ORACLE CRYSTAL BALL, FUSION EDITION

RELEASE 11.1.2

NEW FEATURES

CONTENTS IN BRIEF

New Features, Crystal Ball Release 11.1.2.0.00 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 New Features, Previous 11.1.x Releases . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

New Features, Crystal Ball Release 11.1.2.0.00

Subtopics
l l l l l l l

Predictor Integration with Planning and Essbase Define Assumptions from Forecasts Updated Scenario Analysis Tool Localized for Spanish and Japanese Addresses U.S. Section 508 Accessibility Designed for U.S. FDCC Mandate Support for New Windows Version

This section describes the new features introduced in release 11.1.2.0.00 of:
l

Oracle Crystal Ball, Fusion Edition Oracle Crystal Ball Decision Optimizer, Fusion Edition Oracle Crystal Ball Enterprise Performance Management, Fusion Edition

For a description of new features introduced in previous related releases, see New Features, Previous 11.1.x Releases on page 3.

Predictor Integration with Planning and Essbase

With Crystal Ball EPM release 11.1.2.0.00, you can now use the powerful time-series forecasting capabilities of Predictor on historical data from Oracle Hyperion Planning, Fusion Edition and Oracle Essbase. Predictor works within Crystal Ball EPM and Oracle Hyperion Smart View for Office, Fusion Edition to create forecasts and paste them directly into a Planning form or ad hoc queries in Planning or Essbase. Forecasts are then submitted back to the Planning or Essbase server to help create more accurate budgets and rolling forecasts.

Define Assumptions from Forecasts

You can now define an assumption using the data from a forecast. Crystal Ball automatically fits an assumption to the forecast data and selects the best fit, or you can create a custom distribution assumption using the raw data. This feature enables you to quickly use forecasts from Crystal Ball simulations as inputs to a model.

Updated Scenario Analysis Tool

The Scenario Analysis tool has been updated with a new wizard interface similar to the ones used for other Crystal Ball tools. Scenario Analysis is a powerful analysis tool that runs a simulation and then sorts and matches all the resulting values of a target forecast with their corresponding assumption values. This tool enables you to investigate which combination of assumption values gives a particular result.

New Features

Localized for Spanish and Japanese

The user interface for Crystal Ball release 11.1.2.0.00 has been localized into Spanish and Japanese. An installer menu enables you choose the language to use for the installation as well as the Crystal Ball user interface.

Addresses U.S. Section 508 Accessibility

Crystal Ball release 11.1.2.0.00 has been designed to address the U.S. Federal government's accessibility standards for Section 508 enabling individuals who rely on assistive technologies such as screen readers and screen magnifiers to more effectively use the software. Keyboard equivalents for menu commands and dialog controls are available at all times. An additional Accessibility mode activates other features described in Appendix B of the Oracle Crystal Ball User's Guide. The accessibility status of Crystal Ball has been documented using the Voluntary Product Accessibility Template (VPAT). The VPAT can be used by U.S Federal contracting and procurement officials to evaluate a product with respect to the provisions contained in Section 508.

Designed for U.S. FDCC Mandate

Crystal Ball release 11.1.2.0.00 has been designed to meet the U.S. Federal Desktop Core Configuration (FDCC) mandate. FDCC specifies mandatory configuration requirements for the Microsoft Windows XP Pro and Windows Vista operating systems when used on U.S. Government desktop systems.

Support for New Windows Version

Crystal Ball is now supported on Microsoft Windows 7.

New Features, Previous 11.1.x Releases

Subtopics
l l

New Features, Release 11.1.1.3.00 and 11.1.1.3.01 New Features in Crystal Ball 11.1.1.0.00 and 11.1.1.1.00

This section describes features released in Crystal Ball 11.1.1.0.00, 11.1.1.1.00, 11.1.1.3.00, and 11.1.1.3.01.

New Features

New Features, Release 11.1.1.3.00 and 11.1.1.3.01

The following sections describe features introduced in release 11.1.1.3.00 of Crystal Ball products:
l

New Predictor Interface and Developer Kit on page 4 Other Enhancements on page 4

Crystal Ball release 11.1.1.3.01 included several bug fixes and translation of the user interface into Spanish.

