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IBM Planning Analytics Tips & Tricks: Search with Descendants

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The IBM Planning Analytics subset editor includes various options to search a list of elements within a dimension. This includes the ability to search by name and attribute, search by referencing mathematical comparisons or text searches and search by one filter or multiple filters. 

But sometime challenges occur with your searches when the element you are looking for does not exist in the current list of available members. For example, a search for “taxes” might not appear if my current list of available members only contains the consolidated element called “Compensation.”

This situation requires users to expand their consolidation elements when looking for specific elements.

Planning Analytics Workspace (PAW) version 101 has introduced a setting to eliminate this challenge, which allows you to define whether you want to search the current set only (the default option) or whether you want to include descendants in your search.

This approach works with both the Available Members search (e.g., the left side) and the Current Set search (e.g., the right side).

By changing the search approach, you no longer need to pre-expand your consolidations when looking for elements within a dimension. 

Revelwood is an IBM Gold Business Partner with 25+ years of experience designing, developing, implementing and maintaining IBM Planning Analytics environments. Revelwood has helped clients in all sizes across all industries optimize and grow their use of Planning Analytics. Revelwood’s Planning Analytics team consists of experienced PA experts, including a multi-year IBM Champion.

Stay up to date with PA – sign up for our weekly Planning Analytics Tips & Tricks newsletter, subscribe to our YouTube channel, and join our IBM Planning Analytics All-Stars group on LinkedIn.

Read more IBM Planning Analytics Tips & Tricks:

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IBM Planning Analytics Tips & Tricks: PAW – Navigation Approaches Using Action Buttons

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Have you ever been in a situation where you created a multi-tab IBM Planning Analytics Workspace (PAW) book that required a combination of inputs, TurboIntegrator (TI) processing, and the viewing of results?  If so, you may have created a two-part workbook that included an input sheet with an action button and a separate reporting sheet. While this approach does everything you need, it requires your users to perform two steps to see the full processing results: click the button to run the script and then manually navigate to the resulting report.

PAW version 101 added functionality that eliminates the need to manually perform the navigation. When configuring action button properties, users are now given the option to define when navigation occurs. Users can still navigate immediately upon clicking, but they can also have the navigation occur after a process is completed. 

In addition, users can differentiate the navigation approach for a successful process completion vs. a process that completed with an error.

These advanced settings allow you to simplify the user navigation while also offering IF-THEN functionality with a single action button click.

Revelwood is an IBM Gold Business Partner with 25+ years of experience designing, developing, implementing and maintaining IBM Planning Analytics environments. Revelwood has helped clients in all sizes across all industries optimize and grow their use of Planning Analytics. Revelwood’s Planning Analytics team consists of experienced PA experts, including a multi-year IBM Champion.

Stay up to date with PA – sign up for our weekly Planning Analytics Tips & Tricks newsletter, subscribe to our YouTube channel, and join our IBM Planning Analytics All-Stars group on LinkedIn.

Read more IBM Planning Analytics Tips & Tricks:

IBM Planning Analytics Workspace Settings – Dim Editor Index

IBM Planning Analytics Tips & Tricks: Application Websheet Folders

IBM Planning Analytics Tips & Tricks: Rename Views in PAfE

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IBM Planning Analytics Workspace Settings: DIM Editor Page Size

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Have you ever edited a large dimension in IBM Planning Analytics Workspace and found that you are forced to repeatedly scroll through a list to see the full dimension? This may be because you are only looking at 200 elements at a time.

Did you know that you can control how many elements initially load when the dimension editor is opened and each time a new page is refreshed? There are two ways to do this.  One approach is to manually define the setting within the dimension editor. This is done by clicking on the settings icon and modifying the option for Page size.  

The second approach is to always have this value defined. Users with the Administrator, Modeler, or Analyst role can use the Settings editor to define global settings. To modify this setting, click on your username at the top right corner of Planning Analytics Workspace, select the option for Profile and Settings, and then select the option for Settings. The page size definition is found within the Dimension Editor section. After modifying this setting, the value will be set by default within the dimension editor screen. Users can still manually change the option, if preferred.

