When using dynamic period selection in Planning Analytics Workspace (driven by client selections/MDX), column width formatting was not persisting when the selected period changed. For example, when a user changed their period selection from "Open Periods^202505" to "Open Periods^202512", all column widths would revert to default sizes, requiring manual resizing each time.
Root Cause:
The cellSizeInfo property in the Board Specification (via CTRL + Q + /) JSON stores column widths using specific member tuple references. When the cellSizeInfo contained entries like:
"([Periods].[Periods].[Open Periods^202505],[Local General Ledger Measures].[...],[Currency].[...])":400
These references became invalid when the period selection changed, causing PAW to fall back to default column widths. Everyones pain point....
Solution:
By accessing the Board Specification JSON (via CTRL + Q + /), we modified the cellSizeInfo property to use level-based defaults instead of member-specific widths:
>Before (member-specific):
"cellSizeInfo": "{\"column\":{\"sizes\":{\"([Periods].[Periods].[Open Periods^202505],[...])\":400,\"([Periods].[Periods].[Open Periods^202507],[...])\":404}}}"
> After (level-based defaults): ✅
"cellSizeInfo": "{\"row\":{\"sizes\":{},\"levelSizes\":{\"0\":272,\"1\":355},\"levelDefaults\":{}},\"column\":{\"sizes\":{\"([Periods].[Periods].[No Period],[Local General Ledger Measures].[Local General Ledger Measures].[Local Account Desc],[Currency].[Currency].[No Currency])\":386},\"levelSizes\":{\"2\":24},\"levelDefaults\":{\"2\":400}}}"
"levelDefaults":{"2":400} - Sets a default width of 400px for ALL level 2 columns (all measure/period/currency combinations)
Without this functionality, PAW views with dynamic selections become difficult to maintain and provide a poor user experience. End users encounter inconsistent column sizing with each selection change, requiring frequent manual adjustments. This limitation diminishes one of PAW's key advantages over legacy tools - while PAfE reports load more slowly, they reliably maintain consistent formatting.
For PAW to be a compelling replacement for PAfE in production environments, column width persistence with dynamic selections needs to be a native, user-accessible feature rather than a JSON workaround requiring developer intervention.
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Llewellyn Evans
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Original Message:
Sent: Thu March 04, 2021 01:45 PM
From: STUART KING
Subject: Planning Analytics Workspace Column Widths
Hi Mark,
I see the enhancement request. We will review this request with our design team as we are working on the updated design for the Workspace cube viewer.
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Stuart King
IBM Planning Analytics Offering Manager
Original Message:
Sent: Wed March 03, 2021 07:57 AM
From: Mark Wragg
Subject: Planning Analytics Workspace Column Widths
Hi,
FYI I have logged the enhancement request here:
https://ibm-data-and-ai.ideas.aha.io/ideas/PAOC-I-506
regards,
Mark
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Mark Wragg
Original Message:
Sent: Tue March 02, 2021 11:42 AM
From: Charbel Abou-Khalil
Subject: Planning Analytics Workspace Column Widths
Thanks Mark.
You are correct.
It is caused by the used MDX. The MDX is changing the member per user. The column extents are tied to the member. e.g. the Width of the column. If that member is no longer there the extents (width in this case) is no longer applicable.
This design, is intentional to allow for member specific extents to be carried over as the member moves around in the grid on the same axis. E.g. Operations Hide/Keep/Drill/Expand/Collapse. You will notice how the member moves into various columns positions yet the width is persisted.
As it stands we do not have the capability to perform extent changes for a fixed column position and disregard members as the context.
This is a good candidate for an enhancement request. Please consider logging an enhancement here: https://ibm-data-and-ai.ideas.aha.io/?project=PAOC
Thanks
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Charbel Abou-Khalil
Original Message:
Sent: Tue March 02, 2021 04:50 AM
From: Mark Wragg
Subject: Planning Analytics Workspace Column Widths
Hi Charbel,
thanks for the reply.
I have done some further testing and believe it is related to the MDX being used in the subset.
In the example I gave the cube view was looking at the client attributes cube, with the client dimension in the column, and in order to return data for the logged on client I have used the following mdx:
{STRTOMEMBER("[}Clients].[}Clients].[" + USERNAME + "]")}
It would appear it is the fact that the element changes depending upon which user logs in which is causing the column width not to persist.
So for example, if the logged in client is say, "Test User Example A" then Test User Example A will be the element returned by the MDX, whereas if the logged in client is "User X" then User X will be the element. Test User Example A and User X are different lengths, I am wondering if this is somehow causing the column width not to persist.
Whatever the reason I would view this has a bug.
I should add that we are on version 2.0.59 of workspace
regards,
Mark
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Mark Wragg
Original Message:
Sent: Mon March 01, 2021 09:51 AM
From: Charbel Abou-Khalil
Subject: Planning Analytics Workspace Column Widths
Hi Mark,
The column width size is not user specific and is persisted/saved as part of the book Cube view widget content. I would not expect that different users see different things if they opened the same book.
Can you confirm:
1 - The version of PAW used.
2 - There are no errors in browser console.
Additionally are you able to reproduce using one of the same databases and provide us with the book export for additional validation.?
Thanks.
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Charbel Abou-Khalil
Original Message:
Sent: Fri February 26, 2021 04:33 AM
From: Mark Wragg
Subject: Planning Analytics Workspace Column Widths
Hi,
I have created filter selections for views in PAW using mdx.
Everything seems to work well except that when I save the book it does not save the column widths of views for other users.
Let me illustrate, when I create the book, add in the view, extend the column widths and save the book, the next time I open the book it remembers the column width as per the image below:
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Mark Wragg
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#PlanningAnalyticswithWatson