IBM Cognos TM1 10.2 has just been released bringing a lot of enhancements and new features. Here is a summary of what’s new.
- Integrated Scorecards
- Performance/Architecture Enhancements
- New Mobile TM1 Contribution Client
- Capability to ease the migration from other platforms such as IBM Cognos Enterprise Planning into TM1
- New Excel interface that brings together BI and TM1 Data
- Greatly enhanced Performance Modeler
- Improved Cognos insight Client
- Enhanced TM1 Web
We have a bunch of topic specific features we will be releasing for the next 10 days to celebrate 10.2!
Integrated Scorecards
In this new version of IBM Cognos TM1 10.2 a new cube type has been added… The Scorecard Cubes. This allows users to display the business’ strategies and the relationship of different key performance indicators (KPIs).
The scorecard enables broader range of users in the business to gain better understanding of its strategies, and how it can be translated into actions and planning. The TM1 scorecard cube type provides users with graphical representations of the performance and linkages of KPIs.
The new scorecard cubes can be displayed in Performance Modeler, TM1 Web and Cognos Insight.
Performance/Architecture Enhancements
New performance enhancements, as expected, which make the new TM1 perform faster and more stable, like improved Dynamic Query Mode and multithreaded queries. We have more on this to post over the next few days.
New Mobile TM1 Contribution Client
Now you can use your iPad to view a TM1 application and contribute to it. This is presently available on the App store.
Capability to ease the migration from other platforms such as IBM Cognos Enterprise Planning into TM1
The import option uses an .XML application definition file that is generated from your Cognos Planning model. This file is used to get you started with the dimensions, cubes, and links needed to build the model in Cognos TM1 Performance Modeler.
New Excel interface that brings together BI and TM1 Data
CAFÉ (Cognos Analysis For Excel) has been overhauled to connect to TM1 servers. You can use the interactive drag-and-drop environment to explore and analyze data to find answers to business questions or even write back to TM1 and contribute to a plan. You can use excel charts and formulas to create calculations and more effective reports. CAFE can work as a perpectives replacement.
Greatly enhanced Performance Modeler
Performance Modeler has received many enhacements. Below you can find see a list with the new features.
New In-Cube Calculations
You can now create cube calculations in Performance Modeller directly from a cube view with a drag and drop interface. There are a lot more of the original TM1 rule functions are included into this rules editor.
You can now define the scope of your cube calculation to across multiple dimensions, and no longer restricted to singular dimension element calculations or links.
Referencing to element attributes has never been easier, as you can simply drag and drop them into the calculations. There is a new method of importing values from other cubes, makes referencing to other cube sources is much easier, and imported values are reusable.
New Cognos TM1 Scorecarding
Use Performance Modeler to create cubes for score-carding and KPIs
New Feeder Optimization
TM1 Performance Modeler can now automatically generate a proposed set of feeders for the cubes in the model. The set is generated whether the modeler defines the rules manually or generated automatically from Calculations and Links. In this version PM does a good job to avoid overfeeding, which was a major concern in the previous release.
Improved handling of Cell Security Cubes
Model security can now be applied and amended on an application using Performance Modeler, this includes security for cells, cubes, dimensions, processes and chores.
Security of each type is grouped under the relevant grouping, which makes it easier to understand what security has been applied to a model at a glance.
Model security can be now removed without requiring security refresh or shutting down the server, changes takes effect immediately following the security rule is saved.
Cell security on a cube can be applied to selection of dimensions, instead of all dimensions in a cube in the previous release.
Full picklist capability
Performance Modeler includes a new Picklist editor, which enables users to define static or dimensional picklists, as well as the ability to set a picklist on a numeric cell.
Link editing improvements
In Cognos TM1 version 10.2.0 you can select the source and target members of links separately then paste the source/target member pairs.
Drill-through
You can choose to have a link that is exposed as a drill-through relationship. You can also configure the orientation of the view that results from the drill.
Reuse of approval hierarchies
In TM1 10.2, there is an enhancement to allow the same approval hierarchy to be used in multiple applications. This enhancement can bring lots of benefits to the business and efficiency to TM1 models are designed. No doubt, this change most of you had been waited for.
