Enhanced History for Change Log Functionality

jbrown

I have had several people ask about building a 'change log' feature using the information from History.

My request is:

1. Add changes in the structure of Anaplan to history, such as changes to formula in line items;

2. Add a feature that may involve running an action to update a module directly from history.

 

This feature would help a manager to see specific changes to the model over time. This would help a SOX team to capture every structural change to a model over a reporting period and ensure sufficient controls. 

M.Kierepka

Hi @jbrown,

 

1. Isn't that already covered by Revision Tags and ability to compare them? Then you can see exact structural changes that were made. And as you wrote, this way the manager can control what development has been done in the model without unnecessary production data information. They can then sync exactly this development to other models, so this ensures that no unwanted changes will go to other environment. More info here: https://help.anaplan.com/290c84a6-5fcd-462b-a7f0-008f580838b2-Working-with-Revision-Tags

2. I don't understand what do you mean in - how module can be updated from history? You can revert the whole model to some previous state, but if I understand you correctly, you want to be able to do it also separately for some line item in a module?

jbrown

Hi @M.Kierepka,

 

I appreciate the feedback! It looks like I need to rewrite my request. 

 

Ultimately I'm looking to create a "Change Report" - a report or module that displays all changes to the model. Changes that can be viewed, pivoted, summed, and looked up. This way a manager can lookup/summarize changes by user or look up changes by type of change. Or a SOX team can capture all the changes to all calculations in a time period(Quarterly testing or Yearly testing).

 

It would be better if history contains all the changes in formula(previous formula, new formula) in the place of previous value, new value. The columns in History could say 'Previous' and 'New' and capture all the changes. Revision tags will require the users and builders to create the revision tag.

 

It is true that for the most part the users of the "Change Report" will only care about the changes that ultimately arrive in Production. Also, the historical changes will have noise (not the last change made). However, if the revision tag is made on December 15 and there are multiple changes between December 15 and and the next revision tag January 15 then the report will need to be exported and edited for current year of the report and subsequent year and then the Revision tag is not useful anymore.

 

I'm looking for a way to capture(for review and reporting) all changes within one year.