The move from Oracle on-premise applications such as Hyperion Planning, HFM, and Essbase to Oracle EPM Cloud represents a strategic shift toward agility, scalability, and innovation. While the benefits of the cloud are well documented—reduced infrastructure costs, faster upgrades, and continuous innovation—the path to the cloud is not without its hurdles.

Organizations often find themselves underestimating the internal effort required to support a cloud transformation, especially when global system integrators (GSIs) are brought in to lead large-scale initiatives. This white paper explores the common challenges enterprises face during EPM Cloud migrations and how EssAnalytics can serve as a critical bridge—augmenting internal capabilities and collaborating closely with your chosen GSI to ensure a successful transformation.

Common Challenges in Migrating to Oracle EPM Cloud

1. Data Processing and Performance Limitations

Moving from the high-performance, highly tuned on-premise Essbase environments to Oracle EPM Cloud often introduces performance constraints. Complex calculations, allocation models, or large data sets that once ran in minutes may now require optimization to meet cloud processing standards.

EssAnalytics Solution: We help identify and re-engineer inefficient models, optimize business rules, and leverage best practices for performance tuning in the cloud, ensuring your reporting and planning processes remain timely and accurate.

2. Internal Resource Constraints

Successful cloud migrations demand time, subject matter expertise, and business participation. Many organizations find they lack the dedicated internal resources required to support the GSI’s aggressive timelines or provide timely input on legacy configurations, integrations, and process requirements.

EssAnalytics Solution: Our experienced consultants act as an extension of your internal team, providing hands-on support, documentation, and subject matter knowledge throughout the project—bridging gaps that GSIs typically rely on you to fill.

3. Adapting to Business Process Changes

Oracle EPM Cloud is not a lift-and-shift version of the on-premise tools—it comes with a standardized architecture and cloud-centric design. This often requires significant adjustments to business processes to align with cloud functionality.

EssAnalytics Solution: We help translate existing business requirements into optimized cloud designs, guide users through process changes, and provide training to support adoption—so business value is preserved even as the technology changes.

4. Integration and Data Flow Complexity

Legacy systems often rely on highly customized scripts and batch processes that are not directly compatible with Oracle Cloud’s integration frameworks. Ensuring accurate, timely data movement between ERP, EPM, and other systems becomes a major challenge.

EssAnalytics Solution: With deep expertise in REST APIs, Oracle Data Management (DM), and external data platforms, we design and build robust, scalable integrations that maintain data integrity across your ecosystem.

5. Knowledge Gaps in EPM Cloud Features

The EPM Cloud suite offers rich functionality—like Smart View enhancements, predictive planning, and configurable navigation—but many teams are unaware of how to leverage these features effectively.
EssAnalytics Solution: We provide personalized enablement and documentation, helping your team take full advantage of new capabilities while minimizing disruption.

6. Gaps in GSI Deliverables

GSIs often focus on delivering to scope and timelines, but can miss critical details like documentation, metadata rationalization, or meaningful testing. Many organizations are left with a functioning system but lack the insight or support to sustain it.

EssAnalytics Solution: We complement the GSI by filling these gaps—focusing on documentation, post-deployment validation, user training, and hypercare to ensure long-term success.

Why EssAnalytics

At EssAnalytics, we’ve worked alongside clients and GSIs on countless cloud transformation projects. Our team brings:

• Deep functional and technical Oracle EPM expertise


• Hands-on Hyperion and EPM Cloud experience


• Agility to work across stakeholder groups and global teams


• Proven ability to align IT and business priorities

Conclusion

The journey to Oracle EPM Cloud is a strategic move toward the future, but it comes with real operational, technical, and organizational challenges. These challenges don’t need to slow you down. With EssAnalytics as your trusted partner, you gain the flexibility and support needed to navigate the transition with confidence.

We don’t replace your global system integrator—we complement them, filling in the critical gaps with specialized expertise, hands-on support, and a deep understanding of both legacy systems and modern EPM Cloud solutions.

Let us help you bridge the gap between your current reality and your cloud-powered future—working hand-in-hand with your team and your selected GSI every step of the way.

Let’s Talk About Your Journey

If you’re already on the path to Oracle EPM Cloud—or planning your first steps—we’d love to hear how it’s going. Contact us today to discuss your current progress, identify potential roadblocks, and explore how EssAnalytics can assist your team and enhance your transformation.

📧 Email: webinfo@essanalytics.com

🌐 Website: www.essanalytics.com