Frameworks

A Report is generated from a combination of Report Specifications and a Report Framework. Frameworks specify how content defined in Report Specifications is displayed. Frameworks may be shared by one or more Report Specifications. Report Specifications define the content (Income Statement, Balance Sheet) and options (Digits of precisions, Computation mode, and Styles) . Frameworks allow the report content to be viewed in different ways by manipulating Dimensions.

Frameworks must be assigned to at least one report specification in order to be useful. In turn, a report specification must be assigned to at least one framework in order to be viewed. It is the combination of report (content) and framework (how the content is to be viewed) that allows you to see a report.

 

Pre-existing Frameworks

Every model includes the initial frameworks

  1. "By year" - Displays the years as a slider, and the periods of the year in columns. .
  2. "FO Parameters" - Displays the parameters for an FO Instance An FO Instance inherits all parameters and any logic(formulas) contained in the FO. Any change in the FO is immediately updated in all instances. in rows, with year and month dimensions in columns. (Note: this framework is designed specifically for FO Instance reports).

Creating new Frameworks

A new framework can be created one of two ways:

  1. Copy an existing framework - From the Reports, Charts, and Specifications section of the Organization Tree, open Frameworks and navigate to the framework you want to copy. Right-click the desired framework and select Copy. A copy will be made and titled Copy of <name of original framework>.
  2. Create a new blank framework - From the Report and Chart Specifications section of the Organization Tree, click on Frameworks (or any group within it. Right-click the desired group and select Add Framework.
  3. From a report specification panel, new frameworks can be created by selecting "Copy framework to sandbox."

The Framework Editor

The Framework Editor allows you to add dimensions, their elements and assignments to report quadrants. Report quadrants includes Rows, Columns, Sliders and Set Aside. A report quadrant may contain multiple dimensions.

For example, the columns quadrant may have both years and scenarios, so that the column titles have two levels, one for years, and the other for scenarios.

Frameworks can be easily changed to fundamentally change how reports are generated.

For example, the year dimension might be shifted from columns to sliders. This part of the framework provides a very flexible way for making fundamental structural changes in reports.

Frameworks can be changed at any time and, any change in the settings will be immediately reflected in reports.

Title, Annotation, and Report selection

Title the framework and type in any Annotations. Hold the Ctrl Key down and multi-select the report SPECIFICATIONs you want this framework to apply to.

The following assumes a new blank framework has been added rather than a copy of an existing framework. It also assumes that Columns is the quadrant being used, but it also applies to Rows and Sliders.

Adding Dimensions

Dimensions (Time, Case Dimensions, Case Parameters and Parts Dimensions) allow various aspects of a given report to be viewed and analyzed quickly and easily. Dimensions can be reoriented into rows, columns, and sliders. Sliders allow any dimension to be displayed separately (for example, you might want to use sliders to look at the Income Statement for three different scenarios individually).

Other possible framework items that can be added include:

  • Table. If a Report Specification has multiple tables (such as an Income Statement table, Balance Sheet table, and Cash Flow table), adding Table to the framework (automatically, and always, in Sliders), the individual tables will be displayed in Sliders.
  • Scenarios allowing access to scenarios
  • FO Parameters, for displaying secondary line items of an FO Instance

Shared Sliders allow the ability to share sliders between reports or between reports and charts.

Ordering Dimensions

When a dimension is added to the framework, it is initially placed in Sliders, which can then be moved to columns or rows if desired. The ordering for rows and columns is important in that each subsequent dimension added to a quadrant is nested within the dimension above it. To change the order, click on the dimension, select Move and either up or down. Note: The top dimension will only have a down option and the bottom dimension will only have an up option.

Click on the Add Framework dimension button and you will see a list of all dimensions that can be included in the framework. Select a dimension and it will be added to the framework. By default, dimensions are added to Sliders and all elements of a dimension are added to the framework as Single Elements In a dimension (Parts, Case, or Time), the element itself (e.g. Product 1, Base Case, Jan), rather than an expression or offset value.. Dimensions may also be set aside, which moves the dimension to the Set Aside section of the framework quadrant. Set aside allows you save any changes to the dimension for future use.

