Line Item Format: List - Able to select any member if list hierarchy?

msuter
msuter
in Modeling

I am using a composite List hierarchy:

L1 List (Parents)
>L2 List (Parents)
>>L3 List (Children only)

 

In a module line item, I format a line item to Type = List, and List = L3 List

When I choose the pick box for that line item in the module, I can choose any member of L3 List.  The members of L1 List and L2 List appear in the pick box but are grayed out.

 

Question:  Is there a way to format a line item in a module such that I can pick all levels of the hierarchy (in this case be able to pick any member of L1 List, L2 List, of L3 List?

 

Thank you for your time and consideration.

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Answers

  • chofacker
    chofacker

    Hi Mike, 

     

    I don't believe there is a way to do this, but there may be a work around. What is the goal of picking any member of the hierarchy?

     

    Thanks,

  • ChrisAHeathcote
    ChrisAHeathcote

    @mikesuter 

    What you have asked is not possible as the line item has been formatted as the L3 list. WIthin a composite hierarchy each list is separate but connected via its relationship as parent and child. Therefore, when you format the line item as one of these lists you are only providing access to that single list. 

     

    However, you can create a fourth list which contains all children and parents within a flat list. Format your line item with this and allow users to select from the full range of options.

     

    The challenge here comes from when you want to use the selection to inform downstream calculations. 

     

    Firstly, you will need to map each item of the new list as a dimension within a mapping module to each item of the corresponding hierarchy. To achieve this you will need to use a line item for each level and format each with the corresponding list from within the hierarchy.  

     

    Secondly, you will need a series of nested IF...THEN functions to cycle through a series of algorithms so that you can direct any calculation to the correct line item in the mapping so you can map back to the correct level in the source.

     

    A simpler solution would be to create a module for for each level, calculate the outcome and enable the user to select the final outcome to take further into the process. 

  • msuter
    msuter

    Thank you for your response.

     

    I am using line items (list format) to allow the users to create custom drivers in a budgeting/forecasting model.  For example, if my chart of accounts has three key dimensions:

    Account

    Department

    Analysis

    I can have the users choose members in line items (list format) for each dimension, and then refer to those items in a LOOKUP formula to return the driver value.

     

    In this case, the user may want to pick intersections at various levels of the hierarchy.

     

    I can work around the issue, it would just be a lot more fun and eloquent if I could select any member of the hierarchy in one place.

     

    Thanks again.

     

    Mike

  • msuter
    msuter
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     


     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    @ChrisAHeathcote

    Thank you for your response.
     
     
      My purpose is to inform downstream calculations.  I will use a workaround, similar to what you suggest
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
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