to close the days list.
6. In the Starting at field, specify the time when you want to process your cubes.
For example, 01:00:00.
7. In the Start cubes .. minutes apart field, select the interval between cube processings.
Other available cubes processing frequency options are:
Option Additional scheduling settings
Daily • Starting at - Specify the time when you want to process your cubes.
• Start cubes ... minutes apart - Specify the interval between cube processing.
Monthly • Day of Month - Select the day of month when you want to process your cubes.
• Starting at - Specify the time when you want to process your cubes.
• Start cubes ... minutes apart - Specify the interval between cube processing.
On Use this option to deploy content pack cubes with no processing schedule. When the On
Standby Standby option is selected, the cubes can only be processed manually.
8. On the Processing Schedule screen, click Next.
9. On the Processing Options screen, select Rebuild only for the current fiscal year and on.
This means that the content pack cubes will be re-processed for the current fiscal year and also for any years
defined in the future.
Other available Data Source Rebuild Types are:
32 Epicor ERP | 10.2.600

Rebuild only for the last fiscal Use this option to consider only the data for the last financial year, when
year processing the content pack cubes.
In this case, during each subsequent cube processing Epicor EPM recollects
information only for the last financial year, among those which are
specified for deployment configuration, to feed the cubes. This occurs
only between two subsequent cube processings, operational year
configuration of which (the number of years and their values) is the same.
This option saves processing time.
Rebuild for all fiscal years Use this option to consider the data for all financial years when processing
the cubes.
In this case, during each subsequent cube processing Epicor EPM recollects
information for all the financial years specified for deployment
configuration to feed the cubes.
10. Click Next.
11. On the Date Format screen, click Next.
12. On the Link to Enterprise Search screen, click Next.

The Review Deployment Options screen displays. You are now ready to deploy the EPM content pack.
13. Review the information you provided for each cube from your content pack.
You can adjust application context, scheduling, OLAP naming and isolation for each cube individually.
14. Click Next.
15. On the Deploy screen, clear the Process pack cubes after deployment check box to deploy the cubes
in the content pack without further processing.
In this case, you can process the cubes later using EPM Cube Manager or EPM Server Management Console.
16. Click Deploy to start deployment.

The wizard screen displays the deployment progress. You can select each of the steps to view detailed action
description.
After deployment, the The cubes from the EPM content pack have been successfully deployed message
displays at the top of the Content Pack Deployer screen.
17. When the EPM content pack deployment is complete, click Exit to leave the EPM Content Pack Deployer
application.
You can alternatively click the Deploy Another Pack button to deploy more content packs.
Epicor ERP | 10.2.600 33

Epicor EPM Platform Architecture Epicor EPM Server and Cube Connect
Epicor EPM Platform Architecture
Epicor Enterprise Performance Management (EPM) is a set of tools that collectively provide management,
deployment, and customization services to manage EPM Content.
The EPM tools use the architecture explained below to manage the data. For this example, the Epicor ERP
application is the datasource.
(1) EPM Overview Key

This section identifies the components of the graphic overview.
(2) OLTP and Replication

Online transaction processing (OLTP) is real-time processing of SQL transactions in a datasource. In this example,
the datasource is Epicor ERP which requires replication to extract and build a SQL Operational Data Store (ODS).
Other datasources may not require replication, however Epicor recommends to create a replicated ODS to increase
performance.
The EPM management tools are available across many OLTP sources and can be used to extract data in two ways:
• Directly - Data can be extracted directly and made available for use in reporting tools such as the Management
Reporter and Advanced Financial Reporting (AFR). Data extracted directly is real-time and subject to the
resources available to the OLTP.
• Replicated - Some datasources, such as Epicor ERP, use replication to extract a static copy of the OLTP system
data which is offloaded to another location using Sonic MQ. The replicated data can be extracted on a
scheduled basis and becomes a static datasource referred to as the ODS.
The ODS serves as a data warehouse for staging, consolidation, and data cleansing. Consolidation includes
merging of data from multiple sources. Data cleansing is the process of removing or correcting invalid data. This
is often called conforming the data.
(3) User Cubes to Content Packs

The Extract, transform, and load (ETL) box represents the logic that moves the data from the ODS into the relational
database structure that holds multi-dimensional data for one or more business processes. The data is transformed
into the schema patterns which define the multi-dimensional properties of the data in the cube.
34 Epicor ERP | 10.2.600

Epicor EPM Server and Cube Connect Epicor EPM Platform Architecture
The analysis services user cube contains complete online analytical processing (OLAP) metadata. The EPM Glossary
provides the metadata structure which guides the exploration of multi-dimensional data. The analysis services
cube acts as an optimized index, however, the user cube stores the data structure, not the data itself.
Each datasource has an EPM Glossary which contains the table relationship information as well as pre-defined
dimension attributes and measures. The EPM Glossary uses this information to build the structure of a user cube.
Once the user cube is populated based on the OLAP structure, it becomes available as a unique datasource for
several analytical tools. Cubes are the data foundation and are packaged in Content Packs for many of the Epicor
lines of business.
The EPM Performance Canvas is the analysis platform you can use to create visual presentations from the cubes.
Use SharePoint™ to display the canvases for remote users. EPM Performance Canvas also has the interface to
use a Canvas on mobile devices.
Basic Concepts and Terminology
This section provides a description of the Epicor Enterprise Performance Management (EPM) basic concepts and
terminology. It includes an overview of the online analytical processing (OLAP) technology and multidimensional
data representation, as well as basic EPM terms and definitions.
The EPM tools use OLAP to extract the data and then populate the data into a multidimensional cube structure.
The multidimensional structure provides a more organized analytical approach.
It is important that you understand the concept behind the cube.
OLAP Technology Overview
Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system databases often store millions of business transactions. Online Analytical
Processing (OLAP) is the preferred way of extracting meaningful information from large datasets because it
provides intuitive analysis and investigation of trends, patterns, ratios, and quantities in transaction data. While
traditional row-and-column reports present a single, fixed view of business data, OLAP allows to interact with
data, add and remove dimensions, apply filters, and change the perspective on the data.
OLAP is built on multi-dimensional data structures, called cubes, that must be custom designed for each set of
transactional data. EPM Cube Editor (refer to the EPM Cube Editor section for more information) is designed
to solve the issues of cube design and deployment.
OLAP differs from traditional reporting because of six defining characteristics:
• OLAP systems are designed to look at data over time, rather than at a single time element.
• OLAP reports are not based on the operational data store (ODS) directly, but on a separate, replicated analysis
database. This additional layer is also known as data warehouse which is the collection of all the OLAP content
including cubes, data marts and such. All Epicor EPM applications are based on SQL Analysis Services.
Running OLAP system directly on the ODS would have a very significant impact on ERP performance. Epicor
recommends that you use SQL Server Replication to clone your database or databases to a server dedicated
to BI and Reporting and install EPM there against the replicated database. You can technically run EPM server
directly on the ERP database server without replication, but it will have significant performance impacts on
your running system. If it's a 24x7 operation you should not do this as EPM nightly cube processing can cause
serious performance issues for the database server.
• The analysis database stores business data in cubes. Each cube is based on a fact table, which is usually a
transaction table (for example, GL transactions, order lines, stock transactions).
• A cube contains measures, which are aggregated transaction values from the fact table (for example, actuals,
delivered quantity, turnover, average price).
Epicor ERP | 10.2.600 35

• Measures are calculated by dimensions, which are retrieved from master data tables related to the fact table
(for example Chart of Accounts, Cost Center, Product Group, Country).
• OLAP cubes require separate products for viewing the data. The analysis server does not provide a suitable
interface for viewing and analyzing the data.
Note OLAP analysis reports are intended for online analysis, therefore OLAP tools do not offer print
formatting.
Multidimensional Data Representation Overview
Epicor Enterprise Performance Management (EPM) is a online analytical processing (OLAP) solution that provides
tools for the analysis of multidimensional data. It is based on techniques distinct from that used in a usual relational
model.
Benefits of Multidimensional Data Representation

Relational databases are organized around a list of records. A relational table is based on a simple row (record)
and column (field) data format. These structures allow quick retrieval of a limited amount of records using simple
queries. The relational database does not allow aggregation across large amounts of data based on data patterns.
Built on top of relational database technique, OLAP technology enables optimal retrieval capabilities across large
amounts of data aggregated across records. OLAP applications are used by analysts and managers who frequently
require higher-level aggregated data. OLAP solutions empower them to explore and exploit corporate data for
strategic business advantage, predict new business opportunities (all in a single environment), handle time series
and analyze any aspect of stored information.
From Tabular to Multidimensional Data Representation

A typical example of two-dimensional data representation is a relational table. Data values in such tables can be
defined as measures each with two arguments (dimensions): rows and columns. If you take one record going
down and one record going across, you see that there is a one-for-one correspondence, for example, one value
meeting pre-defined requirements.
Another example of a relational table is the table having more than a one-for-one correspondence between the
fields. As an example, we have sales data (sales volume in packages) for each source (where the packages are
from), route (how the packages are delivered), and time.
The table represents Sales (measure) dimensioned by Source, Route, and Time. The measure can be analyzed in
different ways. You may fix some source and build a table with sales volume distributed across routes and time
(dates). Alternatively, select a time point (date) and analyze sales by different routes for that time point.
Cube Concept
An object containing a set of concurrently analyzed multidimensional measures is called a cube. The term cube
connotates a multidimensional view of data. Most cubes have at least three data dimensions and a suite of
consolidated measures.
The following cube image illustrates the example above. It shows how many packages are delivered to particular
place (Route dimension) by using a particular type of transport (Source dimension) for a particular time interval
(Time dimension).
Cube Example
36 Epicor ERP | 10.2.600

Hierarchical Dimensions
In contrast to two-dimensional structures, multidimensional structures are represented as hierarchies. The
hierarchical relationship is used to create parent-child links where each child has only one parent. Hierarchies are
also referred to as trees. In explaining hierarchies, the following terms are used:
• Root – This is an upper-level element that has no parents.
• Node – This is any tree element that has children and a parent.
• Leaf – This is an end element that has no children.
In this example, notice the following hierarchical dimensions:
Source:
Route:
Time:
Epicor ERP | 10.2.600 37

The Source and Time tree has one root element, two nodes and four leaves each. The Route tree has one root
element, two nodes and six leaves.
Aggregation of Data
The value of a measure with a hierarchical dimension is calculated in each node of the hierarchy using a function
that summarizes data values in all sub-nodes and leaves. This function is called an aggregation function. For
example, the Sales measure is aggregated by the Source dimension (and others as well) using the additive
function.
Another widely spread aggregation function is the averaging function. In some cases, the aggregation function
is not used at all.
A measure can have different aggregation functions by each dimension. For instance, the Sales measure has
three dimensions: Source, Route and Time. The total of Sales is calculated with additive function applied to all
dimensions: Source, Route, and Time. The described aggregation by dimension hierarchy is called built-in.
Another aggregation type, called external, is applied to non-hierarchical dimensions. It implies that itemized
dimensions are replaced with more general ones, for example, Months are replaced with Quarters, Quarters are
replaced with Years. This aggregation type is applied to Time dimension in Epicor EPM.
Epicor EPM Terms and Definitions
The following Epicor Enterprise Performance Management (EPM) terms and definitions are referenced throughout
this course and are important to understand.
• Business Intelligence (BI) - A generic term that describes leveraging the organization's internal and external
information assets to make better business decisions.
• Cube - A set of data that is organized and summarized into a multidimensional structure defined by a set of
dimensions and measures. The cube is the data foundation for the content packs as well as graphs and reports.
Cubes often include defined data hierarchies such as Fiscal Year > Fiscal Quarter > Fiscal Period which enable
analysis to roll up to any hierarchy level. In Microsoft SQL Server Analysis Services, a "cube" refers to a single
SSAS solution which enables analysis of a particular set of data using OLAP techniques. User cube is the
definition for certain specific analytical processing. This is not an OLAP cube exactly. The difference between
a user cube and an OLAP cube is that a user cube is the universal specification of an OLAP cube in terms of
field names (or specified dimensions and levels in terms of OLAP).
• Dashboard/Canvas - A dashboard is a visual display of the information required to achieve one or more
objectives that is monitored on a single computer screen. The EPM dashboards also referred to as canvases
are a created in the EPM Performance Canvas tool.
• Data Mart - The relational database representation of a single cube, also known as a single star schema. A
star schema data mart contains the data necessary to perform an analysis of a particular business process at
a particular granularity.
• Data Mining - Data Mining is an advanced business intelligence technique in which statistical and machine
learning techniques are used to discover new information from an existing set of data such as a relational
database. Data Mining techniques are often used to make predictions and forecasts.
• Data Warehouse - A database, or set of databases, specifically structured for query and analysis. A data
warehouse typically contains data representing the business history of an organization. In SQL software
38 Epicor ERP | 10.2.600

engineering terms, a data warehouse is what an OLAP cube is querying for retrieving data. A data warehouse
can be viewed as a collection of data marts which share standard conformed dimensions, adhere to the same
data standards, and are stored at the finest grain possible. Often, the data warehouse is a set of data marts
implemented within a single database. The key to the data warehouse is that the data is consistently represented
between data marts even though each data mart contains a different multidimensional view of the data. The
Epicor EPM Data Warehouse consists of an ODS database where data is collected and consolidated, a Data
Mart database where the data is restructured for specific analytic views, a set of Microsoft SQL Server Analysis
Services cubes which provide OLAP access to the data marts, and an EPM Glossary, a set of data definitions
which defines what data is available within the warehouse and how it can and should be structured for
analysis.
• Decision Support - Systems designed to support the complex analysis required to discover business trends.
The information retrieved from these systems allows making business decisions based on timely and accurate
analysis of business trends.
• Dimension - A structural attribute of a cube which is used to sort, filter, and group measurable data. These
categories typically describe a similar set of members upon which you want to base an analysis. Dimensions
frequently contain hierarchies used to provide logical drill-down views within a cube. For example, a geography
dimension might include levels, or attributes, for Country, Region, State or Province, and City which would
allow a user to see measures aggregated at the Country level and then drill down into Region, State, and so
forth.
• Dimension Table - A table in a data warehouse whose entries describe how data in a fact table may be
grouped, filtered, and sorted. Dimension tables contain the data from which dimensions are created.
• ETL - Extract, Transform, Load process (and the logic behind it) that pulls data from the operational database,
transforms it to fit the analysis needs, and puts it to the Data Warehouse.
• Fact Table - A central table in a star schema (or more broadly Dimensional Modeling) that contains numerical
measures and keys relating facts to dimension tables. Fact tables contain data that describes specific events
within a business, such as bank transactions or product sales. During analysis, the data in a fact table is
designed to be quickly aggregated along one or more dimensions.
• Glossary (EPM Glossary) - A data warehouse uses a relational schema definition to store data. The EPM
application refers to this schema as the Glossary. It is a set of .XML files that contain all business expertise on
a specific enterprise resource planning (ERP) application and can be referred to as a data dictionary. An EPM
Glossary is a definition of how data can be retrieved from a source ERP system and how that data can be
used within EPM user cubes. The Glossary contains enough information for EPM to create a customizable set
of cubes and all of the ETL (Extract, Transform, Load) logic required to move data into those cubes from the
source system.
• Granularity - The level of detail of numeric data in a fact table. For example, a fact table that stores data for
sales measures could be calculated at various granularities. For Sales Line Item, metrics are calculated separately
for every single sales line item. This would let you sort and filter by properties of a line item like product. For
Sale, metrics are calculated separately for each sale. You could sort and filter by customer but not by product.
For Day, sales totals are calculated separately for each calendar day. You can see aggregated sales statistics
by time but cannot filter by customer or product.
• Hierarchy - A logical tree structure that organizes the members of a dimension such that each member has
one parent member and zero or more child members. In explaining hierarchies, specific terms are used. Root
is an upper-level element having no parents. Node is any tree element having children and a parent. Leaf is
an end element having no children.
• Key Performance Indicator (KPI) - A KPI is a measurement for gauging business success. KPIs measure a
goal value versus a current actual value for a set of dimensions. The data result provides a status for achieving
that goal.
• Level - A name of a set of members in a dimension hierarchy such that all members in the set are at the same
distance from the root of the hierarchy. For example, a time hierarchy can contain the levels Year, Month,
and Day.
Epicor ERP | 10.2.600 39

