Cross Validation Combination Sets and Other Account Combination Validation Features

5/24/24, 8:38 AM Cross Validation Combination Sets and Other Account Combination Validation Features
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Enterprise Structures, Horizontal, Record to Report
Cross Validation Combination Sets and

Other Account Combination Validation
Features
January 10, 2023 | 8 minute read
Neil Ramsay
Senior Director, Cloud ERP Development
   
Oracle Cloud ERP 22D introduces the new Cross-Validation Combination Sets feature. Combination
Sets work with Related Value Sets and Cross Validation Rules to ensure that account combinations
comply with your accounting policies. In this post, we contrast the three features and offer some
guidance for their combined use.
The Chart of Accounts, Segment Values and Account

Combinations
The Cloud ERP chart of accounts (COA) is a foundational enterprise structure. See blog post Oracle
Cloud ERP Chart of Accounts Design Considerations for key considerations and best practices.
We recommend that you define and manage COA segments, values and hierarchies in Enterprise Data
Management (EDMCS). When you create a new segment value in EDMCS, it is automatically
propagated to Cloud ERP. For more details, see EDMCS's Integrating with Oracle Financials Cloud
General Ledger.
This blog focuses on how to control the creation of new combinations of segment values (aka account
combinations). For example, how to ensure that no expenses are attributed to a legal entity which
never participates in a cost center’s activity.
A key design decision is whether to enable dynamic insertion in Cloud ERP.
If you disable dynamic insertion, an external process will manage the process of account combination
validation. When it approves a new account combination, use the Import Account Combinations FBDI
to import it into Cloud ERP.
However, by far the majority of customers enable dynamic insertion. They control which combinations
of segments values are valid using ERP features: Related Value Sets, Cross Validation Rules and
Combination Sets. Upstream external applications that generate new account combinations can
validate them using the Account Combination Validation web service.
Commonalities Between Account Combination Validation

Features
Combination Sets, Related Value Sets, and Cross Validation Rules validate new account combinations
in Cloud ERP. Account combinations created before a validation rule has been activated are ignored.
g
If you deploy a rule that invalidates an existing account combination, you must actively disable the
combination to prevent its future use. Account combinations can be disabled:
In the UI, via the Manage Account Combinations page.
In bulk, via the Import Account Combinations file-based data import (FBDI). The FBDI supports
update of existing account combinations.
The Manage Cross-Validation Rule Violations process supports disabling account combinations that
violate Cross Validation Rules. Launch it from the Scheduled Processes page.
All three validation rules enforce validation irrespective of whether the UI or automated processing
creates the account combination.
Combination Sets, Related Value Sets and Cross Validation Rules validate account combinations
irrespective of which user creates or views them. To address requirements to secure account
combinations depending on a user’s role, use Segment Value Security or Data Access Sets.
Related Value Sets

Related Value Sets define a simple relationship between two segments of the accounting flexfield. For
each segment value in the driving segment, you define valid dependent segment values. Related Value
Sets support:
segments assigned independent value sets.
dependent values assigned to multiple driving segment values.
child (leaf node) segment values only.

a direct comparison between segment values. No ranges, wildcards, or tree operators are
supported.
When a user enters an account combination through the UI, Related Value Sets displays only valid
dependent segment values. The driver segment must therefore precede the dependent segment in
your chart of accounts definition. Once two value sets are related, you must map every value in the
driver segment to one or more values in the dependent segment.
You can chain Related Value Sets together. For example, the Cost Center value set could depend on
the Company value set; and the Location value set depend on the Cost Center value set.
You create Related Value Sets through the UI or a spreadsheet. The spreadsheet upload supports
incremental loads only. FBDI is not available for Related Value Sets.
Use Related Value Sets:
when a simple listing of valid pairs of values characterizes the relationship between the two
segments.
when there is a requirement to display only valid dependent segment values in the UI.
Avoid Related Value Sets:
when the total number of valid pairs of values runs into many thousands.
when the relationship between the driver and dependent segment values applies only to a small
subset of driver segment values.
when you define and maintain your account combination validation rules in an external master data
management (MDM) application or Enterprise Data Management (EDMCS).
Cross Validation Rules

