IBM Planning Analytics

TM1 Users Survey Reveals Plans for Migrating to IBM Planning Analytics

March 15, 2018 by Lisa Minneci Leave a Comment

Revelwood’s recent survey of TM1 users uncovered when and why many organizations are planning to migrate from IBM Cognos TM1 to IBM Planning Analytics. The survey, which was conducted in Q4 2017, found that more than one quarter of respondents who are migrating to IBM Planning Analytics are planning on doing so this quarter. Slightly less than 10% of respondents plan to migrate sometime between 3-9 months. Only 13% of all respondents are not migrating to Planning Analytics at all.

TM1 Users Survey Reveals Plans for Migrating to IBM Planning Analytics

Interestingly, despite the widespread attention on cloud-based solutions, 50% of respondents plan to migrate to IBM Planning Analytics Local. 18% are migrating to Planning Analytics on the cloud and more than one quarter are still undecided if they will opt for an on-premise strategy, a cloud-based version, or a hybrid approach.

TM1 User Survey on Migrating to IBM Planning Analytics

The survey also showed there is widespread excitement about several new aspects of Planning Analytics:

Nearly 85% are very excited or excited about Planning Analytics Workspace
67% are very excited or excited about Planning Analytics for Excel (PAx)
52% are very excited or excited about hierarchies

Many of the TM1 users are still eager for information and resources on IBM Planning Analytics and aspects of migrating to the new platform. When asked what they’d like to learn more about, some responses included:

How to create Planning Analytics for Excel (PAx) reports (62%)
How to create a Planning Analytics Workspace dashboard (83%)
Tips & Tricks for using Planning Analytics (87%)
Unique uses of Planning Analytics inside the office of Finance (79%)

Interested in learning more about migrating from TM1 to IBM Planning Analytics? Contact us if you need any help.

IBM Planning Analytics Tips & Tricks: Performance Monitoring, Part 2

March 13, 2018 by Nina Inverso Leave a Comment

Did you know there are easy ways to address resource issues in order to have a finely tuned IBM Planning Analytics environment? This is the second in a two-part series about monitoring the performance of your server to maintain a working TM1 system. In the first post, I reviewed several methods for monitoring the resources available on your system. Here, I’ll go over some ways to address resource issues you may see.

Whether you notice a problem related to CPU, RAM, or disk space, there are short-term and long-term solutions for each. Use the following outline to guide your resource issue resolutions:

CPU
- Short-term
  - Use Task Manager to determine which process is using excessive CPU
  - Use TM1 Top to see if there is a TM1 TurboIntegrator (TI) process using excessive CPU
- Long-term
  - Determine the root of the issue (e.g. locked TI process, large or problematic view creation, etc.)
  - Debug the issue and resolve it
- RAM
  - Short-term
    - Use TM1 Performance Monitor to check TM1 server performance
      1. Open TM1 Server Explorer and log in to the TM1 server
      2. Click on the name of the TM1 server
      3. Select Server > Start Performance Monitor
      4. View performance in the statistics control cubes
    - Use Task Manager to determine which process is using excessive RAM and restart that service
      - TM1 Web -> Restart the Application Server only
      - TM1 server -> Restart that service
    - Restart the server if the issue persists
  - Long-term
    - Continue using TM1 Performance Monitor to check TM1 server performance
    - Look through the rules and feeders of cubes that require excessive resources
    - Verify that enough memory is being allocated to the server (check configuration settings)
    - Use Windows Performance Monitor
      - Add IBM Cognos TM1 counters
      - Monitor detailed performance by counter
    - Supply additional RAM if necessary
  - Disk
    - Short-term
      - Find the TM1 server log (.log) and dump (.dmp) files
      - Remove unnecessary files, but keep most recent to aid in future debugging
    - Long-term
      - Look through the log and/or dump files for the root cause of the problem and resolve this issue
      - Supply additional disk space if necessary

IBM Planning Analytics, of which TM1 is the engine, is full of new features and functionality. Not sure where to start? Our team here at Revelwood can help. Contact us for more information at info@revelwood.com. And stay tuned for more Planning Analytics Tips & Tricks weekly in our Knowledge Center and in upcoming newsletters!

