User Security

User Roles

There are three user roles available in Dynamic Planning. The tables below provide information on the tasks and subtasks available to each user role:

Power Users

Contributor Users

Reviewer Users

When logged in, users can access information such as their role, group assignments, the currently used application, and the product version from the "Info" menu item.

User Role Permissions, Access, and Security

Define User Security

When you define user security, you are assigning a role (Power, Contributor, or Reviewer) to the user. For details on access and security based on user roles, refer to the User Roles and User Role Access tables above.

To find details on setting up a user, click here.

Step 1 – Define Groups

To create a new user, refer to the User and Role Management article. Please note that the Dynamic Planning user option MUST be checked and a role assigned as shown below: 

Step 2 – Define Groups

Define a group of users that have access to specific models, sub-models, views, and reports.

1. Access the Groups page by selecting Manage > Group Management > Group.

2. Define groups by entering the name of the group under the Group cell.

Step 3 - Add Users to Defined Groups

Add users to groups defined on the Group page.

1. Select the Manage > Group Management > User Group.

2. Enter the user's login id under the Username cell and enter the group the user belongs to under the Group cell.

Group permission does not take effect until you log off and then log in again. For example, if you assign a contributor user to a new group, the user must log off and then log in again to gain access to the newly defined group.

Step 4 – Define Group Access

To assign access to specific artifacts, follow these steps:

1. Go to Manage > Group Management > Group Access.
2. Make the desired selections for Artifact, Group, and Model.
3. In the table below, update the desired intersections where you want the group to have access to Yes.
4. Click Save.

Step 5 – Define Navigation Access

To assign navigation access, follow these steps:

1. Go to Manage > Navigation Access.
2. Choose either Contributor or Reviewer, or select a specific user to assign navigation access.
3. On the Navigation Access page, each field under Analyze, Report, Model, External Source Model, and ModelAdministrationrepresents a subtask.
   1. Select Yes to allow access to a subtask.
   2. Select No to deny access to a subtask.
4. Click Save.

Step 6 – Define Dimension Security

Dimension security is defined at the User Group level. For example, you can define a group to have access to Company Division 1 and 2, but not 3.

To define dimension security:

1. Go to Manage > Application Administration > Model Permissions. The model permissions subtask allows you to provide access to specific dimensions for a user group.

2. Select the model and the group you want to assign security to.

3. Select the dimension you want to secure. When using a single dimension, use filters to assign access to specific dimension members (values).
   
   

4. Click Save.

Power users have access to all models, views, and reports, eliminating the need to assign Group access as you would for Contributor or Reviewer users.

Set up a Contributor/Reviewer User with Access to Specific Models

To create a new user, click here.

Create a Group for Contributor/Reviewer Users

To set up a group for Contributor/Reviewer users, follow these steps:

1. Navigate to Manage > Group Management > Group.
2. Enter a name for the group in the Group field.
3. Click Save.
   
   

Map the Contributor/Reviewer User to the New Group

After creating the user and the group, map the user to the group with these steps:

1. Go to Manage > Group Management > User Group.
2. Enter the Contributor or Reviewer user’s email address in the Username field.
3. Select the group name you created earlier.
4. Click Save.
   
   

Assign Group Access to Models, Reports, and Views

To assign access to specific models, reports, and views, follow these steps:

1. Go to Manage > Group Management > Group Access.
2. Make the desired selections for Artifact, Group, and Model.
3. In the table below, update the desired intersections where you want the group to have access to Yes.
4. Click Save.
   
   

Assign Dimension Security to a Contributor or Reviewer User

A user can assign dimension security to a contributor or reviewer by following these steps:

1. Select Manage > Application Administration > Model Permissions.

2. The groups list will show the current groups that have access to the selected model.

3. Enter the desired Group.

4. Enter the desired Dimension.

5. Select the desired Filter and Value.

6. Click Save.

   
   

Assign Access to Reports and Views

Power users can define views and reports to be shared with Contributors and Reviewers, who can then access these reports or views while maintaining the dimension security.

Example: If a Power user creates a view or report with a Department dimension filter (e.g., Sales) and selects the "All Departments" member, the reviewer will see only Sales data.

To assign group access to a view, complete the following steps:

1. Go to Analyze > Data.
2. Select the view to which you want to assign group access.
3. Select the Design View subtask.
4. Click the Properties action.
5. In the Group column, select the name of the group you want to grant access to.
6. Insert an additional row to ensure there is a blank row after adding the group name.
   
   

To assign group access to a report, complete the following steps:

1. Go to Report > Design 

2. Select the desired report.

3. Click the Properties action.

4. In the Group column, select the name of the group you want to grant access to.

5. Insert an additional row to ensure there is a blank row after adding the group name.
   
   

6. Continue designing the report as needed.

7. Click Save.

Quick Summary of How to Assign or Restrict Access

The following table summarizes different ways to assign or restrict access to all aspects of models. Sometimes, there is more than one way to accomplish the same task, but one way may be more efficient than another. The table lists the more efficient methods above the less efficient methods. For example, you can assign access to a Model for a Group of users using either Model Permissions or Group Access, with Group Access being the more efficient method.

Reminder :

• Roles : the predefined Dynamic Planning Roles are Power, Contributor, and Reviewer. Power users can see which user is assigned to which role with Manage > User & Role Management. The roles have default navigation permissions to areas of the application associated with their access. To see or edit those default permissions, navigate to Manage > Navigation Access.