Report Subtitle and slider dimensions

Column and row dimensions are clearly labeled with column and row titles. Slider dimensions use slider scrollbars. The slider scrollbars are not exported with a report, so a report subtitle is created to display the current slider values. See the example in "Report View". Each slider dimension can contribute to this subtitle and can be individually styled by editing the subtitle (click on Edit then Retitle then Subtitle). A popup window will allow each slider dimension to be included or not, to be placed on a separate line item or not, and styled. One "master" style is used to style the entire subtitle which by default uses the "Report Subtitle Style".

Alternative Column Sets

By default, a modification made to an element of a dimension applies to all Alternative Column Sets allowing you to make Year, Month, Parts or Case specific modifications to a framework. For example, if you have a multi-year framework and only want to make a change in one of the months or cases in a specific year.

The ability to create an Alternative Column Set is available to any dimension that is NOT in the top position in a quadrant (see Ordering Dimensions). Each subsequent dimension can have an Alternative Column Set for any dimension above it. (Note: If you add an Alternative Column Set to a dimension and then move the dimension up, any conditional formatting that was based on a dimension that is now below it will lose its meaning and may need to be deleted)

Editing Framework Elements

You can edit Framework Elements by clicking on the desired element (e.g. "Year") and then selecting "Manage Elements" from the menu. A list of available elements appear with the current elements chosen via checkboxes. Make any desired changes to the checkboxes. Other elements can also be added (e.g. "Custom Formulas"). Click "Save" when complete. In addition a "Check" option adds a "Check" column to a report that displays the total minus the sum of any Parts Dimensions.

 

  1. Editing Framework Elements- Adding a Single Element

When you add a Single Element to an existing dimension, Kind drop down list include:

  1. Single Element: you can choose an existing element in the current dimension.
  2. Formula: you can apply formulas to reports by adding a “Single Element” to any element or dimension in quadrant (Either Rows, Columns or Sliders) and choosing “Formula” in KIND.

Units

when you choose Formula, you can then choose unit type of the element in the drop down list. There are 3 types of units:

Units Formatting Line Item Constant Description Example
Monetary Currency X X    
Percent Percentage X X Any value entered will be converted to a decimal for calculation purposes. 100% would be converted to 1.
Other None X X    

 

Digits of precision:

You can choose the element's precision in the drop down list: Report default(as defined in report's precision), Units, Tenths, Hundredths, Thousandths, Ten Thousandths, Hundred Thousandths, Millionths, Ten Millionths, Hundred Millionths, and Billionths.

Writing Formulas

Formulas are made up of “Add LET” and “RESULT IS” statements.

Let Statements In a Formula Projection, a statment that defines a variable for use in one or more formula steps. - Let Statements allow you to define variables to be used in your formula. To add a Let, click NEW LET; the new Let Statement will be added.

By default, the first variable name is 'x', the second one 'y' and so on. You can rename them with any words or letters. Note: variable names cannot begin with a number.

RESULT IS is where your formula goes into action. It is here that any variables defined in Let Statements (if any) are put to use by a formulating expression.

Next, select the Kind of operation you wish to create:

In both let statement and result is new window, you start by choosing Kind.
  1. Element

You can choose a single existing element of a dimension in the Element drop down lisT.

For a recurring one, such as a Month dimension, there are periods in the current and next year available in the list to choose from.

 

There are three types of adjustments available for an Element: Line Item, Period, and Span Range.

  1. Line Item Adjustment
  2. Period Adjustment:

There are three types of Period Adjustments.

  1. No adjustment: refers to the currently selected period in Element drop down list with Line Item Adjustment and Span Adjustment, if any.
  2. Relative Adjustment: refers to the current +/- Relative Adjustment # period and the Line Item Adjustment and Span Adjustment, if any.
  3. Absolute Adjustment: you can specify which period the calculation is based on. It will override whichever period you selected in the Element field.

Example: If the current period is period 3, and Relative Adjustment is -2, then the calculation (as well as the Line Item Adjustment and Span Adjustment, if any), is based on period 1.

Note: The Relative Adjustment is by number of periods. The length of each period is defined in the Model Parameters.

  1. Span Adjustment: refers to the numbers of periods which will have their values combined (summed) during the calculation.

Note: The drop down list breaks out the intra-year periods only for the current year. Subsequent years are only selectable as a single, year-long period.

Example: if the calculation is based on period 5, and the Span Adjustment is 3 periods, the result will be period 5 + period 6 + period 7.

