Frequently Asked Questions

Dynamic Planning allows users to perform advanced Dynamic Planning on large volumes of data by creating what-if scenarios and adding members and calculations on the fly in their own environment. Offering Microsoft Excel, web, and mobile user interfaces, Dynamic Planning allows users to quickly perform real-time interactive data exploration with self-service query and analysis capabilities. After analysis and collaboration, the model can then be incorporated into the overall corporate model empowering Finance and Operations users.

• Interactive Query and Analysis — Perform multidimensional analysis with speed-of thought response time. Zoom in or out, pivot data, keep or remove members, refresh the data from Dynamic Planning, and write data back to the model.

• Advanced Dynamic Planning — Financial and operational business users can take their ‘slice’ of corporate data and add dimensions, members, and calculations on the fly. Users can incorporate financial or non-financial drivers into the models and update the corporate model when they decide.

• Excel Reporting — Harness the full power of Excel for information presentation while ensuring “one version of the truth” from a centralized, secure data store.

SpotlightXL is the Microsoft Excel Add-In for Dynamic Planning.

No. SpotlightXL is a part of Dynamic Planning. Dynamic Planning is a separate product that is licensed.

Dynamic Planning will use data from the Finance Cube. Additionally, data can be loaded from an Excel flat file.

See: Client Requirements

See: Client Requirements

Data, yes. Metadata write-back to the Structured Planning, Consolidation, and Reporting Applications may be supported in a future release.

Why SpotlightXL is not shown in Excel?

To view SpotlightXL in your Excel, you need to download the SpotlightXL add-in and install it. For more information on how to download it, refer SpotlightXL - Download & Installation.

Difference between refresh and refresh all

The difference between Refresh and Refresh All Open Reports in Spotlight for Office is: Refresh: Retrieves data values for each cell on the current page only. It connects to the Dynamic Planning data source and updates the values based on the defined member intersections. Refresh All Open Reports: Retrieves and updates data for all pages in all open documents, not just the current one. This applies similarly across Spotlight for Word and PowerPoint​​.

The Dimensions not defined error occurs when a when a required dimension has not been properly defined. When you add a new dimension to a Model, you must define it under Model > Dimension. If the dimension is not defined, the Model cannot be generated, and calculations depending on it will fail.

For more information, refer How to Define Dimension Security.

The ability to lock a Dynamic Planning user depends on your tenant type:

Unified Tenant:

If your organization uses a unified tenant, user management (including locking and unlocking users) is handled through Tenant Admin. You can lock or unlock users there.

Non-Unified Tenant:

For non-unified tenants, user management is handled by Admins or Power Users directly within Dynamic Planning.

The lock/unlock option will be grayed out for unified tenants, not for non-unified tenants. This is because user actions such as add, update, lock, and unlock must be performed through the PCR by Admin for unified tenants.

To download Spotlight:

• You must have access to the PCR application.

• Once you have access, Spotlight can be downloaded from the PCR application or the Help page.

You can create a substitution variable based on a POV date using the following methods:

• From SpotlightXL.

• On the Model Substitution Variable screen.

• On the PCR Cube Settings page.

Yes, Derived Variables can be created based on POV time from the PCR site. This is supported for both Direct Access to PCR (DAP) and Workforce Planning (WFP) modules.

In Spotlight for Excel, "Exit Edit Mode" refers to the need to stop editing a cell before performing other actions. If you are currently typing in a cell, you must press Enter, Tab, or Esc to exit the cell's edit mode.

A custom reporting model refers to a purpose-built model, often created within Dynamic Planning, that supports advanced reporting and analysis needs not fully addressed by standard models. This model is ideal for organizations that require deep analytical capabilities and are built to adapt with evolving business structures.

These models are highly flexible and are typically designed to:

• Combine financial and operational data across multiple dimensions such as Time, Scenario, Department, Product, and so on.

• Enable detailed “what-if” analysis and customized reporting structures.

• Support planning, forecasting, and scenario modeling tailored to unique business use cases.

