One of the new features in planning 11.1.2.3 is the ability to manage dimensional metadata through Smart View which I am sure many are keen to find out more about so here is my take on the new functionality.
The key highlights are:
The extension can be downloaded from the Tools menu in workspace and luckily it is one of the install links that actually works at the moment.
This will download a file called “PlanningSVExtension.msi” which is 1.4mb in size and can be easily installed by running the msi.
I am not going to go through the installation as it as simple as selecting the installation directory and clicking next through the various screens.
Once installed if the Extensions tab is accessed through the Smart View options you will see a Hyperion Planning Admin extension has been installed and enabled.
To get running with the Planning Administration connect to planning using a Shared or Private connection in Smart View.
If a planning application is expanded then there will be a dimension folder which can be expanded to reveal all the dimensions (ok Period is not available).
After selecting Edit dimension an ad hoc grid will be retrieved at the root dimension level with the following functions available in the ribbon.
So now you can zoom in and out and select the members you interested in updating.
Here is an example of a quick retrieve including all the columns available:
In my sample application I have added an ASO database which the metadata can also be maintained.
There are a number of set guidelines when using the Smart View Grid.
To change a member property it is as simple as highlighting the property
After selecting a member property a drop-down menu will be presented with the available values for that property, so let’s change the data storage property from “Store” to “Dynamic Calc”
To update the member in planning then all that is required is to “Submit Data”.
A quick look in planning and the member has been updated.
The update does not have to be on a single member and multiple members can be updated in Smart View before submitting back to planning.
Validation of member properties which you would expect is included.
Moving a member
Once again the process is extremely simple.
Select the “Parent Member” column for the member you want to move to a new parent.
Enter the new parent member name and submit.
Back in planning the member has been moved to a new parent, once again you are not confined to moving a single member and it is possible to change move multiple members at once.
Adding members
There are two different modes for adding new members in the Smart View grid:
If the Dimension Editor Mode is used, new members are marked with an asterisk (*) in the grid after you perform the Refresh. The Submit without Refresh Mode does not require a Refresh but is generally slower in performance and does not mark new members.
The process to add a member using the “Dimenion Editor Mode” method is:
Enter only new member name in the first column (it is possible to enter multiple new member names on separate rows).
Press Refresh.
The new member will be marked with an asterisk and the default properties displayed, please note the member does not exist in planning at this point.
Update the parent member and any required properties then once complete submit back to planning.
The new member should have then been created in planning with the information from the Smart View Grid.
It is possible to change the sign from the default (*) when adding a member, this can be achieved by adding a new property in the planning application.
The documentation says to use “SMART_VIEW_MD_NEW_MEMBER_SUFFIX” which does not seem to work so after a bit of research I came up with adding “SMART_VIEW_DIMENSION_EDITOR_NEW_MEMBER_SUFFIX”
After adding the property the new suffix will appear when adding a new member.
The alternative method for adding members is “Submit without Refresh Mode” which can be set by adding a property in the planning application.
The documentation at present states to use “SMART_VIEW_MD_PARITY_MODE” which does not work for me so I came up with “SMART_VIEW_DIMENSION_EDITOR_PARITY_MODE” set to true.
With this method you can enter all the member information in one go.
Submit back to planning.
The new member(s) should have been pushed to planning.
Shared Members
It is also possible to easily designate a new shared member for a base member.
Select the “Parent Member” for the base member you want set as a shared Member
Update the Parent Member column with the parent member you wish the shared member to be created, set the Data Storage property to “Shared” then “Submit Data”
The "Submit Data" operation will refresh the base member with its original "Parent Member" and "Data Storage" properties.
A quick retrieve shows that member has now been shared under the designated parent.
Refresh/Create database
Another nice feature is the ability to perform a planning refresh/create from Smart View.
Right click the Dimension folder and select refresh or create.
The same options will be available as if it was being performed in planning.
I believe the functionality for managing the metadata is for classic applications only but Smart View does not seem to stop you from trying it on an EPMA application.
There is no warning when editing an EPMA dimension and updated a member property from “Dynamic Calc” to “Store”.
Within planning the member property had changed.
As expected in EPMA the property had no changed but surely something is not right.
Well I think I will leave it there for today and I hope you have found this useful, back soon.
The key highlights are:
- Import existing, add, and edit dimensions and members.
- Move members within a hierarchy.
- Designate members as shared.
- Create and refresh cubes.
I have not found any mention of deleting members so I am not sure if that functionality exists or it is going to be one for the future.
As this is the first release of being able to manage metadata using Smart View don’t expect it to be perfect yet, I have already noticed a few issues and there are currently a number of inaccuracies in the documentation which I am sure will get resolved in later releases.
Before jumping straight into Smart View and trying out the functionality a Smart View planning extension is required to be installed.
As this is the first release of being able to manage metadata using Smart View don’t expect it to be perfect yet, I have already noticed a few issues and there are currently a number of inaccuracies in the documentation which I am sure will get resolved in later releases.