Cross Validation Rules define a complex relationship between segment values in two or more
segments. Each rule consists of a condition and validation filter. The condition filter identifies which
combinations of segment values are subject to the rule. The validation filter defines which dependent
segment values are valid to combine with them.
Cross Validation Rules offer considerable flexibility for both filters. The ability to use account
hierarchies (trees), for example, simplifies rules and minimizes maintenance since many changes to a
hierarchy will not impact Cross Validation Rules that use it.
You create Cross Validation Rules through the UI or FBDI which supports replace mode. FBDI offers
spreadsheet entry or automated integration orchestrated by a web service.
Use Cross Validation Rules:
when the relationship between segment values applies to only a subset of the condition’s values.
For example, for a few Companies, there are a limited number of valid Cost Centers. For the
majority of Companies, all Cost Centers are valid.
when a pre-existing segment value hierarchy reflects the relationship between segment values. For
example, one or more parents in the Location hierarchy maps to a Company segment value. Note
that creating a hierarchy solely for the purpose of validating account combinations may be
counterproductive.
when a range reflects the relationship between segment values. For example, Location segment
values between 1000 and 2000 map to a Cost Center segment value.
Avoid Cross validation rules:
when the relationship between two segments requires thousands of rules to define. Creating a new
combination evaluates each Cross Validation Rule. A huge number substantially increases the time
it takes to create new account combinations.
when you wish to maintain your account combination validation rules in EDMCS or other external
MDM that does not support complex validation rules.
Cross-Validation Combinations
Cross-Validation Combination Sets define up to five validation segments whose segment value
combinations are allowed or disallowed. The validation segment order should mirror the chart of
accounts definition.
For each allow Combination Set, you must define all valid (partial) combinations of segment values.
Other combinations are considered invalid. Conversely, all undefined combinations for a disallow
Combination Set are considered valid. For example, a allow Combination Set of Company and Cost
Center segment values, implicitly invalidates all other combinations of the two segments’ values.
You create Combination Sets through the UI.
You maintain combinations through FBDI which supports replace mode. FBDI offers spreadsheet entry
and automated integration orchestrated by a web service.
Use Combination Sets:
when account combination business rules don’t follow discernible patterns. There are just lists of
valid or invalid combinations.
when you define and maintain your account combination validation rules in an MDM which
supports list-based business rules. EDMCS supports Combination Sets through its custom model
feature.
when the business rule means that only a few (partial) combinations are valid. A limited number of
disallow Combination Set rows will ease maintenance and improve performance.
Avoid Combination Sets:
when a pre-existing segment value hierarchy reflects the relationship between segment values.
when a range reflects the relationship between segment values.
when the business rule depends on more than five segments. Our analysis shows that this rarely
occurs.
In all three cases, cross validation rules are more appropriate.
Working Together
Related Value Sets, Cross Validation Rule and Combination Sets work together to validate new account
combinations. Here are a few details about how they interact.
Invalid account combinations are always prevented. If a Combination Set conflicts with another
Combination Set, Cross Validation Rule, or Related Value Set then disallow rules will always be
respected. For example, if a disallow Combination Set specifies a partial combination that a Cross
Validation Rule allows, the new account combination will fail validation.
The order in which Cloud ERP evaluates validation rules determines which message displays in the UI
and log files:
In the UI: Related Value Sets, Combination Sets and then Cross Validation Rules.
In automated processing: Combination Sets, Related Value Sets and then Cross Validation Rules.
p g ,
22D also includes an account combination Validate feature. You can test how your Combination Sets,
Related Value Sets and Cross Validation Rules work together from both the Combination Sets and
Cross Validation Rules pages. The Validate feature does not save tested account combinations in the
database.
We encourage you to implement EDMCS to define and maintain accounting flexfield value sets. For
more information about EDMCS and its integration with Cloud ERP, see Integrating Oracle ERP Cloud
Oracle General Ledger Applications.
When There is a Choice About Which One to Use

Consider the following factors.
EDMCS integration
If you plan to use EDMCS to define and manage your accounting flexfield validation rules, use
Combination Sets.
Ease of Maintenance
Clearly fewer rules reduce the time and effort required to maintain them. Note that defining a
hierarchy solely to reduce the number of cross validation rules may be counterproductive. The
maintenance effort will simply shift from validation rules to tree maintenance.
Define rules that are stable over time. For example, Cross Validation Rules based on account
hierarchies reduce maintenance if the parent is rarely impacted by hierarchy reorganizations.
Performance
Fewer rules improves performance. For example, a single Cross Validation Rule validation filter that
specifies a range of segment values will usually be more efficient than many Related Value Sets or
Combination Sets.
Avoid overlapping ‘allow’ rules since they are always checked. For example, if a Related Value Set and
allow Combination Set are defined for the same segments and values, they will both be checked. The
same applies to allow Combination Sets and widely applicable Cross Validation Rule condition filters.
On the other hand, processing stops as soon as an invalid account combination has been
encountered. For example, if a new account combination fails validation due to a Combination Set,
Cross Validation Rules will not be evaluated.
Generally speaking, Combination Sets will perform better than Cross Validation Rules that have a
similar number of condition and validation filters.
As always, we recommend you thoroughly test your accounting flexfield validation rules on an
appropriately sized environment with realistic data volumes.
Conclusion
Combination Sets add a powerful new method to validate your new account combinations. In many
cases, they will simplify rule maintenance and improve performance. However, there is a still a place
for Related Value Sets and Cross Validation Rules depending on your business requirements.
Neil Ramsay
Senior Director, Cloud ERP Development
Neil has 30 years of experience with Oracle ERP applications dating back to
E-Business Suite. Prior to joining Product Strategy, Neil was Senior Director
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5/24/24, 8:38 AM Cross Validation Combination Sets and Other Account Combination Validation Features

ERP-ACE Team Blog

ERP-ACE Team Blog Follow: 

Enterprise Structures, Horizontal, Record to Report

Cross Validation Combination Sets and

The Chart of Accounts, Segment Values and Account

A key design decision is whether to enable dynamic insertion in Cloud ERP.

Commonalities Between Account Combination Validation

Related Value Sets

segments assigned independent value sets.

dependent values assigned to multiple driving segment values.

child (leaf node) segment values only.

Use Related Value Sets:

Avoid Related Value Sets:

Cross Validation Rules

Use Cross Validation Rules:

Avoid Cross validation rules:

You create Combination Sets through the UI.

Use Combination Sets:

Avoid Combination Sets:

when a range reflects the relationship between segment values.

In all three cases, cross validation rules are more appropriate.

When There is a Choice About Which One to Use

 Previous Post Next Post

Resources Why Oracle Learn What's New Contact Us

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