Custom reporting models are ideal for organizations that require deep analytical capabilities beyond standard reporting and are built to adapt with evolving business structures.

Yes, a custom reporting model can use either attribute mappings or the main hierarchy, while remaining fully dynamic. It depends on how the model is configured.

• Main Hierarchy: Useful for structured, roll-up-based reporting. It aligns with traditional chart-of-accounts or organizational hierarchies.

• Attribute Mapping: Offers greater flexibility by allowing you to group or filter data based on metadata (such as department type, cost center group, or region). Attribute-based structures are dynamic and ideal for ad hoc analysis or user-defined reporting views.

In Dynamic Planning, these mappings are leveraged through tools like SpotlightXL, Views, and Reports, allowing users to pivot or slice data interactively without changing the core structure of the model.

How to turn on Spotlight Report into a Dynamic Report?

Spotlight Reports are created using Dynamic Planning Excel and Dynamic Reports must be built directly within the PCR app.

The status page for running snapshots in Spotlight can be found under: Dynamic Planning > Spotlight > Snapshot Status tab. This tab displays the current status of all running and completed snapshots.
If you're looking for more details about a specific snapshot, the Snapshot Status tab provides visibility into each snapshot's progress.

No, it is not possible to view the statistical ranges of accounts in Planful without the signal being triggered. The statistical range is only visible when a signal is generated.

This error means that the Direct_Connect model has been created but has not yet been generated. Open Spotlight XL > Model > Setup > select model > click Generate.

SpotlightXL does not have a dedicated Status page. To view the status of running snapshots, go to the Report section.

No, SpotlightXL is not a license type specifically designated for Contributors. It is a Excel Add-In that provides users access to Planful’s Dynamic Planning features—including Analyze, Report, Excel Report, Model, and Manage. While Contributor users can work with SpotlightXL, it is not exclusive to them. All user roles (Power, Contributor, and Reviewer) can access SpotlightXL depending on the permissions assigned to them. Access to functionality within SpotlightXL is determined by the user's role and associated security privileges not by the tool itself.

Here are a few common reasons why you might be unable to download Spotlight add-ins:

• Permissions or Access Restrictions

• Missing Spotlight Access in Planful

• Incorrect URL or Download Link

To compare two SpotlightXL reports, open each report in a separate Excel window or tab. SpotlightXL does not currently offer a built-in report comparison feature, so any comparisons must be done manually using Excel’s native tools (e.g., side-by-side view, formulas, or conditional formatting).

To open the next month in Spotlight (web or Excel version), follow the steps below:

In Spotlight Web or SpotlightXL:

1. Open the View or Report you want to update.

2. Locate the POV (Point of View) toolbar or filter section—typically across the top.

3. In the Time or Period dimension:

4. Click the current month (for example, "Jan 2025")

5. Select the next month (for example, "Feb 2025") from the dropdown

6. Click Refresh to update the data for the selected month.

Using Substitution Variables:

1. If your report uses a substitution variable like @CURMONTH@, update the variable’s value to the next month from:

   1. Model > Model Administration > Substitution Variables (in SpotlightXL)

   2. Or update the variable centrally if it's shared across views

When you download or refresh a report from Dynamic Planning (using SpotlightXL or Spotlight Web), any Excel groupings (such as collapsed or expanded rows/columns created using Data > Group in Excel) are removed because of the following reasons:

• Excel groupings are considered manual client-side formatting.

• They are not part of the saved report structure in Planful.

• Upon export or refresh, Planful re-renders the report using its internal model structure and does not retain any manual Excel formatting applied by the user.

No, Dynamic Planning does not replace DLR. Each serves a distinct purpose. To access DLR, log in to the PCR Web Application and navigate to Maintenance > Data Integration > Data Load Rules.

To learn about Dynamic Planning click here.

To learn about DLR, click here.

1. Go to Design View or Design Report.

2. Locate the Scenario or Time dimension in the view/report structure.

3. Select the appropriate member(s) for the updated scenario.

4. Save and refresh the view/report.

Download and install SpotlightXL Add-In. Then, log into the same tenant through Excel or web. Once authenticated, you can access and use the Spotlight functionalities directly within Planful.