• Groups : groups are user-defined lists of users in your organization. They are defined within Manage > Group Management > User Group.

• Types : the predefined User Types are Business and External. User Types define whether someone can create or modify other user accounts. The Business user type is for all users within your organization that use Dynamic Planning. The External user type is for users outside of your organization who need to access your application for diagnostics, development, or debugging work, such as Planful Support or Partner Consultants.

User Types

User Types define whether users belong to your business internally or externally. Users within your organization are called Business users, while those outside your organization are called External users.

Best Practices/Tips

• As a Best Practice, Business users should manage only Business users. For any changes related to External users, contact Planful Support.

  • If you are a Business user, you can only add new Business users. You do not have permission to add new External users.

  • Only External users can create new External users.

  • However, if you are a Business user, you can add an External user to your application if the External user name already exists.

  • For example, External Partner A has worked with Business Customer P before, and External Partner A has an External username. When Business Customer X starts working with External Partner A, they can add External Partner A to their application because External Partner A already has a username (usernames are global). However, Business Customer X cannot add a new External Partner B if that username does not already exist in the Planful system.

  • Business Power users can change the password of a Business user but not an External user. If an External user wants to change their password, they should contact Planful Support.

Automatic Signout

Automatic sign-out from Dynamic Planning occurs in two scenarios:

• Inactive Session: If your session remains inactive for 60 minutes, the system will automatically log you out.
• Foreground Process Timing Out: Running extensive processes, such as a Calculation, in the foreground for more than five minutes might lead to a timeout. It's considered a best practice to execute such processes in the cloud (background) to avoid timeouts.

Supported Browsers for SpotlightXL and Spotlight

See: Client Requirements

Unique URLs for Artifacts

The following functions in the Dynamic Planning module have unique URLs:

• Reports
• Plans
• Analyze
• Models

These links can be shared with other users and utilized within tasks in Task Manager. Additionally, the External Link feature allows you to add links from any module within Dynamic Planning to tasks in Task Manager.

To learn more about Creating tasks in the Task Manager using External Link, click here. 

Guard Rails

Online Help, Support, Community, and Solution Hub

The Support Portal and Customer Community (Planful Engage) are accessible through both SpotlightXL and Spotlight Web, and authentication is required. Click the drop-down at the bottom of the Help button to expand a list of links for navigating to Support or Customer Community.

Support Portal 

When a Dynamic Planning user is created, a login and password is automatically created to access the Support Portal if the user does not already have a Support Portal account.

Customer Community

When a Dynamic Planning user is created, a login and password are automatically created to access the Customer Community if the user does not already have a Customer Community account.

Solution Hub

The Solution Hub is a primary destination for exploring the extensive capabilities of Planful's Financial Performance Management platform. You can access it through the application and website. It is a centralized repository, featuring interactive demos and informative content tailored to prospective clients and existing users.

Key Features:

• Comprehensive Searchable Library: Access an extensive array of Planful Solutions directly within the application.
• In-App Accessibility: Easily explore tailored solutions, search, and add favorites.
  
  

Benefits:

• Enhanced Platform Awareness: Discover the breadth of our platform's capabilities beyond basic FP&A functionalities.
• Empowerment Through Knowledge: Align with evolving buyer preferences through self-education.
• Advanced Search Options: Refine searches based on specific criteria such as finance, industry, and region.

If you are a new user, you can explore various solutions and take interactive tours to gain in-depth information. In addition, you can contact the Planful support team if you find a solution that meets your needs.

If you are an existing user, you can conveniently access the Solution Hub page within the application by clicking on the Solution Hub in the top menu bar. Once there, you can explore the list of solutions by clicking on a card and navigating to the Solution Hub page. You can also view the interactive tour available on the page.

The Solution Hub ensures that you have everything you need to make informed decisions about financial performance management with Planful.

Global Settings for View and Report Properties

Power users can set default values for key properties available in Views and Reports. This enhancement provides flexibility for Power users to define the default behavior from a centralized application page for key properties available in Views and Reports. Power users can either allow or restrict Contributor and Reviewer users from updating the key properties.

Select Manage > Application Administration > Application Settings.

Defining Default Behavior for View and Report Properties

Under the View and Reports sections, there is a column for Default Value where you can make selections.

For Views, a power user can set the default value for a number of properties, including Display, Indent Row Members, Show Hidden Members, and Enable Save properties. Default values for Dimension Number Format and Lock properties are not applicable.

For Reports, a power user can set the default value for properties, such as Display, Hide Gridlines, and Hide Headers properties. Default Value for Save on Model and Calculation on Save properties are not applicable.

In the example below, under View, 'Code' is selected for Display Label. This means that starting from the moment the setting was saved, all new views and other items will display 'Code' as the Display Label. Additionally, under Reports, the power user selected 'No' for gridlines and headers. Consequently, any reports created from the saved setting onward will not display gridlines and headers.

Restricting Contributor and Reviewer Users From Updating View and Report Properties

The “Allow Contributors to Update Properties” and “Allow Reviewers to Update Properties” fields are located under the View and Reports sections located on the Manage > Application Settings page.

Make selections for properties that you want to allow or disallow Contributor and Reviewer users to update.