IBM Planning Analytics Tips & Tricks: Performance Monitoring, Part 1

March 6, 2018 by Nina Inverso Leave a Comment

Did you know that server resources are vitally important to maintaining a working TM1 system? In this two-part blog series, I’ll review methods for monitoring the resources available on your server and the ways in which you can address most issues that may arise.

The three main resources you’re going to want to monitor are CPU, RAM, and disk:

CPU (Central Processing Unit) – Often referred to as the brains of the computer, the CPU is where most calculations and operations take place.
RAM (Random Access Memory) – Sometimes compared to a person’s short-term memory, RAM is a type of memory that can be accessed quickly and efficiently.
Disk – Sometimes compared to a person’s long-term memory, the disk is where data is stored in your computer permanently (or until it’s deleted).

The first, and easiest, resource you can monitor is a server’s available disk space. To view the available disk space on a server, follow these steps:

Open Windows File Explorer
Select This PC in the left pane
Check each drive for space available

Note: The free space available on each drive is displayed next to or beneath it.

Learn performance monitoring for IBM Planning Analytics

In addition, the following steps can be taken to monitor the server’s CPU, RAM, and disk usage:

Open Task Manager
View CPU, RAM, and disk usages by processes in the CPU, Memory, and Disk columns, respectively
Select the Performance tab
View total usages under the CPU, Memory, and Disk options
Select the CPU, Memory, and Disk option to view more details
Select Open Resource Monitor at the bottom of the window
View details regarding CPU, RAM, and disk usages on the CPU, Memory, and Disk tabs, respectively

Performance monitoring in IBM Planning Analytics

In the next post, I will review some ways to address any resource issues you may see.

IBM Planning Analytics (built on the TM1 engine) is full of new features and functionality. Not sure where to start? Our team here at Revelwood can help. Contact us for more information at info@revelwood.com. And stay tuned for more Planning Analytics Tips & Tricks weekly in our Knowledge Center and in upcoming newsletters!

Read the second post in this series, IBM Planning Analytics Tips & Tricks: Performance Monitoring, Part 2

IBM Planning Analytics Tips & Tricks: New Configuration Setting for Dates

February 27, 2018 by Revelwood Leave a Comment

This is a guest post from Revelwood’s Shane Bethea.

Did you know IBM Planning Analytics 2.0 has a new feature that makes it easier to manipulate dates?

Previously, when manipulating dates in IBM Planning Analytics / TM1, I always had to reach for a crumpled up, barely legible sticky note I have laying on my desk that has the number 21916 written on it. This is because TM1 rules and TI functions do not calculate serial date numbers from the same starting point as Microsoft Excel. The starting point for time in TM1 is 1/1/1960 whereas the starting point for time in Excel is 1/1/1900. The difference between 1/1/1900 and 1/1/1960 is, you guessed it, 21916 days. Date functions in TM1 rules and TI have to take this into account by adding or subtracting 21916 when manipulating dates.

Wouldn’t it be nice to eliminate that obscure number every time you work with dates in TM1 / Planning Analytics? Well, IBM has introduced a configuration setting in Planning Analytics 2.0 called ‘UseExcelSerialDate’ to remove the confusion. When this new configuration setting is set to T (true), TM1 / Planning Analytics rules and TI functions use a starting point of 1/1/1900. This configuration setting can be turned on by adding the parameter to the tm1s.cfg file for your TM1 database. The default setting is F (false).

Let’s take a look at an example. In TM1 version 10.2.2 and earlier, the date 5/31/2018 is represented by the number 21335 because 5/31/2018 is 21334 days after 1/1/1960. However, in Microsoft Excel, the date 5/31/2018 is represented by the number 43251. This is because 5/31/2018 is 43250 days after 1/1/1900.

Below is a simple cube rule to calculate the serial data number based on user entry of a date. Because the UseExcelSerialDate configuration setting is false by default, I have to add 21916 to ensure that TM1 / Planning Analytics and Excel dates match. See below where Index 001 uses only the DAYNO() function and Index 002 uses the DAYNO() function plus 21916.

