How to Create a Model in the Spotlight Web?

Power and Contributor users can create a model from the Grid or List layouts. Reviewer users cannot create a model.

A model is a repository of analytic information about your organization. Data in the model is described by its dimensions and dimension members. A model requires a minimum of the following:

• Model name
• Model type
• At least two dimensions, one of type Key and one of type Value

To create a Model in the Spotlight Web, follow the steps below:

1. In Spotlight Web, navigate to the Dynamic Planning > Model.

2. Click the + Circle icon.
   
   

3. Click the cube icon to indicate that you want to create a model. (The tabular icon creates an External Source Model.)

   
   

   The Create New Model panel appears.

   
   

4. Type the model name.

5. Select the model type: Analytic or Master. An Analytic model will get all of its data from users. A Master model is populated with data from another data source, such as Structured Planning, Consolidation, and Reporting applications. If you plan to create a model with Direct Access to PCR, select Master.

6. Specify if you want to turn on Change Data Tracking. By default, it is Off. This option optimizes running full Aggregations. We recommend to turn it on when your model is ready to be populated with data. If you are creating a model with Direct Access to PCR, this option does not apply.

   See How to Use Change Data Tracking for details.

7. Specify if this will be a Direct Access to PCR model. By default, it is Off. This option connects the model to Planful Structured Planning, Consolidation, and Reporting (PCR) applications data and no further setup is needed. If you turn this option On, continue with step 6 then skip to step 11.

   See Using Direct Access to PCR Financial Reporting for details.

8. Optionally enter a description for the model.

9. Click Add Dimension. Dimensions are categories of data, such as Department, Account, Month, or Scenario.

   
   
   

10. Type the Dimension name.

11. Select Key or Value from the drop-down. Models must have at least one Key and one Value dimension. Key corresponds to dimensions that will most likely change over time (such as Customer and Account), whereas Value corresponds to dimensions that do not change often (such as Scenario or Year).

12. Click Add Dimension to enter another dimension, and continue until you have created all the dimensions. If you make a mistake click the X to delete.

    Important:

    When creating a new model, you must add all the dimensions in one sitting. Once you save the model, you cannot add or delete dimensions later. You can add or delete the members in the dimensions, just not the dimensions themselves.

    The following example creates a simple 4-dimension Analytic model named Basic Budget.
    
    

    
    

13. When you are done, scroll down to the Cancel or Save buttons. Click Save.

    A notification appears on screen if it was successful and you are returned to Grid or List layout.

    
    

14. Click the Grid or List layouts icons to refresh the screen.

    You see the new model listed with an incomplete circle icon, indicating that the model is ungenerated. The model's only artifacts, so far, are its dimensions. Now you can proceed with adding members and hierarchies to the dimensions, adding calculations, and so on. See Using the Dimension Browser and Using the Dimension Attribute Browser.

    
    

    Once a model has been saved, you can edit the model's description or Change Data Tracking option by clicking on the creation date to open the Model Properties Browser.