New Predictor Interface and Developer Kit

Predictor, the time-series forecasting feature of Crystal Ball, was completely rewritten for release 11.1.1.3.00. New features:
l

A new Wizard interface for setting up forecasts, previewing forecasts, and viewing results Ability to create reports and extract data Ability to fill-in missing values before charting historical data Ability to adjust outliers before pasting values into worksheets or extracting results Updated formulas and algorithms, including autocorrelations Developer Kit (API) for programming time-series forecasts. Because Predictor has a different code base, this Developer Kit is no longer compatible with previous releases of CB Predictor; code written with the earlier CB Predictor Developer Kit is not compatible with Predictor release 11.1.1.3.00 or later.

Other Enhancements
Beginning with Crystal Ball version 11.1.1.3.00, right-click context menus are now available for Crystal Ball within Microsoft Excel. In Microsoft Excel 2007 and later, the Crystal Ball ribbon no longer needs to be active to use Crystal Ball. As long as Crystal Ball is loaded, users can access Crystal Ball functionality with the right-click context menu in the spreadsheet. Crystal Ball EPMEnterprise Performance Management Simulator enables direct Crystal Ball simulation of queries and forms within Smart View release 11.1.1.3

New Features in Crystal Ball 11.1.1.0.00 and 11.1.1.1.00

Starting with Crystal Ball release 11.1.1.0.00, a new version numbering scheme was implemented with additional digit groups to align with Oracle versioning standards. Crystal Ball versions 11.1.1.0.00 and 11.1.1.1.00 include the following:
l

Updated OptQuest Optimization Feature on page 5 Location Parameter for Lognormal Distribution on page 5 Parameter Locking for Certain Distributions on page 5

New Features

New Discrete Distribution Fitting on page 6 P-Value Calculations on page 6 A New Wizard Format for Crystal Ball Tools on page 6 New Data Analysis Tool on page 6 Crystal Ball Licensing Enhancements on page 7 Universal Availability of Predictor and the Crystal Ball Developer Kit on page 7 Smart View and Strategic Finance Integration on page 7

Updated OptQuest Optimization Feature

The OptQuest optimization feature has been completely rewritten and is now available in Crystal Ball Decision Optimizer, beginning with version 11.1.1.0.00. The new version of OptQuest includes:
l

A new Wizard for setting up optimizations, including direct formula entry for constraints and also a simple constraints solution (introduced in version 11.1.1.1.00 Full integration with Microsoft Excel and Crystal Ball Decision Optimizer, including the ability to control optimizations through the Oracle Crystal Ball Decision Optimizer, Fusion Edition Control Panel An updated version of OptQuests world-class global optimization engine, including:
m

Support for both linear and non-linear constraints More aggressive optimization algorithm New variable types: binary, category, and custom

Ability to create reports and extract data Developer Kit (API) for programming optimizations

Location Parameter for Lognormal Distribution

The lognormal distribution now includes a location parameter to help model shifted lognormal distributions. This three-parameter distribution is available for setting up assumptions and for fitting to datasets.

Parameter Locking for Certain Distributions

You can now lock the values of certain parameters of selected distributions while fitting data to those distributions. The following parameters can be locked in this release:
l

Location of lognormal Location and shape of gamma Location and shape of Weibull Degrees of freedom for Students t

New Features

Trials for binomial Trials for hypergeometric

New Discrete Distribution Fitting

Distribution fitting now includes discrete as well as continuous distributions and certain parameters can be locked for increased accuracy. You can fit all discrete distributions supported by Crystal Ball, except the Yes-No distribution, to integer data sets. For discrete fitting, you can view the Chi-square statistic and Chi-square p-values. Anderson-Darling and KolmogorovSmirnov statistics are not currently available for discrete fitting.

