Reconciling Your Model and Analyzing Engine Output

This chapter provides an overview of model reconciliation and discusses how to:

• View charts and print results.

• Balance your model.

• Use Object Navigator and Model Analyzer.

• Use Activity-Based Management Trend and Variance Analysis.

• Create OLAP cubes.

• Use the Activity-Based Management Drillback engine.

• Drill back with Ledger Drilldown.

• Use other Activity-Based Management inquiry pages.

Understanding Model Reconciliation

After running the Activity-Based Management engine, to reconcile your model the next steps are:

• Balance your model by balancing your job totals.

• Review your balances to find any errors and discrepancies in your model.

• Correct any errors.

• Rerun the Activity-Based Management engine.

• Analyze your engine output with Activity-Based Management's inquiry, analysis, and reporting tools.

  Note. If you use Allocation Manager to set up allocations that use ABM tables, the Allocation Manager Inquiry tool enables you to review allocation audit data from the target to source, and it integrates with the ABM Object Navigator Inquiry tool for full drill-down capability.

  See Allocation Manager.

Prerequisites

Before you can use the pages described in this chapter to review, reconcile, and analyze your model, you must run the Activity-Based Management and Merge engines. Running these engines reconciles costs from ledgers to resources, as well as resources to activities.

At a different level, you can run Data Manager to balance your job totals. This involves matching amounts moved through your model from the general ledger table (PS_LEDGER_F00) to the PF Ledger table (PS_PF_LEDGER_F00). The latter is the primary table where all data is derived and posted for processing and reporting.

To obtain job totals for balancing, ensure that you:

1. Create and run a jobstream for job totals that includes the following jobs: Employee Profile engine (if you use this option), Activity-Based Management engine, Merge engine, Data Manager engine, and PF Journal Edit engine.

2. Define job total and balance rule metadata.

This process is described in the PeopleSoft Enterprise Performance Management Fundamentals PeopleBook.

See Streamlining Processing with Jobstreams.

See Using Balancing and Reconciliation Features.

Viewing Charts and Printing Results

You must install the EPM charting tool to view the charts used by many of the components described in this chapter.

To use Model Analyzer, you must also select the Applets check box.

Balancing Your Model

Once you run the Activity-Based Management engine, you need to balance your model. Model balancing is a reconciliation process that checks your results against your setup. You will also need to balance your job totals as described previously.

One of the more important aspects of balancing your job totals is examining the setup to assure that the data available for analysis is accurate. We provide a number of inquiry pages that enable you to review your balances. In addition, Object Navigator enables you to drill back from any object to the general ledger ChartFields, and Model Analyzer enables you to view all aspects of your model.

We provide various tools for reconciling your model:

• Reconciliation engine combined with job total metadata.

• Several inquiry pages.

Using the Reconciliation Engine and Job Total Metadata

One method for balancing your model is running the Reconciliation engine together with the job total metadata and balance rules metadata. We provide sample data specifically for this process.

To balance your model, run the Reconciliation engine, then review the results on the Job Totals page by selecting Performance Ledger, Performance Journals, Review Bal/Recon Results.

See Also

Using Balancing and Reconciliation Features

Analyzing Profitability Using Profit Manager

Common Model Balance Errors

Common errors that may cause your model to be out of balance are:

• Improper ledger-to-resource mappings.

• Improper tree setup.

• Improper effective dates.

• Failure to rebuild the SQL after making changes to datamaps, constraints, or implicit pointers.

Inquiring on Balances

PeopleSoft Activity-Based Management features several inquiry pages you can use to check the balances for your model after you run the Activity-Based Management engine and balance your job totals. You use these pages to identify any errors. You can then correct these errors on the appropriate object setup pages and run the Activity-Based Management engine again.

When you balance your model, use the following formula:

(sum of the ledger mappers) = (sum of the primary resources) = (sum of the primary activities) = (sum of the primary cost objects)

Note. Because Activity-Based Management calculations allow an unlimited number of iterations, or levels, the model will not balance at every level of your calculations.

To use any of the following pages, you first need to balance your job totals as described in the previous sections

See Also

Prerequisites

Pages Used to Inquire on Balances

Reviewing Object Rates

Access the Object Rates page (Activity Based Management, Setup, Review Objects, Object Rates).

On this page, you can view each Object ID by its Object Type.

The page also lists the Amount, Rate, and Quantity information for each object.

From here you can use the other inquiry pages to begin your reconciliation in smaller steps.

Reconciling Resources

Access the Resources page (Activity Based Management, Setup, Review Objects, Resources).

To review balances for individual resources and identify any errors:

1. Enter the Search Criteria for the resources you want to review. To search on all possible resources, select the All Resources check box. For more detailed searches, select any of the other check boxes: All Res Use (all resource use), All Res Group (all resource group), All Res Supply As (all resource supply as), and All Accounting Class. Selecting any of these check boxes will activate the corresponding search criteria drop-down list box where you can make your search even more detailed. The more check boxes you select, the more detailed your search.