Combining Line Item Adjustment, Period Adjustment and Span Adjustment:

 

If the selected period is period 3 and Relative Adjustment is 2, the calculation is based on period 5 and the calculations will be performed for period 5, 6, and 7 with their results summed. If the Span Adjustment is 3 periods, and the Line Item Adjustment is Period average, time span of periods: 4, and Line Item is duration line item.

 

The result is: (Period 2 + period 3 + period 4 + period 5)/4 + (Period 3 + period 4 + period 5 + period 6)/4 + (Period 4 + period 5 + period 6 + period 7)/4

Example: add an annual element.

 

If you want to add an annual element to a 12 periods per year model, you can either choose Period 1 in Element, None in Line Item Adjustment, No Adjustment in Period Adjustment, and choose 12 Months in Span Adjustment;

 

Or,

 

Choose Period 12 in Element , No Adjustment in Period Adjustment and Span Adjustment, and Sum, time span of all periods(Or Years: 1) in Line Item Adjustment.

  1. Expression

Allows you to write an expression, similar to a spreadsheet formula, based on the Java language Expression Operators and Functions, if used in a Let Statement can only use variables that are listed above it.

 

The following table lists the operators that can be used as part of Expressions in a formula layer. The software also allows conditional expressions in the form if(a,b,c), which means "if a then b else c", for example, if(a>b, a, b) means to return the larger number.

 

Operator Symbol Example Explanation
Power ^ x^2 x to the power of 2, or x squared
Boolean Not ! if(x!=y,y,x) if x is not equal to y, return y, otherwise return x
Unary Plus, Unary Minus +x, -x -100 negative 100
Modulus % x%2 returns 1 if x is odd, otherwise 0
Division / 4/2 4 divided by 2
Multiplication * 4*2 4 times 2
Addition, Subtraction +, - 4+2 4 plus 2
Less or Equal, More or Equal <=, >= if(x>=y, y,x) if x is greater than or equal to y, return y, otherwise return x
Less Than, Greater Than <, > if(x>y, y,x) if x is greater than y, return y, otherwise return x
Not Equal, Equal !=, == if(x==y,y,x) if x equals y, return y, otherwise return x
Boolean And && if(x>5&&x<10,x,0) if x is greater than 5 and x is less than 10, return x, otherwise 0
Boolean Or || if(x<5||x>10,x,0) if x is less than 5 or x is greater than 10, return x, otherwise 0
Not a Number NaN if(y==0,NaN,(x-y)/y) if y equals 0, return - (Not a Number), otherwise return (x-y)/y.

 

  1. Line Item: Allows you to select any line item, or group of line items in the model. Drill down until you find the item(s) you want to define as a variable.
  1. Constant

When you click the expand to expression plus sign, the drop down list includes two types of constant parameters.

 

  1. System parameter:
 
Period prior to start of plan The period prior to the start of the model as defined inModel Parameters
First plan period The first period as defined inModel Parameters
Last plan period The last period in the plan/model
Periods per year

Returns a different value based on the model type: Annual=1, Monthly=12, 13 Periods=13, Weekly=52
Plan years # years as defined in Model Parameters
Current period Returns the value of current period. The first period of the plan is 1, the second period 2 and so on.

 

  1. Dimension parameters

It also has Model Dimension parameters in the drop down list. The format is ,<Dimension name> <Dimension parameter name>, the value returned is the first created case’s parameter value.

  1. Ratio

You can choose Element as numerator/dividend and Line Item as denominator/divisor.

The result is Element/Line Item.

  1. CAGR

The compound annual growth rate is calculated by taking the nth root of the total percentage growth rate, where n is the number of years in the period being considered.

 

The “How long ago?” drop down list has the # years (within duration as defined in Model Parameters). By default, when there is no Period Adjustment or Span Adjustment, the CAGR value is the period 1 value in the selected year divided by the value # years (How long ago? parameter) before.

 

If the Relative Adjustment inPeriod Adjustment is selected, CAGR is based on period 1 with the Relative Adjustment.

If the Absolute Adjustment is chosen, CAGR is the chosen period’s value divided by the value # years (How long ago? parameter) before.

If Span Adjustment is chosen, CAGR is based on the summation of periods’ value beginning from period 1 with any relative or absolute adjustment.