This enhancement is very useful when a business operates different budget cycle to forecast cycle, or different budget deadlines for different regions or geographical locations. The flexibility is here to meet those business requirements.
Restrict views to reviewers or contributors
You can now specify different views to be consumed by reviewers or contributors. This is useful as you can identify what a reviewer or contributor should focus on rather than everyone has similar views.
TurboIntegrator processes triggered from workflow actions
In this new version of TM1, 10.2, a new feature has been added to enable the change of workflow state of a node to trigger TI processes. A preset TI process can be triggered immediate before and immediate after the workflow action.
This feature can be quite useful in a lot of ways, for example, if you have a separate BI report cube setup, when a node is submitted, TI process can be triggered to update the BI report cube without extra actions. And once all the nodes are locked, then you can be sure that BI reporting cube is ready for reporting, without running extra processes.
New TM1 Applications Maintenance utility
In this new release of TM1 10.2, a new feature is added to allow some of the TM1 commands to be run from command line, or in a batch file.
The main purpose of this utility is to automate some of the application maintenance, using a combination of standard TI processes and TI processes that execute commands available in this utility. And of course, chores can be setup to execute these periodically, such as overnight application maintenance.
Show Data Flow model diagramming
In Performance Modeler now you can create a graphical flow diagram that maps the flow of data from cube-to-cube in a model. What’s more the flow charts can understand not only links but also manual written rules that link the cubes.
Improved transfer of model objects and applications
The new Transfer Specification Editor allows modelers to better manage which objects are copied from a source system to a target system. You can transfer an entire application or specific parts like an updated dimension.
New import of Cognos Enterprise Planning models into Cognos TM1
The new Import functionality helps developers to migrate an Enterprise Planning application in TM1 Performance Modeler.
Performance Modeler can start as a normal application
In this version you have the option to start PM also as a normal application through your start programs and not only through the TM1 applications environment.
Improved Cognos insight Client 10.2.1
Work with attributes
With the new IBM Cognos Insight, you can now filter by, create, and display attributes, thus enhancing your reporting capabilities.
Spread data
You can use several new data spreading types in IBM Cognos Insight to distribute data across a range of cells. The data spreading types include relative proportional spread, equal leaves, equal spread, repeat, straight line, and growth percentage. Many of these existed in TM1 Contributor but not in Cognos Insight, now they are on par on this respect.
Distributed mode improvements
In the TM1 Applications portal, you can now start IBM Cognos Insight in distributed mode from a parent element. You can also now open a Central application type in distributed mode. Another important feature is that you can get a snapshot of the application and work offline. When your are you can reconnect and submit your changes. All these changes lead also an Improved WAN performance experience.
Scorecards
When you connect to a TM1 server you can view and use scorecards that you created in Performance Modeler
Combination charts
IBM Cognos Insight now includes combination charts, which combine a column chart and a line chart to display data for two measures on the same chart.
Import external data
When you are contributing to an IBM Cognos TM1 plan in IBM Cognos Insight, you can now import data from an ASCII file on your computer into your part of the plan.
Drill through to view details
If the administrator created drill through links in Performance Modeler, users can now right-click crosstab cells to view related data in another cube.
Print and export workspaces
In an IBM Cognos Insight workspace, you can now print the contents of the current tab. You can also export a workspace tab as a new PDF file or append it to an existing PDF file as a new page.
Support for digit shaping
IBM Cognos Insight supports the digit shaping options that you set in your operating system.
Support for bidirectional languages
You can now enable bidirectional language support in IBM Cognos Insight to change the text direction in your workspaces.
Enhanced TM1 Web
TM1 did not just receive new features but it was rather re-written from scratch using SOA (Service Oriented Architecture) technology
Cognos TM1 Web now uses a Java-based web application server
TM1 Web has been completely rewritten with Java and there is no need for IIS anymore. It can you use the same application server with TM1.
Supports Client Side Rendering
Uses AJAX technology and all the formatting rendering is done on the client. Can do incremental updates and refreshes thus leading to improved WAN performance.
Cognos TM1 Web now includes Scorecarding
IBM Cognos TM1 version 10.2 integrates scorecarding cubes and diagrams into Cognos TM1 Web.
Other Improvements
Features better web sheet support and better export support. It now includes the rave charting engine.
