1.8.1 Modeling Release Notes, September

This document describes all the new features and enhancements with this release of Spotlight/SpotlightXL, as well as any known or resolved issues.

New Features and Enhancements

Suppress Rows and Columns that are Blank, Zero, or Blank and Zero in Reports

You can now opt to "suppress" blank, zero or both blank and zero rows and columns when displaying reports. If you choose to suppress rows and columns then the rows and columns will be hidden when users are running the reports.

To enable this option, access the Report task and the Design subtask. Select a report and click the Properties action. On the Properties page, select from the following options for the new properties "Suppress Rows" and "Suppress Columns":

• None - This is the default. Blank and Zero rows and/or columns will display in the report.

• Zero - Rows and/or columns with zero values will be hidden in the report.

• Blank - Rows and/or columns that contain no data (blank) will be hidden in the report.

• Both - Zero & Blank - Both Blank and Zero rows and/or columns will be hidden in the report.

Report Example Where None is Selected for Suppress Blank and Zero Rows and Columns:

Example of Report Where Suppress Both Zero and Blank Rows and Columns is Selected

Flexible Options to Save Report Data and Run Calculations

With this release we are introducing additional flexible options when saving a report, which supports two additional use cases:

1. - Save data for all models available in the report

2. - Run the calculation without saving the data

Access the Report task and the Design subtask. Click the Properties action. The Enable Save property now allows you to select from 3 options as shown below.

None - This is the default option, when selected no data will be saved.

Calculation Model - This option saves the data of the model where the calculation is running. This means that when you save the report, the calculation is executed automatically as part of the save function.

All Models - This option saves the data for all models available in the report or a specific model in the report.

The table below provides detailed information on results based on possible selections.

Export API

This API allows you to export the leaf level data from a specified model in XML format. Optionally, you can specify one or more filters to export specific data.

POST /modeling /model/data/export HTTP/1.1

Content-Type: application/xml

Accept: application/xml

X-ACCESS-TOKEN: $ACCESS_TOKEN_GUID$

Request Payload

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<payload>
<model>$ModelNamel</model>
<filters>
<filter>
<dimension>$Dimension</dimension>
<filter-type>$FilterType</filter-type>
<filter-value>$value1</filter-value>
<filter-value>$value2</filter-value>
</filter>
</filters>
<member-display>$MemberDisplay</member-display>
<suppress-zeroes>$SupressZerosFlag</suppress-zeroes>
</payload>

Parameters

1. $ModelName: (type: string) Name of the model

2. $Dimension: (type: string) Name of the dimension

3. $FilterType: (type: string) Dimension filter type, can be FixedMember or MemberAndBelow

4. $FilterValue: (type: string) Value of the filter

5. $MemberDisplay (type: string) Optional, can be either Code or Display Label, but defaults to Code

6. $SupressZerosFlag (type: boolean) Optional, can be either True or False, but defaults to True

Payload Sample

In this sample, 1 filter is defined for each dimension, suppressing zeros is defaulted to True, and members are displayed by Code.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<payload>
<model>ExpenseMD</model>
<filters>
<filter>
<dimension>ORG</dimension>
<filter-type>FixedMember</filter-type>
<filter-value>core</filter-value>
</filter>
<filter>
<dimension>accounts</dimension>
<filter-type>FixedMember</filter-type>
<filter-value>motel</filter-value>
</filter>
</filters>
</payload>

Response

Success Response

HTTP/1.1 200/204 OK

Error Responses

Service Not Available (possibly due to maintenance)

HTTP/1.1 503 Service Unavailable

One or more HTTP headers were missing

HTTP/1.1 412 Precondition Failed

Unauthorized Access (access key lookup failed)

HTTP/1.1 401 Unauthorized

Invalid XML (bad request)

HTTP/1.1 400 Bad Request

Not Found (source model not found)

HTTP/1.1 404 Not Found

Organizing Formulas in Folders

We extended the folder structure functionality (currently available in Views, Reports and Calculations) in Spotlight XL to Formulas. With this enhancement Formulas can be organized into folders. By default, the Formulas are organized based on the models in which they were created. This folder structure integration will provide better navigation and searching capabilities.

Access the Model task and the Formula subtask. Click the folder to open the File Cabinet.

• Use the Search functionality at the top of the screen to search for Formulas, then use the up and down arrows to scroll through the results.

• Favorites and Recent folders are user specific. The Recent folder displays 10 recently accessed Formulas by user across all Models. The Favorites folder displays 10 Formulas. If you add more than 10 items, the most recent 10 are displayed.