Check the Background Job status. If the background job is down, calculations will not run and remain in the submitted state. The background job must be running to process calculations.

After creating the Spotlight report, log into the same tenant in the web application. Go to Reports, browse the folder structure, and the report will be visible there.

Ensure the data is the same for the same combination.

• Check if the Currency Conversion setting (LC to CC or vice versa) is affecting the values.

• For example, if Spotlight shows 2 and CC conversion is applied, PCR may show 4 due to conversion logic.

• Always verify LC (Local Currency) and CC (Common Currency) settings in reporting.

Go to Export > Deep Down, select the model (e.g., Exchange Rates model), choose the file format (Text, CSV, etc.), apply filters for specific dimensions or export all data, and click Export to File.

If substitution variables are not appearing in Spotlight, ensure you are using them within Reports or Templates that support this feature

Excel formatting, including groupings, is not retained when reports are downloaded from Dynamic Planning. This is expected behavior.

If you are adding a new dimension member to the scenario:

Open Spotlight > Navigate to Model Setup > Click Modify Model > Unlock the model and update the scenario settings >Save.

To add a new member:

Open Spotlight > Navigate to Model Setup > Lock the model > Go to dimension screen > Select Scenario > Add dimension > save > Unlock the model.

You can use the same URL which they use on spotlightXL in order to login to web application.

Yes in the audit logs, you can find the refresh entry of the report.

1. Navigate to Model > Scope.

2. Select the model, enter a scope name, and specify dimension filters (e.g., AllMembers, MemberAndBelow, FixedMember, LeafMembers).

   Scopes can only be applied to key type dimensions and are model-specific.

3. Save the scope and reference it in calculations to limit processing to just the scoped dataset.

Finance teams, administrators, budget owners, and department managers use Spotlight for analysis, reporting, and operational planning.

Use Application Administration > Audit Log in SpotlightXL.

The Audit Log shows all actions taken in the application, including user logins and activities.

Ensure the date format in your source file matches the model’s expected format.

For External Source Models, set the correct Date format in the Source Model definition (e.g., MM/DD/YYYY).

This means the user has not been set up in the current Planful tenant.

Add them in Structured Planning > Maintenance > Admin > User & Role Management, set Dynamic Planning User to Yes, and assign a role.

Yes , available in Planful Academy.

Yes in Model Manager (web) or Model > Setup (Excel), use Modify Model to rename the model.

Model must be in Not Generated state before renaming.

This issue mostly occurs when the Actual scenario is not configured correctly or the forecast scenario is not updated with the correct time mapping.

• Check Data Availability

  • Confirm that actual data is loaded for the expected months in the Actual scenario.

  • Verify this by running a report or checking the data load logs in Maintenance > Data Integration > Data Load Rules.

• Refresh or Reprocess the Model

  • Refresh the data in SpotlightXL.

  • If necessary, re-seed the scenario or rerun calculations to re-pull the actual data.

1. Go to Model > Model Administration > Substitution Variables.

2. Find the variable for Time (e.g., @CurMth@).

3. Update the value to the latest Actual month.

4. Click Save.

5. Refresh your Analyze view or report to see updated Actuals.

You can create a report with basic functions in Spotlight Web within the Planful web application. However, you can edit an Excel report only through SpotlightXL. To learn more about Spotlight Web, click here.

1. Go to Analyze > Data to build a view.

2. Place Scenario on the Page, Row, or Column axis.

   Note: Place Scenario on either the Row or Column axis, then use Zoom In to Scenario and select only the scenarios you want to keep.

3. Select both scenarios you want to compare (for example, Actual and Plan).

4. Save the view, or choose Design With > Report to format it into a report.

This allows you to analyze data across scenarios side by side in your report.

