What are the TM1 various tools to insert data into cube?

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Stanislav2
Posts: 31
Joined: Tue Aug 20, 2013 5:53 am
OLAP Product: TM1
Version: 10.1.1
Excel Version: -

What are the TM1 various tools to insert data into cube?

Post by Stanislav2 »

Hi,
we are currently using Cognos TM1 v10.1.1 Fixpack 2 64-bit on Windows 2008 R2 and creating cubes with TM1 Architect. Up till now we have been using TM1 for reporting only. So we have been accessing TM1 Server with Cognos Business Intelligence v10.2.1 Fixpack 6. But now we have a requirement that max. three users would like to insert data into only one of our cube.

I have search the web and found out several solutions:
a) TM1 Architect,
b) TM1 Perpectives,
c) Cognos Analytics for Microsoft Excel - CAFE,
d) TM1 Web,
e) Cognos Contributor,
f) Cognos Insight,
Something else???

A requirement is a simple solution e.g. max three users inserting only few data once per month in one cube only in order to make live simulations. The users would like something like sandbox, make some simulations changing some data and in most cases this will be all, so sandbox dropped without writing data into official cube. But in some rare cases end-user may commit data from sandbox like environment to real official cube accessed by end-users.

If possible solution should be:
I. simple as possible (not installing servers, so not invoking of our IT system admin group if possible),
II. no additional licenses to purchase (if possible),
III. easy to maintain (installing some software at three end-user is not a problem).

I was looking at above suggestions:
At a) This is currently the only solution that I am familiar with (TM1 Architect), but I would somehow like to avoid installing TM1 Architect on end-user computers.
At b) and c) Those two options look promising. But I don't know why are there two add-ins, looks like CAFE is new solution.
At d, e) It looks too complicated solution for our current requirement (like installing additional servers and most probably additional licenses to purchase).
At f) It looks excellent tool, but it looks like too complicated for our simple solution - also requires if I am not mistaken additional licensing.

QUESTIONS:
1. What is suggested to start with? Like simple solution it looks like one of the Excel add-is: Perspective vs. CAFE?
2. Currently we use Cognos BI which is licensed by end-user licenses and Cognos TM1 which is licensed by CPUs (PVU - processor value unit). Are there additional licenses involved if using TM1 for inserting with CAFE/Perspective?
3. Is CAFE separately licensed? According to http://www.inteligencija.com/index.php/ ... men-dragar page 8 if there is already "IBM Cognos Business Intelligence Analytics Explorer" license purchased there are no additional licensing costs, is it?
4. Is there any other suggestion what to use (beside Excel add-ins) to have simple inserts in one cube?

Thanks
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