2. Once you have entered your search criteria, click the Get the objects based on the above selected search criteria. link to populate the page with your search results.

3. The grid displays the resources returned by Resource ID.

4. Click the Attributes tab to view the attributes of the resources.

5. Click the Go To Object Navigator link to drill down through your objects to the general ledger ChartFields. From here you can also access the Model Analyzer, which enables you to analyze your model graphically.

See Also

Setting Up Resources

Reconciling Activities

Access the Activities page (Activity Based Management, Setup, Review Objects, Activities).

This page functions the same way as the previously discussed Resources page.

See Also

Reconciling Resources

Reconciling Resources

Defining Activities

Using Object Navigator and Model Analyzer

Reconciling Cost Objects

Access the Cost Objects page (Activity Based Management, Setup, Review Objects, Cost Objects).

This page functions the same way as the previously discussed Resources page.

See Also

Reconciling Resources

Defining Cost Objects

Using Object Navigator and Model Analyzer

Reviewing Object Details

Access the Object Details page (Activity Based Management, Setup, Review Objects, Object Details).

To get an idea of the cost flow from one object to another:

1. Enter the Search Criteria for the objects you want to review. To retrieve all objects, click the Get Details link without entering any search criteria.

2. You can also narrow your search by searching for a particular Source Type (Activity, Bud Ledger [budget ledger], Cost Obj [cost object], Ledger, Resource); Target Type (Activity, Cost Obj, Ledger Map, Resource); and Drill Level (Both, Direct, Indirect). The more options you select, the more specific your search.

3. Click the Get Details link to populate the grid at the bottom of the page with your search results.

4. View the Source and Target information, as well as the Calculated Amount, Actuals Amount, and Budgeted Amount.

Using Object Navigator and Model Analyzer

The Object Navigator enables you to drill from any cost objects, activities, or resources to the general ledger ChartFields mapped to the resources. You can navigate through the various Activity-Based Management objects by using the Activity-Based Management trees or a grid. The Object Navigator also features graphic capabilities. You can view information in the form of a pie chart or bar chart. You also have the option of not displaying any graphics, which enables you to see more of the grid at the bottom of the page.

You can link directly to the Object Navigator from the Resources, Activities, or Cost Objects inquiry pages.

From the Object Navigator, you can also access the Model Analyzer which enables you to view a particular object, model, and any related models graphically. Use this feature to perform detailed analysis of your models.

The Model Analyzer enables you to:

• View an entire model with its resources, activities, and cost objects, as well as their sources and targets.

• Switch between models.

• View all related models for a shared services model setup.

• Focus only on objects of interest by selecting objects only as needed.

• View details of objects in the model

• See how costs flow from one object to another.

• View driver attributes, quantities, and amounts.

PeopleSoft Activity-Based Management also provides an inquiry page for reviewing contribution costs for objects in shared services models. You specify the target model and can view the contribution costs of various objects to that target model. You can also narrow your source to view the costs coming from one particular model.

Pages Used to Drill into Objects and Models

Navigating into the Object Navigator

Access the Object Navigator page (Activity Based Management, Analysis, Object Navigator).

To navigate into your model:

1. On the left of the Object Navigator page you can view a tree control. Above the tree control are fields that you can use to set the chart display on the page and the tree you are viewing. You can change the tree by selecting another Tree Name.

   You can navigate into the model by clicking on any of these tree nodes. When you select a node, the page display on the right changes to display the information for that object. You can also select a different Graph Type: Bar Chart, No Graph, or Pie Chart. If you choose No Graph there is more room for the grid to display.

2. The Current Object group box to the right of the tree display contains the ID of the current object as well as the Object Amount and Total Contribution Amount. Click the Drill towards GL and Drill towards Cost Object links to drill from the current object to the general ledger or the cost object, respectively.

3. The grid at the bottom of the page shows the details of the objects linked to the current object. You can also use the grid to navigate into the model. Click the Source or Target links to drill to the source or target objects for any of the objects listed. Click a Source Description link to view the inquiry page for that object. For example, if you are viewing a source that is an activity and you click its Source Description link, the system transfers you to the Activities inquiry page for that activity. You can also view the Contribution Amount as well as theContribution Percentage totals for each object listed.

Analyzing Your Model with Model Analyzer

Access the Model Analyzer page (Activity-Based Management, Analysis, Model Analyzer).

Click This Model or Related Models to start the graphical model that reads all model rules and results of the scenario associated with the model currently displayed in the grid (if the results are already calculated), and then graphically displays the model as a network diagram.

You can then:

• Add or delete objects such as resources, activities, cost objects.

• Add, delete, or modify object associations.

• Modify driver amounts, object volume, resource cost, or object capacity.

• Recalculate the model, and then analyze the results.

Note. Click Save before clicking Graphical Model.

Note. To access this page, you must select the Applets check box on the Installation Options - Web Services page.