Revelwood is an IBM Gold Business Partner with 25+ years of experience designing, developing, implementing and maintaining IBM Planning Analytics environments. Revelwood has helped clients in all sizes across all industries optimize and grow their use of Planning Analytics. Revelwood’s Planning Analytics team consists of experienced PA experts, including a multi-year IBM Champion.

Stay up to date with PA – sign up for our weekly Planning Analytics Tips & Tricks newsletter, subscribe to our YouTube channel, and join our IBM Planning Analytics All-Stars group on LinkedIn.

Read more IBM Planning Analytics Tips & Tricks:

IBM Planning Analytics Workspace Settings – Dim Editor Index

IBM Planning Analytics Tips & Tricks: Application Websheet Folders

IBM Planning Analytics Tips & Tricks: Rename Views in PAfE

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IBM Planning Analytics Workspace Settings – Dim Editor Index

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Have you ever looked at all elements in a dimension (via the “All” button in Perspectives or any of the prebuilt “All xxx” sets in IBM Planning Analytics) and wondered how the resulting order was defined? This is a result of a behind-the-scenes setting called an Index. Every element is assigned an index. It is used to define the default sorting / appearance of the list.

So how do you see the index number in PAW when editing a dimension? There are two ways to do this. One approach is to manually turn on the option within the dimension editor.  This is done by clicking on the settings icon and enabling the option for Element index.  

Once enabled, the index number will appear directly to the right of the element.

The second approach is to always have this setting enabled. Users with the Administrator, Modeler, or Analyst role can use the Settings editor to define global settings. To enable this setting, click on your username at the top right corner of Planning Analytics Workspace, select the option for Profile and Settings, and then select the option for Settings. The index definition is found within the Dimension Editor section. After enabling this setting, the Element Index option will be selected by default within the dimension editor screen. Users can still manually deselect the option, if preferred.

By viewing the index, it will be easy to see the order that elements will appear for various default sets.

Revelwood is an IBM Gold Business Partner with 25+ years of experience designing, developing, implementing and maintaining IBM Planning Analytics environments. Revelwood has helped clients in all sizes across all industries optimize and grow their use of Planning Analytics. Revelwood’s Planning Analytics team consists of experienced PA experts, including a multi-year IBM Champion.

Stay up to date with PA – sign up for our weekly Planning Analytics Tips & Tricks newsletter, subscribe to our YouTube channel, and join our IBM Planning Analytics All-Stars group on LinkedIn.

Read more IBM Planning Analytics Tips & Tricks:

IBM Planning Analytics Tips & Tricks: Application Websheet Folders

IBM Planning Analytics Tips & Tricks: Rename Views in PAfE

IBM Planning Analytics Tips & Tricks: Excel’s AGGREGATE Function

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IBM Planning Analytics Tips & Tricks: Application Websheet Folders

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As you migrate from IBM Planning Analytics’ TM1Web to Planning Analytics Workspace (PAW), you may be asking yourself if you can still create folders to organize your websheets. The answer is yes!

Name change

Planning Analytics no longer refers to the folders as “Applications” since PAW applications have a different meaning. PAW now refers to the folders as “Websheets.”

Where to create and configure the folders

The folder creation and configuration is done with the Planning Analytics for Excel (PAfE) environment by using the same concepts as websheet creation:

  1. Go to the “Open” icon (next to the Publish icon)
  1. Create the new folder
  1. Once created, right-click on the folder to toggle between private and public (note: it will initially be set to private)

This approach will allow you to continue to group your websheets into an easy-to-use arrangement for your end users.

Revelwood is an IBM Gold Business Partner with 25+ years of experience designing, developing, implementing and maintaining IBM Planning Analytics environments. Revelwood has helped clients in all sizes across all industries optimize and grow their use of Planning Analytics. Revelwood’s Planning Analytics team consists of experienced PA experts, including a multi-year IBM Champion.

