Scenario Setup Summary

Overview

Create different types of scenarios, which represent versions of a budget or forecast for a fiscal year. Reporting Currency calculations are only applicable for "Actual", "Budget", and "Forecast" type scenarios. Reporting currency will not be calculated for Pre-loaded Budget scenarios.

In the Consolidation module, a Preloaded scenario will be available in the drop-down and you can perform Eliminations and Consolidations. All steps will be applied during the Consolidation Process such as currency conversion, CTA calculations, etc., except for Reporting Currency.

Access the Scenario page by navigating to Maintenance > Admin > Scenario Setup.

Description of Fields on the Scenario List Page

Options available on ribbon:

• Add/Edit Scenarios - Scenarios are protected from being updated through Scenario Edit while any user is in Input Mode in a template for that scenario. A lock is put on the scenario until the user saves and exits the template to ensure data integrity. A typical edit might be changing the projection start date in a Forecast Scenario. If there is an open template while this change is being made in the scenario, the template data structure and the scenario data structure may be out of sync; meaning that closed and open periods wouldn't match. Saving the template could cause unknown results in the scenario. If you try to edit a scenario while a template is open in Input Mode, you will get an error message saying "Scenario Setup cannot be updated as the scenario or related artifact is in use. Please try again later". This applies to Offline Planning as well. A lock is placed on a scenario if Offline Planning is used to check out a template. The lock won't unlock until either the user checks the template back in or an admin selects Undo Check Out for the template in the Planning Control Panel.

• Copy - Scenarios are copied in the cloud, which means you can continue working while the processing takes place. Once complete, a notification appears in the application and an email is sent.

• Process - As we have added auto synchronization of tasks based on foundational adjustments, you do not need to manually synchronize the information for an existing scenario from the Scenario List page. After you click Save, the application automatically synchronizes the scenarios that have been modified. Ensure that you refresh the Task Manager page to view the updated information. As a safety net, the manual synchronization option is still be available.

Options available under three vertical dots:

• Forward - New scenarios have a status of Scenario being created. These scenarios are not available to budget end-users via the Planning Control Panel for input until forwarded. Forward scenarios to make them available for template mapping or data loads. Actual and Default scenarios do not need to be forwarded.

• Lock/Unlock - Lock a scenario to prevent data modifications. Administrators typically lock scenarios to prevent budget users from editing them. When templates are mapped to a locked scenario, they cannot be deleted. The Delete button is removed for locked scenarios to ensure data integrity.

• Global Data Input - Input data for budget entities into the template. Global fields are budget assumptions used for budget calculations. Global field values are maintained by scenario. The Global Data Input page allows you to input global field values for each budget entity in the yellow shaded cells. The global values will be pulled automatically by system-defined formulas within the budget templates based on the budget entity and scenarios against which the template is opened. This step is optional and may not be required for all the scenarios. Global Field Data Input can be performed at any stage of the budgeting process.

The list of Global Fields available is populated from the Global Fields added on the Global Field page accessed by navigating to Maintenance, Templates, Global Fields.

• Refresh Closed Period Data - For Forecast scenarios, synchronize Actuals data with closed periods data.

• Refresh Preloaded Data - Synchronize budget data with a Preloaded Budget scenario.

• Unprocess/Process WFP Employees - For processed employees, this action returns all processed employees to a state of "unprocessed" in the Workforce Planning template for the selected scenario.

• Reset All - Reset a scenario and all its associated templates and entities to an In Progress state.

• Maintenance - Maintenance allows Admin users to control when Maintenance is performed on a Scenario and/or Template. Template and/or Scenario Maintenance includes any type of modification to the setup. For example, an Admin might want to enable compare scenarios, add additional compare scenarios, or change the scenario due date for a scenario. For templates, an Admin user might want to change the look of the template by adding borders or change the number of decimals displayed. For detailed information, see the Performing Scenario/Template Maintenance topic below.

• User Access - Manage user access for each scenario. Alternatively, from the User Management page, select a user and select Scenario Access.

• Documents - Attach the following types of documents: Text, Word, PDF, Excel, Power Point, Images. Documents might include:

  • Instructions

  • Assumptions in the currency budget cycle

  • Summary of targets

Performing Scenario / Template Maintenance

See Also: Scenario Admin Guide

Admin users have the ability to perform Maintenance on a scenario and/or template without having to track down every user and ensure each user has exited the template and/or scenario. Admin users control when Maintenance is performed on a template and / or scenario.

