How do I create a reporting forecast FTE module based on a time-dimensioned actuals module?

[johan.marketoft]

Hi,

I have a monthly report for employees actual FTE, start date and leave date. I import this into a module:

* Dimensions: People, Time

* Line items: FTE, Start Date, Leave Date

The forecasting for future month should be: Previous total + New joiner that month - New leaver that month. 

So if I look on the September data my line items (FTE, Start Date, Leave Date) are totally blank. But I have people starting/leaving that month, which I can see if I toggle back to current month (or further back for that sake). 

How can I get the forecast data into a reporting module based on time and FTEs? Do I need to create a separate module without the time dimension that feeds the reporting module?

Best regards,

Johan

[anirudh · Accepted solution]

Hi Johan,

> Do I need to create a separate module without the time dimension that feeds the reporting module?

This is exactly right. Employee data does not need to be updated for each month. Since it does not vary by time, the time dimension is not required.

Regards,
Anirudh

[ChrisHeathcote · Accepted solution]

@johan.marketoft 

From your post I think you are trying to project the employee properties into future periods. 

If this is so then you can achieve this by using the follow approach.

1. Create an employee properties module dimensioned only by the people list
   • Create a line item to hold the FTE, start date, start period, end date and end period
   • Format you date line items as date, the period line items as time period month and the FTE as number
   • Start period formula =period(start date)
   • End period formula =period(end date)
   • FTE, Start date and End date will be populate manually via an import or by a user
2. Create your reporting module dimensioned by people and time period month
   • Create line item FTE and Active? 
   • Format FTE as number and Active? as boolean
   • Active? formula =ITEM(TIME)<=Employee Propeties.End period AND ITEM(TIME)<=Employee Propeties. Start period 
   • FTE formula =IF Active? Then Employee Properties.FTE else 0

Where the time period is between the start and end period within the properties module the FTE value will flow through into the target module despite what the current period is in the model time settings.

Chris 

[johan.marketoft]

Thanks both worked very well!