Stay up to date with PA – sign up for our weekly Planning Analytics Tips & Tricks newsletter, subscribe to our YouTube channel, and join our IBM Planning Analytics All-Stars group on LinkedIn.

Read more IBM Planning Analytics Tips & Tricks:

IBM Planning Analytics Tips & Tricks: Excel’s AGGREGATE Function

IBM Planning Analytics Tips & Tricks: Update on Planning Analytics’ Deprecation

IBM Planning Analytics Tips & Tricks: Unpivot

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IBM Planning Analytics Tips & Tricks: Rename Views in PAfE

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Have you ever been in a situation where you saved a view and then realized that you want to change the name in IBM Planning Analytics for Excel (PAfE, formerly PAx)?  Maybe you had a typo or maybe you referenced a date that has changed.

In the old Perspectives world, there was no way to change the name of an existing view, so you were forced to resave the view with a new name and then delete the original view.  Planning Analytics for Excel offers the ability to rename a view without having to perform multiple steps.  

Renaming a view in PAfE is as simple as right-clicking on the view!

Once the option is selected, a popup box will appear that allows you to rename the view.  

This approach gives you the ability to maintain your environment with a single click, thereby simplifying your overall processes.

Revelwood is an IBM Gold Business Partner with 25+ years of experience designing, developing, implementing and maintaining IBM Planning Analytics environments. Revelwood has helped clients in all sizes across all industries optimize and grow their use of Planning Analytics. Revelwood’s Planning Analytics team consists of experienced PA experts, including a multi-year IBM Champion.

Stay up to date with PA – sign up for our weekly Planning Analytics Tips & Tricks newsletter, subscribe to our YouTube channel, and join our IBM Planning Analytics All-Stars group on LinkedIn.

Read more IBM Planning Analytics Tips & Tricks:

IBM Planning Analytics Tips & Tricks: Excel’s AGGREGATE Function

IBM Planning Analytics Tips & Tricks: Update on Planning Analytics’ Deprecation

IBM Planning Analytics Tips & Tricks: Unpivot

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IBM Planning Analytics Tips & Tricks: Excel’s AGGREGATE Function

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Excel’s AGGREGATE function lets you manage complex reports and ensure they foot correctly.

For example, suppose you are building a sales report by product and region.

A screenshot of a table Description automatically generated

Building the Grand Total calculation for a multi-level report like this is error-prone. You would need to use the SUM function and select every individual region while ensuring that no totals were included.

You can use instead use the AGGREGATE function to define all the totals … both the subtotal and the grand total. AGGREGATE can sum (among other things) and you can set the option to ignore other AGGREGATE formulas.

The AGREGATE function requires three parameters:

  • A function number to define Average, Count, Max, Sum, etc.  Function number 9 is sum.
  • An option to define how to interact with other subtotals, hidden rows, etc.  Option 0 ignores other subtotals and aggregate functions.
  • The range to perform the function.

The image below shows the same report along with the formulas used.

A screenshot of a spreadsheet Description automatically generated

Notice how the formula in C17 can include all the cells above it. You can now insert rows in any region and not have to update the grand total.

Additionally, you can have AGGREGATE ignore hidden rows. Hide a particular SKU, see the results and unhide the row. Very easy for on the fly what-if scenarios. The ignore hidden rows feature works very well when trying to derive a sum of an Autofiltered list.

Revelwood is an IBM Gold Business Partner with 25+ years of experience designing, developing, implementing and maintaining IBM Planning Analytics environments. Revelwood has helped clients in all sizes across all industries optimize and grow their use of Planning Analytics. Revelwood’s Planning Analytics team consists of experienced PA experts, including a multi-year IBM Champion.

Stay up to date with PA – sign up for our weekly Planning Analytics Tips & Tricks newsletter, subscribe to our YouTube channel, and join our IBM Planning Analytics All-Stars group on LinkedIn.

