2 Prophix Tips and Tricks: Prophix Security and Accessibility

Prophix Security and Accessibility

Prophix Security is composed of two parts:

• File level security – which is applied to the folders and files accessible to the user.
• Model level security – this security is granular enough to restrict access to a single account to a group of accounts

Depending on your need and business use cases, you will use one or a combination of these features. SSL is also a feature within Prophix however some functionality will be limited due to SSL encrypted URLs.

Prophix Security and Accessibility Document

Prophix Security and Accessibility uses Document Explorer for file security.

File Security:

• Private: Personal documents can be secured within the My Documents folder. Anything within your My Documents is only accessible and viewable by you as the owner
• Public: Folders outside of the My Documents folder is accessible by all users. The caveat is that user must have a role that allows you to use or access that type of file.

It is advisable to create folders for each of the files categories. The administrator has access to all the files and folders. Files containing sensitive information such as salary data can be stored inside such folders.

Users can right click on a folder and go to ‘properties’ where there are two important options:

• The ‘read only’ option to prevent changes from being made to the files inside that particular folder.
• The ‘prevent data entry using template files’ option to prevent users from entering data into a file located within that folder.

Prophix Security and Accessibility for Models

Security Manager allows the administrator to add new users as well as set the level of user access.

Setting up security individually by person is certainly possible; however, it is a best practice to leverage security by groups to make the management of user security much easier.

Setting security by groups allows for the simplified transfer of security settings from one user to another.  The challenge of security by individual is that if a particular user is deleted from security, then that user’s settings are lost and will need to be replicated for the replacement user.  In group security, the user can be deleted without deleting the group, and another user can simply be associated to the group to inherit the same settings.

It may happen that the administrator doesn’t have access to cubes in Business Model Manager.  One reason for this is that the Administrative Privileges aren’t set properly.  Always make sure that the appropriate options are selected here.

If the administrator ever needs to know how many licenses they have in total and how many are currently used up by users, there is a way to check. In Security Manager, under the Tools tab, click on “Licensing”. The number of Prophix License Types consumed will depend on the function assigned in the “Functions” column below. For example, if a user is given access to “Create new models”, that user will consume an administrator license, even if that is the only function selection selected. In this case, this user will have access to Advanced User (and all below) functionalities without consuming additional licenses.

Licensing Available:

License Type Consumed	Functions	Description
Administrator	Manage Model dimensions, properties and calculations Create new Models Create and enroll Journal Entries in Financial Controller Manage Users and Roles View and Print Audit Logs, System Use and System Locks Manage Detailed Planning Manager administration plus functions below	This user is typically in the finance department and is in charge of the company’s use of Prophix. He or she is the main non-IT user of Prophix and can build/maintain several models. Administrators define security access to models for all users, monitors the entire system, creates new models, and is considered a ‘super user’. This user may define other Admin types: – Security Admin – Model Admin – Financial Controller Admin – Personnel Planning Admin
Advanced User	Manage and Monitor Workflow projects Create, Schedule and Run automated Processes Publish Excel workbooks via email or SharePoint Server Design Reports and Data Entry Templates Ad Hoc Analysis with data entry capability Online data entry capability via Data Entry Templates Create Report Binders and distribution lists Create “Drill Across” field definitions Create/Manage connections to external data sources Import external documents Design Detailed Planning Schedules Online data entry via Detailed Planning Manager or Schedules Design and save definitions for Supporting Detail Reports Define and design SmartMonitor criteria Design and write to Prophix for Excel data views plus functions below	These users typically work closely with the administrator and can design automated processes, workflow (including assigning workflow tasks to other users), data-entry templates, and formatted reports. They can also use the Ad Hoc module for both data entry and reporting, open templates in document explorer for the purpose of data entry (data entry outside workflow), as well as manage external connections – including defining what data is returned when users “Drill Across”. These users have access to Detailed Planning Manager (non-admin features) which includes designing Schedules. Users can perform online data entry in Detailed Planning Manager or Schedules. Schedules can be accessed through Workflow, Document Explorer or in Detailed Planning Manager. Users have the ability to design and save layouts for Supporting Detail Reports. The users have control over SmartMonitor parameters and definitions and control which users have access to SmartMonitor reports. In addition, these users can design and enter data into Prophix for Excel data views.
Standard User	Ad Hoc Analysis (Read Only) Approve/Observe Workflow tasks Template Data Entry via Workflow Detailed Planning Schedule data entry via Workflow Prophix for Excel Design (read data from cube only) plus functions below	These users are typically departmental managers. They can be included in the workflow system as both contributors and approvers (i.e. for both data entry and reporting). They can also use Document Explorer to open templates outside the workflow system to view data entry templates and reports. Actual Data Entry can be performed via Excel Workbooks (Offline) or Online via Workflow assignments only. The user can also perform online data entry into a Detailed Planning Schedule accessed through a Workflow assignment only. Users are able to consume pre-built SmartMonitor reports. They can use Prophix for Excel to create reports and read data from the cube. Standard are also able to view Supporting Detail Reports from Ad Hoc Analysis or Template Designer.
Reporting user	Ad Hoc Analysis (Read Only) Approve/Observe Workflow tasks Online Access to Reports and Report Binders Publish static Reports to SharePoint Prophix SharePoint Extensions access SmartMonitor Reporting access Supporting Detail Reports view access Document Explorer access Prophix for Excel (Read Only) Prophix Mobile access plus functions below	These users require online access to get the latest information and greater functionality than basic users. These users would be executives, department managers, or business analysts. Reporting Users can read data held in the Prophix database but cannot enter/modify data. They can be included in workflow as observers or approvers only, which means they can view data in templates or DP schedules but not change it. They can use the Ad hoc for reporting and can save and re-open their own report layouts. Reporting users will have access to SmartMonitor reports and can view dashboards and scorecards. They can also use Document Explorer to open templates outside the workflow system for reporting. Document explorer may also be accessed by Reporting Users through the Prophix Mobile application or using the Prophix for SharePoint Extensions to generate reports.
Basic User	Data Entry through Excel Workbooks Receive Reports and Data Entry Templates via email or SharePoint	These users do not directly access the Prophix software. They can receive Reports in PDF or Excel format as well as controlled Data Entry Templates in Excel format via e-mail or SharePoint. The data in the reports and templates is parsed based on the user’s security access defined in Prophix. Data Entry Templates are automatically imported back to Prophix for instant consolidation.