Financial close has always depended on accuracy, ownership and control. Every reconciliation must follow the right rules, every profile must carry the right attributes, and every change must be traceable. As finance teams scale across entities, regions, business units and ledgers, managing reconciliation rules at a format or profile level can become operationally heavy.
Oracle Fusion Cloud EPM Account Reconciliation is addressing this challenge with Global Rules, along with important updates across configurable period actions, power user security, rule execution and profile attribute automation.
In Oracle’s April 2026 Cloud Customer Connect session, the Account Reconciliation team highlighted updates across 26.02, 26.03 and 26.04, with a strong focus on Global Rules and broader rule enhancements for Oracle Fusion Cloud EPM Account Reconciliation.
What Are Global Rules in Oracle EPM Account Reconciliation?
Global Rules allow reconciliation rules that were previously configured at the Format or Profile level to be configured globally at the application level. This means finance teams can centralize rule logic instead of maintaining similar rules across multiple formats and profiles.
Oracle shows that Global Rules can be accessed through:
Application → Configuration → Global Rules
This gives administrators a centralized place to manage rule behavior across the Account Reconciliation application.
Why Global Rules Matter for Finance Teams
Global Rules are important because they improve governance, consistency and scalability. In large finance environments, rules often need to apply across many profiles, reconciliations and periods. Managing those rules manually at multiple levels can create duplication, missed updates and control gaps.
Global Rules help finance teams:
- Standardize rule logic across reconciliations
- Reduce repetitive rule maintenance
- Improve governance across profiles and formats
- Keep profile and reconciliation attributes aligned
- Support better automation after data loads
- Improve consistency across financial close processes
- Reduce dependency on profile-by-profile configuration
For organizations using Oracle EPM Account Reconciliation at scale, Global Rules can help simplify administration while improving control.
Global Rules vs Format and Profile Rules
Oracle highlights a key difference between Global Rules and Format/Profile rules.
Format and Profile rules are copied into a reconciliation when the reconciliation is created. Once copied, they become part of that reconciliation’s rule structure for that period.
Global Rules are real-time. They are not copied into the reconciliation in the same way.
This distinction is critical. If a Global Rule is changed after it has already been used, the change can affect workflow history. Oracle therefore recommends disabling a Global Rule when it is no longer needed instead of editing it directly.
Key Rule Enhancements in Oracle EPM Account Reconciliation
Even if an organization does not immediately use Global Rules, Oracle has introduced rule enhancements that improve usability and automation.
The main updates include:
Updated Edit Rule User Interface
Oracle has reorganized the rule setup experience with a clearer interface.
The updated rule interface includes:
- Properties tab for rule name, description and run timing
- Filter tab for defining rule conditions
- Attributes tab for Set Attribute Value rules
This makes rule configuration cleaner and easier for administrators to manage.
New “Run When” Section
The Run When section is one of the most important updates. Oracle highlights that this feature allows Profile attribute updates after data load, helping keep Profile attributes aligned with Reconciliations. The deck also notes that teams should review rules after upgrading to 26.04 and consider enabling Post Data Load where appropriate.
This is especially useful when reconciliation attributes depend on balance data, balance attributes or predicted attributes that become available only after data is loaded.
Multi-Attribute Updates in a Single Rule
Earlier, finance teams often needed multiple rules to update multiple attributes.
With the new enhancement, a single rule can update more than one attribute when the same rule type and conditions apply.
This improves rule maintenance because teams can reduce the number of separate rules and make rule logic easier to manage.
New Method and Operation Options
Oracle has introduced more flexibility for Set Attribute Value rules.
The two available methods are:
Value
The attribute is updated based on a defined value. This is the traditional rule behavior.
Copy
The rule can copy values from another attribute.
The three available operations are:
Replace
Updates the attribute regardless of the current value, even if the source value is null. This is the default behavior on upgrade.
Fill
Updates the target attribute only when the current target value is null.
Update
Behavior depends on the selected method. If the method is Copy, the attribute updates when the source value is not null. If the method is Value, the attribute updates only when the target already has a value.
These options give finance teams more control over how attributes are populated and protected.
Run Rules on Profiles
Oracle also introduced Run Rules under:
Profiles → Actions
This is applicable to Set Attribute Value rules. A source period is required because balances, balance attributes and predicted attributes can differ across periods. This allows new profiles to have attributes populated from standard, calculated, balance or predicted attributes.
This is a meaningful improvement for organizations that create new profiles regularly and want to reduce manual profile maintenance.
Global Rules and Attribute Automation
Global Rules become more powerful when combined with balance attributes and predicted attributes.
Oracle highlights that Set Attribute Value rules can now Copy, Fill or Replace values from other attributes. This means finance teams can populate profiles and reconciliations using:
- Standard attributes
- Calculated attributes
- Balance attributes
- Predicted attributes
This creates a stronger foundation for automation in Account Reconciliation because profile and reconciliation metadata can be maintained more intelligently.
Configurable Period Actions
The update also includes Configurable Period Actions for closed and locked periods.
