Basic Introduction to Anaplan

Anaplan

I have started looking at Anaplan. As I'm familiar with Hyperion Planning how the planning and budgeting works in Hyperion. Who ever wants to know how Anaplan works in place of Hyperion Planning in real time.

Below are the some of concepts of Anaplan I want to share with you all. It will be continued in further posts. 

• What is Anaplan,
• Features of Anaplan, Structure of Anaplan,
• How to create a Model in Anaplan?
• How to insert a new version? 
• How to create a list?
• How to create a module.What are Line items.

Anaplan is a name of a company that created this web-based enterprise platform. Large and fast-growing organizations use Anaplan’s cloud platform in business function to make better plans, decisions and drive faster to more effective planning processes. The name Anaplan is known for the “analysis” and “planning” it has In Memory Database and Calculation engine which are further called as the “Hyper Block”.

Fig 1:Anaplan Features

• Cloud Based: It allows users to access software applications which are shared In Memory.
• In Memory processing: To meet Business needs Anaplan maintains In Memory Database.
• App Hub: Common use cases are available in the hub to retrieve them whenever needed i.e. for future use.
• Data Integration: Import and Export of data is performed with different types of data sources.
• Multi-dimensional Planning: It can build any number of models irrespective of any level of granularity.

Anaplan Structure

Fig 2: Anaplan Structure

Workspace:All the models will be available respective to the company.

Model:Enables business users to build multi-dimensional models.

1. Models can be built to any level of granukarity with any number of dimensions
2. A model is a collection of lists,modules and dashboard that are all used for a area of business planning .

How to create a Model in Anaplan?

• Login into your Anaplan account.
• In the upper right corner of the main screen, click the drop-down right of your name and now select the manage models. Below is the following screenshot.

• Click on Manage Models

• Click New

• In the new model dialog box, give the model name for example (MTSales). Next in the template drop down list ensure that it is empty model is selected
• Click create model. Once model is created model name will be displayed Upper left corner

Note: After creating a model we need to set the Time for the model. Below is process how to set Time.

Time: 

In Anaplan, Time is one of the built-in Dimension Where you can structure the data for the organization.

To set Time dimension properties in a model below are steps

• Select the calendar type
• Fiscal year start month we gave here is Jan
• Current Fiscal Year: How many years we want to have the model can be given according to the requirement
• Number of past and future years can be given.
• Current period we gave is mar19
• Ensure that how you want to see the data and click on the radio buttons as required, quarter totals and year to date summary are tick marked.
• Click on Apply

Versions:

Once model get created then two default versions i.e Actual and forecast will be updated but according to the requirements. Also we can create new version members inserted or rename default members to required name.

• Switchover:It handles current period actuals, forecast & etc.
• We can write the formula as well for any Version.

How to insert a new version? 

• When we want to insert a new version, click on the insert and in the dialogue box give the version name for example version1.
• Click ok.

List: 

A List is a group of like items

• Lists are important in Anaplan as they define structure and content of a model

How to Create List?

• In the model settings tab ->general Lists

• Click on the organization, add the new items: example shown in the above screen shot (North, South, East, and West)
• Click on Ok.

• The above screen shot shows how the children looks in Organization after insterting them.

Modules: 

These are the individual components where user wants to enter the data.

How to Create a Module? 

•  In the model settings tab ->Click modules

• Dialogue box with empty module name

• For example, here we gave new module name Sales Analysis.
• Dimensions can be drag & drop in pages ,columns according to how you want to visualize the data.
• Click Ok

Line items: 

Line items belong to the module which are in rows.

• Example you can create line item1,line item2 by manually or you can copy and paste from the text file

• Values can be entered into the cells.

The information provided above is my understanding on the tool with less details. My Next post will explain other topics which are not covered here.

By:

Pranaya Panauganti

Mouri Tech Pvt Ltd.

MEMBER SET FUNCTION

some other Calculation commands

@CHILDREN :

•  Returns all children of the specified member, exculding the specified member.

Syntax

@CHILDREN ( mbrname )

EXAMPLE :

• Essbase sorts the children in ascending order.
• From the above image if  you specify member name @children(sales) it returns unit sales , price.

@DESCENDANTS : 

• Returns all descendants those are down to the specified generation or level.
• Exculding the specified member.

Syntax

@Descandants( mbrname [, genlevnum | genlevname] )

• Generation number defines the positive number.
• Level number starts from zero or negative integer

SET COMMANDS

In Continuation to the previous post on Calculation scripts below are some points

SET AGGMISSG:

• It will work with sparse dimensions.

Syntax

SET AGGMISSNG ON | OFF

• If you set OFF it wll not aggregate #missing values.
• If you have data at that combination so always keep it ON  to get accurate data.

Example:

                  Case 1 : I will write some calculation scripts.