Read more IBM Planning Analytics Tips & Tricks:

IBM Planning Analytics Tips & Tricks: Unpivot

IBM Planning Analytics Tips & Tricks: PAW Export Data

A Resolution You Should Actually Keep: Upgrade Your IBM Planning Analytics Environment

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IBM Planning Analytics Tips & Tricks: Update on Planning Analytics’ Deprecation

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IBM recently made the End of Support dates for Planning Analytics 2.0.9.x official.

As we mentioned in our previous blog post on the deprecation of Planning Analytics 2.0.9.x, IBM is extending the general support period for Planning Analytics 2.0.9.x until October 31, 2025. This includes IBM Planning Analytics Local, IBM Planning Analytics Advanced and IBM Planning Analytics Express.

Now is the time for you to start thinking about your migration plan. The next ten months will pass by quickly.

Our team has created a few resources for you regarding the upcoming changes. They include:

We’re happy to work with you on your migration. Email us at info@revelwood.com.

Revelwood is an IBM Gold Business Partner with 25+ years of experience designing, developing, implementing and maintaining IBM Planning Analytics environments. Revelwood has helped clients in all sizes across all industries optimize and grow their use of Planning Analytics. Revelwood’s Planning Analytics team consists of experienced PA experts, including a multi-year IBM Champion.

Stay up to date with PA – sign up for our weekly Planning Analytics Tips & Tricks newsletter, subscribe to our YouTube channel, and join our IBM Planning Analytics All-Stars group on LinkedIn.

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IBM Planning Analytics Tips & Tricks: Unpivot

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Did you know you can unpivot data in IBM Planning Analytics?

Sometimes you’ll find yourself in a situation where you need to change the layout of data from a grid format to a vertical table format, this is called unpivoting the data.

I’ll show you how to do this via some new Excel formulas.

Consider this sample data set:

A screenshot of a spreadsheet Description automatically generated

The goal is to have a table with three columns: Invoice, Month, Data. Here’s how to do that step-by-step.

Step 1

Use the EXPAND formula to create an array of Invoices.  In this case, we are creating a 5 x 12 array (5 rows x 12 columns).

=EXPAND($A$2:$A$6,5,12)

This will generate this:

A white grid with black and green text Description automatically generated

Step 2

EXPAND doesn’t know what to do with the other columns, so we can use IFERROR to fill in the errors with a specified value. In this case, if there’s an error then we want to replace the error with the first column value.

=IFERROR(EXPAND($A$2:$A$6,5,12),$A$2:$A$6)

Now we have this:

A screenshot of a computer Description automatically generated

Step 3

Now we use the TOCOL function to make the grid of invoice numbers into a column

=TOCOL(IFERROR(EXPAND($A$2:$A$6,5,12),$A$2:$A$6))

That generates:

A number of binary code Description automatically generated with medium confidence

Step 4

We repeat the previous steps for the months. We want an array of 12 x 5 for the months. The end formula is:

=TOCOL(IFERROR(EXPAND($B$1:$M$1,5),$B$1:$M$1))

Step 5

Use TOCOL on the data points to pivot them into a columnar format.

=TOCOL($B$2:$M$6)

Now we have a live, formula-based unpivot model that will refresh when the data is changed.

A screenshot of a spreadsheet Description automatically generated

Bonus Tip!

You can make the formulas more dynamic by using COUNTA instead of hard coding the number of rows/columns in the EXPAND function.

Revelwood is an IBM Gold Business Partner with 25+ years of experience designing, developing, implementing and maintaining IBM Planning Analytics environments. Revelwood has helped clients in all sizes across all industries optimize and grow their use of Planning Analytics. Revelwood’s Planning Analytics team consists of experienced PA experts, including a multi-year IBM Champion.

Stay up to date with PA – sign up for our weekly Planning Analytics Tips & Tricks newsletter, subscribe to our YouTube channel, and join our IBM Planning Analytics All-Stars group on LinkedIn.

Read more IBM Planning Analytics Tips & Tricks:

IBM Planning Analytics Tips & Tricks: PAW Export Data

A Resolution You Should Actually Keep: Upgrade Your IBM Planning Analytics Environment

Popular IBM Planning Analytics Videos of 2024

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