Time Dimensions

Time is made up of years and periods. A model can be created with 1 to 60 periods per year.

Time Dimensions in Frameworks

When configuring a Framework, years and periods are treated as separate dimensions that can be displayed in columns, rows, or tabs. For example, you might want to create a report with months (periods) in columns, and years in tabs, or vice versa.

Configuring for spans of time

This specifies the first period and last period an object applies to.

Example: A layer with a Start Period of Jan, 2011 and an End Period of Dec, 2011 will cover all of 2011.

Starting and Ending periods can be specified to be either relative or specific.

Example: For a Model with a Start Period of Jan and Start Year of 2011 (as defined in Model Parameters), a Specific date of Jan, 2011 and a Relative date of First plan period are synonymous.

Configuring a Relative Date

Relative dates use variables rather than a specific Period A Period is used in a number of ways depending on context. In an Annual model, a period is 1 year. In a monthly model, a period is one month. When used as a start of a projection, it refers to the beginning of the period and when used as the end of a projection it is the end of the period. and year. They can also be offset plus or minus any number of Periods A unit of measure that specifies how many periods (months, quarters, years depending on the model) are in a range.

Period

The software includes several predefined variables:

Period prior to start of plan (initial balance period)

First plan period

Last plan period

Default layer start (as specified in Model Parameters)

Additionally, if a constant is added to a FO Type, and its Units are defined as Period (which will convert the constant into date format), that parameter will be available as a variable. In this way a layer can be specified to start in the period specified as a parameter in the object.

Example: If an FO is created for an Employee, and one of its parameters ,Employee Start Date, is a constant defined as period, Employee Start Date will be available as a variable in defining the start of a layer. The salary layer for the employee can be specified to start on the Employee Start Date.

Further, any Period parameter included in a Case Dimension will also be available, in the format "<Case Dimension Title>:<Case Parameter Name>".

Offsets

The Start Period can be offset plus or minus any number of Periods A unit of measure that specifies how many periods (months, quarters, years depending on the model) are in a range.. To the right of the Period is a selection for +/- and an input box allowing you to specify how many periods to offset the period by. This value can be a constant (default), or can be converted to a variable.by clicking the + sign next to the constant box.

The software includes three predefined variables:

Actuals # periods

Plan periods

Periods per Year

Additionally, if a constant is added to a FO Type, and its Units are defined as Periods, that parameter will be available as a variable. In this way a layer start date can be offset by the number of periods specified in the variable.

Example: If an FO is created for an Employee, and has parameters for Employee Start Date, Vacation and Months until vacation is authorized, is a constant defined as periods, the layer for Vacation can be based on Employee Start Date, offset by Months Until Vacation is Authorized.

Switching between Relative and Specific dates

If the date is configured as a specific date but you want to use a relative date, click the + sign next to the date.
If the date is configured as a relative date but you want to use a specific date, from the drop down list, select Remove and save the change. The relative date will change to a specific date.