1. OBJECTIVE AND SCOPE 

The objective of this procedure is to describe the BFC modules related to Task management and used by the BFC Administration team to manage its activities.


2. TASKS RELATED MODULE 

The Task List, Task Scheduler , Task Monitor and Log modules in the Administration domain enable the BFC Administration team to:

  • create and manage tasks - Task list
  • view when these tasks are scheduled to be run - Task scheduler
  • monitor these tasks when they are under processing  - Task monitor
  • audit trail to check the proper execution and duration of the processed Tasks - Log

3. TYPES OF TASKS

Different types of tasks can be created:

  • Audit Task: used to perform an audit on a given object (value, filter, schedules... from the customizing) and to identify in the Audit result in which BFC modules (Dimension builder, Category scenario, Scopes, Reports...) this object is used 
  • Send / Receive Tasks : used to manage sending (Send Task) of new / updated customizing from the BFC_Top database (where customizing is handled) to the BFC_Prod database (where customizing is used by BFC end users) where they are received (Receive Task)
  • Scan task : launched in BFC_Prod to capture the objects sent from the BFC_Top database  - step after is the launch of a Receive Task
  • Consolidation / Intercompany reconciliation Run Tasks: created to schedule regular and automated runs of Consolidation and Intercompany reconciliations


3. SEND (PILOTING) TASKS (BFC_TOP database)


In order to facilitate the management of related Internal Controls, several types of Send Tasks have been created in BFC according to the related process or the type of creation/change performed:

  • EXPL-ADMIN: dedicated to recurring administration activities
    • Updates on Companies tables (creation of new companies) - on demand - in parallel, BFC Administration team will manage the similar updates in the GAR list (Legal entity card)
    • Monthly updates of Scopes and Exchange rates tables,
    • Any kind of updates not consider as risky (change in descriptions, layout of schedules...)
  • EXPL-CONSO: dedicated to requests coming from Consolidation team in GAR department
    • Medium/complex customizing with medium/high functional impacts on IFRS Reporting and requiring testing and final validation from GAR before final transport to BFC_Prod database)
  • EXPL-CTRLFIN: dedicated to requests coming from Financial Controlling in GAR department:
    • Sites creation / update (dimension required for reporting of both HSE and Restructuring provisions), 
    • Medium/complex customizing with medium/high functional impacts on IFRS Reporting (IAS19, HSE, Restructuring) and requiring testing and final validation from GAR before final transport to BFC_Prod database
  • EXPL-GESTION: dedicated to requests coming from Corporate Controlling:
    • Business structures creation / update
    • Exchange rates tables (SIMULATION, PREV) used in Controlling categories (PREV / RSB)
    • Medium/complex customizing with medium/high functional impacts on Controlling categories (PREV/RSB) or on Business retrievals (using Business structures) and requiring testing and final validation from Corporate Controlling before final transport to BFC_Prod database
  • EXPL-TAXES: dedicated to requests coming from Tax Expert in GAR team
    • Medium/complex customizing with medium/high functional impacts on IFRS Tax Reporting (ACTUAL1-TAX and ACTUAL2 categories - quarterly / hard close / year end periods) and requiring testing and final validation from GAR before final transport to BFC_Prod database
  • FCWORK: dedicated to isolate piloting of changes in customizing for testing in the dedicated BFC_Work database
    • This type of task is never received in BFC_Prod but only in BFC_Work database
    • As it relates to testing purposes for BFC Administration team in a dedicated "sand box" database (BFC_WORK), it is not subject to any approval
  • NEW in 2022 - FCPRODPO2: dedicated to the replication of pilotings to the BFC_PRODPO2 DB (database)
    • this special DB has been created in June 2022 from a dump from BFC_Prod
    • purpose is to allow GAR team to build inside Combined Financial Statements SCO and ECO required by the PO2 project of Solvay Group
    • From June 2022, each piloting to BFC_PROD has to be replicated to BFC_PRODPO2 DB (when objects modified also required for Combined FS) using this special task









3. NEW 2022 / SPECIAL PURPOSE: SEND (PILOTING) TASKS (BFC_PROD database to BFC_PRODPO2 database)


As explained in the previous section, a new BFC_PRODPO2 database has been created in June 2022 to handle the construction of 2019.12 / 2021.12 / 2022.12 Combined Financial Statements ECO and SCO for PO2 project of Solvay Group.

Several periods to be considered in this special exercise:

  • 2019.12 (as opening balance for 2020)
  • 2020.12
  • 2021.12
  • 2022.12


As it was initiated from a dump of BFC_PROD beg of June 2022, historical consolidated data (packages + top entries) up to beginning of June 2022 were available.

However, consolidated data from June 2022 period have to be transported as well using a direct transport from BFC_PROD to BFC_PRODPO2. New dump was excluded as it would erase the work performed in PO2 DB since June.


Those special transports are managed using this sending task PROD_PO2. Reception made on the other side in BFC_PRODPO2. Objects transported restricted to packages, manual journal entries excluded (as they become non editable after reception)







4. TASK MONITOR

This module monitors tasks when they are under processing

In “Administration” domain, select the “Task Monitor” module.

The task under processing will appear. Note that several tasks can run and be followed in parallel.       

5. TASK SCHEDULER


Task scheduler moule allows to automate the run of a task once at a given date or several times during a given period.

This option is currently used during monthly reportings to automate IFRS consolidation runs as well as Intercompany reconciliations. Such automation allows a 24/7 service for end users to get updated consolidated data each time a package is published, not depending on GAR team availability to run consolidations.


Here below the list of scheduled tasks used during monthly IFRS reportings - periods of runs adapted each month according to the Group reporting calendar


Note that specific scheduling of Consolidations runs can be setup on demand from GAR and/or Corporate Controlling : Tax reporting, ACTUAL0, RSB...


6. LOG

Log module is an audit trail on runned tasks, allowing BFC Administration team:

  • to check that they were properly executed (without any failure / blocking status)
    • status: task executed till its end without issue
    •  status: task blocked and not executed till its end - double click on it opens the detailed log displaying either at which steps the error occurred or giving a message detailing the source of the issue (example: task already locked / in usage by someone else)
  • to know their duration time - can be useful to detect slowness on the BFC technical platform

It displays runs of piloting tasks (Send/Scan/Receive) as well as runs of Consolidations.



The content of this module is not subject to day-to-day monitoring but consulted in case of issues (conso not runned, too long to be executed) reported by end users (mainly GAR and Corporate Controlling teams).



Example of blocking error:  Reception of this piloting Task could not be received twice at the same time



END OF THE PROCEDURE