Data Applications → Install and configure BlackLine for on-premises

BlackLine is a market-leading provider of cloud software that automates and controls financial close and accounting processes.

The Incorta BlackLine data application provides a faster, more genuine, and more practical option for analyzing and understanding your financial data.

Using the Incorta BlackLine data application and data destination, you will have the edge to quickly ingest and integrate data using Oracle E-Business Suite (EBS). Integrating Oracle EBS with BlackLine with packaged data templates for BlackLine Account Reconciliations will replace any manual processes and custom code, it will also refresh the data incrementally from the data source more frequently.

Through the Incorta BlackLine data application, you will have a consistent, single version of detailed data pulled up from multiple data sources. You can also drill down from summarized to detailed data.

Move your data from Incorta to BlackLine

Here are the steps to move your data from Incorta to your BlackLine secure FTP location:

• Install Python verion 3.9. For more information, refer to How to install Python3.9 on CentOS.
• Move the scripts from Sandbox folder, located at <INCORTA_INSTALLATION_PATH>/<script_folder>, to production under <INCORTA_INSTALLATION_PATH>
• Setup virtual environment for Python using this command: python3.9 -m venv <INCORTA_INSTALLATION_PATH>/<script_folder>
• Install the following packages:
  • python3.9 -m pip install requests
  • python3.9 -m pip install jproperties
  • python3.9 -m pip install -U setuptools
  • python3.9 -m pip install pysftp
• Verify SFTP server password less connectivity, using the sftp command. For example, sftp <ftp_user@ftp_host>.
• Verify the destination directory in the SFTP Server, for example, /nonprod/Incorta for Sandbox
• Verify that the PROD server is able to send emails using this command: echo "hello" | mail -s "Test Subject" -r <sender_email> <recipient_email>
  Note

  Make sure you replace <sender_email> and <recipient_email> with appropriate valid emails.

• Update parameter.properties file as required
• Setup cron jobs to run the python script once every 3 hours

Update parameter.properties file

You must add several parameters to the parameter.properties file located at <INCORTA_INSTALLATION_PATH>/<script_folder> to configure different information.

Configure login information

• Update the login details with the following:

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INCORTA_URL= <your_Incorta_production_URL>
TENANT= <Production_Tenant_Name>
USER= <user_name>
PASSWORD= <encoded_password>

• To set the encoded password, run the following command in the command line: echo -n <password> | base64.

Configure Incorta content information and dashboard parameters

• Update the content information such as Dashboard GUIDs and Insight GUIDs as follows:

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DASHBOARD_GUID= <Dashboard GUID> //for example: aa70fb6c-8fc6-45c6-8b98-f96e9d96264c
INSIGHT_IDS= <Insight_GUID> //for example: b6d00d21-b654-444f-bc39-75338e6a5026
INSIGHT_FILENAME= <GLAccounts_Incorta>
DASHBOARD_QUERY= <The_same_as_in_Sandbox>

Configure FTP details

• Update the FTP details as follows:

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FTP_HOST= <your_ftp_host_URL>
FTP_DIR= <your_ftp_folder/directory> // for example: /incorta
FTP_USER= <ftp_username>
FTP_PASSWORD= <ftp_password>

Configure and verify email and notifications

Update the email notification details with the following:

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EMAIL_SENDER= <sender_email> //example: jane.doe@example.com
EMAIL_RECIPIENT= <recipient_email> //example: john.doe@example.com (Multiple recipients is separated by a white space)
EMAIL_SUBJECT= <email-subject> //example: Sandbox Export Automation Script

Install the Incorta BlackLine data application

To install Incorta BlackLine data application, please contact Incorta Support to provide you with you the required files.

BL_EBS_GL schema Schema Diagram

Available physical schemas and tables

The following describes the different schemas available in the data application and the usage for each table, along with its description and refresh mechanism:

Available views in the BlackLineDM business schema

The following describes the different view available in the BlackLine DM business schema and the usage for each view along with its description:

Available dashboards

The following describes the different dashboards available in the BlackLine data application and the usage for each dashboard along with its description:

Mandatory Configurations

Incorta requires you to configure several tables before using the BlackLine Reconciliation for Oracle Oracle E-Business Suite data application. These configurations aim to adapt the default logic implemented in the tables to your business logic.

In the BL_EBS_GL schema, edit the following tables using SQL.

XX_GL_CODE_COMBINATIONS

Edit the table to update the segments for each of the charts of accounts you want to bring to BlackLine using Incorta. Currently, the following is the default behavior:

• Chart of accounts ID is 101, and account is mapped to segment 3
• Inter company affiliate is mapped to segment 5
• Line of business (LOB) is mapped to segment 2

Refer to additional configurations for a sample SQL and more information.