• Measure - In a cube, a set of values that are based on a column in the cube's fact table. Measures are usually
numeric. Measures are the central values that are aggregated and analyzed. For example, a "Sales Total"
measure might be split across a time dimension to show sales total summarized by month. Each measure is
a numeric value and an aggregation operation that the cube can use to summarize it. All measures are
aggregated, normally summed. Available aggregates in EPM are Sum, Min, Max, Count, and Average (Mean).
• Online Analytical Processing (OLAP) - The technology that uses multidimensional structures to provide
rapid access to data for analysis. The source data for OLAP is commonly stored in a relational database within
data warehouses.
• Online Transaction Processing System (OLTP) - In the context of EPM, OLTP systems are the transactional
systems that provide data for OLAP multidimensional cube.
• Operational Data Stores (ODS) - Often confused with Data Warehouses, an ODS collects data for a data
warehouse and may provide a location for data consolidation and cleansing, a key data warehousing function.
• Star Schema - This refers to how tables are joined to build a centralized fact table that pulls information from
measures. Star schema is a specialized type of database schema design which is separated into Fact tables
and Dimension tables. It is used to provide simple, high performance database storage for OLAP systems.
• Star Weight - A level of importance expressed numerically. EPM Server uses star weight to determine what
order should be used when joining glossary definitions together to construct a cube. The table with the higher
star weight is considered first in the join..
• User Cube - The definition for specific analytical processing is called a user cube. This is not an OLAP cube
exactly. The difference between a user cube and an OLAP cube is that a user cube is the universal specification
of an OLAP cube in terms of field names (or specified dimensions and levels in terms of OLAP).
User cubes are created by the EPM Cube Editor application and are sent to the server for deployment.
Star Schema
Each Epicor Enterprise Performance Management (EPM) user cube includes one fact table and many dimension
tables representing a conceptual star schema. The selected measures determine the contents of the fact table
and its granularity. The selected facts determine the contents of each dimension. Online transaction processing
(OLTP) must exist so that EPM can join together all required data.
Refer to the image below as reference for the following star schema examples. The examples are based on order
analysis data at the order line level. Quantitative data, such as quantity, cost, and price, are stored within the
Order Line item fact table. Each line item from an order is stored and linked by customer, sales region, date, and
product.
The
example data mart enables analysis of orders at the line item level. Quantitative data such as quantity, cost, and
price are stored within the Order Line Item Fact table. Each line item from each order is stored and linked by
customer, sales region, date, and product.
40 Epicor ERP | 10.2.600

Order data may be analyzed by summarizing and filtering order line items by any of the attributes within the
related dimensions.
Date: Fiscal Period, Quarter, Year
Product: By product class, attribute, cost
Customer: By customer demographics
Sales Region: By city, state, region, country, and so on
Fact Table
A fact table contains aggregated data that becomes the basis for reporting and calculating. All fact tables have
a numeric data level of detail called granularity. An EPM user cube determines the granularity by the measure
with the highest star weight. Using the glossary definitions OrderTotal (from the OrderHed table) and
LineItemPrice (from the OrderDtl table) as measures for a cube, the granularity is defined by the
OrderDtl.LineItemPrice. It is given a higher star weight as it provides more details on the line level (such as product
and ship date).
The star weight ensures the fact tables are constructed appropriately. If OrderHed.OrderTotal has the higher star
weight, line item drill down becomes unavailable in the user cube. The schema has one record in the fact table
for each available Line Item Price record. Assuming that Line Item Price has no filter expression to exclude data
from the cube, one record exists in the fact table for each record in the OrderDtl table.
Dimension Table
Each dimension is a group of closely related EPM Glossary definitions that can be used for grouping, filtering,
and sorting data in a deployed cube. The dimensions can have many fields if they have a low record count. For
very large dimensions, such as customer, it is wise to limit the amount of fields available. Dimension fields are
used for filtering, grouping, and sorting.
Date Dimension
The Date dimension is the most important dimension as it allows data to be analyzed over time. Most cubes have
at least one Date dimension.
The Date dimension allows to separate the dimensional data, for example Customer data, into multiple date
aggregations. In this example, the various buckets for the aggregation include FiscalYear, FiscalPeriod, FiscalQuarter,
and so on.
Epicor ERP | 10.2.600 41

EPM Glossary Designer Overview Epicor EPM Server and Cube Connect
EPM Glossary Designer Overview
The Epicor Enterprise Performance Management (EPM) Glossary contains predefined dimension attributes,
measures, and table join information that defines how data is retrieved from a source system such as Epicor ERP,
Clientele, or iScala. The glossary contains enough information for EPM to create a customizable set of cubes and
all the required extract, transform, load (ETL) logic required to move data into those cubes from the source system.
Building an EPM Glossary (Glossary) is similar to designing a SQL Server Analysis Services® Cube and ETL within
Business Intelligence (BI) Development Studio® and SQL Server Integration Services®. The result is a structure
from which Epicor Cube Connect tools can selectively pull predefined cube members (measures and dimension
attributes) to create custom cubes containing specific data.
Each Epicor source system has one EPM Glossary that generates many predefined Content Packs. You can add
custom definitions and calculated measures to the Glossary for specific analytical requirements. Custom glossary
creation is available but requires a thorough understanding of the data structure. The EPM Glossary included
with the Content Packs for each Epicor data source guides the selection of dimension attributes or measures and
does not require thorough understanding of the data structure.
The EPM Glossary Designer scans the database schema of the selected online transactional processing (OLTP)
datasource to generate a new Glossary. This schema scan reads the table relationships and builds the foundation
for the new Glossary.
Key Components
The following graphic shows the components of the EPM glossary.
• Preprocessor – Custom Preprocessors, sometimes referred to as initializers, are custom TSQL procedures that
provide additional intelligence for cubes. For example, use a preprocessor to perform data cleansing operations
and create a custom table to track changes in data that is not stored in the source database.
42 Epicor ERP | 10.2.600

Epicor EPM Server and Cube Connect EPM Glossary Designer Overview
• Glossary Definitions – A glossary definition, sometimes referred to as a business definition, is used to build
an individual data element. Each definition defines a potential cube member (dimension attribute or measure)
and defines the joining and linking relationships with other definitions to create custom cubes. The definitions
are available to EPM Cube Editor users to include in custom cubes.
• Cube Templates – Predefined user cube templates available in EPM Cube Editor after a BDD pack installation.
BDD pack is installed as the first step of an EPM content pack installation. Use cube templates as the foundation
to create new custom user cubes and assign a new identification to the new cube.
• Physical Schema Definitions – Data taken from the physical schema (tables) and detailed information that
defines valid ways to joining tables together to use in a cube is referred to as a physical schema definition.
This definition is a description of the way EPM joins data for retrieval and may not match the description of
table relationships in the source database.
EPM includes physical schema definitions for most Epicor applications.
Glossary Definitions
Glossary definitions are business terms that describe dimension attributes, dimensional hierarchies, measures,
aggregations, and calculated measures used to populate user cubes. Many predefined definitions are included
with the Content Pack and cubes. You can import Glossary definitions across cubes if the structure of the definition
is similar.
OLTP Table Relationships

Behind each Glossary definition are the retrieval details, aggregation rules, and table relationships required to
populate the definition (dimension attribute or measure) selected to be a member of a user cube. The joins
appropriate for a cube may differ from the standard foreign key relationships used in a database definition. The
Glossary requires the link definition between two tables as well as the direction of the join.
Join direction is defined using the following terms:
• Strong - This term is given to the starting table.
• Hook - This term refers to the destination table.
• Star Weight - This term refers to a numeric importance level used by EPM Server to determine the order in
which a cube's glossary definitions are added to the cube. The glossary definitions determine the joins to use
during the cube ETL.
OLTP Join Example
To create a functional Glossary, it is important to understand the interaction between star weight and joins. The
simplest rule for defining a transaction set is to assign the highest star weights to the tables which contain
measures at the most detailed level referred to as granularity. In the following example, the two glossary definitions,
Order Total and Line Item Price, are measures for a cube. The join is laid out as follows:
Definition OLTP Table Star Weight

Order Total OrderHed 100
Line Item Price OrderDtl 101
The granularity of data included in the cube is defined by the Line Item Price because it has the highest star
weight. One record for each available Line Item Price record is present in the fact table. Assuming that Line Item
Price has no filter expression to exclude data from the cube, there is one record in the fact table for each record
in the OrderDtl table. The join provides details in the cube such as line item, sales price, part numbers, and ship
dates which become part of the cube for analysis.
If the Order Total (OrdeHed) definition carries the higher star weight, the cube builds the details at the Order
Total (OrderHed) level thereby blocking any line details (OrderDtl). OrderHed details, such as Order Date, Purchase
Order, Ship Via, are available, however the join doesn't allow line item details due to the star weight.
Epicor ERP | 10.2.600 43

Combining measures from multiple granularities is not always advisable. The simplest way to ensure that granularity
is always correct is to make a separate cube for each granularity. For example, the Order Head and Order Detail
cubes.
OLTP Processing
Data is directly extracted from an OLTP data source by pulling in source columns or calculating data values using
Structured Query Language (SQL) value statements. Any number of custom data table definitions and custom
Transact-Structured Query Language (TSQL) initialization scripts can be used to populate the tables. A custom
TSQL script, called an initializer, creates and populates one or more Extension Tables with data. These tables can
be used as an OLTP source for a Glossary definition. The script executes during the cube processing before any
other data processing begins.
Initializers provide a flexible way to extend the basic join and calculation capabilities of the EPM Glossary allowing
transient or permanent custom database tables to become part of the cube processing. Once you create the
Extension table and columns, select and add them to the glossary definition.
For example, in Epicor ERP, a user defined table can be created to hold custom details. That table can be joined
to a standard table through the use of an initializer and brought into the cube. Initializer scripts execute during
the cube processing before any other data processing begins if they are required by a cube. The script brings in
the user defined table and its join, which then becomes a glossary definition as part of the cube being processed.
If OLTP Processing is not used for the join, the table is not included in the cube, as it is not a standard piece of
the schema.
44 Epicor ERP | 10.2.600

Business Definitions and Attributes
The term business definition is used as a common name for a dimension attribute (also referred to as dimension
level) or a measure. Quite a few actions are common for dimension attributes and measures.
You can perform different actions on business definitions. These actions are available from the following menus:
• The first menu is available directly form EPM Cube Editor.
• The second menu is available from the Glossary (for details refer to the Business Glossary section).
Dimensions
Use the EPM Glossary Designer to quickly create a dimension from a set of glossary definitions. Each dimension
is a collection of dimension attributes, which are in their turn related glossary definitions available for grouping,
filtering, and sorting data in a deployed cube.
Each dimension is self contained. This means online transaction processing (OLTP) joins are required to enable
flattening of the dimension attributes together. If no direct join is available between the tables in a dimension,
EPM attempts to find a way to join the tables individually with other tables in the cube. This may cause the
dimension to fail.
Hierarchies
Hierarchies provide drill-down style navigation within the cubes and help SQL Server Analysis Services (SSAS)
understand how to optimize for better query performance. A hierarchy consists of a set of glossary definitions.
If the cube uses any of the glossary definitions listed in the hierarchy in one of its dimensions, the hierarchy is
automatically added to the cube.
A dimension can have multiple hierarchies. A dimension can have attributes that are not contained in any hierarchy.
The Edit Menu

When you add a new measure or dimension attribute, you use or edit an existing business definition. The Edit
Business Definition screen displays the following business definition details:
• Attributes - A business definition can have one of the following attributes:
• Day Ageing - This applies ageing, in days, for the date type business definition.
• Sign Reversal - This attribute allows dimensional business definitions to reverse the sign of numerical
values of the other business definitions, defined as measures in user cube.
• Heritage - Heritage specifies inherited behavior of the business definition. The business definition inherits
the behavior of the business definition that is selected as the value of the Heritage parameter.
You can select more than one business definition under Heritage. In this case, the business definitions are
inherited hierarchically.
If a business definition formula is empty, it is inherited. If a business definition has its own formula, this formula
is used, instead of the inherited formula. For more information, refer to the Setting and Adjusting Formula
section.
• OLAP - Use this routine to set or edit the business definition Format String that informs SSAS of the formatting
that should be applied to a measure's result.
Epicor ERP | 10.2.600 45

• Formula - Formula specifies additional rules on how to construct the value of the business definition. A
formula consists of two parts: Calculation and Filter.
• Calculation - This defines the rules on obtaining the value for the business definition. Formula has priority
over Heritage (for details see the Setting and Adjusting Heritage section).
• Filter - Selecting this defines the additional logical rules for filtering data supplied for the formula calculation.
Workshop - Launch the EPM Glossary Designer

Launch the Epicor Enterprise Performance Management (EPM) Glossary Designer directly from the Windows®
Start menu.
To connect, the designer must point to the server and database you are using.
1. From the Windows® Start menu, navigate to All Programs > Epicor Software > Epicor Enterprise
Performance Management > Epicor EPM Glossary Designer
2. In the Glossary Designer Database field, select your Server and the Database.
3. In the EPM Glossary field, select your glossary name.
4. In the OLTP Source Database field, click the down arrow to select the server and the database for
connection.
5. In the OLTP Source Database field, select your Server and the Database.
For example select localhost and ERP10.
6. Click the Test Connection button.