IBM Planning Analytics new feature for manipulating dates

Learn about IBM Planning Analytics new feature for manipulating dates

Now, if I set the UseExcelSerialDate configuration setting to T, I can modify the rule to not include the addition of the 21916 and my Serial Date measure results in the value of 43251, which matches Excel serial dates.

Read how to use IBM Planning Analytics new feature for manipulating dates

Understanding how to use IBM Planning Analytics new feature for manipulating dates

This new configuration setting enables my TM1 functions to calculate on the same scale as Excel and removes any confusion about dates that may have existed in the past. Best of all, I can get rid of that old sticky note.

IBM Planning Analytics is full of new features and functionality. Not sure where to start? Our team here at Revelwood can help. Contact us for more information at info@revelwood.com. And stay tuned for more Planning Analytics Tips & Tricks weekly in our Knowledge Center and in upcoming newsletters!

The Future of Revelwood’s Toolkit and Dynamo!

February 12, 2018 by John Pra Sisto Leave a Comment

Last October, we held a webinar updating you on the future of the Revelwood Toolkit, including Dynamo!, in IBM’s new Planning Analytics environment. At that time there was significant uncertainty surrounding the future of IBM’s support for TM1 V10.2/10.2.2 and Perspectives and how that would affect our support of the toolkit. As you are aware, Dynamo! will not function in the new Planning Analytics environment when using PAx (Planning Analytics for Excel) as the interface.

As things have become clearer, we wanted to take this time to update you on some important information:

IBM has formally announced the end of support for TM1 v10.2 as September 30, 2018. The end of support for v10.2.2 will be one year later, September 30, 2019.
IBM has not announced an end of support for Perspectives and continues to include it as an interface option in the latest release of Planning Analytics.
Revelwood intends to provide support for the Revelwood Toolkit and Dynamo! through the end of life of Perspectives in both TM1 v10.2/10.2.2 and Planning Analytics, in the 32 bit Excel 2013 and 2016 environments, to those clients that maintain their Revelwood Toolkit and Dynamo! software maintenance.

What does this mean? Good news!

As long as IBM continues support for Perspectives, clients are encouraged to upgrade to the latest version of Planning Analytics as both Perspectives and the Toolkit/Dynamo! will continue to work and be supported. Over time, as you gain familiarity with Planning Analytics, we can work with you to convert your reports to PAx, creating an easier transition.

As information becomes clearer regarding any planned end of life announcements for Perspectives, we will be sure to keep you informed.

Again, it will be critical to maintain your Revelwood Toolkit Maintenance and Dynamo! support agreements as any fixes or patches will only be distributed to those clients. In addition, as reports are converted to the new PAx environment, our Dynamo! Documenter Tool will be made available to you to significantly streamline that effort.

If you have any questions, or need help planning your upgrade to IBM Planning Analytics, please feel free to reach out to me at jprasisto@revelwood.com or 201.984.3025.

IBM Planning Tips & Tricks: Asymmetrical Axis in PAx

February 6, 2018 by Revelwood Leave a Comment

This is a guest blog post by Revelwood’s Nicole Frigo.

Did you know that IBM Planning Analytics for Excel (PAx) gives you the ability to use an asymmetrical approach that allows you to display combinations of elements without the repetition? IBM Cognos TM1 and IBM Planning Analytics gives you the ability to quickly create views of your existing data. The views are symmetrical, which means that any rows or columns that contain multiple elements will include all possible combinations of the selected elements. But sometimes you may not want to see all combinations.

The following is an example of a symmetrical view that will be converted into an asymmetrical view. This example will use a Financial GL cube.

Connect to an environment in PAx and created an exploration. We will arrange our view in the following way:

Accounts will be on the rows.
Scenario and Period will be on the columns (using multiple periods and a single scenario)
All other dimensions will be in the context area.

Here are the results of our example:

It may not make sense to show Actuals for all 4 quarters since there are no actuals for Q3 or Q4. It may make more sense to show Plan values in those months. A symmetrical view would require 8 columns to appear (4 Actuals plus 4 Plan), but an asymmetrical view allows the columns to be merged together.

