TM1 Forum

Can anyone tell me what the benefits are in Cognos TM1. We are currently using Cognos Entripise Planning, we are planning to scrap out the application and re-create it in Cognos TM1.

Can any one let us know.

Regards,
Ashish

Hi Ashish,

TM1 is very different from Cognos Planning. Here are just a few of the differences:

1. TM1 is 64-bit, in-memory multi-dimensional OLAP server. This technology enables developers to build very big cubes. Updating or recalculating a cube is very quick.

2. It is customary to have all cubes in a TM1 model as part of a single application (or “Server Instance”). This is quite a departure from Contributor.

3. There is no such thing as a “Synchronization” or “Go To Production” in TM1. Once you make a change to a cube, to a dimension, or change the rights, the user view is updated immediately.

4. Another big advantage that TM1 has over Cognos Planning is the “drag and drop” capability within dimensions.

Regards,
Ravi

Be very careful before you jump ship to TM1.
I've just completed a training course with a fair few EP guys, who all left their heads wondering when they'd recommend TM1 over EP.

Personally I have no experience of EP, so I can't make a comparison.
The main selling point would appear to be the very fast response of TM1 compared to EP. However, you seem to lose many of the nice inbuilt things that EP has!

If you use analyst then you will find that TM1 has less built in functionallity. TM1 tends to lean more towards a blank canvas approach. If you want to break data back across product (for exmaple) you will need to do either:

a) Build rule calculations
b) Use the built in ETL tool
c) Use some of the functionallity in excel

In my experience of Analyst and TM1, while the built in Analyst functions are handy we have had problems with rounding. (Especially with break back.) In TM1 you have to go through the pain of building something from scratch. While this is a bit of a pain it means that you are in complete control of how the process is completed and the final result suites your business model exactly.

I hope that helps,

Jim.

I would recommend checking the topic here as well
http://forums.olapforums.com/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=2969