Define attributes

Attributes store the data of a Detailed Planning Object (DPO). You manage the mandatory attributes and create new ones in Detailed Planning Manager

Create an attribute

Create an attribute based on an existing attribute

  1. Select Administration > Attributes.
  2. Select an attribute.

  3. In the lip panel click .

    A copy of the attribute appears at the end of the Attribute list.

  4. Rename the attribute and edit the properties (see below).
  5. Select File > Save.

Create an attribute from scratch

  1. Select Administration > Attributes.
  2. In the lip panel click .

  3. Type a Name (up to 250 characters) and select a Data type.

    If you select Dimension member, you must choose the model and then the dimension.

  4. Click OK.

    In the Attribute Properties panel edit the properties (see below).

  5. Select File > Save

The properties available to an attribute depend on the attribute's Data type, and may include the following:

  • Description

    Optional; up to 4,000 characters.

  • Default value

    Optional; you can specify a frequently-used value to save user effort.

     Note:  If you decide to change the default value later, the change does not affect existing records.

  • Vary by scenario

    Enabled by default; turn it off if you want the values in the Default Scenario to apply to all scenarios. (For example, if the DPO is Employee, you typically clear this check box in attributes such as Gender or Date of Hire.)

     Caution:   If you are editing an existing attribute and you turn off Vary by scenario, the values for this attribute in the Default Scenario automatically replace its values in all other scenarios.

  • Conditions

    You can use conditions to restrict which DPOs an attribute applies to. Click and define logical conditions.

  • Required data

    If turned on, when an employee record is added or imported a value must be provided for this attribute, otherwise the record cannot be saved. (At runtime a red exclamation icon appears beside the field until data is entered to it.)

  • Prevent data entry

    If turned on, no users, including administrators, can change the value of the attribute.

     Note:  If you prevent data entry for the attribute, you must either turn off Required data or provide a Default value. Otherwise during import DPO records will be rejected.

  • Multi-line

    Select for text attributes where you want to allow multiple lines to be entered in the Detailed Planning editor.

  • List

    Click to open the Edit List dialog:

    • You can copy a list of items from an external application and use Ctrl-V to paste the items into the Add New Items box.
    • You can Shift-click and Ctrl-click to make contiguous or non-contiguous selections.
    • You can drag-and-drop items or selections.
    • Items in List can be up 250 characters.

     Best Practice:  Consider using List attributes for text values that are well defined rather than open-ended, as this leads to more consistent data. For example, in personnel planning, the field Position or Job Title typically uses a list of values already provided by Human Resources.

  • Allow aggregation

    Turn on if you want the values of a numeric attribute to be included in the Total Row of schedules and the Detailed Planning Object Editor.

  • Numeric format

    Use to select a format for attributes whose data type is Integer or Numeric. These formats are applied mainly in Schedule Data Entry and in the Calculation Editor.

  • Minimum value/Maximum value

    Use to set limits for Integer, Numeric, and Date attributes.

  • Date linked

    Is an optional property of the mandatory attributes Start Period and End Period, and of attributes whose type is Time dimension. When activated, Date Linked allows users to enter actual date values, which FP&A then converts to Time dimension members.

    When entering data to the linked date attribute, if the user provides a date value that is outside the scope of the Time dimension, FP&A is unable to convert the date to a Time dimension member and therefore sets the Start Period to Start of Scenario and the End Period to End of Scenario.

     Example:  If the Time dimension spans the years 2020 to 2021, and the user gives a linked date of November 29, 2018, FP&A ignores the date and leaves Start Period set to Start of Scenario.

    To use Date Linked with the Start Period attribute:

    1. In your DPO add an attribute of type Date; for example, Hire Date.
    2. Select Start Period and from its Date Linked drop-down select Hire Date.
    3. Select Vary by scenario.
    4. Select Required data.
    5. Save.

    If you use Date linked to link a Time dimension attribute to an attribute whose data type is Date, the Time dimension's Default Value is taken from that of the date attribute. Later, if the Default Value in the date attribute is changed, the change is copied to the Default Value of the Time dimension attribute.

Add an attribute to the model

You can cause certain mandatory attributes, and any custom attribute, to be added to the detailed planning model as members of the DPO dimension.

 Note:  Member properties can only store a single value for an attribute across all scenarios and Versions in the model. If the attribute already varies across scenarios, the varying data will be replaced with data from the Default Scenario.

  1. Select Administration > Attributes.
  2. At the bottom of the Attribute Properties panel, open the Detailed Planning Cube Properties section.
  3. Turn on Member property.
  4. Type a Name for the member (typically the name of the attribute).
  5. Save.

Manage attributes

Edit an attribute

  1. Select Administration > Attributes.
  2. Select an attribute. Its properties appear in the Attribute Properties panel.
  3. Edit the properties.
  4. Save.

Delete an attribute

  • Select the attribute and in the lip panel click .