Right click in the column drop zone area and select the option to “Convert Axis to asymmetric”.

Once converted, you will see that each column now has its own scenario header, each of which now shows Actuals (which was the value of the original exploration).

Asymmetrical Axis in IBM Planning Analytics for Excel

Expand the scenario dimension in the navigation tree to display all of the members.

Navigation tree in IBM Planning Analytics for Excel

Select the Plan element and drag this onto the cell for Actuals of Q4 (cell F13 in this example). Release the cursor when you see an outline around the cell. You will notice that Q4 is now showing the Plan values while the prior 3 quarters are still showing Actuals.

Plan element in IBM Planning Analytics for Excel

A stacked square icon appears in the left corner of any axis where asymmetry is applied.

You can convert the exploration back to a symmetrical version by double clicking on the icon.

Asymmetric analyses are one of many new features in PAx that enhance the overall functionality and reporting capabilities of Planning Analytics.

IBM Planning Analytics, which TM1 is the engine for, is full of new features and functionality. Not sure where to start? Our team here at Revelwood can help. Contact us for more information at info@revelwood.com. And stay tuned for more Planning Analytics Tips & Tricks weekly in our Knowledge Center and in upcoming newsletters!

New Subscription-based Pricing for Revelwood’s TM1 & IBM Planning Analytics Help Desk

January 25, 2018 by John Pra Sisto Leave a Comment

Most of us have workdays that force us to choose between spending time on tasks that are urgent versus tasks that are vital. As a TM1 or IBM Planning Analytics administrator, that may mean having to answer urgent (or, really not-so-urgent) general user support questions when you would much rather spend your time designing a new model to for that major corporate strategic initiative. Or building the business case on why you should migrate from TM1 to Planning Analytics now, before your Finance team starts to do its 2019 budgeting and planning and hits a wall.

We understand your challenges and we’re here to help. You can turn to our new Help Desk and send those urgent (and not-so-urgent) issues our way, while you make the best use of your time. Revelwood’s TM1/Planning Analytics Help Desk can help you diagnose, troubleshoot and solve bugs and other issues related to your entire TM1/Planning Analytics environment. We can also work with you on all of your customizations and configurations. You can even have your users contact us directly. But that’s not all — our new Help Desk is a subscription-based service offering. You pay one monthly fee, which gives you unlimited access to our help desk team. Now, not only can you put a set budget in place for your TM1/Planning Analytics support needs, but you can also turn to us for help without worrying about the cost to you!

Revelwood Help Desk Admin Support Plan

This is a Level II plan, where you provide Level I support to your end users, while we provide Admin support to authorized individuals that you designate. You and your authorized individuals will funnel questions and issues from your end users first, enabling your team to prioritize issues and rely on our team where you feel we are needed the most.

Revelwood Help Desk End-User Support Plan

This is a Level I plan where Revelwood will serve as Level I support for your end-users who use TM1/Planning Analytics on a regular basis. We can answer whatever questions they have, freeing you up to focus on higher-value tasks. This plan also includes Level II support.

Let us take the “headaches” off your to-do list so you can focus on the vital projects on your list. We can partner with you to help ensure your TM1/Planning Analytics environment is up and running smoothly. Both plans are available as a subscription service, giving you peace of mind from a budget perspective and a support perspective!

Send an email to John Pra Sisto to find out more.

IBM Planning Analytics Tips & Tricks: The Ranked Report

January 23, 2018 by Nina Inverso Leave a Comment

Did you know IBM Planning Analytics for Microsoft Excel (PAx) provides several tools to view, maintain, and report on your Planning Analytics data? Dynamic Reports, one of the PAx reporting tools, allows you to create flexible reports with personalized formatting. An example of this is a ranked report, which will display and sort the top set of rows. To do this, simply insert a TM1RPTFILTER formula into a cell on the Excel worksheet containing the Dynamic Report.