This is not required, however Epicor recommends that you always check the server/database connection
before you proceed.
7. Verify the Connection Successful message is displayed.
8. Return to the EPM Glossary Designer start window and click Start.
The Epicor EPM Glossary Designer - <database name> window displays. It systematically scans the connected
datasource to locate cube details and present them in the window. This is the initial build process of the EPM
Glossary.
Glossary Designer Start Screen

The start screen of Epicor EPM Glossary Designer is shown below:
46 Epicor ERP | 10.2.600

Specify the following data in the fields of the start screen:

• Glossary Designer Database
In this field, select your local Glossary Designer repository database. This database stores the glossaries that
are currently under development. This database should be backed up frequently.
• EPM Glossary
To create a new glossary, click in the EPM Glossary field. As a result, the New Glossary dialog box is
displayed. For description of this dialog box refer to the Creating New Glossary section.
• OLTP Source Database
In this field, select the OLTP source system you want to work with while designing the glossary. This database
should be available so that the Glossary Designer can view its schema, and so on.
• Start
Click this button to start the Glossary Designer. At this point the Glossary Designer starts and begins scanning
the database schema of the source system.
• Cancel
Click this button to cancel launching the Glossary Designer.
Creating New Glossary

You create a new glossary in the New Glossary dialog box:
Epicor ERP | 10.2.600 47

Specify the following data in the New Glossary dialog box:

• Glossary Name
Type a unique name for the new EPM Glossary.
• Source System
Select the Epicor source system for which you want to define this glossary, or select a generic SQL Server to
work with any SQL Server 2005 or 2008 database.
• Default Database
Enter the name of the default database which this glossary uses. This name can be changed later by the users,
as they use the glossary.
• Glossary Version
The version number of the glossary. Epicor recommends that this number corresponds to the version number
of the source system. A generation build number is automatically appended by the Glossary Designer to
uniquely identify the generation version of this glossary.
• Description
If required, provide a brief description of the newly created glossary.
• OK
Click this button to confirm creation of the new Glossary and return to the Glossary Designer start screen.
• Cancel
Click this button to cancel the creation of a new glossary.
Glossary Designer User Interface
This section describes the user interface of the Glossary Designer.

The Glossary Designer window has seven tabs. The following sections describe these tabs and the actions you
can perform on each tab in detail.
1. File – General options for the Glossary Designer are available on the File menu. In previous versions this
menu was represented in the circular “pearl” menu.
48 Epicor ERP | 10.2.600

2. Glossary – The main entities of the EPM Glossary are glossary definitions that can be edited on the Glossary
tab. Each glossary definition defines a potential user cube member (dimension attribute or measure), as well
as the calculation method and the way of retrieval from the source system for this cube member. A glossary
definition also defines how a user cube member can be joined with other glossary definitions to create
custom user cubes. The Glossary tab displays data details in a column and row spreadsheet view. In the first
row each column acts as a filter for the Glossary data. You can add new fields in the Glossary tab; they
display at the bottom of the screen.
3. OLTP Joins – Glossary definitions describe how to create a measure or dimension and how to retrieve its
data, but without a well defined set of joins between source tables, it is impossible to combine them together.
To make user cubes construction available to Epicor EPM users, it is necessary to define the key ways to join
tables in the source system. You create basic table joins on the OLTP Joins tab.
4. OLTP Processing – In addition to getting data directly from OLTP source columns or calculating data values
using SQL value statements, EPM glossary can contain any number of custom data table definitions and
custom TSQL initialization scripts used to populate these tables. A custom TSQL script that creates and
populates one or more extension tables with data is referred to as an initializer. Any extension table can
then be used as an OLTP source table for a glossary definition. Initializer scripts run during cube processing
before any other data processing begins, if a cube requires them.
5. Cube Templates – On the Cube Templates tab, you can create new user cube templates and edit their
parameters. Each user cube template contains a single user cube definition. It is similar to the user cube
definition created in the Epicor Cube Connect - Cube Editor. User cube template construction is also a good
way to ensure the core glossary will function well when constructing user cubes.
Epicor strongly recommends to include user cube templates in all glossaries in order to ensure glossary
definitions and joins are well tested for common usage. If you do not intend to let users make simple
customizations to cubes, you can forego use of the Cube Editor entirely and build all of your cubes directly
with the Glossary Designer.
6. Dimensions – On the Dimensions tab, you can add dimensions and dimension attributes, as well as edit
their parameters.
Each dimension is a group of closely related glossary definitions that can be used for grouping, filtering,
and sorting data in a deployed cube. You can quickly and easily create a dimension from a set of glossary
definitions in the Glossary Designer.
7. Hierarchies – On the Hierarchies tab, you can add hierarchies and hierarchy levels, as well as edit their
parameters. Hierarchies provide drill-down style navigation within cubes. They also help SSAS optimize query
performance. In the Glossary Designer, you can easily define a hierarchy that consists of a set of glossary
definitions. If a user cube uses each of the glossary definitions listed in the hierarchy in one of its dimensions,
this hierarchy is automatically added to the user cube during glossary generation.
8. Generate – On the Generate tab, you can generate user cubes, generate and deploy glossaries, and configure
their options. All other tabs in the Glossary Designer application are intended for creating all required glossary
components. The Generate tab is intended to actually generate and output a glossary file that EPM Server
and EPM Cube Connect use. Glossary generation is the process of translating the glossary design into the
final glossary format. Generation may optionally also output .cbn files for each user cube template which
can be directly deployed to EPM Server.
Glossary Definition Parameters

You can edit each glossary entry directly in the grid and in the right panel of the Glossary tab. After you edit
your glossary entry, you can check it for errors. For this purpose, click the Validate or Validate All button on
the toolbar.
Epicor ERP | 10.2.600 49

The Glossary tab is shown below:
You can edit the following parameters of a glossary definition:

• Lock
When selected, this option indicates that this glossary definition was previously locked for release. If an item
is locked for release it may have been previously available for customers. When you edit it or remove a locked
glossary definition, be particularly careful.
• Gen
Select this check box to force the current glossary definition to always be included in generation, even if it is
not used by any cube template. If this check box is cleared and the current glossary definition is included in
a cube template, this glossary definition is automatically included in generation.
• Display Group
In this field, specify the name of the display folder under which this glossary definition is grouped in the
Business Glossary in the EPM Cube Editor application. Epicor recommends that you specify the display group
for all glossary definitions to make locating of the glossary definitions in the EPM Cube Editor application
easier.
50 Epicor ERP | 10.2.600

Example
If you specify Sales\Quota Performance in the Display Group field, the current glossary definition will
be added to a folder called Quota Performance under a top-level folder called Sales.
For details see the Business Glossary section.

• Name
Specify a unique name to identify the glossary definition. In SQL Server Analysis Services, this is the name that
is assigned to a dimension, measure or hierarchy level built from this glossary definition.
This name should be human readable, less than 100 characters, and may contain spaces, but should not
contain the following characters:
.,, ; ' ` : / \ * | ? " & % $ ! + = () [] {} <,>.
• Caption
In this field, specify the short name for this glossary definition. This value is optional.
For example, in a cube which contains the Non Nettable WhB dimension attribute, you can set up the Non
Nettable caption for this dimension attribute, and the user will see Non Nettable as the name. The underlying
cube will still use the full name for queries so names will be unique, but the user can see easy-to-understand
descriptions instead of the glossary names.
• OLTP Table
In this field, specify the name of source system database table, from which this glossary definition fetches its
value. Table membership determines how an individual glossary definition is calculated and joined into a cube.
It is required for all glossary definitions, even for calculated ones.
• OLTP Field
In this field, specify either an OLTP field or a value calculation. It is used to inform the Cube Connect applications
how the value for this glossary definition is determined. Simple glossary definitions are often referenced to
as Table.Column in the source database. In this case simply specify the name of the source database column
in this field.
• Cube Usage
In this field, select how this glossary definition can be used in a cube: as a measure, as a dimension attribute
or as both. Measures (like a currency value) are numeric values, calculations like SUM can be performed upon
them. Dimension attributes (like a customer or a product) are values that are used to sort, group, filter, and
drill down data within cubes.
• Aggregation
If a glossary definition is used as a measure in a cube, select the default aggregation method for this measure.
The following values are available for this field:
• Sum
• Count
• Min
• Max
• Average
• Star Weight
In this field, specify the star weight for this glossary definition. Star weight is an importance level expressed
numerically, which helps EPM Server to determine, what order should be used when joining together glossary
definitions to construct a cube. Higher starweighted items are considered first.
Epicor ERP | 10.2.600 51

• Multi Currency
Select this check box to treat the current glossary definition as Epicor ERP multi-currency column. During the
cube deployment the users can specify the currency, in which they would like the cube to output. As a result,
all the multi currency columns will retrieve the base, report 1, report 2, or report 3 currency value that matches
the requested currency as specified within your Epicor application.
Note This option is ignored in all source systems, except Epicor ERP, for which EPM has specific
multi-currency support.
• Year Limiter
Select this check box to limit the data processed into a given cube deployment by year. This option designates
a DateTime column as a source for performing this filter. Each limiter will only limit data from its OLTP Table.
Note
Use the year limiters carefully or they may filter out data that you want to include in your cube. Any
records containing null values for a year limiter column are excluded from all cubes.
• SQL Type
The TSQL data type that is used to store this glossary definitions data during processing and in the SSAS
Cubes. This value is only required if the glossary definition has a calculated value. Otherwise the type of the
source database column is used.
• Glossary Description
In this field, specify a readable description that is included in the glossary. Describe what this glossary definition
does and what for it can be used. Epicor recommends that you specify descriptions for all glossary definitions.
• Filter Expression
Type an expression in SQL or XML, that determines, whether and when this glossary definition will exclude
itself from a cube. Expressions are evaluated to a true or false (Boolean) value and are run during cube
processing. If the expression value is True, the glossary definition is included in the cube, if the expression
value is False, the glossary definition is excluded from the cube.
When the glossary definition is excluded, it is null in the resulting cube.
• Value Expression
Type an expression in SQL or XML, that is used to determine the value of this glossary definition in the cubes.
This expression is run during cube processing in SQL.
Since this calculation is run only once while data is being processed into a cube, it should be used with caution
as measures will aggregate the resulting values. If, for example, an average is calculated using a value expression
and then summed by the cube, this value will not be correct.
• OLAP Expression
In this field, enter the MDX expression, which is used as a calculated measure in a cube. OLAP expressions
are run on-demand within the cube, so this is an appropriate place to do ratios and averages that remain
correct regardless of summary level in the cube.
• Notes
In this field, enter any development specific notes for this glossary definition. This information is not output
anywhere in the final glossary and is only provided as a convenient place to store development notes.
52 Epicor ERP | 10.2.600

Workshop - Work with the Glossary Tab

Use the Glossary tab to edit glossary definitions. Each glossary definition defines a potential cube member -
dimension attribute or measure - as well as the calculation method and the way of retrieval from the source
system for this cube member. A glossary definition also defines how a cube member can be joined with other
glossary definitions to create custom cubes.
Import Glossary Entries

To quickly add glossary entries from your source system schema use the import procedure.
1.
On the toolbar, click the Import ( ) button.
2. In the dialog box that displays, select the database fields you want to import.
The Glossary Designer imposes some restrictions on source data, for example blob/text data types are not
allowed in the cubes.
Epicor ERP | 10.2.600 53

3. Click OK to import the selected fields to the Glossary Designer.
The selected fields from the source database are imported to the Glossary Designer. The Glossary Designer creates
new glossary definitions based on each selected column.
Add Glossary Entry

To add a new glossary entry use the following procedure.
1.
Click the Add ( ) button on the toolbar.
The new line is added to the list of glossary definitions.
2. In the newly added line, specify the glossary definition parameters.

The descriptions of the glossary definition parameters are listed in the Glossary Definition Parameters
section.
The new glossary definition is added.
Copy Glossary Entry

To create a copy of an existing glossary entry use the following procedure.
1. In the list of glossary entries, select a line with the glossary entry you want to copy.
To select the line, click to the left of the leftmost column. Make sure you select the complete line.
2. Click the Copy button on the toolbar.

The new line is added at the bottom of the list of glossary definitions.
The glossary entry is named <Old glossary entry name> Copy 1 by default.
3. In the newly added line, adjust the new glossary definition parameters.
section.
The copy of an existing glossary definition is added.
Edit Glossary Entry

To edit an existing glossary entry use the following procedure.
1. Select the required line in the list of glossary definitions.
2. In the selected line, edit the values of the glossary definition parameters.
section.
The glossary definition is modified.
View Cube Fields

The Glossary listing is grouped by Display Group, which is similar to a data cube. This workshop introduces ways
to navigate to specific data.
1. Click the Display Groups heading to sort the listings in descending order.
54 Epicor ERP | 10.2.600

2. Navigate to the Display Group Part\Properties.
3. In the Name field, locate Part Number.
4. From the Display Group heading, click the Filter Row (the solid border below the heading).
This activates a quick search pane which is available under each heading.
5. In the search field, enter Inventory.

The cursor moves to the first entry with Inventory in it.
6. Navigate to the Display Group Inventory/Quantities and Name Allocated Qty.

This field is a measure field.
View a Glossary Calculated Field

Calculated fields are created using code or formulas and are not always numeric calculations. Most fields are
created using pure XML, SQL, or MDX language. You can use calculated fields as measures or dimensions. Some
calculated fields have no table listed while others are tied to a table but have no field specific details.
1. Navigate to the Display Group Inventory\Costs.
2. In the Name field, select Burden Value OnHand.

