Planning Analytics

Hi Tina,

For my allocation models I typically use an export and import approach for a few reasons:

• Reading and writing to the same cube can be slow where the writing will cause the cache to be cleared and thus subsequent reads to be slow
• Exporting the ratios/proportions to files allows the same file to be reused if necessary
• Simplifies the process in my mind by separating the steps
• TI spread function was just too slow to be practical

Essentially then you would have a caller/wrapper process that does the following:

• Calls a child process which exports the ratios to one or more files depending on your model, number of drivers etc.
• Builds a view based on the values to be allocated
• Calls a child process passing the context of the parent cell to be allocated and the amount to be allocated
• Child process reads the relevant ratio file and for each record takes the ratio, multiplies the amount to be allocated and then writes to the cube based on the member the ratio relates to.

Hope that helps.

If we ever get the functionality whereby we can pass the context of the cell selection in a cube view to a TI button, we could quite easily set up a process via button to populate the underlying cell values with the working days profile (just tiny decimals), and then use the annual total input, which would automatically spread in working days proportion. However, we don't have this unfortunately (please IBM!). We could achieve the same by process currently, but would need the user to select the row elements (be it account, line or similar), which is cumbersome and not as user-friendly, but might be your only option. 

The other option is rules, but then you immediately clash with any other high level spreads you might want to do...

It’s not as nice as an action button but you can create a drill through process to perform this task. You will have the context available and could essentially perform any action from there. 

Hi Tina

This is not an uncommon request and it may require some work with the customer to get to the right solution.

You mentioned that your data has higher dimensionality, consolidations differ from the working days ratio, rules cannot be used due to multiple spreading options, and users find processes impractical or complicated. Realistically, "complicated" tasks, like having multiple spreading options available where working days are one option, require some effort from the user.

In my projects, I always emphasize to customers that functionality, administration, and performance are interconnected. High functionality typically comes at the expense of administration and/or performance, while low administration comes at the expense of functionality and/or performance.

As others have already stated, if rules are not an option, then TI processes are the only viable solution. You will need to collaborate with the customer to find the best possible compromise given the requirements and technical possibilities. It should be possible to get the customer to decide on which solution is the best for them once they know the pros and cons of each solution. As always, informed decisions are always the best.

Thank you all very much for your help and for sharing your knowledge. We later received information from the business users that they do not actually need an in-time spread, but rather want the final budget to be allocated by months, which we will definitely do using the TI process.

BR, 

Tina