 

Note: The drop down list breaks out the intra-year periods only for the current year. Subsequent years are only selectable as a single, year-long period

Example, if the first plan period is 2011, model duration is 10 years, and no data input before 2011; and if the How long ago? parameter is 2 years, Period Adjustment is Relative Adjustment +3, and Span Adjustment is 2 months:

 

CAGR for 2013 is (period 4, 2013 + period 5, 2013)/ (period 4, 2011 + period 5, 2011). CAGR for 2014 is (period 4, 2014 + period 5, 2014)/ (period 4, 2012 + period 5, 2012).

 

However, note that CAGR for 2011 and 2012 are both incomputable, since the denominator (2009 and 2010’s data do not exist).

  1. Previous Balance

A previous Balance can be added to either the year dimension or the month dimension.

Tip: Only use the previous balance in the year dimension when your report does not include a month dimension, otherwise use the previous balance in the month dimension.

The Previous Balance is the ending balance of the previous period relative to a time span as defined in the model. Period Adjustment is the adjustment based on the previous period.

Example: if the Period Adjustment's Relative Adjustment is 3, the Feb, 2011's result will display the value of April, 2011.

  1. Difference

A Difference between elements or range of elements, with period adjustments, if any.

Example: If you choose period 7 in Element 1 drop down list, period 9 in Element 2, Relative Adjustment +2, and Span Adjustment: 3 months, the difference in 2011 is (period 9 + period 10 + period 11 of 2011) - (period 11 + period 12 of 2011+ period 1 of 2012)

  1. % Difference

A % Difference between elements or range of elements, with period adjustments, if any.

Note: a “Time Override” option is available for parts and dimensions.

For Parts and Case dimensions, the default is to compare in the same time frame. You can override this behavior by selecting Yes from the OVERRIDE TIME PERIOD? drop down list, and clicking save. Select the starting time frame for each of the elements and select the span of time to be compared (number of months or number of years).

  1. Editing Framework Elements- Adding shortcuts

As discussed above, you can edit framework Elements by either adding a Single Element or adding shortcuts of Difference, %Difference, Difference from year ago, %Difference from year ago, CAGR from year ago, and Value from year ago. The default value is displayed in Result is with embedded logics. However, you can always click Result is and Let statements to modify as you wish.

For example: if the first plan period is 2011, for a Month dimension's 2011 element value:

 

Difference Difference between Period 1 and Period 2, 2011
%Difference % Difference between Period 1 and Period 2, 2011
Difference from year ago Difference between Period 1, 2011 and Period 1, 2010
%Difference from year ago % Difference between Period 1, 2011 and Period 1, 2010
CAGR from year ago CAGR of Period 1, 2011 over Period 1, 2010
Value from year ago Period 1, 2010's value

And as mentioned above, you can always modify the formula by clicking Result is and Let statements, and changing elements, adding adjustments, etc (as discussed in the "Writing Formulas" section)

 

Styles

You will notice in each element of a dimension that you can specify a style for both the Title (the title at the top of a column, and the Column (the contents of the column). Please see Report Styling for details on styling a report.

Summary of dimension options
Action Method
To move to Rows, Columns, or Sliders Click on the dimension, select Move and either to Rows or to Columns or to Sliders
To return a dimension to the Add menu Click on the dimension, select Delete
To set aside Click on the dimension, select Set Aside
To remove all elements Click on the dimension, select Remove all elements
To add a new column (or row or slide)

Click on the dimension, select Add Column, then select

  1. Single Element (e.g., 2011, Mar, Best Case, Product Line 1)*
  2. Difference (e.g. Best Case vs. Base Case)
  3. % Difference (e.g. Plan vs Actual)
  4. Difference from year ago (e.g. Mar 2010 vs Mar 2009 for a Single Element)
  5. % Difference from year ago
  6. CAGR from year ago (Compound Annual Growth Rate this year from last year)
  7. Value from year ago (e.g. an element's value one year ago)
To add an Alternative Column Set If a dimension is in position 2 or more, click on the dimension, select Add Alternative Column Set, then when <dimension name> is <dimension element>
To remove all elements of an Alternative Column Set Click on the dimension, select Remove all elements from alternative, then <column set name>
To add an element to an Alternative Column Set See "To add a new column" above.
To delete an Alternative Column Set Click on the dimension, select Delete alternative, then <column set name>

*From a Single Element you can create items 2 through 7. Items 2 through 7 are displayed as a convenience.

 

Related Links:

Report Specifications

Formatting Styles

Time Dimensions

Parts Dimensions

Case Dimensions

Custom HTML Editor

Line Item Adjustment