In Practice: Scenario / Template Maintenance

Follow the steps below to perform Maintenance on a scenario and/or template:

1. Navigate to Maintenance > Admin > Scenario Setup.

2. Select the scenario that you want to perform maintenance on. In this example it is the 2017 Plan scenario (shown in the image below).

3. Click the 3 vertical dots and select Maintenance.

   

4. Select the amount of time (in minutes) prior to the start of Maintenance.

5. Enter a message to application users in the Message text box. An example is shown below.

   

6. Click Trigger Maintenance. The message is sent to all users who are working with the scenario. It will display on their screen informing the users about the upcoming maintenance activity. Users will be asked to Save and Exit the scenario prior to the commencement of Maintenance.

   An example of a message displayed in a template when Maintenance is triggered is shown below:

   

   Once Maintenance starts, the scenario is locked preventing users from performing additional actions. The icon shown in the image below indicates that the scenario is under Maintenance.

   

   An example message displayed in a template once Maintenance is underway:

   

   If a user tries to perform an action on a template that is under Maintenance, a message (like the one shown below) is displayed:

   

7. The Admin user can now perform Maintenance on the scenario selected and/or mapped templates as needed.

8. Once updates are complete, save all changes and adjustments, and return to the Scenario List page.

9. Select the scenario and click More > Maintenance.

10. A message is displayed asking if you want to end scenario maintenance. Click STOP MAINTENANCE (shown below). Ending maintenance unlocks the Scenario / Template. At this point, users can work on the Scenario / Template.

    

Why do I Need to Lock a Scenario

Lock a scenario to prevent data modifications. Administrators typically lock scenarios to prevent budget users from editing them. When templates are mapped to a locked scenario, they cannot be deleted. The Delete button is removed for locked scenarios to ensure data integrity.

How to Lock a Scenario

1. Access the Scenario List page by navigating to Maintenance > Admin > Scenario Setup.

2. On the Scenario List page, select the scenario and click the three vertical dots.

3. Select Lock.

   

How to Unlock a Scenario

1. Access the Scenario List page by navigating to Maintenance > Admin > Scenario Setup.

2. Select the scenario.

3. Click the three vertical dots.

4. Select Unlock.

How to Delete a Template from a Locked Scenario

1. Access the Scenario List page by navigating to Maintenance > Admin > Scenario Setup.

2. Select the locked scenario associated with the template you want to delete.

3. Click the three vertical dots and select Unlock.

4. Navigate to the Template List page (Maintenance > Templates > Template Setup).

5. Select the template you want to delete and click the Delete button.

Scenario Types

There are different scenario types you can select from when creating a scenario. Each type has a different purpose. For detailed information, see the Scenario Admin Guide.

How, Why and When to Refresh Actuals (Closed Period Data)

Why Refresh Actuals

Refreshing actuals is an action performed on a Forecast type scenario to populate the scenario with actual data for closed periods or when the Projection Start Date of the scenario changes. Each Forecast scenario has Projection Start Dates, which is the date in which the scenario starts. If you start a scenario mid-year or mid-period, there will be closed period actual data recorded for the first periods that closed prior to the middle of the year or period. For example, if the Projection Start is the first month of the fiscal year, there will be no closed period(s). If the Projection Start month is Jun-17 for a fiscal year from April to March, closed periods populate until May-17.

When to Refresh Actuals

Whenever the Projection Start of the current scenario changes, administrators need to perform a refresh of the Actual data to update the closed month(s).

How to Refresh Actuals

1. Navigate to the Scenario List page (Maintenance > Admin > Scenario Setup).

2. Select the Forecast Scenario.

3. Click the three vertical dots.

4. Select the Refresh Closed Period Data option.

How, Why, and When to Refresh Preloaded Data for Preloaded Scenarios

Why Refresh Preloaded Data

You'll need to refresh preloaded data because external budgets change as time goes by and the latest data needs to be displayed in Planful. Preloaded budgets are used to load historical/external budgets to the Planful suite Budgeting application through the Data Load Rules interface for a chosen period in a fiscal year. For example, if a preloaded budget is created for FY-2017. The budget data for 2017 from the 1st of April 2018 to March 2019 (assuming the fiscal year starts from April) can be loaded to the Planful Budgeting application using Data Load Rules

When to Refresh Preloaded Data

When external/historical budget data is loaded against the preloaded budget scenario, refresh the preloaded data.

How to Refresh Preloaded Data

1. Navigate to the Scenario List page (Maintenance > Admin > Scenario Setup).

2. Select a Preloaded Budget scenario.

3. Click the three vertical dots.

4. Select Refresh Preloaded Data.

How, Why, and When to Secure Scenarios

Why Secure Scenarios

To provide users with access to specific scenarios.