To build a report for a single GL code in Spotlight:

1. Navigate to Analyze > Data.

2. Place Account on the Row axis.

3. Select the specific GL code you want to report on (for example, 70050).

4. Place Time on the Column axis and Scenario on the Page axis.

5. Click Get Data to retrieve the results.

This creates a focused analysis view for the selected GL code across the defined time periods and scenarios.

If your general ledger shows $0 for an account but Spotlight still displays a balance, follow these steps:

1. Confirm the account is pulling data from the correct source model/map.

2. Run ClearLeafData or ClearRollupData for that account through a calculation.

3. Alternatively, run ClearAllData scoped specifically to Account 70050.

4. After clearing, re-run Aggregation to refresh balances.

This ensures Spotlight reflects the same $0 balance as your general ledger.

If balances differ between Verify Data and SpotlightXL, try the following checks:

1. Run Aggregation in Spotlight to ensure all rollups are updated.

2. Verify that maps and variables used in calculations align with the Verify Data POV.

3. Confirm the scenarios and time members selected in Verify Data match those in your Spotlight view.

4. If hierarchies were recently updated, re-run DownloadMetadata and re-aggregate.

These steps help align Verify Data results with SpotlightXL views.

No, Formulas are model-specific and must be recreated in each model. However, you can replicate logic by using variables and substitution variables for consistency across models.

To unlink or decouple a Dynamic Planning model from its source, you must:

Clear the model to remove all data (Model > Setup > Clear Model).

Optionally, modify the model to remove or replace dimensions or maps that link it to HACPM_Financial.

Note: You cannot "unlink" Direct Access models because they are read-only and always linked to Structured Planning.

No, you cannot mix scenarios within Direct Access models using maps or calculations.

• They pull data directly from Structured Planning and reflect only what the user has access to.

• Direct Access is used for reporting, not planning or modeling and doesn’t allow data transformation.

To roll a model forward (e.g., from 2024 to 2025):

1. Update dimensions (like Time and Scenario) with new members.

2. Modify maps to include new periods.

3. Run calculations (AppendMetadata, DownloadData, etc.) to refresh the model with new data.

4. Optionally, use substitution variables for dynamic period management (e.g., @CurYr@).

To bold a label (like a dimension or account label) in SpotlightXL:

Navigate to Analyze > Design View, select the label cell(s), and apply bold formatting via Excel.

Labels like “Net Revenue” or “Scenario” can be styled like any Excel content for custom views or reports.

This typically indicates:

• Invalid data format or missing fields in the SOAP request.

• Mismatch between source and target dimensions in a map or DLR.

How to resolve:

• All dimensions are mapped correctly.

• No required fields are missing.

• No incorrect data types are being passed in.

No, they are different:

• Dynamic Planning User Type refers to access level (Power, Contributor, Reviewer).

• Dynamic Planning Type (e.g., Master, External Source Model, Direct Access) refers to the model type, not user access.

User type governs functionality; model type governs behavior and capabilities.

You cannot share Spotlight reports with users who don’t have access to Planful.

How to resolve:

• Ensure the recipient is a valid Planful user with access to the model and report.

• Use Report Distribution opt-in feature to email Excel reports to Planful users.

• Non-users must be added to the Planful platform and assigned proper roles before accessing reports.

To add a new location (or any new dimension member) to a Spotlight model (e.g., a new region in a Region dimension), follow these general steps:

Determine your source of metadata:

• If the new location exists in Structured Planning, use a Metadata or Both type Map from HACPM_Financial to the Spotlight model.

• If it does not exist in Structured Planning, you can append it directly within the model in SpotlightXL.

Update the model:

• Navigate to Model > Dimension.

• Select the appropriate Model and Dimension (e.g., Region).

• Use Append or Update action to add the new location with its correct parent and rollup operator.

Regenerate or refresh the model:

• Go to Model > Setup and run Generate Model to apply changes.

(Optional) Update Maps and Calculations:

• Ensure that any Maps, Formulas, or Calculations referencing the dimension are updated to include the new location if needed.

Best practice: If this is a regular process, consider using variables in your maps or formulas to reduce maintenance when adding new members.