This field is a calculated field created with XML script.
3. In the Value Expression pane on the right, view the actual XML script.
4. Navigate to Display Group Inventory\Costs.
5. In the Name field, select SubC Unit Cost BIN.
6. Review the Value Expression field to view the SQL code that creates this field.
7. To view an MDX field, right-click the grid and select Customize Columns.
All the fields available for the grid view display in the Field Chooser.
8. From the Field Chooser, drag the Olap Value Expression item onto the grid.
The OLAP Value Expression column displays on the far end of the Glossary grid view.
9. Navigate to the OLAP Value Expression column.
10. From the Filter Row, select (Non Blanks) to display all MDX fields.
11. Select the first entry in the OLAP Value Expression.
12. In the OLAP Expression pane on the right, view the formula behind the field.
13. In the Description pane on the right, view a field description.
View Glossary Templates

Use formula templates to display patterns with variables. When the formula executes, a field name replaces the
variable.
Epicor ERP | 10.2.600 55

Many templates are included in the Glossary.
1. From the Glossary Designer toolbar, select Calculation Templates (the sigma icon).
2. From the Template listing, select Calendar Date (Alpha Month).
3. From the Filter Row in the Template column, select Yes/No (1=True).
Use this template when you work with logical fields that are on or off.
4. From the Filter Row in the Template column, select Blank (Use Not Specified).
Use this formula to define the group level when a table is not selected in a hierarchy.
56 Epicor ERP | 10.2.600

Epicor EPM Server and Cube Connect Cube Connect
Cube Connect
Epicor Cube Connect is a family of tools available to create, customize and deploy Epicor Enterprise Performance
Management (EPM) cubes and content packs.
Epicor Cube Connect was developed by Epicor to leverage Microsoft SQL Server Analysis Services and is comprised
of the following four tools:
• EPM Cube Editor
• EPM Cube Manager
• EPM Content Pack Editor
• EPM Content Pack Deployer
EPM Cube Editor

EPM Cube Editor is a wizard-style cross-platform OLAP system you can use to design cubes based on the databases
of a range of ERP systems. Cube design is simple and does not require vast knowledge of the source ERP database.
Once created, cubes can be deployed immediately in the EPM Cube Editor or they can be saved to file for later
deployment.
The EPM Cube Editor accesses the EPM Server to manipulate data and perform context-specific actions on it.
EPM Cube Manager

EPM Cube Manager is intended to deploy user cubes created in the EPM Cube Editor.
EPM Content Pack Editor

EPM Content Pack Editor is intended to create content packs. A content pack is a set of user cubes with one or
more canvases for each cube. These content packs are then deployed by means of EPM Content Pack Deployer.
EPM Content Pack Deployer

EPM Content Pack Deployer is a wizard-style application intended to deploy EPM content packs created by means
of EPM Content Pack Editor.
Cube Connect tools install together and interface with Epicor EPM Server.
Cube Connect tools are applications for workstation users and can be installed outside the EPM Server.
EPM Cube Editor
Use EPM Cube Editor to solve the common issues of cube design and deployment for a range of Epicor products,
including iScala and Epicor ERP. In the EPM Cube Editor, you can create custom user cubes from predefined user
cube templates as well as customize, edit, and tailor Online Analytical Processing (OLAP) cubes to include your
own measures and dimensions.
You can design user cubes with the EPM Cube Editor even if you do not have thorough knowledge of the source
Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) database. You can immediately deploy the cubes you created, or save the
cubes to file for later deployment.
Epicor ERP | 10.2.600 57

Cube Connect Epicor EPM Server and Cube Connect
Cube Types
There are three cube types:
• User Cubes - The system administrator or an individual with the appropriate license creates user cubes. You
create user cubes based on an existing template.
• Predefined Cube Templates - Each ERP-specific Epicor EPM BDD pack provides a collection of cube patterns
that can be used as templates. BDD pack is installed as the first step of the EPM content pack installation.
• Microsoft SQL Server Analysis Cube - All Content Pack cubes are available for data manipulation using
Microsoft SQL Server Analysis. User cubes are not available for use with Microsoft SQL Server Analysis.
In the EPM Cube Editor, you create user cubes based on existing predefined cube templates. You can adjust the
templates to create new user cubes or use the templates without adjustments.
EPM Cube Editor Interface

The EPM Cube Editor is a wizard-stile application that uses the following six screens to create a user cube:
• Select Template
• Cube Name
• Measures
• Dimensions
• Design Complete
• Deployment
On each screen, you can change the user cube parameters or use the predefined ones.
EPM Cube Editor screen is a dual panel interface that provides selections for the various wizard steps and additional
information throughout the wizard process.
Workshop - Edit a Cube from the Content Pack

Edit one of the existing cubes that have been deployed on the Sales Management content pack.
Download the Cube Using the Console

Use the EPM Server Management Console to download the cube from the Content Pack.
1. Use the following path to navigate to the EPM Server Management Console from the Microsoft Windows®
Start menu: All Programs > Epicor Software > Epicor Enterprise Performance Management > Manage
Epicor EPM Servers.
2. In the Console tree, expand the Epicor 10 > <Database>> Deployed User Cubes nodes.
For example, use the ERP10 database.
3. Right-click the SM1.EXC.SalesQuota cube.
4. Select All Tasks > Download into file.
5. On the Manage Epicor EPM Servers - Save Downloaded User Cube As screen, name the cube file
SalesQuota and place it on the Desktop.
6. Click Save.
58 Epicor ERP | 10.2.600

Open Cube in Cube Editor

You can customize cubes that are included in content packs. You can add or remove dimensions and measures
to meet the specific needs of the new user cube.
1. On the Desktop, right-click your SalesQuota cube file and select Open with Epicor EPM Cube Editor.
2. On the Epicor Cube Connect - Cube Editor - Cube Name screen, in the Name field, adjust the default
user cube name. For example, enter SalesQuota.
3. In the Description field, enter the new user cube description.

The description defaults from the template.
4. Click Next.
The Epicor EPM Cube Editor - Measures screen displays. The screen displays the organized measures included
in the template.
Remain on the Epicor EPM Cube Editor - Measures screen.
Epicor ERP | 10.2.600 59

Measures
Measures are the values from the cube’s fact table that are aggregated and analyzed. For example, actuals,
delivered quantity, and turnover can be measures. Measures are usually numeric. Measures are calculated by the
dimensions, which are retrieved from master data tables related to the fact table; for example, Chart of Accounts,
Cost Center, Product Group, and Country.
Measures Screen Overview

The EPM Cube Editor – Measures screen displays three panes. The main pane displays the measures included in
the selected cube. You can remove the measures that do not apply from your new cube. The EPM Glossary makes
a structure check when the cube is compiled and can identify any relationships that may result from removing
Measures.
The middle pane of the screen provides an area to add new or existing measures. You can customize and add
new measures to the Glossary as long as they meet the Glossary restrictions.
The bottom pane of the window displays the SQL selection criteria text details. The details, including the database,
server, and operating system display in the Design against <Your ERP system> ERP system section. This
criteria can also be changed during the compile process.
Workshop - Add Measures In Cube Editor

The Epicor Enterprise Performance Management (EPM) Glossary contains existing measures. When you create a
cube, you can select an existing measure or use existing measures to create a calculated measure without being
concerned about the data relationships rules.
The measures that display on the EPM Cube Editor - Measures screen in the top pane are already members of
the cube template. The measures listed are aggregated or they are calculations contained in the template and
defined in the Glossary.
Adding an Existing Business Definition as a Measure

Many predefined business definitions that can be used as measures are supplied with each ERP system Content
Pack. You can add these business definitions to any template as needed. Add an existing business definition as
measure to your cube on the EPM Cube Editor – Measures screen.
1. To add an existing business definition as a measure, on the EPM Cube Editor – Measures screen, in the
top right pane, click the +1 button, and then select, Existing Business Definition.
The EPM Cube Editor – Business Glossary window displays. Here you can select a business definition and
use it as a measure in your cube.
Note Only the business definition that can be used as measures are displayed.
2. To locate a particular business definition, in the left pane, switch to the Alphabet tab to see the business
definitions list ordered alphabetically, or to the Groups tab to see the list ordered logically. Alternatively,
use the Search tab.
• On the Alphabet tab, expand the node of the starting letter of the business definition you look for.
• On the Groups tab, expand the node of the logical group to which the business definition you look for
belongs. Expand the sub-group if necessary.
3. Click the business definition.
4. Review the business definition properties in the right pane.
60 Epicor ERP | 10.2.600

The right pane displays the following information:

• Whether the business definition is Standard or User Defined
• Business definition Name and Description
• Allowed OLAP roles – This field tells you whether you can use this business definition only as a measure,
or as either measure or dimension level in your cube.
• OLAP Format String – This field tells SSAS how to format the measure's result. Refer to the Setting
and Adjusting Format String section for detailed formatting description.
• Null Processing – This field defines the value that is displayed to the user if the data for this measure
is Null. Two options are available:
• Zero or Blank – will show "0" to the user.
• Preserve – will show (null).
5. In the left pane, right-click the required business definition, and select Select.
You return to the EPM Cube Editor – Measures screen.
As a result, the selected business definition is added as a measure to your cube.
Add a New Measure
1. On the EPM Cube Editor - Measures screen, right-click anywhere in the upper pane, and select Add
Measure - Define new business definition.
The EPM Cube Editor - Create New Business Definition screen displays.
2. On the EPM Cube Editor - Create New Business Definition screen, enter the name and description of
the new measure. For example, enter Sales Quota Bad.
3. Click OK.
The EPM Cube Editor - Edit Business Definition screen displays.
The new business definition is added as a measure to your cube. This business definition is stored in the EPM
Glossary as User Defined and is linked to the cube for which you created it. To define a new measure for use
across multiple cubes, use the EPM Glossary Designer.
Remain on the EPM Cube Editor - Edit Business Definition screen.
Epicor ERP | 10.2.600 61

Business Definitions
The term business definition is used as a common name for dimension attributes (also referred to as dimension
levels) and measures. All business definitions are stored in the Epicor Enterprise Performance Management (EPM)
Glossary.
A data warehouse uses a relational schema definition to store data. Epicor EPM refers to this schema as the
Glossary. The Glossary contains all business expertise on a specific enterprise resource planning (ERP) application.
A Glossary includes all business definitions for a source ERP system.
From the Cube Connect point of view, a Glossary is a structure from which Epicor Cube Connect tools can
selectively pull business definitions to use them as measures or dimension attributes. These predefined cube
members are used to create custom cubes that contain specific data a customer needs.
Add a Business Definition
1. On the EPM Cube Editor - Edit Business Definition screen, right-click the Calculation Wizard that
resembles a calculator.
2. Select Define Calculation as > Just a value of something > Database Field.
It might take some time to load the next screen.
3. In the left pane, select the Erp.SRepQDtl table.
4. In the right pane, select Number02.
5. Click Select.
You can now see Number02 has been added under Calculation.
6. Click Test.
Make sure to test your Business Definition before you move forward.
7. On the EPM Cube Editor - Create Epicor 10 Company Configuration screen, clear the Deploy against
all companies check box.
8. Select EPIC03.
9. Select the Create company configuration icon.
10. To the Company configuration has been created successfully message, click OK.
You can now see the Compiling user cube screen.
11. On the User cube has been compiled successfully screen, click OK.
12. On the Edit Business Definition screen, click Close.
13. Click Next.
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Business Definition Parameters
To add a new measure or dimension attribute in the Cube Editor, you use an existing business definition or edit
it. To edit a business definition, change its parameters.
Each business definition has the following parameters:
• Attributes
• Heritage
• OLAP
• Formula
Attributes
A business definition can have the following attributes:
• Day Ageing
This applies ageing, in days, for the date type business definition. It also modifies the business definition into
a category identification similar to ABC analysis so it is tested against certain pre-set categories by one or
more day ranges.
• Sign Reversal
This attribute allows the dimensional business definition to reverse the sign of numerical values of the other
business definitions, defined as measures in the user cube. If this attribute is applied to a logical comparison
or filtering statement, it reverses the sign for the filtered result of that comparison or entire logical statement.
Note
Not all attributes are available for all source ERP systems.
Heritage
Heritage specifies inherited behavior of a business definition. Business definitions inherit the behavior of the
business definition selected as the Heritage parameter.
You can select more than one business definition. In this case, the business definitions are inherited hierarchically.
Use the Heritage parameter to copy a part of a Standard business definition to create a User Defined business
definition. Only User Defined business definitions are editable. All custom User Defined business definitions have
to be inherited from one of the Standard business definitions.
Note
A business definition cannot be inherited more than once on the same level of the inheritance hierarchy.
A business definition cannot inherit itself explicitly or implicitly, as the Cube Editor does not allow dead
loops in the Heritage.
OLAP
A business definition can have the following OLAP parameters:
Format String.
Use the Format String to inform SSAS of the formatting that should be applied to a measure's result. The Format
String value can contain [currency] and it will be replaced with the corresponding standard currency symbol in
the currency-aware ERP systems such as Epicor ERP. When the currency type is known, Format Strings for currency
measures are filled in automatically with values appropriate for that currency.
Caption
Epicor ERP | 10.2.600 63

Formula
Formula specifies additional rules on how to construct the business definition. A formula consists of two parts:
• Calculation defines the rules to obtain the business definition value.
• Filter defines the additional logical rules to filter the data supplied for the formula calculation.
Formula has priority over Heritage. If a business definition formula is empty, it is inherited. If a business definition
has its own formula, this formula is used, instead of the inherited formula.
Cube Editor provides a set of wizards that build formula parts and setup heritage for you. They are easily invoked
from the main menu (or toolbar) of the business definition edit dialog. The Heritage Wizard, Calculation Wizard,
and Filter Wizard are available. Invoke each of the wizards and pass through all its steps to define the desired
formula for your business definition.
Note You can only edit the business definitions of User Defined type including the business definition
you have just created. The business definitions of Standard or Technical type cannot be edited; you can
only view the internal structure of Standard and Technical business definitions.
Workshop - Set and Adjust Formulas

You can edit existing User Defined business definitions in the Glossary Designer or in the Cube Editor by adding
and adjusting business definition parameters.
Adjustable parameters include Attribute, Heritage, OLAP and Formula. The Formula parameter consists of
Calculation and Filter and specifies additional rules on how to construct the business definition value.
Important Workshop Constraint: This workshop requires an Epicor application database to be created
and listed in the EPM Server Management Console. Information in the following workshops are only
available on a User Defined business definition. Use the new measure, XXX_Sales Quota Bad (where XXX
are your initials) added in the Workshop - Add a New Measure to view the details that follow.
Compose a Calculation
1. On the EPM Cube Editor - Edit Business Definition screen, expand the Formula node.
The Calculation and Filter nodes display.
2. Right-click Calculation and select Define calculation as.

The list of calculation types displays. The following image displays the context menu.
You can select among the following calculation types:

• A binary operator
Every binary operator can have as many operands as you specify. The following table describes binary
operators and their ways of handling the operands.
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Symbol Description
+ The Addition operator provides the sum of all child operand nodes.
× The Multiplication operator provides the multiplication of all child operand nodes.
- The Subtraction operator subtracts all child operand nodes from the first child operand
node.
÷ The Division operator uses the first child operand node as a dividend and all the
following child operand nodes as divisors.
• A function
Every function can have as many operands as you specify. The following table describes the functions
and their ways of handling the operands.
Abbreviation Description
sqrt The Square Root function calculates the square root of the first child operand. All
the following child operands are ignored.
pow The Power function raises the first child operand in the power of the second child
operand. All the following child operands are ignored.
log The Logarithm function calculates the logarithm of the first child operand with the
logarithmic base represented by the second child operand. All the following child
operands are ignored.
lg The Common Logarithm function calculates the common logarithm (the base is 10)
of the first child operand. All the following child operands are ignored.
ln The Natural Logarithm function calculates the natural logarithm (the base is the
Euler number) of the first child operand. All the following child operands are ignored.
sum The Summation function calculates the summation of all child operands.
length The Size function calculates the size of the first child operand. All the following
child operands are ignored.
Substring The Substring function extracts a substring of the first child operand. The second
child operand denotes the start position of extraction. The third child operand
denotes the length of the string being extracted. All the following child operands
are ignored.
Epicor ERP | 10.2.600 65

Uppercase This function converts the first child operand into uppercase. All the following child
Lowercase This function converts the first child operand into lowercase. All the following child
Max The Maximal function selects the maximal child operand of all child operands
available.
Min The Minimal function selects the minimal child operand of all child operands
available.
• Just a value of something
The following table describes the values from which you can select.
Name Description
Business When you select this value, the EPM Cube Editor - Business Glossary screen
Definition displays where you can select the required business definition.
Only Standard and User Defined business definitions can be selected.
Database Field When you select this value, the EPM Cube Editor - <ERP system> Database
Structure Browser dialog displays where you navigate to and select the required
database table, and then database field.
Database tables and fields that you can add to the current cube calculation display.
Those that cannot be added to the calculation do not display and so are unavailable
for selection. For example, all the TEXT type columns, which cannot be used in cube
calculations, are hidden.
Note
SQL tables pertaining to the SQL schema different than dbo also display in
the Database Structure Browser. EPM Server can talk to multiple schemas in
the same SQL server source database at once to build a single cube.
Literal When you select this value, the EPM Cube Editor - Supply Literal dialog displays.
Specify the literal value and click OK.
Context Selecting Context prompts for further selection. The available values are:
• Company Code
• Financial Year
• Accounting Dimension Number
• Current Year
• Current Date
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Name Description
Constant Selecting constant prompts for further selection. You can select one of the following
constants:
• Null Value (0)
• Euler Number (e)
• Pi Number
3. Select the calculation type in the context menu.

