How to design a model in TM1 9.5?

[C.Wang]

Dear all,

How to design a model if we have a following example:

Cube A which contains Account, Time, Product, Region, Version dimensions.

Product has the following structure:

All_Product
- Category_A
- SKU_1
- SKU_2
- Category_B
- SKU_3
- SKU_4

The requirement is we have Product Manager A who is responsible for Category_A and Product Manager B who is responsible for Category_B. We need to create a Contributor application and let Product Manager A and B to fill in figures and submit. Then Product Director will review data at All_Product level.

In Cognos Planning, we may have an other eList (Product Director, Product Manager A and Product Manager B) and setup the save selection. Then Product Manager A and B could only see their own SKUs and fill in figures. Finally Product Director will review after Product Managers submit their figures.

In TM1 9.5, how do we do a design?
Option 1: we may set Product dimension as the Approval Hierarchy directly. We may create user group Product Manager A and B. From Contributor Admin interface, we setup the security as Product Manager A group has submit right for Category_A and same method for Product Manager B. But they could only open SKU and fill in figures on bottom level. But the problem for this option is they could not fill in figures on Category level and let system do a break back to SKU level. Also if they have 20 SKUs in one Category, they need to open each of them and fill in figures. It is also very difficult to set security for Product Manager A and B user group once they may have new SKUs added.
Option 2: we may add other dimension(which has Product Director, Product Manager A and Product Manager B) into the cube and set the newly-added dimension as the Approval Hierarchy. But it is also difficult to set the security.

Do you have other better design? And how could we setup the security?

Could anybody help to answer?

Thanks,

[lotsaram]

I haven't had a good play with 9.5 Contributor yet but I principle I see no reason why you should have to navigate only to leaf elements to submit a forecast. The manager of product A or B should be able to navigate to that node and use data spreading (TM1's analogue to break-back) to change numbers top down. Possibly for your submission hierarchy just create a summarised product hierarchy that begins at category level.

In terms of managing security you are talking here about TM1 element security. Handling element security dynamically as new SKUs are created is usually handled by utilising rules to set the element security. This is quite straightforward and once set up is dynamic and maintenance free.

[C.Wang]

Based on my understanding, what you suggest is Option 2.

I need to create a new Dimension, A_Product_Category:
- A_All_Product
- A_Category_A
- A_Category_B

(Prefix A means Approval Hierarchy)

Then my cube will have one more dimension.

After that from Contributor Admin interface, I set A_Product_Category as the Approval Hierarchy.

In TM1, I need to set security for both Product and A_Product_Category dimensions to user groups such as PM_A and PM_B.

Do you think it is easy to set the security if I have 20 or 30 Category? What about the maintenance?

Is it the best solution to design this model in my case?

If possible, could anyone of you play around TM1 9.5? I think it is something different than what we do in Cognos Planning or TM1 9.4.

Thanks,

[VRGultom]

I think what you need is to create new dimensions:
1. Account with elements:
Manager A
Manager B
2. Product with elements:
Product A
Product B
3. Category with elements:
SKU 1
SKU 2
SKU 3
SKU 4

if you want Manager A can only see his products, you can set in Security login (??), as I remember TM1 has its feature

Regards
VRG

[C.Wang]

Dear all,

Actually I did the following testing:

Cube A:
- Account
- Time
- Version
- Product
- A_Product_Category (Newly-add as the Approval Hierarchy in Contributor Admin)

Product has the same hierarchy.

A_Product_Category has the following hierarchy:
- A_All_Product
- A_Category_A
- A_Category_B
...

I have the user groups PM_A and PM_B. I need to setup security to dimensions Product and A_Product_Category.

Then when the user A in PM_A group login, he could only see Category A including all the SKU itself and A_Category_A.

Question:
1) How could I create an auto rule when new SKUs are added and user A could still see it in Category A in Product dimension? How could I do to avoid later manual maintenance.

2) How do I setup to let one user modify data from All Product level? It seams that if I use A_All_Product member and setup the security, it won't work. Do I need to create a dummy member below A_All_Product and assign security?

Thanks,

[rollo19]

Similar requirement here: Faculties > Schools > Courses. We need the Approval hierarchy to start at Schools.

Contributor wont allow Consolidated elements at the bottom of the approval hierarchy. Nor will it allow a Contributor to open a bunch of nodes (SKU's in your case, Courses in mine) and work on them all at once/spread top down.

So I've come to the same conclusion you have - requires two dimensions as
Faculties > Schools > Courses and
Faculties > Schools (Approval Hierarchy)

Will use a security cube with a rule to say if course parent = school in approval hierarchy then write else none

Time permitting. Otherwise I will drop Contributor, and use the one Faculties > Schools > Courses dimension and Apply security against the one dimension and serve up cube views in TM1Web.