Blog - OneStream Workflow Calculation Definitions

When managing the trigger of data consolidations and calculations, OneStream's Workflow Calculation Definitions feature is a powerful out-of-the-box tool that can ensure users view data that has been calculated, translated, and consolidated as part of the workflow process. When designed and implemented appropriately, they provide a flexible and customized framework for managing financial data.

Workflow Calculation Definitions are instructions performed when the Process Cube step is executed. They define how data is calculated within the platform. Whether building or maintaining an application, they are considered valuable tools as they can perform calculations, translations, and consolidations at the workflow completion points.

When defining Workflow Calculation Definitions, predefined variables can be used to execute calculations on workflows that process (e.g., Import, Validate, Process, Certify).

Workflow Profile Calculation Definitions are specifically designed to work within the context of a workflow profile. This means they can be used to define calculations specific to a particular step in a workflow. For example, a calculation definition could be created to perform a currency conversion at a particular step in a workflow.

Workflow Profile Calculation Definitions are important for a few reasons.

• They allow for the creation of calculations specific to a particular step in a workflow. This can be especially valuable for businesses with complex workflows that require different calculations at different stages.
• Calculation Definitions promote consistency and accuracy in financial reporting. By creating a consistent set of rules across all workflows, organizations can assure end-users that up-to-date information has been verified and processed in a standard manner across the application.

All three types of Workflow Profiles (Review, Base Input, and Parent Input) can be assigned Workflow Calculation Definitions that contain the components to configure a workflow's actions to achieve most of your needs:

• 1. Entity - the workflow Entity Relationship assigned directly to a Workflow Profile is dependent on the profile type. In addition to the Assigned, Unassigned, and Named entities of the application, the following apply by the profile type:



• 2. Parent Entity – if utilized, can be specific to a particular entity rollup
• 3. Calculation Type – defines what type of action will be executed during the Process step. Some examples include:
  • Calculate
  • Force Calculate
  • Translate
  • No Calculate – can be used in conjunction with the Filter Value to execute a Data Management Sequence
• 4. Scenario Type Filter – can specify a scenario type to execute the calculation
• 5. Confirmed Switch – set to true will run the assigned confirmation rules for the entity specified in the definition
• 6. Order – if more than one definition needs to be executed, the Order determines the sequence of the rules that are executed
• 7. Filter Value – used with the Calculation Type No Calculate and should contain the data management sequence name that should run during the calculation

Workflow Calculation Definitions in action:

Let's consider the following criteria and review Calculation Definitions in action for a workflow profile ALL DATA Parent (Base Input) where data is loading for the following entities: AK_001, AZ_001, AZ_002, and EL_001 highlighted below.

• Incoming base-level data needs to be confirmed for imported entities
• EL_001 contains an account that is dependent on AK_001 – AZ_002, so it needs to be calculated after the other three entities
• Parent entities should also be consolidated during this process to ensure top-level data is updated during the process to reflect the base-level entity updates

• After evaluating the process, the following Workflow Calculation Definitions can be used to accomplish the required process:



• When Process Cube for ALL DATA for Dec-2022 is executed, the calculation definitions are executed.



• Reviewing the Task Steps shows they are executed in the specific order designated.



• When moving onto the Confirmation step, the assigned list of rules runs on only the specific entities with the Confirmed switch enabled. They are not run for US_REGIONAL or ELIMS, because the confirmations do not apply to the parent entity in this case.

With proper analysis and design, OneStream's Workflow Calculation Definitions ensure data is calculated in a specific sequence to accommodate any dependencies, confirmation rules are applied at the desired entity level, and up-to-date data is available for affected entities up the reporting tree.

If you are looking to streamline your consolidation process and ensure accuracy and consistency in reporting, consider incorporating OneStream's Workflow Calculation Definitions into your workflows.