UK local councils rely heavily on Oracle Fusion HCM and Payroll to manage their workforce, pensions, statutory reporting, and compliance requirements. Oracle’s quarterly updates, such as the recently released 25C patch, aim to improve the functionality, security, and compliance of the platform. However, with each release comes the risk of business disruption, particularly in payroll-sensitive environments.
This article explores key issues observed in the 25C quarterly patch and how UK councils can effectively manage them using a structured approach.
What’s In Patch 25C?
Oracle Fusion Cloud HCM and Payroll Patch 25C includes enhancements across:
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Statutory updates for UK Payroll
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Enhancements in Absence, Time & Labour
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User experience improvements in Redwood UX
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Improved calculation methods for salary, benefits, and retro-pay
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Bug fixes and performance enhancements
While these updates are generally positive, they often introduce downstream issues—especially when councils run customized processes or integrations.
Key Issues Observed In Patch 25C (UK Focus)
1. Payroll Calculation Errors
Several councils reported discrepancies in net pay due to miscalculations in retroactive pay adjustments and statutory deductions. The new calculation logic introduced in 25C must be validated in payroll test environments before rollout.
2. Pension Scheme Mismatches
Changes in element eligibility and pension deductions caused misalignment with LGPS (Local Government Pension Scheme) rules, requiring custom rule set adjustments.
3. Redwood UI Inconsistencies
Some Redwood-enabled pages failed to load correctly or did not reflect user roles properly, especially in self-service portals for managers.
4. Workflow Interruptions
Custom approval workflows tied to HCM transactions (e.g. new joiners, transfers) broke due to schema changes or attribute renaming introduced in 25C.
5. Absence Plan Overlaps
Councils using complex absence policies (term-time only staff, long-term sickness rules) reported conflicts due to changes in accrual logic.
6. HMRC FPS/EPS Compatibility
Slight updates in FPS and EPS formats from Oracle needed alignment with council-specific output layouts to ensure successful submissions.
Best Practices To Address 25C Patch Risks
To minimize disruption and ensure a smooth rollout of 25C, UK local councils should adopt the following approach:
1. Automated Patch Testing with PatchGuard
Use tools like PatchGuard to automatically simulate payroll runs, check eligibility rules, and validate time/absence scenarios in a cloned test environment. PatchGuard can flag regressions in minutes, reducing manual test cycles by over 60%.
2. Run Parallel Payroll Validations
Compare pre-patch and post-patch payroll runs for 3–4 months of historical data to ensure consistency. Focus on statutory deductions, net pay, and pension contributions.
3. Test Custom Integrations and Reports
Verify integrations with HMRC, LGPS providers, and BI Publisher reports to ensure data consistency. Pay attention to schema or field name changes that may impact extracts.
4. Update User Training and Documentation
If Redwood UX is enabled, ensure users are aware of layout changes, new navigation paths, and any loss of old functionality. Update training materials and quick guides accordingly.
5. Engage Oracle Support Early
Raise SRs proactively if any anomalies are spotted during testing. For known issues, Oracle may release hotfixes or recommend configuration workarounds.
Strategic Takeaway
Oracle Fusion Patch 25C is packed with important updates, but it also demands a rigorous validation process—especially for sensitive areas like payroll. UK local councils must balance compliance with operational continuity, and automation is the key enabler.
By leveraging intelligent testing tools like PatchGuard, engaging technical support partners, and implementing a repeatable patch management playbook, councils can confidently deploy quarterly updates without impacting employee pay, compliance, or trust.
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July 21st, 2025
10 min read