Notice, the item you select displays as a new node under the Calculation node on the EPM Cube Editor
- Edit Business Definition screen.
4. If you selected a binary operator or a function as the calculation type, select the calculation operands.
For this purpose, right-click the name of the calculation type and select Add Operand. The following menu
similar to the menu for selecting calculation type displays.
An operand can be a binary operator, a function, or a value.

You can add as many operands as you want for any binary operator or function. However, not all the
specified operands may be processed. Review the information in step 2 for details on processing operands
by binary operators and functions.
Notice, the operands you select display as a new nodes under the Calculation - <Operator or Function>
node on the EPM Cube Editor - Edit Business Definition screen.
5. You can perform the following actions on the operands:

• Replace one operand with another
For this purpose select the Change to command. The menu similar to the menu for selecting a value
(see the description of the Just a value of something option) displays. In this menu, select the value
with which the operand must be changed.
• Reorder operands
For this purpose, use the Move Up and Move Down commands. These commands are available if there
is more than one operand. If you move down the last operand, it becomes the first; similarly, if you move
the first operand up, it becomes the last.
• Remove operands
For this purpose select the Remove command.
Right-click the operand and select one of these options.
You can compose calculations at any level of difficulty. In addition, any nesting level is supported for the calculation.
Repeat steps 2-5, in any order, as many times as required to compose the calculation you need.
Epicor ERP | 10.2.600 67

Create a Calculated Measure

The term calculated applies to any field or fields used to create another field. Many measures in the Glossary are
created by combining one or more field values. These values can be mathematical summaries of an existing value
field, a calculation between one or more fields, or defined SQL calculations.
In our example, the Sales Manager wants to know if actual sales value approaches the sales quota. The calculations
use existing business definition and literal value.
Calculated fields in the cube are considered pre-processing calculations in that they take place when the cube
deploys. The value becomes a field for drilling and can be summarized in the replicated data.
Other values, such as ratios, can be created after the cube compiles. Anything that needs to be recreated frequently
can be done within the dashboard as well.
Define the Quota 80% measure
2. On the EPM Cube Editor - Create New Business Definition screen, in the Supply name for new
business definition field, enter XXXQuota80% (where XXX are your initials).
3. In the Supply description for new business definition field, enter This field shows if the actual sales
value approaches the sales quota.
4. Click OK.
The field is added to the list of measures and can now be defined.
5. To the info message, click Close.
6. On the EPM Cube Editor - Edit Business Definition screen, right-click the Heritage node and select Add
Base Business Definition.
7. On the EPM Cube Editor - Business Glossary screen, on the Alphabet tab, expand the S node to browse
for Sales Quota.
8. Right-click Sales Quota and select Select.

View the Sales Quota node now displays under the Heritage node.
9. On the EPM Cube Editor - Edit Business Definition screen, under the Formula node, right-click the
Calculation node and select Define calculation > A binary operator (+,-, etc,) > - Multiplication (x).
10. Right-click the Multiplication node, and select Add Operand > Value of > Business Definition.
11. On the EPM Cube Editor - Business Glossary screen, on the Alphabet tab, expand the S node to browse
for Sales Quota.
12. Right-click Sales Quota and select Select.

Notice the Sales Quota node under the Calculation > Multiplication node.
13. Right-click the Multiplication node, and select Add Operand > Value of > Literal.
14. On the EPM Cube Editor - Supply Literal screen, type 0.8 and click OK.
Notice the 0.8 node under the Calculation > Multiplication node.
68 Epicor ERP | 10.2.600

15. From the Toolbar, click Save.
16. On the EPM Cube Editor - Save User Cube As screen, type the cube file name and click Save.
New calculated measure is added to the cube.

Test the new Quota 80% measure
1. On the EPM Cube Editor - Edit Business Definition screen, click the Test button to test the cube with
your new measure against the live data.
2. On the EPM Cube Editor - Create Epicor 10 Company Configuration screen, click Create company
configuration button.
4. On the EPM Cube Editor - Compiling User Cube screen, wait for the User Cube Compilation Success
message to appear.
5. To the The user cube has been compiled successfully message, click OK.
6. Close the EPM Cube Editor - Compiling User Cube screen.
7. On the EPM Cube Editor - Edit Business Definition screen, click Close.
Compose a Filter
2. On the EPM Cube Editor - Create New Business Definition screen, in the Supply name of business
definition field, enter XXX Actual Sales Margin (where XXX are your initials).
3. Click OK.
4. To the info message, click Close.
5. On the EPM Cube Editor - Edit Business Definition screen, right-click the Heritage node and select Add
Base Business Definition.
6. On the EPM Cube Editor - Business Glossary screen, on the Alphabet tab, expand the A node to browse
for Actual Sales.
7. Right-click Actual Sales and select Select.

View the Actual Sales node now displays under the Heritage node.
8. In the EPM Cube Editor - Edit Business Definition dialog, under the Formula node, right-click the Filter
node and select Define filter as.
9. Select the filter type.
Epicor ERP | 10.2.600 69

The following Filter types are available:

• A linkage of logical statements
A linkage of logical statements can have as many operands as you specify. The NOT statement handles
only the first operand.
AND Logical multiplication returns true if all the child conditions are true.
OR Logical addition returns true if at least one of the child conditions is true.
NOT Logical inversion returns the logical inversion of the first child operand. All the
following child operands are ignored.
• A logical statement
All logical statements handle only two operands. If you specify more operands, the first two operands
are handled, and all other operands are ignored.
Symbol Description
= Returns true when the first child operand is equal to the second child operand.
<> Returns true when the first child operand is not equal to the second child operand.
> Returns true when the first child operand is greater than the second child operand.
< Returns true when the first child operand is less than the second child operand.
>= Returns true when the first child operand is greater than or equal to the second child
operand.
<= Returns true when the first child operand is less than or equal to the second child
operand.
*= Returns true when the first child operand is equal to the second child operand by
wildcard.
All logical statements compare only the first two child operands.
For example, select Define filter as > A logical statement, and then select Less.
10. If you select a logical statement as the filter type, select its operands.
70 Epicor ERP | 10.2.600

For this purpose, right-click the name of the logical statement to invoke the context menu. This menu is the
same as the menu for selecting calculation operands.
Refer to step 2 of the Compose a Calculation procedure for more information on operands.
For example, right-click the Less node, select Add Operand > Value of > Business Definition. On the
Business Glossary screen, on the Alphabet tab, expand the A node, right-click the Actual Sales and
select Select. Now select the second operand.
11. Right-click the Less node, select Add Operand > Value of > Business Definition. On the Business
Glossary screen, on the Alphabet tab, expand the S node, right-click the Sales Quota and select Select.
12. You can perform different actions on the operands. Right-click the operand to invoke the context menu.
For more information refer to step 4 of the Compose a Calculation procedure.
Repeat steps 8-10, in any order, as many times as required to compose the filter you need.
Note
To create a business definition formula, you can alternatively click the Calculation Wizard or Filter
Wizard button in the Edit Business Definition toolbar to start the Calculation or Filter Wizard. In the
Wizard, you can select a pre-defined calculation or filter template.
The changes take effect immediately.

You can compose filters of any level of difficulty. Any nesting level is supported for the filter.
Test the new XXX Actual Sales Margin measure
1. On the EPM Cube Editor - Edit Business Definition screen, click the Test button to test the cube with
your new measure against the live data.
2. On the EPM Cube Editor - Create Epicor 10 Company Configuration screen, click Create company
configuration button.
4. On the EPM Cube Editor - Compiling User Cube screen, wait for the User Cube Compilation Success
message to appear.
5. To the The user cube has been compiled successfully message, click OK.
6. Close the EPM Cube Editor - Compiling User Cube screen.
Dimensions
You can use EPM Cube Editor to customize existing dimensions or add new dimension attributes to the Glossary
and new dimensions to your cube.
Dimensions, Dimension Attributes and Business Definitions

In Cube Editor, every dimension is represented by a group of dimension attributes also referred to as dimension
levels.
EPM Cube Editor supports hierarchical dimensions.
You can also add dimension attributes that are not included in any hierarchy.
Epicor ERP | 10.2.600 71

When you add a new dimension, you should add at least one dimension level to it. Dimensions cannot exist
without at least one dimension level in Cube Editor.
All business definitions are stored in the Glossary. You cannot assign a business definition to a dimension; a
business definition can be assigned only to a dimension attribute, or to a measure.
Every cube has a timing dimension. This dimension shows how the corresponding measure evolves with time.
Workshop - Add Dimensions in Cube Editor

In the EPM Cube Editor you can create new dimensions. For this purpose you use new dimension attributes or
pre-defined dimension attributes included in the EPM Glossary as part of the purchased Content Packs. You can
also create dimensions in the EPM Glossary Designer.
The dimensions you create in the Cube Editor can only be used within one cube. A dimension can be made
available across multiple cubes if desired.
Dimension attributes (also referred to as levels) added to the Glossary become members of the glossary and the
cube during the compile process. Dimensions added using Cube Editor become part of the cube file when it
deploys.
Dimension levels define drill down hierarchy for the dimension. You can change dimension level definitions in
the Cube Editor.
Add an Existing Dimension Attribute
1. On the EPM Cube Editor - Dimensions screen, in the Dimensions of the cube pane, click the name of
the dimension to which you want to add a new level.
Click the Period Start Date SQ dimension.
2. On the toolbar, click the Edit the selected dimension button.
3. On the EPM Cube Editor - Dimension - Period Start Date SQ screen, in the left pane, right-click the
Attributes node, and select Add Attribute > Existing Business Definition.
4. On the EPM Cube Editor - Business Glossary screen, open the Groups tab.
5. In the left pane, expand the Sales Quota > Dates folder.
6. Right-click the Period SQ business definition.
7. Select Select.
Note
You can only select Standard and User Defined business definitions.
8. On the EPM Cube Editor - Dimension - Period Start Date SQ screen, click OK.
As a result, the selected business definition Period SQ is added as a dimension level to the Period Start Date SQ
dimension in your use cube.
Remove an Existing Dimension Level

Each Epicor ERP Content Pack contains hundreds of predefined dimensions available for use in custom user cubes.
1. On the EPM Cube Editor - Dimensions screen, in the Dimensions of the cube pane, right-click the
Period Start Date SQ dimension.
72 Epicor ERP | 10.2.600

2. Select Edit.
3. On the EPM Cube Editor - Dimension - Period Start Date SQ screen, in the left pane, under the Attributes
node, right-click the Period SQ dimension attribute.
4. Select Remove.
5. Click OK.
6. Click Next.
Adding a Dimension
After you created all the measures for your cube on the EPM Cube Editor – Measures screen, click Next. The
EPM Cube Editor – Dimensions screen displays.
1. On the EPM Cube Editor – Dimensions screen, in the Dimensions of the cube pane, on the toolbar,
click the +1 (Add a new dimension) button.
2. On the EPM Cube Editor – Dimension – Dimension 1 screen, in the right pane, on the Basic tab, in the
Name field, enter an arbitrary unique name for the dimension.
This name should be less than 100 characters, and may contain spaces, but should not contain the following
characters:
., ; ‘ ` : / \ * | ? “ & % $ ! + = () [] {} <>
You can change the name any time.
3. In the Type field, select one of the following options:

• DateTime
Use this option to add a timing dimension that will show how the corresponding measure evolves with
time.
A hierarchy like Year > Quarter > Month > Date is automatically created for DateTime dimensions.
• Master Date
Use this option to add a primary date for each user cube.
For more information on the DateTime and Master Date dimensions refer to the Date and Time Dimensions
section.
• Regular
Select this option for all other dimensions.
4. In the Caption field, enter a short name for the new dimension.
For example, for the Sales Territory dimension, enter Territory. The user will see only Territory as the dimension
name.
This parameter is optional.
5. In the Description field, enter a description to explain the purpose of this dimension and some information
about how to use it.
The description is included in the glossary and is available in Epicor Cube Connect to help users understand
what each item is for and how it is calculated. The description is also generated into the SSAS model and
into the glossary help that ships with the product.
Epicor ERP | 10.2.600 73

This parameter is optional, but Epicor recommends to specify descriptions for all dimensions.
6. Click the Validate button.

Cube Editor verifies that the Name you specified is unique.
You have specified the basic dimension parameters. Now you can add dimension attributes (also referred to as
levels) and hierarchies to the dimension. Refer to the Adding Dimension Levels and Adding Hierarchies sections
for further steps.
Add a Dimension Level

Now add an existing business definition as a dimension level to your new dimension.
1. On the EPM Cube Editor - Dimension - Sales Territory screen, in the left pane, right-click the Attributes
node, and select Add Attribute > Existing Business Definition.
2. In the EPM Cube Editor - Business Glossary dialog, select the business definition.
For example, on the Alphabet tab, expand the S node and select Sales Territory.
3. In the right pane, view the business definition properties.
4. To view the business definition parameters, right-click it and select View.

On the EPM Cube Editor - Edit Business Definition screen, view the business definition parameters, and
close the screen.
5. Right-click the business definition and select Select.
6. On the EPM Cube Editor - Dimension - Sales Territory screen, notice the new Sales Territory node
under the Attributes node.
Your new dimension now has one dimension level.

