The September 2026 update for Oracle Analytics Cloud (OAC) introduces enhancements that make it easier to create, share, and extend analytics experiences across the organization. This release brings new AI capabilities that simplify authoring and enrich business context, along with improvements to visualization, workbook sharing, and embedding. Together, these updates help organizations streamline analytics workflows, improve collaboration, and deliver insights wherever users need them.
Featured highlights:
AI and Gen AI
- Use Natural Language to Write Expression Filters
- Auto Insights for Consumers
- AI Descriptions for Dataset Columns
Data Visualization and Experience
- Toggling from Design to Present Mode
- Public Access Links for Workbooks
- Embed Workbooks in External Applications
- Configure Custom Values for Nulls in Pivot Table
Modeling, Preparation, and Connectivity
- Configure Columns Descriptor IDs in Datasets
AI and Gen AI
Use Natural Language to Write Expression Filters
Workbook authors can use natural language to write expression filters with Expression Assistant, which generates an expression using fields from the selected data source. Users can apply the result or refine it with a follow-up request, while administrators choose the registered language model used for this feature. Available in workbook and visualization filters, the assistant reduces the need to write expressions by hand or search for function syntax, so people can apply the filters they want more directly.
Auto Insights for Consumers
Auto Insights can be enabled for consumers through a workbook’s Configure Presentation settings. Authors can add suggested visualizations, such as trending dimensions, seasonality, or growth contribution bridges, to a workbook canvas, while consumers opening the workbook in read-only mode can review insights and influence recommendations by choosing the visualization types they want to see. Consumers can also export or share the insights. The experience extends access to automatically generated analytical perspectives beyond authors and helps consumers explore the workbook from within their regular viewing flow.
AI Descriptions for Dataset Columns
AI descriptions add semantic metadata for a dataset and its attributes so AI agents can better understand the business meaning of the available columns. Authors can describe the overall dataset and individual columns, including distinctions between similar forecasts, fiscal-calendar formats, or units of measure; descriptions can also be generated as a starting point for authors to review and refine. For subject areas, you can manage the related indexing configuration in the console and import or export it. Clearer descriptions give agents additional business context that may not be evident from a column name alone, helping them interpret the available data when generating responses.
Data Visualization and Experience
Toggling from Design to Present Mode
Toggling from design to present mode brings visualization, presentation, and data blending work into a more connected editing flow. Presentation configuration is now launched from the Preview menu, where authors can either view the workbook as a consumer would or enter the presentation workspace. Data blending is accessed through the overflow menu and returns authors to the editor when complete. By consolidating these launch points within the workbook editing experience, OAC makes it easier to move between authoring tasks while keeping the workbook at the center of the workflow.
Public Access Links for Workbooks
Public access links for workbooks give administrators a controlled process for making selected analytics content available publicly. Administrators can enable public access for an OAC instance and grant the Publish Content Publicly permission to the users or groups allowed to publish content. Content in shared folders can be granted read-only access through the BI Public role, after which workbook, analysis, and dashboard authors can create a public link from the sharing options. Once public access has been appropriately configured, recipients can access published content through the public link without signing in to OAC and use it for scenarios such as sharing or embedding approved workbooks and classic content on a web page.
Embed Workbooks in External Applications
Workbooks can be embedded in external applications using sample code that developers add to a web page to display a chosen workbook canvas and configure its interactivity. Production applications must configure authentication according to the supported OAC embedding and access requirements, and authors can choose whether embedded content shows a header bar or visualization toolbar. Presentation settings in OAC remain the source of truth for the available header and toolbar options, including features such as refresh, notes, export, and the Insights panel. Together, these controls help developers embed analytics in a web experience while authors shape the analytics interactions users can access there.
Configure Custom Values for Nulls in Pivot Table
Authors of pivot tables can replace a null measure value with a custom text value through the new Missing Value Text property. After changing the setting from automatic to custom, an author can enter the value to display, such as a hyphen, for intersections where the data is null. This provides a direct way to control how missing values appear in a pivot table. Authors can present nulls in a form that is clearer for the workbook audience while retaining the underlying data condition.
Modeling, Preparation, and Connectivity
Configure Column Descriptor IDs in Datasets
Configuring column descriptor IDs in datasets lets datasets created from local subject areas inherit descriptor ID relationships already defined in a semantic model or deployed RPD. Users can see and choose a friendly descriptor, such as a product name, while OAC uses its corresponding ID for query processing. Dataset authors can also configure the descriptor ID relationship manually for connection-based datasets. Applying selected IDs directly to the relevant data can streamline query processing by reducing related dimension-table and join work.
Key Takeaways
The September 2026 Oracle Analytics update focuses on making analytics more intuitive to create, easier to share, and more accessible across a variety of business workflows. From AI-powered authoring enhancements and richer visualization experiences to expanded sharing and embedding capabilities, these updates help organizations deliver more connected and flexible analytics experiences. These highlights represent just a portion of what’s included in the September 2026 release. Be sure to explore the complete What’s New documentation and feature playlist to discover all of the latest Oracle Analytics enhancements.