◆ Applies to: TBM Studio 12.0 and later
One of the most powerful features in TBM Studio is the allocation schemes used to model the flow of money and other metrics from one table in a model to other tables. Models make it possible to relate expenses, assets and labor to applications, platforms, and transactions. The result is detailed cost and statistical information for IT and the business units it serves.
Sankey diagram
Allocations are displayed in a Sankey diagram like the one shown in the following image. The width of the allocation lines in the diagram is proportional to the value.
Tables and allocations
In a model, a table contains data that is associated with an element in the organization. Examples include servers, networks, general ledger, facilities, data centers, email, SAP, and business units. A table groups data together for analysis. In a model, tables are displayed as rectangles. In the cost model shown in the preceding image, the Cost Source Actuals table is the source table. It derives its value from two-unit drivers based on columns in the Cost Source Actuals table: OpEx Variable and OpEx Fixed. It allocates value to three target tables: Labor Actuals, Facilities Actuals, and Fixed Assets Actuals. The target tables could then allocate their value to other tables as shown in the following image:
To allocate value:
There are five types of allocations: Weighted Value, Consumption, Standard Value, Formula, and Recursion. Each allocation type is described in the subtopics that follow.
Last modified: 1/23/2020(c) 2019-2020 Apptio, Inc. All rights reserved.
Thanks @Apptio UserAssistance for posting
This has been helpful in understanding Allocation Types
Thank you for this - was so helpful!
This discussion has been helpful. Thank you
Starting to get some clarity from articles like this, thank you so much. So... is an allocation and a driver essentially the same thing, it just depends on which table you're looking at at the time?
Unit driver --> Table --> Allocation | Driver --> Table --> Allocation | Driver -->...
(Table aka "Model Object" aka "Allocation Object")
btw: there -> their in the last sentence of "Tables and allocations: elements of a model".
Thank you!
The article provides a basic overview of the purpose and process for allocating values in a model, together with primary steps. However, as @Joe Mitchell mentions in his comment above, there are several interface elements that are not covered herein.
Perhaps such enhanced/detailed document exists already, and a link to it can be included herein. That would maintain the simplicity of this article and also provide a connect to more advanced topics on the subject.
Why dos this not contain any screens of the actual Allocation interface itself or discuss setting filters in the From or To? The "Allocate everything else" etc... there's a lot of interface elements not covered by this article. For example how do you set a "From" Filter value if you cannot see the actual table you're allocating from (since the source shows a pre-allocated Destination instead of the actual Source)
Please consider enhancing this Help article to be more fleshed out.