You can as well create new business definitions and add them as dimension levels to your new dimension.
To add a new business definition as a dimension level to your new dimension:
1. In the left pane, right-click the Attributes node, and select Add Attribute > New Business Definition.
2. In the EPM Cube Editor - Create New Business Definition dialog, specify the name and description of
the business definition you create.
3. Click OK.
The EPM Cube Editor - Edit Business Definition screen displays.
Edit the business definition parameters. For details refer to the Business Definition Parameters section earlier
in this course.
4. Right-click Heritage, and select Add Base Business Definition.
5. On the EPM Cube Editor - Business Glossary screen, locate the business definition that should be used
as the base for your new business definition.
6. Right-click it and select Select.
74 Epicor ERP | 10.2.600

Add as many new and existing attributes (dimension levels) to your new dimension as you wish. The new business
definitions are stored in the Business Glossary as User Defined. You can use these business definition only within
the cube for which you created them.
Add a Hierarchy
After you added new and existing attributes to your new dimension, add a hierarchy to it.
1. On the EPM Cube Editor - Dimension - Sales Territory screen, in the left pane, right-click the Hierarchies
node, and select Add Hierarchy.
A Hierarchy 1 node is added under the Hierarchies node.
2. In the right pane, enter the name and caption for the new hierarchy. In this example, leave the default
values.
3. In the left pane, right-click the new hierarchy node, and select Reload All Attributes.
All the attributes you have added to the dimension, are added as members to the hierarchy.
In this example, Sales Territory node is added.
4. To remove an attribute from the hierarchy, right-click it and select Remove.
5. Add as many hierarchies as you wish.

You can add dimension attributes that are not included in any hierarchy.
Validate the Dimension

When the dimension parameters setup is complete, validate your new dimension.
1. On the EPM Cube Editor - Dimension - <Dimension name> screen, on the toolbar, click Validate the
dimension.
2. To the The dimension has passed validation successfully message, click OK.
3. Click OK.
You are back to the EPM Cube Editor - Dimensions screen.
4. In the Dimensions of the cube pane, select the new dimension.

The dimension attributes are displayed in the Attributes of the dimension pane. The dimension hierarchies
are displayed in the Hierarchies of the dimension pane.
As a result, the new dimension is added to your cube.
Workshop - Test Compile the User Cube

Use the Compile functionality of the Epicor EPM Cube Editor to test your user cube structure without adding
data to the cube. An error screen returns any issues that emerge during the compilation.
If the compilation is unsuccessful, use the Back button tore-trace the user cube design steps.
1. On the Epicor EPM Cube Editor - Design Complete screen, in the lower pane, verify the database link
points to the ERP system you are using to build the user cube.
For example, ERP10.
Epicor ERP | 10.2.600 75

2. In the top pane, click the Compile link.

Alternatively, in the toolbar, click the Compile Locally button.
The Epicor EPM Cube Editor - Create <ERP system> Company Configuration window displays. The screen
design may be different based on the selected data source.
3. Click Yes on the Use the latest supplied deployment context screen.
4. Click OK once the user cube compile has been completed.
5. Click Save.
6. Form the File menu, select Exit to exit the Cube Editor.
76 Epicor ERP | 10.2.600

User Cube Compilation
Use the compile process for a user cube to test construction of the user cube structure without adding data to
it. User cube compilation is intended to check whether you built the user cube correctly.
After you click the Compile Locally button on the EPM Cube Editor - Design Complete screen, the cube
compilation dialog displays and you can set the following cube compilation parameters:
• Report Currency
• Companies against which your cube is compiled
• Fiscal Years against which your cube is compiled
Report Currency
Note You must select a Report Currency when you compile a cube for the Epicor ERP. Clientele and iScala
do not require a report currency selection.
For each company, three report currencies and one base currency are defined in the Epicor ERP. For more
information on the report currency, refer to Epicor ERP on-line help.
Company
The list of companies in the selected database displays in the Application Context pane. In this list you can select
the companies for which to compile your cube, as well as the fiscal calendar for each company.
The companies list displays as a table that includes the following columns:
• All - Select this check box if you want to include the company into the cube compilation. Otherwise, clear
this check box. By default, this check box is selected for all the companies.
• Code - This field displays the company code defined in the database.
• Name - This field displays the company name defined in the database.
• Calendar - This field displays the fiscal calendar for the company. A fiscal calendar is a set of fiscal years. By
default, you can define several fiscal calendars for a company.
In this field, you can select a fiscal calendar for the cube compilation.
Note To activate your selection, click somewhere outside the Calendar cell.
When you select a fiscal calendar, the fiscal years included in this calendar display in the bottom pane, in the
Year section. After you select a fiscal calendar, you can include all or some fiscal years of this calendar into
the cube compilation.
• RCN - RCN is the report currency number. When you select a currency in the Report Currency field, the RCN
field displays the number of this currency for each company.
Note Not all Epicor applications support multi-currency.
Select the Deploy against all companies check box to compile your cube for all companies. To select only some
companies, first clear the Deploy against all companies check box.
Fiscal Years
Select the Deploy against all fiscal years check box to compile your cube for all financial years of the current
fiscal calendar. As a result, all the financial years in the Year list are selected, and you are not able to deselect
any of them.
Epicor ERP | 10.2.600 77

To compile a cube only for the selected financial years, clear the Deploy against all fiscal years check box and
select the required financial years.
Workshop - Compile the User Cube

Use the Compile screen of the EPM Cube Editor to test the changes to your user cube structure without adding
data to the cube. An error screen returns any issues that emerge during the compilation.
If the compilation is unsuccessful, use the Back button to re-trace the user cube design steps.
1. On the EPM Cube Editor - Design Complete screen, in the lower pane, verify the database link points
to the ERP system database you are using to build the user cube.
For example ERP10.
2. In the top pane, click the Compile link.

Alternatively, in the toolbar, click the Compile Locally button.
The EPM Cube Editor - Create <ERP system> Company Configuration window displays.
The screen design may be different based on the selected datasource.
3. In the EPM Cube Editor - Create <ERP system> Company Configuration window, clear the Deploy
against all companies check box.
By default, the Cube Editor compiles against all the companies in the database. Clear this check box to be
able to select specific companies.
4. Select the EPIC03 company check box.

Verify all other companies check boxes are cleared.
5. In the Report Currency field, verify a currency name displays by default. For example, USD.
The Report Currency field is a required field in the Epicor ERP.
This field displays the list of currencies that are defined in all the companies selected for compilation. All
companies selected for compilation must share the same Report Currency; if they do not, you will not be
able to deploy the cube.
If the Report Currency field is empty and no options are available for selection in this field, the selected
companies do not have common currencies. In this case, reduce the number of companies selected for the
user cube compilation.
For example, if United States Dollar (USD) and Euros (EUR) are defined for Company A, USD and EUR are
defined for Company B, and CAD is defined for Company C, the Report Currency field is empty when all
three companies are selected for the cube compilation. If you select Company A and Company B, both USD
and EUR are available in the Report Currency field.
7. In the list of fiscal years, select 2007, 2008, and 2009 check boxes.
Verify all other fiscal years check boxes are cleared.
8. In the EPM Cube Editor - Create <ERP system> Company Configuration window toolbar, click the
cube icon with the green arrow to begin the compilation.
9. Click OK to the Company configuration has been created successfully message.
10. Click OK to the The user cube has been compiled successfully message.
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11. On the EPM Cube Editor - Compiling User Cube screen, read the info and press ESC.
12. Remain in the Cube Editor.
The Compiling executes the queries behind the cube.

You can use the EPM Cube Manager or the EPM Cube Editor to deploy the cube.
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Workshop - Save the User Cube

You can save a user cube to file. When you save your cube, a .cbn or .cbx file is created; but the cube is neither
compiled nor deployed or processed.
1. On the EPM Cube Editor - Design Complete screen, in the top pane, click the Save link.
Alternatively, click the Save button on the toolbar.
2. In the Save User Cube As window, in the File name field, enter cube file name. For example, enter
SalesQuota.
3. In the Save as type field, select user cube native or XML format.
4. Click Save.
5. Exit the Cube Editor.
The new user cube appears to be ready for deployment based on the successful compile. Remember the compile
is simply a test execution with no regard to the database execution rules. Once the .cbn or .cbx file is created, it
is ready to be deployed in the EPM Cube Manager application. Deploy a cube to make it available for others to
use.
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EPM Cube Manager
Use the EPM Cube Manager to deploy user cubes created by the EPM Cube Editor.
With EPM Cube Manager you can perform the following tasks:
• Configure a wide range of cube deployment parameters.
• View and edit cube properties.
• Deploy a selected cube on different EPM servers as the Cube Manager provides the capability to select the
deployment server.
• Perform different actions on cube deployments, such as processing and re-deploying cubes, re-configuring
cube deployment, viewing the cube deployment status, and so on.
• Deploy and process cubes with different parameters and according to different schedules.
The Cube Manager functionality mirrors that of the Epicor EPM Server Management Console, except the Cube
Manager deploys one cube at a time. Security restrictions limit cube deployment to cubes for the user ID that
created them.
Launch Cube Manager
You can launch the Cube Manager from the Microsoft Windows® Start menu using the following path: All
Programs > Epicor Software > Epicor Enterprise Performance Management > EPM Cube Manager.
Alternatively, launch the Cube Manager application from the My Documents\My Analysis folder. Right-click
the cube file (.cbn file) and select Open with EPM Cube Manager.
The workshops that follow deploy an Epicor ERP cube file.
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EPM Cube Manager Interface
The EPM Cube Manager is the Windows® application used to manage and deploy user cubes. This section
describes the main elements of the Cube Manager interface.
The main interface components include the following:
1. Menu Bar – The Cube Manager menu bar is similar in appearance to a menu bar of any Windows style
application. The available menus are:
• File
• Tools
• Help
Many of the commands found under the menus correspond to the buttons on the toolbar.
2. Toolbar – The Cube Manager toolbar includes buttons that correspond to the menu commands. These
buttons are intended for server management.
• Use the Server field to select the EPM server to which you want to connect to deploy the cube.
• Use the Port field to select the port via which you want to connect to the EPM server you selected in
the Server field.
• Click the Query Server button to query the server via the selected port. As a result, the server name
and the port number display in the EPM Servers section located at the bottom left of the window.
3. Cube Properties – The Cube Properties section displays basic cube information. You can edit in the Cube
Manager the cube properties that display with the pencil icon next to them.
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The following cube properties display:

• Name – This field displays the cube name. The name is specified in EPM Cube Editor on the Cube Name
screen. This is the cube name, but not the cube file name. You can edit the cube name in the Cube
Manager.
• ERP – This field displays the name of the ERP system for which the cube was designed. When you select
the cube template in EPM Cube Editor, on the Select Template screen, you automatically select the ERP
system, as cube templates are designed for a specific ERP system. This field is read-only.
• Version – This field displays the version of the cube template. This field is read-only.
• Description – This field displays the description of the cube. The description is provided by default in
EPM Cube Editor on the Select Template and Cube Name screens. You can edit the cube description in
the Cube Manager.
• UUID – This field contains the unique identifier of the cube. This field is read-only.
To edit the cube name and cube description, double-click the line where the property you want to edit
displays. When you do this, the screen for editing the property displays. Enter the new property value. Click
OK to keep the changes you made or click Cancel to discard the changes and return to Cube Properties.
4. Deployments – This section displays the list of cubes available for deployment for the selected EPM Server.
It displays the cube deployment identification number (UUID), cube deployment OLAP name, status of the
current deployment, and time of the current status.
• Reload deployments from the selected server – Use this button to refresh the deployment list. For
instance, click this button when you add a new deployment.
• Deploy a user cube on the EPM server, which deployments are listed – Use this button to add a
new deployment; that is, deploy the current cube.
5. Epicor EPM Servers – This section displays the Epicor EPM server, the server name and connection port
number, on which you want to deploy and/or manage this cube.
To populate this section with the EPM server for deploying the cube, select the Server name and Port number
from the lists on the toolbar. Then, when you click the Query Server button, the following occurs:
• EPM connects to the listed server.
• EPM looks for any existing cube deployments for the user cube file you opened and displays them to
you in the Deployments section.
6. Deployment Configuration – When you select the cube deployment in the Deployments section, the cube
deployment configuration displays in this section.
The deployment configuration displays as a tree. The tree root corresponds to the deployment ID. It has two
child nodes: Operational Context and <Database>.
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Workshop - Open a Cube for Deployment
1. On the EPM Cube Manager screen, from the File menu, select Open.
Alternatively, click the Open button on the toolbar.
The EPM Cube Manager - Open User Cube File window displays.
2. Browse to and select the SalesQuota.cbn user cube file you created in the Cube Editor.
3. Click Open.
The EPM Cube Manager - SalesQuota.cbn window displays.
4. On the Toolbar, in the Server field, verify localhost displays.
5. Accept the Port number of 33000.
6. From the Toolbar, click the Query server button (arrow in a green circle) to connect to the server.
The application verifies the EPM server and creates the connection. If the connection is successful, the name
of the server displays in the Epicor EPM Servers section.
7. In the Deployments section, click the Deploy a user cube on the Epicor EPM server, which deployments
are listed button (the cube icon with an arrow).
As a result, the cube deployment window displays. The cube deployment window design differs for various
ERP systems.
You can now set the processing parameters.
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Cube Deployment
Cube compilation creates the data structure and brings back data as a test, without writing it to the server. The
cube deployment executes the structure against the live database and permanently writes the data to the server.
You must deploy the data cubes before you can share them.
The Cube Manager application is intended for deploying and processing user cubes one cube at a time. When
a cube is processed, a static picture of the data is stored in the new cube. Cube processing prepares the cube
for loading and use in the Performance Canvas. If you anticipate building canvases on top of a cube, the cube
must have the Processed status.
The EPM Cube Manager - Deploy for <ERP system> window determines the parameters to use when writing
data to the structure of the user cube. Following is a review of each section of the Deploy for Epicor 10 window.
EPM Context - Processing Options

A cube is a replication of data in the database at the time of deployment. There are several ways to control how
data refreshes during processing which directly determines the length of the deployment process.
Data Source Rebuild Type - The selection you make in this field tells the data source (database, Excel®
spreadsheet, and so on) how to re-build the data itself. Options include:
• No Optimization - Use this option to consider the data for all financial years when processing the user cube.
In this case, during each subsequent user cube processing, EPM collects information for all the financial years
specified for deployment configuration to populate the user cube.
• Optimize by last fiscal year - Use this option to consider only the data for the last financial year when
processing the user cube. Use this option to save on processing time. In this case, during each subsequent
cube processing, EPM collects information only for the last financial year, among those specified for deployment
configuration, to populate the user cube.
• Only since Current Fiscal Year - Use this option to re-process data starting from the current fiscal year and
also process any years defined in the future.
OLAP Processing Type - You have just one default option on how to reconstruct the complexity of the
multi-dimensional cube data when the cube data refreshes:
• Data and Structure - The entire cube, both the data and the structure, refreshes. The SQL Server Analysis
Services cube structure is re-created every time you process the user cube instead of just loading data into
the existing structure. The cube structure, even if changed in the Business Intelligence Development Studio,
is reset to the structure from the user cube. The cube becomes a completely new cube.
EPM Context - Scheduling