The TM1RPTFILTER formula has five parameters that can be used to customize the filter:

ReportView – A reference to the cell containing the TM1RPTVIEW formula that applies to the Dynamic Report
Tuple – A string specifying the member of the column dimension to which the filter applies
FilterFunction – A string from the following list that describes the set of data to be displayed:

TOPCOUNT
BOTTOMCOUNT
TOPPERCENT
BOTTOMPERCENT
TOPSUM
BOTTOMSUM

FilterValue – The number of rows to be displayed
SortOrder – A string from the following list that describes the way in which the data should be sorted:
- asc – Ascending
- desc – Descending
- nbasc – Ascending without breaking the hierarchy
- nbdesc – Descending without breaking the hierarchy

The following is an example of a ranking function using TM1RPTFILTER. This report would display the top 20 rows, ranked by December’s data, in descending order.

=TM1RPTFILTER(RptView, “[Month].[Dec]”, “TOPCOUNT”, 20, “desc”)

This concept can easily be applied it to a variety of models to quickly and effectively report on the rankings within a data set.

For more information, refer to the IBM Planning Analytics 2.0.0 documentation or the TM1RPTFILTER documentation.

IBM Planning Analytics Tips & Tricks: Using MDX to Compare Dimension Hierarchies

January 16, 2018 by Revelwood Leave a Comment

This is a guest post by Revelwood’s Shane Bethea.

Did you know you can use MDX to compare dimension hierarchies? IBM Cognos TM1 dimensions often have multiple hierarchies that should all roll up to the same total. Said another way, these separate hierarchies should all contain the same set of n-level elements below them. For example, a customer dimension may have a hierarchy for rolling up the ‘All Customers – by Type’ and another for ‘All Customers – by Region.’ A TI process can be used to maintain the elements in the dimension and these two hierarchies, but sometimes the two hierarchies may become out of sync. MDX can be used to see if both hierarchies contain the exact same number of n-level customers and, if the two hierarchies are out of sync, identify the elements causing the problem.

In our example above, let’s say that a customer was added to the dimension within the ‘by Type’ hierarchy but not within the ‘by Region’ hierarchy. If two separate reports were written to pull the total revenue for all customers then the reports would show inconsistent values. This is because the ‘by Type’ hierarchy would have one more customer than the ‘by Region’ hierarchy.

Using MDX to Compare Dimension Hierarchies

To quickly figure out where the difference lies between the two hierarchies, an MDX statement can be used to compare the n-level elements within the two hierarchies.

Learn how to use MDX to compare dimension hierarchies

The MDX statement above uses the ‘EXCEPT’ function and will yield the difference between the ‘All Customer – by Type’ hierarchy and the ‘All Customer – by Region’ hierarchy. The result of the MDX statement is the one n-level element that is missing from the ‘by Region’ hierarchy. From here, you can investigate why the element was added to one hierarchy and not the other.

TM1 Users Survey Reveals Plans for Migrating to IBM Planning Analytics

IBM Planning Analytics Tips & Tricks: Performance Monitoring, Part 2

Read more blog posts with tips & tricks on IBM Planning Analytics and TM1:

IBM Planning Analytics Tips & Tricks: Performance Monitoring, Part 1

IBM Planning Analytics Tips & Tricks: New Configuration Setting for Dates

Read more blog posts with tips & tricks on IBM Planning Analytics and TM1:

The Future of Revelwood’s Toolkit and Dynamo!

IBM Planning Tips & Tricks: Asymmetrical Axis in PAx

New Subscription-based Pricing for Revelwood’s TM1 & IBM Planning Analytics Help Desk

IBM Planning Analytics Tips & Tricks: The Ranked Report

Read more IBM Planning Analytics Tips & Tricks blog posts:

IBM Planning Analytics Tips & Tricks: Using MDX to Compare Dimension Hierarchies

This is a guest post by Revelwood’s Shane Bethea.

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IBM Planning Analytics

Read more blog posts with tips & tricks on IBM Planning Analytics and TM1:

Read more blog posts with tips & tricks on IBM Planning Analytics and TM1:

Read more IBM Planning Analytics Tips & Tricks blog posts:

This is a guest post by Revelwood’s Shane Bethea.

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