• You can add folders, delete and rename folders as well as move Formulas from folder to folder by dragging and dropping.

  To add a folder:

  • Select a model and click Add Folder.

  • Enter a folder name and click OK.

  To delete a folder:

  • Select the folder.

  • Make sure there are no Formulas in the folder as you cannot delete a folder that contains Formulas.

  • Right click and select Delete.

  To rename a folder:

  • Select the folder.

  • Right-click and select Rename.

  • Enter the new name of the folder then click OK.

Application Level Dimension Based Locking

Dimension Based Locking has been enhanced so that you can lock dimension members for all views at the application level.

See Also: How to Lock Dimension Members

To lock dimension members across all views at the application level, select the Manage task and the Application Administration, Application Settings subtask. Under the View Property called Dimension based 'Locked', select Application Level (shown below).

Selecting Application Level applies dimension based locking to all Views and related Models in the Modeling application.

For Dimension based Locked property, select from the following 2 values:

1. – View Level – This is the default option. With this option admin users must update each view with the dimension on which the locked property is set to Yes. For example, if Locked property on Scenario dimension for ‘Actual’ dimension member is set to ‘Yes’ in the ‘Forecast Model’, then the admin user must update all View properties to ensure that Actual scenario dimension members is locked for input.

2. – Application Level – This option is globally applicable for all the views and all Models available in the Modeling application. Once an admin user defines the locked property for any dimension in any model, it will be applicable for all Views users access. There is no need for an admin to update each View property to lock the data.

Adding and Deleting Dimensions in a Model

With this release, you can add and/or delete dimensions from a model. When you add or delete dimensions associated with a Model, the modification affects ALL dependent artifacts. For example, if you delete a Company dimension from a Model, not only is the Model modified, but your associated reports and views are modified to reflect the deletion of the Company dimension because views and reports are dependents of the Model.

Creating a Staging Model

Complete the following steps to create a staging model:

1. Create the Staging Model

   1. Create a new staging model with the same dimensions as the source model

   2. Create a map of type ‘Both’ to move all metadata and data from the source model to the staging model

   3. Generate the staging model

2. Clear the source model and make necessary changes (i.e. adding a dimension / deleting a dimension)

3. Move the data (leaf level only) into the source model from staging model

   1. Create a map of type ‘Data’ to move data from staging model to source model

   2. Create a calculation to generate the source model and move the data from the staging model

   3. Run aggregation or any other calculations as needed to make the source model available for analysis / reporting / modeling

4. Delete the staging model

Adding a Dimension to a Model

1. Click the Modify Model action as shown below. The dimensions associated with the model are displayed.

2. Click Add Dimension.

3. Enter the name of the dimension you want to add and select whether it is a Value or Key dimension.

4. Click OK and then Close the dialog page.

5. The added dimension is updated in the Dimension list on the Model Setup page.

6. Click Save.

7. Access the Model Dimension page and select the newly added dimension for the Model. In the example below, the Company dimension is added. Add members for the Company dimension and then click Save. Also a root member with the name of the dimension is added. You can then add additional dimension members for the Company dimension and click Save.

8. Access the Model Map page. Observe the new line for the added dimension. If you select the model with the new dimension as your Source Model, the Source Filter for the new Dimension (Company) is set to DimensionFilter and the Source Value is Company (the name of the root value). The Target Filter is set to None along with the Target Value as shown below. Similarly, if you select the model with the new dimension as your Target Model, the Target Filter is set to Dimension Filter with the Target Value as the root value. The Source Filter is set to None along with the Source Filter Value.

9. Return to the Model Setup page and click Generate Model.

10. Access the Analyze Data page. Notice the Company dimension member is now displayed in the Model View.

Deleting a Dimension From a Model

1. Click the Modify Model action as shown below. The dimensions associated with the model are displayed.

2. Delete a selected dimension as shown above.

3. When asked if you want to delete the selected item, click Yes

Other Enhancements

Dimension Based Number Format and Locked Properties Enhancement for Views

Dimension based Number Format and Dimension based Locked Properties defined at the View level are now applicable on the page, row or column axis. Access the Properties page by selecting the Analyze task and the Design View subtask. Click the Properties action.

The Page / Filter axis is now supported for both properties defined at the View level.

Suppress Zero Values Option in Export Data

The option to Suppress Zero Values is now available in Export Data. Select the Model task and the Export Data subtask. Select Yes to suppress zero values from the data you are exporting as shown below.

Dimension Security Support for Attributes

Dimension Security now supports attributes in views and reports. This was a documented limitation and is no longer the case.

See Also: Attributes

Known and Resolved Issues

Known Issues

Resolved Issues