Dynamic Planning: SpotlightXL User Guide: Summary
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Dynamic Planning: SpotlightXL User Guide: Summary

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Article summary

Overview

For installation information, see SpotlightXL Installation.

SpotlightXL is a Microsoft Excel front-end that provides functionality for all Dynamic Planning engine capabilities: Analyze, Report, Excel Report, Model, and Manage.

For a list of How To topics, see our list of How To Tasks.

Analyze

With Analyze, you can perform analysis activities, such as:

  • Selecting a model and an associated view.

  • Refreshing the data in the model.

  • Zooming in and out of hierarchies in the view.

  • Modifying and customizing the view.

See SpotlightXL Analyze Task for more information.

Report

With Report, you can:

  • View static reports.

  • Add headings, dates, extra rows and columns, and other common formatting options.

  • Add Excel formulas.

  • Share reports with users in your organization, for collaboration and review by operational employees and strategic approvers.

  • Add charts and graphs to your reports. See Chart Types and Formatting for detailed information.

See SpotlightXL Report Task for more information.

Excel Report

With Excel Report, you can:

  • Work with views and reports that have been converted to an Excel Report that contains live links to data in the model.

  • Use the wide variety of Excel formatting and computing options to develop sophisticated reports.

  • Publish finished reports to a central location for users to download.

See Excel Report for more information.

Model

With Model, you can:

  • Select a model and run the views or reports associated with it (all users).

  • View and edit the model's structure, such as dimensions and attributes (all users with access to the model and dimensions).

  • View and edit calculations, formulas, and scopes are associated with the model (Power and Contributor users with access to the model).

  • View and edit how data flows into and out of the model and the associated maps (Power and Contributor users with access to the model).

See SpotlightXL Model Task for more information.

Manage

With Manage, Power Users can:

  • Add and edit users and groups.

  • Set up security access to models, views, and reports.

  • View statistics associated with your models.

  • View an audit log of user activities.

  • Backup and restore models and their data.

  • Download metadata from Planful applications.

See SpotlightXL Manage Task for more information.

Accessing SpotlightXL

Complete the following steps to login to SpotlightXL:

  1. Open Microsoft Excel.

  2. Click the SpotlightXL tab.

    ModelingImages301to350image309A.png

  3. Click Login .

  4. Enter the URL to connect to your tenant (as given to you by Planful Support).

  5. Enter your username and password and click Login. Optionally, click the Reset Password checkbox to change your password.

  6. Enter a new password in the New Password and Confirm Password fields and click Login.

  7. Optionally, select the Remember Me checkbox to retain your Username for future logins.

  8. Click Login.

  9. If requested to do so, select your application from the drop-down.

  10. Click Select.

Username and Password Security

Only a valid email address can be used as a username.
The following password requirements have been implemented:

  • A minimum of 8 characters (10 characters is recommended)

  • A maximum of 128 characters

  • At least 1 uppercase character is required (A‐Z)

  • At least 1 lowercase character is required (a‐z)

  • At least 1 digit is required (for example, 8, 1, 0)

  • At least 1 special character is required (for example, *, &, #)

Note:
All current passwords will be retained and unchanged until you are prompted to change your password or decide to change your password.

If you change your password and it does not meet the requirements listed above, a message is displayed, which is shown below.

ModelingImages351to400image390.png

Introduction to SpotlightXL

Once logged in to SpotlightXL, task, user, role and application information is displayed in the ribbon.

Click Select Task to view available tasks. SpotlightXL is comprised of five tasks: Analyze , Report , Excel Report , Model , and Manage

Available tasks are role dependent so you will only see the tasks for which you have access.
ModelingImages301to350image311.png

  1. Analyze - Perform analysis activities such as selecting a model and an associated view, refreshing the data in the model, zooming in and out of models, keeping only certain aspects of a model or removing aspects of a model, and pivoting of models.

  2. Report - View static reports, design formatted reports, and share reports with users in your organization for collaboration and review by operational employees and strategic approvers.

  3. Excel Report - View and run reports designed with the full functionality of Excel and include links to data in the model. Publish and download reports in the cloud.

  4. Model - Perform more intricate and granular tasks such as setting the type of model, setting permission, establishing dimension security, adding dimensions, changing aggregation values, calculation of the model, copying models, saving formulas, updating dimensions, and loading data.

  5. Manage - Built for the power user, with this task you can perform metadata and data integrations, define settings, and create and perform user administration tasks.

Each task is identified within the workbook tab area. For example, there is a tab for Analyze (called Analyze), Report, Model, and Manage. A tab is created for each task you access. Only one tab is created per task (example below).

ModelingImagesimage61.png

User Roles

There are three user roles available in Dynamic Planning: Power User , Contributor User , and Reviewer User. The tables below provide information on the task and subtask available to each user role:

Power Users

Dynamic Planning Functionality
SpotlightXL (Excel Add-In)
Spotlight (Web front end)
AnalyzeXX
DataXX
Design ViewXX
Design ReportX 
Design Excel ReportX 
Design Word ReportX 
Design PowerPoint ReportX 
ReportXX
RunXX
DesignX 
Excel ReportX 
Model + All SubtasksXX
Manage + All SubtasksX 

Contributor Users

Dynamic Planning FunctionalitySpotlightXL (Excel Add-In)Spotlight (Web front end)
AnalyzeXX
DataXX
Design ViewXX
Design ReportX 
Design Excel ReportX 
Design Word ReportX 
Design PowerPoint ReportX 
ReportXX
RunXX
DesignX 
Excel ReportX 
Model + All SubtasksXX
Manage + All Subtasks  

Reviewer Users

Dynamic Planning FunctionalitySpotlightXL (Excel Add-In)Spotlight (Web front end)
AnalyzeXX
DataXX
Design ViewXX
Design Report  
Design Excel Report  
Design Word Report  
Design PowerPoint Report  
ReportXX
RunXX
Design  
Excel ReportX 
Model + All Subtasks X *
Manage + All Subtasks  

* Includes the ability to view and run views and reports only.

