Is it possible to have an anaplan export automated having 2 dimensions in columns?

I am trying to create an automated export of a view that has time, as well as line items in columns. I have tried this via Cloudworks and Informatica but it is not working. When I am manually running an export in anaplan its working fine but not via integration.

Answers

  • KirillKuznetsov
    edited May 13

    @js185656 CW and Informatica both support exports from Anaplan using export actions. If you save your export with the settings you want then they should run correctly each time from CW or Informatica.

    Check the following settings (export name can be different)

  • @KirillKuznetsov , Thanks for your response. I am trying to automate an export that has both line items and time in columns. This is the export view and pivot of the module. I am able to create an export in anaplan but not able to automate it via cloudworks/ipaas. When I am trying to create an export action in informatica, I get an error that Forecast Input USD is associated with multiple time items(jan24-dec24). Is it because I am using two dimensions in column?

    Also When I created an integration via CW, the file created at azure end was blank with this pivoting, when I changed the pivot so that the column would contain just line items and no time I was able to create the file azure end

  • @js185656

    thanks for the screenshots. Strange that you have this problem. I will give you my suggestion.

    As I can see you need this to be in columns in order to filter some line items (Comment, Originating, etc.) that have a subsidiary view without time dimension. Moreover, I see that this view is called "Dashboard view". Did you try to put everything in rows in order to keep filtration and use this view as a new template for your target system? You would need a separate view for this (which is good and suggested by Anaplan best practices).

  • @KirillKuznetsov

    Yes I did change the view and put everything in the rows. I am attaching the snip below. By doing so I was able to create the export via CW/Informatica.

    But I want to automate the dashboard view as I displayed in the previous comments. Is that not supported? Do we have to restrict our columns to have only one dimension to automate it? Please let me know if there is any way

  • @js185656

    could you explain what you mean by "automate the dashboard view"?

    *but putting everything I meant including line items even

    something like this

  • @KirillKuznetsov

    I wanted to automate the export that is being generated by placing time and line items in columns. I don't want to change the view that I am exporting, as this is how the business wants to view the data.

  • KirillKuznetsov
    edited May 13

    @js185656 if you mean to view the data in excel - you can offer business to integrate Anaplan Excel Add-in for them. Did you consider it?

    https://help.anaplan.com/excel-add-in-series-4-4f3c3661-1e69-42f1-ad86-00c6898075c6

  • @KirillKuznetsov , Not sure this would be helpful, as business wanted to keep a backup of this view during the outlook cycle so that they can refer the different backups for the changes made by users. So we were planning to give business users access on azure container where we would have a backup of these export files for different date

  • @js185656

    I never heard about any problem regarding nested dimensions.

    According to Anapedia there are no such limitations mentioned https://help.anaplan.com/cloudworks-guidelines-d1937191-e553-42d0-ae6a-8a5ef015d35c

    Maybe there is a bug. Try to contact support team

    Are you sure that the account that is doing the automation has all the necessary access permissions?

  • @js185656 Have you specified the Data Target of your csv files in Cloudworks? Usually, in my experience I have used Cloud storage like AWS, Azure with Cloudworks for Import/Export etc.

    So, when you run the Export action using Cloudworks, the csv files gets generated & stored into cloud storage as per predefined Data Target configuration (this is part of Cloudworks - AWS/Azure configuration/connection).

    I was able to create a scheduler in Cloudworks to automate this export action as per requirements as well.

  • @KirillKuznetsov , I don't think it is an access issue via cloudworks because I was able to create an export file at azure end when I kept only one dimension in column, but when it was both time and line items in dimensions the file generated at azure end was blank

  • @js185656 - You can try one more approach by doing the following. I believe this should work as we are separating the time dependent and time independent line items.

    If your business is okay to have two exports(one for properties and one for Forecasted Amount), you can automate two exports and then they can consolidated both the exports at their end. Both these exports will be generated from different modules but can be placed in a single process which will be automated.

    If you don't have the below two modules in your system then what you can do is creating the below 2 modules:

    Module 1: FL Detail Report List and Not Time dependent line items(company, dept, geo , etc.)

    Module 2: FL Detail Report List, Time and Amount Line Item.

    The pivot of the exports would be same as you mentioned above.

    Key point to kept in mind is that both the exports should have same filters so that the count of records should not be impacted and business should know which line in export1 belongs to which line in export2.

  • KirillKuznetsov
    edited May 13

    Did you encounter a similar problem with a separate module? Maybe with another list or without filters?..

    As this might be a bug with a particular list or module…

  • @PulkitChawla

    For module 2 are you saying that I should have the same pivot, that is line items(amount) and time in columns and Detail report list in rows?

    If yes, it will again create the same issue of nested dimensions in columns which will not create the export.

    Is there any limitation, that columns should have only one dimension for creating an automated export

  • @js185656 - Module 2 with same pivot but single line item in page selector. This is the reason for keeping only 1 line item in export view in Module 2 otherwise obviously we would be facing the same issue.

    Regarding limitation for one dimension in column, it is not the case because I have seen the same working for Snaplogic integrations but not sure why it is so for Informatica and Cloudworks.

  • @PulkitChawla , Thanks for the alternative solution, I will try creating the export in this way.πŸ™‚