Mv_Active_Account

Edit the table to reflect whether an account is active or not. Currently, the default behavior states that if an account is enabled, then the account is active.

If the account is disabled and its status changes in the current time frame, then the active account remains inactive.

Mv_Account_Activity_in_Period

Edit this table to determine if an account is active for a given period of time. Currently, the default behavior states that if there is a period_net_balance of 0, then there is no activity in the current period. Any other value indicates activity in this period.

BlackLine additional configuration

If you need to enable additional navigation from BlackLine to Incorta to examine GL Journal details and sub-ledger drills. To achieve that, apply the following steps:

• Use these schemas to create the joins in the following step:

  • EBS_AP
  • EBS_AR
  • EBS_INV
  • EBS_FA
  • EBS_ITEM_COMMON
  • EBS_PARTY_COMMON
  • EBS_HR_COMMON
  • EBS_PARTY_COMMON
  • EBA_XLA
  • EBS_XLA_MV

• Create the following joins from the XLA_MV schema:

• In your BlackLine environment, do the following:

  • Download Group Accounts template from BlackLine (for all periods)
  • Go to reporting
  • Run the Account Template report
  • Select All Periods, then GL and Group Accounts
  • When the report complete, download it in a CSV format

• Upload the file you downloaded in Incorta. [[note | Note]] | For more information on how to upload the file, refer to Connectors → Data Files.

• Load your data using full load mode

To maintain your data and keep it up-to-date, you must apply the following steps regularly:

• In your BlackLine environment:
  • Download the Group Accounts template from BlackLine (for all current and previous periods only)
  • Go to reporting
  • Run the Account Template report
  • Select All Periods, then GL and Group Accounts
  • When the report complete, download it in a CSV format
• Upload the file you downloaded in Incorta replacing the existing one

Drill-down configurations in BlackLine

In your BlackLine environment, go to ERP Drill Down settings and apply the following step:

• Add a drill down “Oracle GL Detail BL Accounts” using the following URL:

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https://<your_incorta_ip_address>/incorta/#/dashboard/<your_GL_Journal_Details_dashboard_path>/params?filters=[{ "field": "BlackLineDM.AccountGroups.Entity_with_plus", "operator": "IN", "values": ["[BL-Seg1]”] },{ "field": "BlackLineDM.AccountGroups.ACCOUNT", "operator": "IN", "values": ["[BL-Seg2]”] },{ "field": "BlackLineDM.Accounts.SEGMENT3", "operator": "IN", "values": ["[BL-Seg3]"]},{ "field": "BL_EBS_GL.Mv_GL_Balances.LEDGER_ID”, "operator": "IN", "values": ["[BL-Seg4]"] },{ "field": "BlackLineDM.AccountGroups.LOB", "operator": "IN", "values": [“[BL-Seg5]"] }]&merge-filters=true

• Add a drill down “Oracle GL Detail BL Group” using the following URL:

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https://<your_incorta_ip_address>/incorta/#/dashboard/<your_GL_Journal_Details_dashboard_path>/params?filters=[{ "field": "BlackLineDM.AccountGroups.Entity_with_plus", "operator": "IN", "values": ["[BL-Seg1]”] },{ "field": "BlackLineDM.AccountGroups.Group_Account_with_plus", "operator": "IN", "values": ["[BL-Seg2]”] },{ "field": "BlackLineDM.Accounts.END_DATE”, "operator": "IN", "values": [“[BL-PeriodEnd]”] }]&merge-filters=true

Additional configurations

SQL example for XX_GL_CODE_COMBINATIONS table in BL_EBS_GL schema

In the following SQL example, assume having three chart of accounts pre-seeded and have the segments for each key hardcoded. You can add additional chart of accounts and map the keys to the right segments. In this example, you also have the following:

• the logic for inclusions and exclusions
• all the keys for Blackline are harmonized across multiple chart of accounts needed for Blackline.
• the logic for key 5 (LOB) - conditional display of the 5th key (Optional configuration)

Steps to edit the configuration

• Select the needed BlackLine keys
• Harmonize across all chart of accounts
• Apply any inclusion, exclusion logic, and any special conditional logic needed