SET AGGMISG OFF;

FIX(Account)

AGG(Period);

ENDFIX;

• Lock and send some data in to Q1;
• execute the script
• Q1 will hold some data. fig:13

                   Case 2 :

• Now Lock and send #missing.
• But still Q1 show the data. Which makes huge difference to our calculation.fig 14:

                   Case 3 :

SET AGGMISG ON;

FIX(Account)

AGG(Period);

ENDFIX;

• Now Q1  shows #missing.
• Always keep it on if you want correct values.

                                                fig 15:

SET UPDATECALC:

• This is a calculation command whih turns on/off inteligence calculation.

Syntax

SET UPDATECALC ON | OFF

• ON : It allows to calculate only dirty blocks i.e. the blocks which have been updated and their dependent parents
• If Essbase marks the block as clean block then it doesnot perform recalculation.
• If you want to change the default behaviour then use SET CLEARUPDATESTATUS in calculation scripts.
• OFF :   Essbase calculates all the data blocks regardless of weather they have been updated.

SET CLEARUPDATESTATUS:

Syntax

SET CLEARUPDATESTATUS AFTER | ONLY | OFF

• AFTER: Even if your calculating the subset of database , Essbase marks the datablocks as clean.

CLEAN AND CORRECT VALUE

• ONLY : It does same as AFTER  but doesnot perform the calculation it just remains the blocks a clean.

CLEAN BUT DOES NOT CALCULATE

• OFF :  Data values are calculated perfectly but blocks reamin dirty.

INTRODUCTION OF SCRIPTS

Hi all, as a fresher, I started my career with Hyperion technology. I just wanted to share my knowledge through this blog. For a fresher, it is more important to pick up the right technologies and tools and always keep reading, learning from various sources that will help your career upgrade. Along with it, a keen interest and passion for it are essential to succeed in the future. Today, many people are looking to pursue their career in the right way. I think Hyperion is a righteous path for a fresher.

Here am going to explain some important topics.

• Calculation Scripts

 About Essbase Calculation Scripts.

Basically, we have two ways by which calculation can be performed on the data.

                1a) Outline Calculation 

                1b) Member Formula

                 2)  Calculation Scripts.

Outline Calculation: It is performed based on the hierarchy, for e.g. will consider below fig:1 in that  Unit Sales and Price values will aggregate into the Sales.

                                                         fig:1

Member Formula: If we want to perform some complex calculations then member formula will be preferable. 

                                                        fig: 2

                                                       

 Calculation Scripts: It can be run on a database or on a part of the database.

• It can be a function or a command

So coming to practice will take some simple example and perform a calculation in three ways.

• Sales=Unit Sales-Price.

Now open Excel and connect to smart view.

First will see outline based calculation

• Before data is passed it shows #missing fig:3

                                   fig:3

                                     

After entering the data you have to pass the data and launch the default calculator  fig:4 

                               fig:4

 A second way to implement calculation scripts with member formula.(used for complex calculations)

• Change the consolidation property as (~ )  to the specified members on which you are performing member formula for e.g. consider the below fig:5

                                      fig:5  

• Assigning formula fig:6

                                        fig:6      

• Below image shows how member holds the formula                                       

                                         fig:7

• After calculating according to the above formula then results will appear fig:8

                                           fig:8

                                          

 A third way to implement calculation scripts :

• We can write scripts here

1. First, we need to create a calculation script by right-clicking on the database.fig:9
2. Scripts written can save on the Essbase server fig:10
3. Lock and send the data.
4. Execute the scripts fig:11
5. Results will display fig:12

                             fig:9

                                  

                          fig:10

                                           

                                           fig:11

                             

                                                   
                                           fig:12

What type of calculations we do?

The first basic things are

•CALCALL.

•CALCDIM.

•AGG.

CALCALL

Calculates and aggregates based on the database outline.

Syntax

1. CALC ALL [EXCEPT DIM (dimlist) \ MBR (mbrlist)]

CALCDIM

Calculation and aggregation are performed on a specified dimension.

Syntax

CALC DIM [(dimlist)]

•        Calculation order depends upon whether they are sparse or dense

•         First dense dimensions are calculated and then sparse.

AGG

•        It will calculate only sparse dimensions

•       It will do the only aggregation but not formula calculation.

Syntax

CALC AGG (dimlist)

Difference between CALC ALL, CALC DIM and AGG in Essbase?

AGG:

It consolidates the database values ignoring all member formulas

It works on the sparse dimensions

It is faster than CALC for less than 6 consolidation levels.

CALC ALL:

It will calculate an aggregate database based on the outline structure

The order of calculation depends on the characteristics of dimensions

   CALC DIM:

It calculates and aggregate values for the specified dimension members

The order of calculation depends on the sparse and dense types.