User Roles, Access, and Security

Permissions and SecurityPowerContributorReviewer
Model AccessAccess to all models, shared views, and reportsAccess to assigned models, shared views, and shared reportsAccess to assigned models, shared views, and shared reports
Group Security

Group security is not applicable. Power User does not have to belong to a group to assign a group to any artifact. However, the group must belong to the model.

 

Group security is applicable. Contributor can assign or revoke groups on any artifact

Note:
Contributor must belong the Group in order to assign or revoke Group access, and the Group must belong to the Model as well.
Group security is applicable. Reviewer cannot assign or revoke groups on any artifact
Data Level SecurityData‐level security is not applicableData‐level security is not applicableData‐level security is applicable
View Access and Security
  • Has access to the default view for all models

  • Can create a view and share it by assigning to any group

  • Can create a personal view

  • Can modify any shared or personal view, and assign or revoke any group

  • Can modify any personal view

  • Can delete any personal or shared view

  • Will see a list of all groups in the Property mode

  • Has access to the default view of all assigned models

  • Can create a view and share it by assigning to any group the user belongs to

  • Can create a personal view

  • Can assign or revoke any group the user belongs to

  • Can modify any personal view

  • Can delete any personal or shared view that the user belongs to

  • Will see only the list of groups the user belongs to in the Property mode

  • Has access to the default view of all assigned models

  • Cannot create a view and share it by assigning to any group the user belongs to

  • Can create a personal view

  • Can modify personal views(those that belong to the Reviewer user only)

  • Can delete a personal view

  • Will not see any groups in the Property mode(Reviewers will not see their own Group in Property mode)

View Dimension SecurityDimension Security is not applicableDimension Security is not applicable
  • Dimension Security is applicable. If multiple subtrees are specified as filter, the user will see the root of the first subtree in the default view

  • User will see multiple subtrees in the Dimension Member Tree dropdown

  • If the user tries to access a view that contains members filtered by dimension security, the Reviewer user will see only those members in which he or she has access to

  • If a user originally created a view, and then dimension security is applied, the user will be able to access the view and see the members he or she has access to

Report Access and Security
  • Has access to all reports

  • Can create a report and share it by assigning to any group

  • Can create a personal report

  • Can modify any shared or personal report and assign or revoke any group

  • Can modify any personal report

  • Can delete any personal or shared report

  • Will see a list of all groups in the Property mode

  • Has access to all shared or personal reports

  • Can create a report and share it by assigning to any group the user belongs to

  • Can create a personal report

  • Can modify any shared or personal report and assign or revoke any group the user belongs to

  • Can modify any personal report

  • Can delete any personal or shared report

  • Will see only the list of groups, the user belongs to in the Property mode

  • Has access to all shared reports

  • Cannot create or modify or delete a report

Report Dimension SecurityDimension Security is not applicableDimension Security is not applicableDimension Security is applied

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 either with Model Permissions or Group Access. Model Permissions is a faster method.

Reminder :

  • Roles : the predefined Dynamic Planning Roles are Power User, Contributor User, and Reviewer User. Power Users can see which user is assigned to which role with Manage, User Management or Manage, Navigation Access. The roles have defaults associated with their access to models, views, reports, and other artifacts. See those defaults in Manage, Navigation Access.

  • Groups : groups are user-defined lists of users in your organization. They are defined with 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.

Artifact

By Group or Role

Ways to Define Access to this Artifact

Models

By Role or User

Manage, Navigation Access

Models

By Group

Manage, Application Administration, Model Permissions

Models

By Group

Manage, Group Management, Group Access

Dimensions

By Group

Manage, Application Administration, Model Permissions

Views

By Role or User

Manage, Navigation Access

Views

By Group

Analyze, Design View, Properties

Reports

By Role or User

Manage, Navigation Access

Reports

By Group

Report, Design Report, Properties

Calculations

By Role or User

Manage, Navigation Access

Calculations

By Group *

Manage, Group Management, Group Access

Calculations

By Group *

Model, Calculation

Attributes

By Role or User

Manage, Navigation Access

Maps

By Role or User

Manage, Navigation Access

Scopes

By Role or User

Manage, Navigation Access

Formulas

By Role or User

Manage, Navigation Access

Substitution Variables

By Role or User

Manage, Navigation Access

Data Loading

By Role or User

Manage, Navigation Access

Import/Export Data

By Role or User

Manage, Navigation Access

External Source Model Actions

By Role or User

Manage, Navigation Access

Model Validation

By Role or User

Manage, Navigation Access

Model Lookups

By Role or User

Manage, Navigation Access

 

 

 

* You must first enable Calculation Access by Group: Manage, Application Administration, Application Settings, Calculation section, Enable Group Permissions, then logoff and login again.


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