You can deploy a user cube in the Cube Manager on demand or use a schedule to update the cube data on a
regular basis. Define how often you want to process the cube.
The first schedule option is cube processing frequency. The following values are available:
Value Description
Monthly In this case, the following two scheduling options are available:
• Day of Month. In this field, select the day of the month, when you want to process
your cube.
• Time of Day. In this field, specify the time of the day, when you want to process your
cube.
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Value Description
Weekly In this case, the following two scheduling options are available:
• Week Days. Click the week day name, select one or more days of the week when
you want to process your cube, and click Close.
• Time of Day. In this field, specify the time of the day when you want to process your
cube.
Daily In the Time of Day field, specify the time of the day, when you want to process your
cube.
Hourly Use this option for small cubes that can be quickly reprocessed (processing time should
be less than one hour).
On Standby Use this option to deploy a cube with no processing schedule. When the On Standby
option is selected, the cube can only be processed manually.
EPM Context - OLAP Isolation

You can deploy your cube separated into a single isolated fact and set of dimensions. Another option is to deploy
a cube so that it interacts with other deployed cubes. This second approach implies that dimensions are shared
between multiple cubes that are deployed separately within EPM Server.
• Standalone - Use this option to deploy your cube separately from other cubes.
• Shared Database - Use this option to enable dimension sharing.
EPM Context - OLAP Naming

Define how the deployment GUID for the cube is generated. When a cube is deployed, a unique deployment ID
is generated and appended to the name of the cube to ensure that multiple deployments of the same cube can
coexist on the same server. The following options are available:
• Globally Unique - Use this option to create the globally unique deployment ID. The globally unique deployment
ID is the identification of the deployment registration record in the Epicor EPM cube tracking database. This
deployment ID is used by the server.
• Cube Unique - Use this option to create the cube unique deployment ID. The cube unique deployment ID is
the cube ID, which uniquely identifies the specific user cube. When a new user cube is created with Cube
Editor and saved to file, a unique ID is generated and is stored for that cube.
• User Defined - Use this option to specify your own deployment ID for the cube. When you select this option,
a field displays where you must specify the cube deployment ID. The user-defined deployment ID is not
appended to the end of the cube name, rather, it is used as a cube deployment name.
Application Context - Report Currency

This field displays the list of currencies that are defined in all the companies selected for compilation.
All companies selected for compilation must share the same Report Currency; if they do not, you will not be able
to deploy the cube.
Application Context - Companies

By default, the Deploy against all companies check box is selected and the Cube Manager deploys the cube
against all the companies in the database. Clear this check box to be able to select specific companies.
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Application Context - Year

By default, the Deploy against all fiscal years check box is selected and the Cube Manager deploys the cube
against all the fiscal years. To pull data for specific fiscal years, clear the check box and select the specific year(s)
of choice.
User Cube Deployment Status

A user cube deployment passes through different statuses during its lifecycle. In the Epicor EPM Server Management
Console, when you select the Deployed User Cubes node, status information displays in the list of cubes as
the user cube is processing.
User Cube Deployment Status Definitions

The list of statuses in order of a user cube deployment lifecycle is listed in the following table.
Status Description
In Registration The user cube is put into the server’s memory queue for deployment registration. This
Queue status is very brief and will not be seen except on very heavily loaded servers.
Transient The user cube is still in the registration queue but now being written to the EPM tracking
database. This status is very brief and will not be seen except on very heavily loaded
servers.
Rejected There was an unrecoverable fault in the registration process that prevents further
movement along the deployment’s lifecycle.
Registered The user cube file has been sent to the server. The server is validating the file now.
Deploying The user cube file is being translated into an SSAS cube and that cube is being deployed
to SQL server analysis services. Also a processing schedule task is being created as a SQL
agent task.
Failed Deployment There was an unrecoverable fault during deployment; that is, during the transition from
Deploying to Deployed status. For example, the user cube was designed incorrectly and
the user cube compiler could not compile the user cube.
Deployed The SSAS cube is online and the processing schedule is in place; however, the cube
contains no data.
Processing The data mart is populating with data and the SSAS cube is being refreshed. First an ETL
process pulls data from the source system, then the SQL server cube processing actions
are called to actually update the cube.
Interrupted The ETL or OLAP Processing (transition from Processing to Processed status) was
interrupted in such a way that it could not signal with an error status (which can be
Failed Processing). For example, an unexpected server shutdown (power down) happened
or the Windows process hosting this operation is killed. This status can be as well assigned
if the server was restarted while the cube was processing, or the process was manually
stopped, or SQL became unavailable in case you are processing a lot of data which leads
to SSAS to become overwhelmed, and so on.
This status does not, however, indicate that anything went wrong with processing. If
processing failed the cube deployment would be in the Failed status instead.
Failed Processing There was an unrecoverable fault during ETL or OLAP Processing (transition from
Processing to Processed status). For example, if the user cube tries to access a non-existing
source database object (database incompatibility) and the SQL script fails.
Processed The user cube was processed at least once and the last processing was a success. SSAS
cube data is up-to-date and can be used for analysis.
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Status Description
Failed Removal The deployment was marked for deletion but the server could not delete it. This is
uncommon. It may be caused by corruption on the server, human intervention, or by
other reasons. The Epicor EPM server will continuously try to remove the cube until
success.
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Workshop - Deploy a Cube

The configuration choices tell EPM how to pull the data to build the structure of the cube and fill it with data.
The Deployment can be refined or scheduled to save processing time.
1. On the EPM Cube Manager - Deploy for Epicor 10 screen, in the Application Context section, verify
the Deploy against all companies check box is selected.
2. Verify the Deploy against all fiscal years check box is selected.
3. In the Report Currency field, verify a currency name displays.
4. From the Toolbar, click the Deploy Cube button to begin the deployment process.
5. To the Deployment request has been submitted message, click OK.
6. In the Deployments section, track the cube deployment status. Click the Reload deployments from the
selected server button to refresh the deployment status.
The status changes from registered to deploying, then to deployed at the successful completion of the process.
A Deployment was successful message displays when the entire deployment process is complete.
If the error Failed Deployment displays, right-click the cube and select Status. The error message is helpful in
troubleshooting the failed deployment.
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EPM Content Pack Editor
Use the EPM Content Pack Editor to create content packs. A content pack is a set of user cubes with one or more
canvases for each cube. These content packs are then deployed by means of the EPM Content Pack Deployer
application.
Use EPM Content Pack Editor to perform the following tasks:
• Create a new EPM content pack or edit an existing one.
• View and modify the structure of the EPM content pack.
• View and edit the EPM content pack properties.
• Save the EPM content pack with another name.
Workshop - Create a Content Pack

A Content Pack consists of a collection of user cubes and one or more canvases lined to each cube. You can
create your own content pack for deployment based on your corporate requirements.
To build a content pack, perform the following steps:
1. Create a new empty content pack.
2. Add a user cube or cubes to the content pack.
3. Add one or more canvases to each of the user cubes, in order to view the user cube deployment.
Create a New Empty Content Pack and Populate It

Content Pack files are a collection of cubes and canvases ready for use by your team. When a new content pack
is created off a cube, a default performance Canvas is assumed. You will not create a default canvas in the
following example; rather, you will add an existing canvas to the new SalesQuota content pack.
1. Use the following path to navigate to the Content Pack Editor.

Start > All Programs > Epicor Software > Epicor Enterprise Performance Management > EPM
Content Pack Editor
2. From the File menu, select New or click the Create New EPM Content Pack button on the toolbar.
3. To the warning message, click Yes.
4. In the EPM Content Pack pane, click My EPM Content Pack.
5. On the EPM Content Pack Editor - My EPM Content Pack - Content Pack Properties screen, in the
Name field, specify the content pack name. For example, SalesQuota.
6. In the Description field, specify the content pack description.
7. In the EPM Content Pack pane, right-click the User Cube Deployments node and select Add - From File
to add a cube to the EPM content pack.
8. Browse to Documents \ My Analysis and select the SalesQuota.cbn user cube file.
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9. Click Open.
When the cube opens, the cube node in the EPM Content Pack pane expands automatically. Notice, a
Default Canvas for SalesQuota node displays under the cube node. You can also create your own canvases
to add to the Content Package.
10. Right-click the EPM Performance Canvas node underneath the user cube for which you want to add a
canvas and select +1 Add Canvas.
11. On the EPM Content Pack Editor - Select Canvas screen, in the Server URL field, specify the URL of the
Performance Canvas server where the canvases are stored and the port number.
For example, enter http://localhost:89.
12. Click the Refresh button to refresh the list of canvases on this server.
13. Select a canvas and click Select.

For example, browse for and select the Ordered Quote View (Quote Analysis) Performance Canvas.
Add a Cross User Cube Canvas

The Epicor EPM Performance Canvas dashboards can present data across cubes. This means gems and slicers can
be built from more than one cube within a Content Pack. Although the canvas is created and built using the
Epicor EPM Performance Canvas, perform the following steps to add a cross user cube canvas to a Content Pack
package structure using the EPM Content Pack Editor.
Note
You must define the mapping for all the user cubes in the cross user cube canvas; otherwise, you will not
be able to save and deploy the content pack.
1. In the EPM Content Pack section, right-click the Cross User Cube Canvas node and select Add Canvas.
2. In the EPM Content Pack Editor - Select Canvas dialog box, in the Server URL field, specify the URL of
the Performance Canvas server, where the canvases are stored.
For example, enter http://localhost:89.
3. Click the Refresh button to refresh the list of canvases on this server.
4. Select a canvas for the cube.

If you work with Epicor ERP, you can select the MM1.POM.01.POBuyers cross user cube canvas included
in the Material Management content pack.
5. Click the Select button to select the canvas.

The canvas displays in the EPM Content Pack section under the Cross User Cube Canvas node.
6. Click the canvas.

Notice, the following cross user cube canvas properties display in the right pane.
• Data Source - This field displays the GUID of the live cube on the server, which is a cube within a cross
user cube canvas. A user cube from the content pack is mapped to this cube.
• User Cube - This drop-down list is used to map the cube in the cross user cube canvas and the cube in
the content pack.
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• Cube UUID - This field displays the GUID of the cube selected in the User Cube field.
• Cube Container - This field displays the cube container GUID. It is a technical information.
Now you need to map the user cube in the cross user cube canvas to a user cube in the content pack.
7. In the right pane, in the User Cube field, select the user cube in the content pack you want to map to the
user cube in the cross user cube canvas, the name of which displays in the Data Source field.
After you add the cross user cube canvas you can proceed with content pack creation.
Save the Content Pack
1. After you add all the user cubes and canvases to your content pack, on the toolbar, click either the Save
EPM Content Pack File button.
You can alternatively click the Save EPM Content Pack File As button.
2. Browse to the Documents \ My Analysis folder.

The My Analysis folder is the default repository for all content packs and cubes.
3. In the File name field, enter the content pack file name.
For example, enter SalesQuota.
4. Click Save.
The Content Pack is saved with the .bpk file extension.
The new Content Pack is now defined and saved to file. Use the EPM Content Pack Deployer application to deploy
the new content pack for your team.
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EPM Content Pack Deployer
Use the EPM Content Pack Deployer to deploy EPM content packs created by means of the EPM Content Pack
Editor application.
The Content Pack Deployer is a wizard that walks you through the content pack deployment process. Use this
application to perform the following tasks:
• Deploy EPM content packs.
During EPM content pack deployment, you can:
• View the structure of the content pack being deployed.
• Specify the EPM server parameters for the content pack deployment.
• Create the deployment context for the cubes in the content pack.
• Optionally process the deployed content pack.
• Track deployment and processing progress.
• Re-deploy EPM content packs

You can deploy an additional copy of a content pack that was already deployed on the same server before.
• Upgrade the deployed EPM content packs
During upgrade of the existing deployed content pack you can:
• Replace the existing deployment with a completely new one.
• Merge the new content pack deployment into the existing deployment.
Deployment is required to share a customized or pre-defined content pack among team members. At deployment,
the contents of the new pack are passed over to the EPM server, canvases are connected to the Performance
Canvas server and all the details are made available to the EPM Server in live data mode.
Workshop - Deploy and Process a Content Pack

Cubes within a Content Pack must be deployed and then processed in order to become available in the Performance
Canvas application.
The Content Pack Deployer provides the option to process cubes as part of the Content Pack deployment process.
Select the Process pack cubes after deployment option to start processing the cubes in the content pack
immediately after deployment.
The cube processing may take several minutes or even several hours, depending on the cube complexity and
data source size.
If you do not select to process the cubes after deployment, you can use EPM Cube Manager or EPM Server
Management Console to process the cubes later. The cube deployment process is described in the Workshop -
Deploy a Cube.
This section describes the steps required to deploy an EPM Content Pack.
1. Navigate to the Content Pack Deployer using the following path: Start > All Programs > Epicor Software
> Epicor Enterprise Performance Management > EPM Content Pack Deployer.
2. In the Specify the Target EPM Server where the pack will be deployed field, specify the physical name
of the host - Epicor EPM server. EPM Content Pack Deployer uses this host name to access the server.
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For example, accept the default value or enter localhost.
3. Click Next.
EPM Content Pack Deployer pings the Epicor EPM Server. If it does not respond, the error message displays.
If the EPM server responds, the Target Performance Canvas Server screen displays.
4. Select the Deploy EPM Performance Canvas Dashboards check box to create the Performance Canvas
visualizations for the EPM content pack.
If this check box is cleared, no Performance Canvas visualizations will be created for the EPM content pack
during deployment. In this case, deployment of the cubes included in the EPM content pack is done as if
the cubes are deployed by means of the EPM Cube Manager or EPM Server Management Console.
The Deploy EPM Performance Canvas Dashboards option is enabled by default.
5. In the Specify the Performance Canvas Server URL where Dashboards will be deployed field, enter
the URL of the web server where Performance Canvas is installed and the port number.
Use the <server name>:<port number> format.
For example, accept the default value or enter http://localhost:89/.
6. In the Specify the XMLA Web Service URL to which Performance Canvas will connect to retrieve
cube data field, type the URL of the XMLA web service which is installed on IIS and to which Performance
Canvas connects to retrieve the cube data.
Use the <server name>:<port number> format. The default XMLA web service port number is 8064. By
default, this field displays the last used URL.
For example, accept the default value or enter http://localhost:8064/.
7. Click Next.
EPM Content Pack Deployer pings the Performance Canvas server and XMLA web service. If both of these
objects respond, the Select Content Pack screen displays.
8. Click the Browse button.
9. In the Select EPM Content Pack dialog, navigate to Documents > MyAnalysis.
10. Select the content pack to deploy.

For example, select SalesQuota.bpk.
11. Click Open.

EPM Content Pack Deployer loads the content pack file and checks if this content pack was deployed on
this server before. The Select the content pack to be deployed field displays the content pack you selected.
12. Review the content pack properties, structure and contents.