For closed periods, Oracle shows that administrators can turn on or turn off:
- Reconciliation creation
- Reconciliation deletion
- Reconciliation balance loads
For locked periods, administrators can turn on or turn off:
- Action Plan updates
This gives finance teams more control over what users can do after a period is closed or locked. It also helps improve governance around period-end activities.
Enhanced Power User Security
Oracle has also expanded Power User security. Power User security can now be defined by organizational units in addition to profile segments. This gives organizations more flexibility in assigning access based on how finance teams are structured.
For businesses with regional finance teams, shared services, business unit ownership or organizational hierarchy-based controls, this enhancement can make security administration more practical.
Important Takeaways for Finance and EPM Leaders
Oracle’s Global Rules update is not just a configuration improvement. It is a governance improvement.
Key takeaways include:
- Global Rules allow rule logic to be configured at the application level.
- Format and Profile rules are copied to reconciliations, but Global Rules are real-time.
- Global Rules should be disabled rather than edited when they are no longer needed.
- The updated Run When section supports profile attribute updates after data load.
- Set Attribute Value rules now support Copy, Fill and Replace behavior.
- Multiple attributes can be updated in one rule.
- Profile rules can be run directly through Profile Actions.
- Configurable Period Actions improve control over closed and locked periods.
- Power User security can now use organizational units in addition to profile segments.
For finance teams, these updates can reduce manual work, improve consistency and strengthen reconciliation governance.
How NexInfo Can Help
NexInfo helps organizations assess, configure and optimize Oracle Fusion Cloud EPM Account Reconciliation so finance teams can manage reconciliation processes with stronger governance, automation and visibility.
NexInfo can support organizations with:
- Oracle EPM Account Reconciliation configuration review
- Global Rules design and setup
- Format and Profile rule rationalization
- Set Attribute Value rule optimization
- Balance attribute and predicted attribute alignment
- Period action governance
- Power User security review
- Financial close process optimization
- Testing and validation support
- User enablement and documentation
- Post-release adoption planning
With Oracle continuing to enhance Account Reconciliation, finance teams need a partner who can translate new functionality into practical operating improvements.
Conclusion
Oracle EPM Account Reconciliation Global Rules give finance teams a more centralized and scalable way to manage reconciliation automation. Combined with rule UI improvements, Run When options, multi-attribute updates, Copy/Fill/Replace operations, configurable period actions and enhanced Power User security, these updates help strengthen financial close governance.
For organizations managing large reconciliation volumes, multiple entities and complex finance structures, these enhancements can reduce manual maintenance, improve consistency and support a more controlled close process.
NexInfo helps businesses adopt Oracle EPM Account Reconciliation enhancements with the right strategy, configuration and governance model.
FAQ
What are Global Rules in Oracle EPM Account Reconciliation?
Global Rules are reconciliation rules configured at the application level in Oracle EPM Account Reconciliation. They allow rules that were previously configured at Format or Profile level to be managed globally for broader consistency and governance.
How are Global Rules different from Format and Profile rules?
Format and Profile rules are copied into a reconciliation when the reconciliation is created. Global Rules are not copied in the same way; they are real-time. This means changes to Global Rules can affect workflow history, so Oracle recommends disabling old Global Rules instead of editing them.
Where can Global Rules be accessed?
Global Rules can be accessed in Oracle EPM Account Reconciliation through Application → Configuration → Global Rules.
What is the Run When section in Account Reconciliation rules?
The Run When section controls when a rule runs. Oracle highlights that the updated Run When feature allows Profile attribute updates after data load, helping keep Profile attributes aligned with Reconciliations.
What are Set Attribute Value rules?
Set Attribute Value rules are rules used to populate or update attribute values. In the latest updates, these rules support new methods and operations, including Value, Copy, Replace, Fill and Update.
What is the Copy method in Set Attribute Value rules?
The Copy method allows a rule to copy a value from another attribute. This can help populate profile or reconciliation attributes using standard, calculated, balance or predicted attributes.
What is the Fill operation in Set Attribute Value rules?
The Fill operation updates the target attribute only when the current target value is null. This is useful when teams want to populate missing values without overwriting existing values.
Can one rule update multiple attributes?
Yes. Oracle’s update allows multiple attribute updates in a single rule when the same rule type and conditions apply. This can reduce rule duplication and simplify maintenance.
What are Configurable Period Actions?
Configurable Period Actions allow administrators to control what can happen in closed or locked periods. For closed periods, reconciliation creation, deletion and balance loads can be turned on or off. For locked periods, Action Plan updates can be turned on or off.
How does enhanced Power User security work?
Enhanced Power User security allows access to be defined by organizational units in addition to profile segments. This gives organizations more flexibility in managing security based on business structure.
Why should finance teams care about Global Rules?
Finance teams should care about Global Rules because they improve consistency, reduce manual maintenance, support centralized governance and make reconciliation rule management more scalable.
How can NexInfo help with Oracle EPM Account Reconciliation Global Rules?
NexInfo can help organizations review existing rules, design Global Rules, optimize Set Attribute Value logic, align profiles and reconciliations, configure period action controls, review Power User security and support adoption of new Oracle EPM Account Reconciliation features.