EPM Add-In formatting issue after MS15-116 update (KB3101499, KB3101543)

[Former Member]

Hi BPC Community and Experts!

We are facing formatting issues in existing reports since the installation of MS15-116 security update (KB3101499 in Excel 2013 or KB3101543 in Excel 2010).These reports were working perfectly until the update was installed last week.

We would like to know if any of you had the same problem and if you could tell us if you found any solution or workaround.

The issue is described as follows: when user selects only base members in page filter, formatting for base members is not applied correctly - see sample below. Borders are not applied for base members:

When user selects non-base member in page filter, borders are drawn correctly (since EPM Add-In uses "Calculated Member" format in this case as it did for non base member lines in previous image):

In Formatting Sheet, both formats (calculated and input members) are exactly the same. This formatting scheme was working perfectly before the update.

One more important detail: the issue only happens if a report uses "EPMDimensionOverride" for any dimension (CostCenter, in this case) - or if it uses dimensions linked by property (in this case CostCenter = Unit.CostCenterId to select data linking Unit and CostCenter dimensions).

Environment details:

- EPM Add-In 10 SP23
- Microsoft Office/Excel 2013 and 2010 (tested on both, same issue in same report).

We we have already tried:

- updated EPM Add-In to SP24: didn't solve the issue;

- removed *.exd files in "C:\Users\%User%\AppData\Local\Temp\Excel8.0": didn't change anything;

- removed KB3101499, but issue still happens: it seems there are a number of KBs installed in November 11th 2015 included in MS15-116 pack, and some other might be the cause.

SAP Notes we have checked:

- 2219713 - EPM Add-In Issues after Microsoft Update KB3085502: basically MS15-116 is the solution update for the issues described in this note, so previous issues have been solved but now we face a new one.

Links:

MS15-116: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/3104540

Thanks in advance!

Regards,

Luigi Laporte

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Just to add more detail to the issue:

1) it does not depend on using EPMDimensionOverride;

2) it depends on having two dimensions on column axis.

We managed to build another example that makes it explicit that this is a bug:

In the report above we have two dimensions in the column axis: Time and ProfitCenter. For profit center we selected two members, a base member on the left and the Total on the right.

There's nothing special about this report. Now let us show you the formatting sheet:

As you can see, cell under "Total Profit Center" should be painted "red", since they are all calculated. Instead, they didn't get any format at all.

Best Regards,

Luigi

[former_member186338 · Accepted solution]

"cell under "Total Profit Center" should be painted "red""

Incorrect understanding of formatting - Calculated member format is applied per axis:

1. Rows - only calculated members of row axis a painted as red rows (Account dimension)

2. Non calculated row members are formatted as blue

3. Then column format is applied, but here some extra tests have to be performed..

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Hi Vadim!

Thanks for your clarifications.

In your perspective: applying the FormattingSheet I showed before, what color should those cells have?

Obviously I may be thinking something wrong here, so I'd like to hear from you.

Thanks!

Best Regards,

Luigi

[former_member186338 · Accepted solution]

Now I don't have a system to test, only tomorrow...

It's better to explain exactly what do you want to achieve!

Using formatting sheet with a lot of settings is a really complex work, you have to think about the order the format settings are applied.

Vadim

[former_member186338 · Accepted solution]

Do you want to have something like this:

Then:

Vadim

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Vadim, thanks for your clarifications and support!

It's clear now that EPM Add-In left those cells without a format because of the sequence formatting is applied, as you described before: we left "None" for Calculated Members in Columns, expecting it to apply the blue format for all rows first. We can see now our expectations were incorrect, since those cells would never be formatted with "Input member format" if there's a base member in the column.

We made wrong diagnostics: Microsoft update had nothing to do with this issue. It was an unfortunate coincidence that we found out about the bug in our report right after the KB had been applied.

Regards,

Luigi

[former_member186338 · Accepted solution]

Hi Luigi,

I suspected it from the very beginning... Microsoft updates to my mind will affect the formatting in general, not some specific combination!

Vadim

[former_member186338]

Sorry, not 100% clear!

What do you mean by "only base members selected" for page axis Overhead?

And please show the Formatting sheet screenshot.

Vadim

P.S. And where is EPMDimensionOverride for Cost Center - I see only Account members in row axis.

[Former Member]

Hi Vadim,

Thanks for your reply.

1) "Only base members in page filter"
Suppose Overhead dimension has three members:
- Total
    - Direct

    - Indirect

Considering there is a base member selected in all other dimensions (Cycle, Version, Unit and Currency), when we select "Total" (non-base member) the issue does not occur. When we select "Direct" or "Indirect" the issue occurs.

2) FormattingSheet screen shot: we have checked that a few times before posting here. Please note report was working flawlessly before the KB. Anyway, here I send you a print of it:

3) "CostCenter" dimension: it is above Time dimension in Columns (not Rows). There's only one member selected everytime: the costcenter corresponding to the selected unit. Here I send you a print of the report after unhiding rows. You see here Unit, CostCenter and Time are stacked in columns, but only Unit selected in context is shown, as well as only its corresponding CostCenter:

Hope this helps to clarify the issue and the circumstances of its occurrence.

Thanks again for your support.

Best Regards,

Luigi

[former_member186338]

Sorry, but I see some strange things...

CostCenter and Unit -  Is it a single CostCenter and Unit per report?

Why not to but both in the page axis??

[former_member186338]

P.S. Formatting sheet is also strange - what is the idea to format not existing in column axis Headcount?

Can you describe in words your format requirements?

[Former Member]

Thanks again for your reply.

In my opinion, the specifics of this case don't change the formatting issue we are describing here.

In order to simulate the issue, I'd do the following:

1) create a new report;

2) add two dimensions to column axis, one to row axis, and all other to page axis;

3) create a new formatting sheet to be used; fill it with the same format for all options for columns and rows (all other alternatives disabled);

4) add a "EPMDimensionOverride" formula to select one member of one of the dimensions in the column axis.

Finally, change selected filters in page axis. When all of them are base members, the issue is expected to happen.

Could you do it in your environment and let us know if you face the same issue?

Thanks!

Regards,

Luigi

[Former Member]

Forgot to mention: our formatting requirements are basically that the report should look the same independently if a base member or a non-base member is selected in any of the dimensions in page axis.

Regards,

Luigi

[former_member186338]

Sorry, but:

"4) add a "EPMDimensionOverride" formula to select one member of one of the dimensions in the column axis." - incorrect idea! Don't use EPMDimensionOverride in this case!

Put both Unit and CostCenter in the page axis.

In some cell read the property of Unit - Unit.CostCenterId

For the CostCenter cell in the page axis - change the formula as it's described in my document:

(look on 9.)

As a result you will have one dimension in column and one dimension in row axis!

Second - "3) create a new formatting sheet to be used; fill it with the same format for all options for columns and rows (all other alternatives disabled);" - not clear!

Vadim

[Former Member]

Thanks for your reply.

I'll contact SAP for this issue.

Regards,

Luigi

[former_member186338]

Sorry, but If you don't want to test the correct report design - I can't help you...