When to Secure Scenarios

Always.

How to Secure Scenarios

To setup scenario security by user for scenarios, complete the following steps:

1. Access the Scenario Access page by navigating to Maintenance > Admin > User Management.

2. Select a user.

3. Click the three vertical dots and select Scenario Access.

4. Select the checkbox next to the scenario you want the user to have access to. If you want the user to have access to all scenarios, select the All Scenarios box.

5. Click Save to complete the setup.

To setup scenario security by scenario for users, complete the following steps:

1. Access the Scenario Access page by navigating to Maintenance > Admin > Scenario Setup.

2. Select a scenario and click the three vertical dots then select User Access.

3. Select the checkbox next to the users you want to have access to the selected scenario.

4. Click Save to complete the setup.

How to Provide a User with Edit and View Access to Scenarios

From the User Management page:

1. Access the Scenario Access page by navigating to Maintenance > Admin > User Management.

2. Select a user, click the three vertical dots, and select Scenario Access.

3. Click the checkbox next to the scenario(s) to provide the selected user with edit access.

4. Click Save to complete the setup.

How to Automatically Have Access to all Future Scenarios You Create

1. Navigate to Maintenance > Admin > User Management.

2. From the User page, select yourself and then select the three vertical dots and Scenario Access.

3. Select the checkbox for All Scenarios.

Now, when future scenarios are created, you will have access to them automatically .

How to Provide Scenario Access to Multiple Users at Once

1. Navigate to Maintenance > Admin > Scenario Setup.

2. From the Scenario List page, select the scenario and click thethree vertical dots.

3. Select User Access from the list.

4. Now, select all users you want to access the selected scenario and click Save.

How to Set Up Scenario Security for Reporting Purposes

To apply scenario security (defined on the Scenario Access page) to report security so that each user has access to view specific scenarios only in the Reporting module, complete the following steps:

1. Access the Dimension Security Configuration page by navigating to Maintenance > Reports > Dimension Security.

2. Click the Dimension Security Configuration tab.

3. Select the Copy Scenario Security to Report Security checkbox and complete remaining fields.

4. Access the Scenario Access page by navigating to Maintenance > Admin > User Management.

5. Select a user, click the three vertical dots, and select Scenario Access.

6. Select the scenarios you want the user to have access to. The user will only have access to the selected scenarios and members for Reporting purposes. For example, when a user runs a report that includes a scenario the user doesn’t have access to, that scenario will not be available in the report. Similarly, if a user has permissions to view a scenario when a report was created and later the permissions are revoked, the report is run for only those scenarios on which the user currently has permissions for. Data will not be displayed for the scenarios for which permissions are revoked.

:In Practice: Point of View

Within the Reporting module, if the Copy Scenario Security to Report Security checkbox is selected, scenarios for Financial and Sales are affected. For example, on the Point of View page (located under Maintenance > Reports > Point of View), only the scenarios for which a user has permission are displayed and selectable for the Scenario Reporting Area.

In Practice: Dynamic Reports

Lets say a scenario is mapped to Budget. Assuming the Copy Scenario Security to Report Security checkbox is enabled on the Dimension Security Configuration page, when a user creates a report, the available value (Budget) is displayed as a Mapped Member. Actual is also displayed because the Actual scenario is not subject to this type of security.

When Scenario Access is modified and saved, the reporting cube is automatically processed to reflect the latest security updates.

How to Create a Scenario Based on Two Existing Scenarios

If you have two scenarios (A and B), both of which have data for 12 months, you might create a third scenario (C) to combine all data from scenarios A and B.

Complete the following steps:

1. Create a preloaded scenario.

2. Take the export of the data from scenario A and load the data using a data load rule into the preloaded scenario.

3. Export the data from scenario B and load the data using the same data load rule into the preloaded scenario.

4. Create a new budget scenario (C) and select Seed Data From.

5. Select the Varying Scenario and Period Selection option.

6. In the Scenario Period(s) section, select the Preloaded budget scenario for all periods

   

Data Seeding

The term "data seeding" refers to the concept of using Planful templates and any data you load to the system to feed data in the creation of a new budget or forecast scenario. Data seeding allows you to quickly populate a new budget or forecast scenario (target) with data from another scenario (source).

Data seeding is based on the setup you perform on the Scenario Setup page. You control data seeding based on your business needs and the selections you make. For example, seed Operational Budgets from the Top Down Business Rules engine. Or, create a scenario by pulling data from multiple scenarios.

See the Guide to Loading Data to Planful