This information is taken from the EPM content pack Properties and Structure sections and is read-only. For
details refer to the description of the corresponding sections in EPM Content Pack Editor help.
13. Review the message at the bottom of the Select Content Pack screen.
The No already deployed versions of the pack found. message displays, because this content pack was
never deployed on this machine before.
If a content pack was already deployed on the same server, the Found already deployed versions of the
pack. message displays at the bottom of the Select Content Pack screen.
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14. Click Next.
The Application Context screen displays. Remain on this screen. The next workshop helps define the required
settings.
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Workshop - Create Deployment Context

Creating a Deployment Context is similar to creating deployment parameters specific to the cube, or cubes, in
the content pac. You can then assign deployment contexts to the user cubes in EPM content pack. Context
definition is required for each cube in the new content pack.
1. On the EPM Content Pack Deployer - Deployment Context - <Content pack filename> screen, in the
Sandbox for Deployment Contexts pane, right-click Epicor 10.
This is the name of the ERP system for which to add a deployment context.
The Sandbox for Deployment Contexts pane lists the deployment contexts created thus far for each
available ERP system.
2. Select +1 Add Context.
3. On the Create Epicor 10 Context screen, specify the deployment parameters.

The Create <ERP system> Context screen design differs for various ERP systems.
The screen is similar to the Cube Manager’s cube deployment window.
4. Clear the Deploy against all companies check box.

To deploy against selected companies, clear this check box and select specific companies.
5. Select the Epic03 check box.

Verify the check boxes for all other companies are cleared.

To deploy against specific years, clear this check box and select the specific years.
7. Select the 2007 and 2008 check boxes.

Verify the check boxes for all other fiscal years are cleared.
8. Accept the default name of Context 1.
9. On the toolbar, click the Create context button (blue cube with a green arrow) to create the deployment
context.
10. To the Context has been created successfully message, click OK.
11. Notice the created deployment context displays under the corresponding ERP system in the Sandbox for
Deployment Contexts pane.
Now, assign the context to a cube.
Note
• You can assign the same context to several user cube deployments.
• Each user cube deployment can have only one context. Each cube must have context attached
before deployment.
• A context can be assigned only to a user cube created for the same ERP system as the context.
12. In the User Cube Deployments pane, in the first row, click in the Context column.
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13. Notice, default deployment context is available in the list of contexts for each of the Standard cubes from
Content Packs. You can modify these contexts or use them as they are.
14. In the list, select Epicor 10 Context 1.

Epicor 10 Context 1 displays in the Context column in the User Cube Deployments pane.
When you have several cubes in your content pack, assign contexts to all the user cubes in the User Cube
Deployments pane.
15. Click Next.

The status bar displays Processing and returns Processed when the context definition is created.
Process a Content Pack

As with cube deployment, a content pack must be processed in order to become available in the Performance
Canvas application. Select one of the following options in the Deployment screen to deploy and process the
pack:
• Yes. Process the cubes now. Select this option to start the cube processing. Cube processing can take
several minutes or even several hours, depending on the cube complexity and data source size.
• No. Do not process the cubes now. Select this option to finish work of the deployment wizard. In this case,
you can use Epicor EPM Cube Manager or the EPM Server Management Console to process the cubes at a
later time. The cubes will automatically be processed using the schedule set up in the context assigned to
each deployment.
If you select this option, you must flush the Performance Canvas cache manually after the cubes are processed.
1. In the Action screen, select Yes. Process the cubes now.
2. Click Next.
3. In the Deployment screen, click Deploy and process to start processing the cubes.
In the bottom pane, the completion status for each cube displays. During processing, the processing progress
also displays in the bottom of the wizard screen.
4. To the All cube deployments have been processed successfully message, click OK.
The Finish screen displays when deployment is complete.
5. Exit EPM Content Pack Deployer when the processing is complete.
Note
After successful completion of the wizard, wait several minutes before starting Performance Canvas;
otherwise, Performance Canvas malfunction may occur.
Epicor ERP | 10.2.600 97

Workshop - Manage Content Pack Deployments

In the EPM Content Pack Deployer you can configure a content pack that is already deployed.
1. Navigate to the Content Pack Deployer using the following path: Start > All Programs > Epicor Software
> Epicor Enterprise Performance Management > EPM Content Pack Deployer.
2. On the Select Working Option screen, select the Manage EPM content packs already deployed option.
3. Click Next.
4. In the Select EPM Content Packs window, select the content pack or packs to manage.
5. Click Open.
6. On the Target Epicor EPM Server screen, specify the required parameters.
• In the Specify the target Epicor EPM server where to deploy the pack field, specify the physical
name of the host (Epicor EPM server) on which the EPM content packs you want to manage were
deployed. The EPM Content Pack Deployer application uses this host name together with the port number
to access the server.
• Select the I also know the TCP port number of the above specified Epicor EPM server check box
if you know the number of the port the target Epicor EPM server uses. A field displays below this check
box where you can specify the port number. Clear this check box if you do not know the number of the
port the target Epicor EPM server uses. In this case, EPM Content Pack Deployer polls all the ports to find
the required port.
7. Click Next.
8. On the Manage Pack Deployments screen, view all the deployments of the selected EPM content pack
on the selected EPM server.
In this screen, you can view the EPM Content Pack deployment details and status details, as well as remove
the selected EPM Content Pack deployment.
The Manage Pack Deployments screen looks as follows:
• The Deployment ID column displays the unique EPM content pack deployment identifier which the
application assigns.
• The Pack Name column displays the EPM content pack name. This value is assigned in the EPM Content
Pack Editor application in the Name field of the EPM Content Pack Properties section.
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• The Pack ID column displays the EPM content pack unique identifier. The application assigns this value
when the content pack is created. The Pack ID value is the same as the value that displays in the UUID
field of the EPM Content Pack Properties section in the EPM Content Pack Editor.
• The Status field displays the current status of the EPM content pack deployment.
• The Status Time field displays the date and time when the current status was assigned to the selected
content pack deployment.
9. Right-click an EPM content pack deployment and select Status Details to view the status details.
10. On the Poll Pack Status screen, review the following information:
• The Status Server Time field displays the date and time when the current status was assigned to the
selected content pack deployment.
• The Status field displays the current status of the EPM content pack together with the status description.
• The Problem Details field displays detailed information if any errors occurred during the content pack
deployment.
11. After you view the status details, either click Close on the Poll Pack Status screen toolbar or close the screen.
12. On the Manage Pack Deployments screen, right-click an EPM content pack deployment and select
Properties to view the content pack deployment details.
13. On the EPM Content Pack Properties screen, review the EPM content pack properties and structure.
Information on the EPM Content Pack properties is taken from the EPM content pack’s Properties and
Structure sections.
14. After you view the content pack details, either click Close on the EPM Content Pack Properties screen toolbar
or close the screen.
15. On the Manage Pack Deployments screen, click Exit or close the screen.
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View EPM Cubes in EPM Performance Canvas Epicor EPM Server and Cube Connect
View EPM Cubes in EPM Performance Canvas
The Epicor Enterprise Performance Management Performance Canvas (Performance Canvas) is web-based visual
medium for Content Packs. Each Content Pack includes pre-defined canvases, gems, and slicers specific to the
Epicor product line of business. Gems and slicers are performance analysis objects that rely on the OLAP cubes.
A canvas is an informational dashboard that visually displays metrics to analyze the state of your business. The
data source behind the cube displays on the canvas as charts or tables that use dimensions to strategically filter
information.
Use the Performance Canvas to perform a wide range of analytical tasks without in-depth knowledge of Online
Analytical Processing (OLAP), Cubes, Measures, Dimensions, and other business intelligence concepts. In the
Performance Canvas Designer, you can create, visualize, and display information maintained in pre-defined or
customized packaged OLAP cubes in the EPM suite of products.
®
After you design a canvas, you can publish it to a SharePoint site or a mobile device such as an iPhone™ or
BlackBerry™ .
The Performance Canvas is available as a standalone, web-based dashboard tool that uses datasources such as
SQL Server Analysis Server cubes and similar OLAP compliant datasources. The Canvas client is a web-based
application accessible by any web browser.
The Performance Canvas can become an integrated Web Part type available for use directly on a SharePoint page
®
or site through the use of a Microsoft SharePoint connector.
Epicor Mobile EPM allows all canvases to be deployed to mobile devices for wireless access on the go.
For more information on how to view cubes in Performance Canvas, refer to the Performance Canvas application
help and EPM Performance Canvas course.
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Epicor EPM Server and Cube Connect Viewing EPM Cubes in External Systems
Viewing EPM Cubes in External Systems
The Epicor Enterprise Performance Management (EPM) suite of business intelligence products is fully integrated
with Microsoft Windows. The cubes built in the EPM Cube Editor product can be viewed in several external
systems.
You can use Microsoft® SQL Server® Management Studio (Studio) to establish a SQL Server Analysis connection
to an Epicor EPM data cube. Once connected, you can view the entire contents of the cube in a pivot style format.
Processed user cubes and off-line cubes can also be viewed in Microsoft® Excel.
Microsoft SQL Server Analysis Services®
You can use Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio® to view and edit the cubes deployed on the EPM server.
Microsoft SQL Server Analysis Services® (SSAS) is a middle-tier server for online analytical processing and data
mining. The Analysis Services system includes a server that manages multi-dimensional cubes of data for analysis
and provides rapid client access to cube information. Analysis Services organizes data from a data warehouse
into cubes with pre-calculated aggregation data to provide rapid answers to complex analytical queries.
Workshop - View a Cube in Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio

To view a user cube in SSAS, first connect to an SQL Server. Then, browse the cube.
1. Run SQL Server Management Studio. From the Start menu, select Programs > Microsoft SQL Server 2012
> SQL Server Management Studio.
The following example uses Microsoft SQL Server 2012 as a reference for the path definitions. Check with
your system administrator for the specific details at your location.
2. In the Connect to Server window, in the Server Type field, select Analysis Services.
3. In the Sever name field, accept the default value.

If no default value is shown, enter the name of the local SQL Server 2012 instance. That could be just
localhost or it could be something like localhost/SQL2012 for a named instance.
4. Click Connect.
5. In the Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio, in the Object Explorer pane, expand the Databases
node.
The list of available databases displays.
6. Expand the Sales Quota > Cubes node.
7. Right-click the cube name, select Browse.

The Microsoft SQL Management Studio Analysis window displays the Measure Group and Dimension
panes.
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Viewing EPM Cubes in External Systems Epicor EPM Server and Cube Connect
After you open a cube, you can view Measures and Dimensions of the cube. You view hierarchies to determine
the values to display in custom cubes. Drag and drop measures into the pivot table style layout of the SQL Server
Management Studio analysis window.
For information on how to use SQL Server Management Studio refer to the Application Help for Microsoft SQL
Server.
Microsoft Office Excel®
You can use most versions of Microsoft Excel to view processed user cubes and off-line cubes.
Multidimensional cubes display as pivot tables inside Microsoft's popular Excel spreadsheet program. Each version
of Excel handles external data connections differently. The steps that follow are unique to Microsoft Excel 2007.
Workshop - Establish SQL Analysis Connection in Excel

To view a user cube in Microsoft Excel, first establish a SQL Analysis Connection in Excel.
1. Launch Microsoft Excel.
2. From the Data menu, select From Other Sources > From Analysis Services.
The Data Connection Wizard displays.
3. In the Server name field, enter http://<ServerName>:8064.

This way you connect to Analysis Services through the XMLA Web Service. The XMLA Web Service installer
currently shipped with EPM installs to this location.
4. Click Next.
The Select Database and Table window displays.
5. Select a cube, for example dspDemoSales.
6. Click Next.
7. In the Save Data Connection File and Finish window, accept the defaults and click Finish.
8. In the Input Data window, ensure the Pivot Table Report option is selected.
9. Click OK.
The selected cube data details are now available to work with as an Excel Pivot Table.
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Epicor EPM Server and Cube Connect Viewing EPM Cubes in External Systems
Workshop - View a Cube in Excel

After you have established a SQL Analysis Connection in Excel®, complete the following steps to view a processed
user cube data details in Excel. dspDemoSales cube is used in this example.
1. From the Pivot Table Field List, drag the Geography Hierarchy and drop it into the Column Labels
pane.
The Geography element populates as column headings in the pivot table.
2. From the Pivot Table Field List, drag the Customer Group Name Hierarchy and drop it into the Row
Labels pane.
The Customer Group Name entries populate as rows in the pivot table.
3. In the Pivot Table Field List, expand Basic Measures.
4. Drag the Actual and Plan measures into the Values Window pane.
Column headings and values populate the pivot table.
Continue to manipulate the data in Excel. For details on working with pivot tables, refer to Microsoft Excel Help.
Note
When information is updated in the database, it is not automatically updated in the cube representation
in Excel. To update information in Excel, in the Data menu, select Refresh Data.
Epicor ERP | 10.2.600 103

Conclusion Epicor EPM Server and Cube Connect
Conclusion
Congratulations! You have completed the Epicor EPM Server and Cube Connect course.
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Additional information is available at the Education and
Documentation areas of the EPICweb Customer Portal. To access
this site, you need a Site ID and an EPICweb account. To create an
account, go to http://support.epicor.com.

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Epicor ERP

Epicor EPM Server and Cube

Epicor ERP | 10.2.600 3

Creating New Glossary....................................................................................................................47

4 Epicor ERP | 10.2.600

Viewing EPM Cubes in External Systems..........................................................................101

Epicor ERP | 10.2.600 5

Epicor EPM Server and Cube Connect Course

6 Epicor ERP | 10.2.600

Before You Begin

Specific audiences will benefit from this course.

Epicor ERP | 10.2.600 7

2. In the Current Password field, enter manager.

4. In the Confirm new password field, re-enter the same password.

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4. From the Main menu, select the Main site.

Epicor Cloud ERP Specific Information

Epicor ERP | 10.2.600 9

EPM Component Explanation

Component What is it?

10 Epicor ERP | 10.2.600

Component What is it?

Item What is it?

Software Installation Requirement

Epicor ERP | 10.2.600 11

• MS .NET® Framework version 2.0 (required for XMLA web service)

Requirements for Database and Replication:

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Epicor EPM Server Management Console

Workshop - View the EPM Server Management Console Window

The Console window consists of three panes:

Epicor ERP | 10.2.600 13

3. Expand Epicor 10 > ERP10.

4. In the Console tree, expand the Deployed User Cubes node.

5. In the Console tree, expand the EPM Content Packs node.

Epicor EPM Server

Epicor EPM Server in EPM Analysis Infrastructure

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EPM Server Management Console

Cube Connect Tools

Epicor ERP | 10.2.600 15

EPM Glossary Designer and EPM Glossary

Epicor EPM Performance Canvas

16 Epicor ERP | 10.2.600

Epicor ERP | 10.2.600 17

Workshop - Add a New User Account

1. In the Console tree, expand the Epicor EPM Server node.

2. Expand the Security node.

3. Click the Users node.

6. Click OK to add the user, or click Cancel to cancel the operation.

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Workshop - Import a Content Pack License File

2. Select the License node.

Epicor ERP | 10.2.600 19

ERP System Node

User Cube Management

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Cube's life cycle

Cube Deployment Parameters

Rebuild Type Description