First of all I have to say thanks for all the useful information I have seen in this site. I have been using TM1 for a while(as an end user) but this is the first time I am going to take a peek behind the scenes. We have the new version of TM1 (10.1 I believe?) and I am trying to develop an excel template that end users can fill with their forecast and then uploaded into TM1. For what I have seen in this site the easiest to upload the data is using DBSW, although the best practice would be to use the Turbointegrator right?
So as previously mentioned I am new to this, but I was thinking I could use a template that is already created in TM1 do a slice do I export the information into excel, in order to maintain the reference of where the information is pulling from in TM1 and then simply create another sheet that mirrors the Slice in which the end user will input the new data and that way I would be able to link them together and simple change the DBRW into DBSW and upload the data. Is this feasible or is there a flaw in the logic.
As you are on TM1 10.1.1 I would at least consider using "Applications" which allows you a few options to collect data.
What used to be called Contributor or the new Cognos Insight (mutually exclusive within an Application).
I have personally not experimented with Insight, but what I have seen looks like it may be useful and if your needs are simple then this could a fast way to get this deployed.
At least with this approach you a more managed application as against using excel.
However what you get in Excel is the ability to format the sheets exactly how you want to see them and its also a comfortable environment for end users.
Aside from using Contributor/TM1 Applications if you need to collect data then consider publishing Excel sheets to TM1 Web. This is much more efficient and simple than having DBSW formulas as they are not needed in TM1 websheets as users can paste a big slab of data and it all gets uploaded. This is one area where web behaviour is different (and markedly superior) to Excel. If you are new to this then deploying TM1 websheets is an awful lot easier than a Contributor application.
If you need to process bulk data from an end user stand point then you can use
1. Processing sheets
2. Create a TI for the end user that reads a file from a shared location
3. DBSW formulas will work through Excel
4. Copy Paste in TM1 Web
5. In the way advanced case you could build a file upload utility using the API. I was able to get about 70% of the way using Java and Eclipse and haven't had time to finish it.