P-Value Calculations
When fitting to continuous distributions, p-value calculations for Anderson-Darling and Kolmogorov-Smirnov have been added for the following distributions:
l

Normal Exponential Minimum Extreme Maximum Extreme Logistic Uniform Gamma Weibull Lognormal

A New Wizard Format for Crystal Ball Tools

The following Crystal Ball Tools have been rewritten with a wizard format for increased ease of use:
l

Batch Fit Bootstrap Decision Table 2D Simulation

New Data Analysis Tool

A new tool, Data Analysis, imports data directly into Crystal Ball forecasts, one for each data series. Then, you can analyze the data using any of Crystal Balls charting, reporting, and data extraction features.

New Features

Crystal Ball Licensing Enhancements

You can now use Oracle Crystal Ball, Fusion Edition in evaluation mode for a limited time, usually 15 days, without needing to activate a license. License activation no longer requires an Internet connection with an online licensing server. These enhancements were designed to streamline the installation and licensing procedure.

Universal Availability of Predictor and the Crystal Ball Developer Kit

Predictor and the Crystal Ball Developer Kit are now available to all Crystal Ball users. They are no longer optional products available only in a certain package.

Smart View and Strategic Finance Integration

If you have Crystal Ball EPM version 11.1.1.0.00 or 11.1.1.1.00 with appropriate licensing, you can use Smart View to work with Crystal Ball files in a number of ways. You can use the Smart View Connection Manager to store Crystal Ball EPM models within a central repository. Then, you can load them into Smart View, access data from certain other applications also within the repository, and using cell references populate the Crystal Ball EPM models with current EPM data for further analysis. Two of the applications that can also be accessed from within the Oracle Hyperion Smart View for Office, Fusion Edition spreadsheet interface are Oracle Essbase and Oracle Hyperion Planning, Fusion Edition. If you have Crystal Ball EPM version 11.1.1.1.00 with appropriate licensing, you can also create Oracle Crystal Ball Enterprise Performance Management, Fusion Edition worksheets from data in Oracle Hyperion Strategic Finance, Fusion Edition.

New Features

COPYRIGHT NOTICE Crystal Ball New Features, 11.1.2 Copyright 1988, 2010, Oracle and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved. Authors: EPM Information Development Team This software and related documentation are provided under a license agreement containing restrictions on use and disclosure and are protected by intellectual property laws. Except as expressly permitted in your license agreement or allowed by law, you may not use, copy, reproduce, translate, broadcast, modify, license, transmit, distribute, exhibit, perform, publish, or display any part, in any form, or by any means. Reverse engineering, disassembly, or decompilation of this software, unless required by law for interoperability, is prohibited. The information contained herein is subject to change without notice and is not warranted to be error-free. If you find any errors, please report them to us in writing. If this software or related documentation is delivered to the U.S. Government or anyone licensing it on behalf of the U.S. Government, the following notice is applicable: U.S. GOVERNMENT RIGHTS: Programs, software, databases, and related documentation and technical data delivered to U.S. Government customers are "commercial computer software" or "commercial technical data" pursuant to the applicable Federal Acquisition Regulation and agency-specific supplemental regulations. As such, the use, duplication, disclosure, modification, and adaptation shall be subject to the restrictions and license terms set forth in the applicable Government contract, and, to the extent applicable by the terms of the Government contract, the additional rights set forth in FAR 52.227-19, Commercial Computer Software License (December 2007). Oracle USA, Inc., 500 Oracle Parkway, Redwood City, CA 94065. This software is developed for general use in a variety of information management applications. It is not developed or intended for use in any inherently dangerous applications, including applications which may create a risk of personal injury. If you use this software in dangerous applications, then you shall be responsible to take all appropriate fail-safe, backup, redundancy, and other measures to ensure the safe use of this software. Oracle Corporation and its affiliates disclaim any liability for any damages caused by use of this software in dangerous applications. Oracle is a registered trademark of Oracle Corporation and/or its affiliates. Other names may be trademarks of their respective owners. This software and documentation may provide access to or information on content, products, and services from third parties. Oracle Corporation and its affiliates are not responsible for and expressly disclaim all warranties of any kind with respect to third-party content, products, and services. Oracle Corporation and its affiliates will not be responsible for any loss, costs, or damages incurred due to your access to or use of third-party content, products, or services.