Before jumping straight into Smart View and trying out the functionality a Smart View planning extension is required to be installed.
The extension can be downloaded from the Tools menu in workspace and luckily it is one of the install links that actually works at the moment.
This will download a file called “PlanningSVExtension.msi” which is 1.4mb in size and can be easily installed by running the msi.
I am not going to go through the installation as it as simple as selecting the installation directory and clicking next through the various screens.
Once installed if the Extensions tab is accessed through the Smart View options you will see a Hyperion Planning Admin extension has been installed and enabled.
To get running with the Planning Administration connect to planning using a Shared or Private connection in Smart View.
If a planning application is expanded then there will be a dimension folder which can be expanded to reveal all the dimensions (ok Period is not available).
After selecting Edit dimension an ad hoc grid will be retrieved at the root dimension level with the following functions available in the ribbon.
So now you can zoom in and out and select the members you interested in updating.
Here is an example of a quick retrieve including all the columns available:
In my sample application I have added an ASO database which the metadata can also be maintained.
There are a number of set guidelines when using the Smart View Grid.
- The following functionality is not available in Smart View grids with Planning metadata:
- Pivot
- Pivot to POV
- Cell Text
- Cell Notes
- Supporting Details
- Data cell values can be textual or enumeration or numerical.
- The Parent Member is used to specify or modify the parent/child relationship.
- The position of a member in a grid does not necessarily represent the actual position of siblings in the outline.
- Each metadata grid must be linked to a corresponding Planning dimension.
- Columns for each Planning dimension are based on the corresponding set of member properties available in the Planning dimension editor.
- Once a metadata grid is opened, it cannot be re-linked with a different dimension.
- The corresponding valid set of metadata members is specific to each dimension.
- Planning dimension members are valid for corresponding dimensions only.
To change a member property it is as simple as highlighting the property
After selecting a member property a drop-down menu will be presented with the available values for that property, so let’s change the data storage property from “Store” to “Dynamic Calc”
To update the member in planning then all that is required is to “Submit Data”.
A quick look in planning and the member has been updated.
The update does not have to be on a single member and multiple members can be updated in Smart View before submitting back to planning.
Validation of member properties which you would expect is included.
Moving a member
Once again the process is extremely simple.
Select the “Parent Member” column for the member you want to move to a new parent.
Enter the new parent member name and submit.
Back in planning the member has been moved to a new parent, once again you are not confined to moving a single member and it is possible to change move multiple members at once.
Adding members
There are two different modes for adding new members in the Smart View grid:
- Dimension Editor Mode
- Submit without Refresh Mode
If the Dimension Editor Mode is used, new members are marked with an asterisk (*) in the grid after you perform the Refresh. The Submit without Refresh Mode does not require a Refresh but is generally slower in performance and does not mark new members.
The process to add a member using the “Dimenion Editor Mode” method is:
Enter only new member name in the first column (it is possible to enter multiple new member names on separate rows).
Press Refresh.
The new member will be marked with an asterisk and the default properties displayed, please note the member does not exist in planning at this point.
Update the parent member and any required properties then once complete submit back to planning.
The new member should have then been created in planning with the information from the Smart View Grid.
It is possible to change the sign from the default (*) when adding a member, this can be achieved by adding a new property in the planning application.
The documentation says to use “SMART_VIEW_MD_NEW_MEMBER_SUFFIX” which does not seem to work so after a bit of research I came up with adding “SMART_VIEW_DIMENSION_EDITOR_NEW_MEMBER_SUFFIX”
After adding the property the new suffix will appear when adding a new member.
The alternative method for adding members is “Submit without Refresh Mode” which can be set by adding a property in the planning application.
The documentation at present states to use “SMART_VIEW_MD_PARITY_MODE” which does not work for me so I came up with “SMART_VIEW_DIMENSION_EDITOR_PARITY_MODE” set to true.
With this method you can enter all the member information in one go.
Submit back to planning.
The new member(s) should have been pushed to planning.
Shared Members
It is also possible to easily designate a new shared member for a base member.
Select the “Parent Member” for the base member you want set as a shared Member
Update the Parent Member column with the parent member you wish the shared member to be created, set the Data Storage property to “Shared” then “Submit Data”
The "Submit Data" operation will refresh the base member with its original "Parent Member" and "Data Storage" properties.
A quick retrieve shows that member has now been shared under the designated parent.
Refresh/Create database
Another nice feature is the ability to perform a planning refresh/create from Smart View.
Right click the Dimension folder and select refresh or create.
The same options will be available as if it was being performed in planning.
I believe the functionality for managing the metadata is for classic applications only but Smart View does not seem to stop you from trying it on an EPMA application.
There is no warning when editing an EPMA dimension and updated a member property from “Dynamic Calc” to “Store”.
Within planning the member property had changed.
As expected in EPMA the property had no changed but surely something is not right.
Well I think I will leave it there for today and I hope you have found this useful, back soon.
