Hiding all elements of a dimension from the users

[richeb71]

Hello,

I don’t think this is possible, but wanted a definite answer before I moved on. I have looked online and through the manuals but could not find anything.

Here is the issue. We are in the process of rebuilding all of the TM1 cubes and are going to use Business Viewpoint to manage the dimensions. Business Viewpoint uses a Master Key (index) and what is currently the element would become an attribute. Is it possible to hide the elements of a dimension for all users? It would be meaningless to the users, so there is no reason for them to see it.

We are currently running 9.4 MR1.

Many Thanks,

Rich

[Alan Kirk]

Hello,

I don’t think this is possible, but wanted a definite answer before I moved on. I have looked online and through the manuals but could not find anything.

Here is the issue. We are in the process of rebuilding all of the TM1 cubes and are going to use Business Viewpoint to manage the dimensions. Business Viewpoint uses a Master Key (index) and what is currently the element would become an attribute. Is it possible to hide the elements of a dimension for all users? It would be meaningless to the users, so there is no reason for them to see it.

I'm not really clear on the "what is currently the element would become an attribute" bit and why this has anything to do with the visibility (or not) of the elements, but if you don't want the users to see any of the elements the easiest way is to simply set the permissions on the dimension itself to "None". If you want them to see the attributes of a dimension but not the elements... that's not an option, because you need to specify the element to get its attribute.

[richeb71]

Alan,

Thanks for the response. This answers the question for me:

If you want them to see the attributes of a dimension but not the elements... that's not an option, because you need to specify the element to get its attribute.

Sorry about the confusion. When I typed out the question, it made sense to me at the time. Rereading it now, I see the confusion.

Thanks again,

Rich

[Steve Rowe]

It sounds really really horrible richeb71....

So the natural state of your period dimension instead of P01, P02, P03, or Jan, Feb, Mar etc could be 10010, 10011, 10012 and so on?

How are ever going to write rules that are readable and understandable??
I'd be fighting tooth and nail to stop this.....
Good luck!

[Martin Ryan]

So the natural state of your period dimension instead of P01, P02, P03, or Jan, Feb, Mar etc could be 10010, 10011, 10012 and so on?

It is perfectly possible to use Aliases to please both parties. Using Steve's example you could have Jan, Feb, Mar as the element names, and then 10010, 10011, 10012 as aliases (special types of attributes), so data can be loaded against the element using either name. Or the other way round, 10010, 10011, 10012 as the elements and Jan, Feb, Mar as the aliases.

This often comes up with cost centres. Cost centre codes are the element names and are retrieved from the source system, but then the description of that cost centre is loaded as an alias, so that users can report using the descriptive names, rather than the codes.

The other (long winded) way around this would be to set up a mapping dimension. Set up aliases as described above in a dimension, say "DimensionMapping", then when you import the data use "DimensionMapping" the same way you would use a vlookup in Excel, to retrieve the proper name of the element. Then load the data into a cube that uses a dimension that has the proper element names, instead of the codes.

Martin

[lotsaram]

Here is the issue. We are in the process of rebuilding all of the TM1 cubes and are going to use Business Viewpoint to manage the dimensions. Business Viewpoint uses a Master Key (index) and what is currently the element would become an attribute. Is it possible to hide the elements of a dimension for all users? It would be meaningless to the users, so there is no reason for them to see it.

A couple of things here, firstly terminology. I am pretty sure you are talking about the display values of members which in TM1-speak translates as setting element alias values not "hiding elements" which infers something to do with security which does not seem to be what you are talking about. The simple way to achieve this would be to create default public subsets for each dimension using the appropriate alias.

However just because you are planning on using Business Viewpoint for MDM does not mean that you have to use Business Viewpoint's index as your element principal name in TM1. Regardless whether you are "pushing" from BV or "pulling" from TM1 you do not need to use the master key as the principal element name. You would be much better served by using the appropriate unique identifier as the element name and storing the master key as the "BV Alias". If you rebuild with the BV index then I agree with Steve, the result will be horrible with many headaches.

You could maintain mapping tables or dimensions and build your "reporting" dimensions with sensible element names as per Martin's suggestion, or you could build the dimensions with "sensible" element names and the index as an alias (essentially the opposite of your current plan as I understand it.) If you have been told that this is not possible then you have either misunderstood or been on the receiving end of poor advice.