When Adding A New Line Item - No Data Format

kaitchura

I would like to request that when a new line item is added into a module, rather than defaulting the format to Number as is standard, it defaults to "No Data".

 

Immediate ROI: 

- Automatically won't toast the model if you write a formula without changing the format 

• In another post, someone asked what do you "always forget to do" and a large number of experienced Model Builders/ Solution Architects/ Master Anaplanners echo'd this as a recurring mistake
• If the line was No Data, it wouldn't cause us to wait the toast time in order to correct what we know is a rookie error.  

- Does not take up space

• This is most valuable when you are adding an additional line that you intend to narrow down the applies to -- most popularly for me when I have a numbered list export between models, meaning it's most accurate to connect the two data sources with codes.  
• Also good when teaching newer model builders to add lookups that do not dynamically change between time dimensions
  • NOTE: I understand that the SYS module is the best way to do this as it's most likely a repeatable action; however, with newer model builders I need to be able to show them what i'm trying to accomplish by filtering on the module itself.  We need to be able to crawl before we walk, when learning Anaplan.

Most importantly, I don't understand what value we gain by having the default format being Number as the line does not have a formula until it's written, so this request would only improve model builder experience. . 

Tiffany.Rice

This is a very interesting idea and I think it is actually pretty compelling.  It could actually yield more conscientious building - if the default were Format: "No Data" and Summary Method: "None" then it would prompt the builder to make an intentional decision for how this line should display for end users and be leveraged in calculations. 

 

Counterargument could be made the vast majority of line items created are number formats so this change creates more touch points but perhaps it would make us all a little better in the long run?  Definitely food for thought. 

andrewtye

My thoughts are on summary settings having it default to "none" is probably good, but that for line item format i'm 50/50. On the one hand it's quite useful when you forget to set it to non-number but on the other as soon as you've finished your formula and set the format correctly then you could still end up with toaster time.