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SELECT
    gcc.code_combination_id,
    gcc.chart_of_accounts_id,
    Gledger.LEDGER_ID,
    gcc.segment1 company,
    -- it is SEGMENT1 for all chart of accounts
    CASE
        WHEN gcc.chart_of_accounts_id = 101 THEN gcc.segment3
        WHEN gcc.chart_of_accounts_id = 50408 THEN gcc.segment3 || '.' || gcc.segment4
        WHEN gcc.chart_of_accounts_id = 50688 THEN gcc.segment6
        ELSE ''
    END account,
    --Reuse EBS_FIN_COMMON.GL_ACCOUNT_SEG Description
    CASE
        WHEN gcc.chart_of_accounts_id = 101 THEN gcc.segment5
        WHEN gcc.chart_of_accounts_id = 50408 THEN gcc.segment6
        WHEN gcc.chart_of_accounts_id = 50688 THEN gcc.segment7
        ELSE ''
    END ic_affiliate,
    --I/C Affiliate
    '' ledger,
    -- Ledger will be sourced from GL_BALANCES.LEDGER_ID
    lob_eligible.segment2 lob,
    -- lob
    CASE
        WHEN gcc.chart_of_accounts_id = 101 THEN gcc.segment3
        WHEN gcc.chart_of_accounts_id = 50408 THEN gcc.segment3
        WHEN gcc.chart_of_accounts_id = 50688 THEN gcc.segment6
        ELSE ''
    END account_reference,
    gcc.enabled_flag,
    Nvl(gcc.end_date_active, gcc.last_update_date) status_change_date,
    To_number(
        To_char(
            Nvl(gcc.end_date_active, gcc.last_update_date),
            'YYYYMMDD'
        )
    ) status_change_dt_wid,
    To_number(
        To_char(
            Nvl(gcc.end_date_active, gcc.last_update_date),
            'YYYYMM'
        )
    ) status_change_month_wid
FROM
    apps.gl_code_combinations gcc
    left outer join (
        SELECT
            DISTINCT glcc.code_combination_id,
            glcc.segment1,
            glcc.segment6,
            glcc.segment2
        FROM
            apps.gl_code_combinations glcc,
            apps.fnd_lookup_values flv
        WHERE
            1 = 1
            AND glcc.chart_of_accounts_id = 50688
            AND Trunc(SYSDATE) BETWEEN Trunc(Nvl(flv.start_date_active, SYSDATE))
            AND Trunc(
                Nvl(flv.end_date_active, SYSDATE)
            )
            AND flv.enabled_flag = 'Y'
            AND flv.LANGUAGE = 'US' --Userenv('lang')
            AND flv.lookup_type = 'XXSG_BLACKLINE_LOB_LKP'
            AND (
                (
                    flv.attribute2 = glcc.segment6
                    AND flv.attribute1 = glcc.segment1
                )
                OR (
                    flv.attribute2 IS NULL
                    AND flv.attribute1 = glcc.segment1
                )
                OR (
                    flv.attribute2 = glcc.segment6
                    AND flv.attribute1 IS NULL
                )
            )
    ) lob_eligible ON gcc.code_combination_id = lob_eligible.code_combination_id
left outer join
(SELECT ledger_id,CHART_OF_ACCOUNTS_ID from apps.GL_LEDGERS) Gledger on gcc.chart_of_accounts_id=Gledger.chart_of_accounts_id
WHERE
    1 = 1
    AND gcc.chart_of_accounts_id IN (101, 50408, 50688) -- Remove Entity Unique IDs as '000'
    AND gcc.segment1 <> '000' -- Static Filters on Account Numbers
    AND (
        CASE
            WHEN gcc.chart_of_accounts_id = 101 THEN gcc.segment3
            WHEN gcc.chart_of_accounts_id = 50408 THEN gcc.segment4
            WHEN gcc.chart_of_accounts_id = 50688 THEN gcc.segment6
            ELSE ''
        END LIKE '1%'
        OR CASE
            WHEN gcc.chart_of_accounts_id = 101 THEN gcc.segment3
            WHEN gcc.chart_of_accounts_id = 50408 THEN gcc.segment4
            WHEN gcc.chart_of_accounts_id = 50688 THEN gcc.segment6
            ELSE ''
        END LIKE '2%'
        OR CASE
            WHEN gcc.chart_of_accounts_id = 101 THEN gcc.segment3
            WHEN gcc.chart_of_accounts_id = 50408 THEN gcc.segment4
            WHEN gcc.chart_of_accounts_id = 50688 THEN gcc.segment6
            ELSE ''
        END LIKE '3%'
    ) -- Exclude Specific Code Combinations
    AND gcc.code_combination_id NOT IN (
        SELECT
            flv.meaning
        FROM
            apps.fnd_lookup_values flv
        WHERE
            flv.lookup_type = 'XXWG_GL_BLACKLINE_EXCLUSIONS'
            AND flv.LANGUAGE = 'US'
            AND flv.enabled_flag = 'Y'
            AND Trunc (SYSDATE) BETWEEN Trunc (flv.start_date_active)
            AND Nvl (flv.end_date_active, SYSDATE + 1)
    );