The Model Analyzer provides a full graphic representation of your model results and relationships. Any object you select in the Model Analyzer representation displays in red; objects not selected display in yellow:

See Also

Viewing Charts and Printing Results

Reviewing Contribution Costs

Access the Contribution Cost page (Activity Based Management Analysis, Contribution Cost).

Note. To view data on this page, you must select the Get Drill Level 2 Information check box on the Models - Run Control Information page and run the Activity-Based Management Drillback engine.

To review contribution costs:

1. Specify the Target Type for which you want to view data: Activity, Bud Ledger (budget ledger), Cost Obj. (cost object), Ledger, or Resource. You can also select a specific target type in the adjacent To Object ID field. If you leave these fields blank, the system returns all objects that contribute to this model.

2. In the Source Criteria group box, the Business Unit and Scenario ID default to the business unit and scenario ID you specified on accessing the page. If you do not change these settings, the system returns all the objects that contribute to the model based on the specified Target Type and To Object ID. To view the costs coming from a particular model, enter the business unit and scenario ID for that model. For example, you may only want to view any Human Resources contribution.

3. You can further narrow your search by specifying a Source Type and a From Object ID.

4. After you enter search criteria, click the Get contribution from the target to the source(s) for the chosen criteria. link. The search returns a list of objects based on your search criteria. For each object you can view the Source Type, Source ID, Description, and Contribution Amount.

5. Enter different search criteria to view more data, or click the Go To Object Navigator link to continue reviewing your model.

Using Activity-Based Management Trend and Variance Analysis

Activity-Based Management features two tools enabling you to analyze you model results:

• Activity-Based Management Trend Analysis.

• Activity-Based Management Variance Analysis.

Understanding Activity-Based Management Trend Analysis

Activity-Based Management Trend Analysis enables you to compare trend results from any Activity-Based Management scenario over a specified time frame. Using this feature you can:

• Specify the model criteria to use for the comparison.

• Specify the scenario and the number of periods you want to include in the trend analysis.

• Display Activity-Based Management trees using tree control functionality for the specified model.

• Drill through the tree using the tree control or a gird.

• View details of the Activity-Based Management model in a chart and grid format.

Understanding Activity-Based Management Variance Analysis

Activity-Based Management Variance Analysis enables you to compare results between:

• Two different models from the same or different periods.

• Two different time periods for the same model.

• The actual, budget, and calculated fields for the same model and time period.

• The actual, budget, and calculated fields for a different model and time period.

As with Activity-Based Management Trend Analysis, you can:

• Specify the model criteria to use for the comparison.

• Display Activity-Based Management trees using tree control functionality for the specified model.

• Drill through the model using the tree control or via the grid.

• View details for the variance results in chart and grid format.

Pages Used to View Trend and Variance Data

Using the Trend Analysis and Variance Analysis Components

The Trend Analysis and Variance Analysis components are very similar in their structure and behavior.

Entering Selection Criteria

When you first access the components you enter selection criteria to specify which scenario, model, or combination of both, to compare. These pages vary slightly and are described later in this section.

Trend Analysis and Variance Analysis Data Display

Once you have entered your search criteria, select the Do analysis to transfer to the main Trend Analysis or Variance Analysis report page. Each of these pages is laid out as follows.

• On the top left is the tree control. This is based on the tree specified in your search criteria (resource, activity, or cost object).

• To the right of the tree control is a chart display of the results based on the criteria you entered. Above the chart, a summary of your selection criteria displays.

• Below the chart is a grid listing objects based on your selection criteria.

Using the Tree Control

You can use the tree control to drill down through the model. Simply expand or collapse the tree and select any node to navigate to different information. The chart and grid display change based on your selection. The tree displayed is the tree attached to the object type you specify in your selection criteria.

Using the Grid

You can also use the grid at the bottom of the pages to drill down through the model. Select any of the objects listed to drill down a level. For example, if you select a cost object, you will drill down to view the activities for that cost object. The chart display and grid display change based on your selection.

Specifying Trend Analysis Selection Criteria

Access the Trend Analysis selection criteria page (Click the Do analysis link on the Trend Analysis selection criteria page).

To analyze trend data:

1. Enter the Number of Periods to Trend. The system will analyze the trend data over this number of periods, enabling you to compare two or many periods.

2. Specify the Object Type to use as the starting point for the analysis: Activity, Cost Obj. (cost object), or Resource.

3. The Tree Name for the object type you select displays.

   Note. You must select an object type that has an attached tree in order to perform a trend analysis.

4. Click the Do analysis link to view the data returned based on your selection criteria.

5. You can also reset your scenario selection by clicking the Select new base link.

Viewing Trend Analysis Data

Access the Trend Analysis page (Activity Based Management Analysis, Trend Analysis) and select Do Analysis.

The grid display has the following columns:

The chart displays the column amount data in graphic form enabling you to view the trend for the data. The chart display changes based on the objects you're viewing.

To change your selection criteria or enter new criteria, click the Choose scenario link to return to the Trend Analysis selection criteria page.

Specifying Variance Analysis Selection Criteria

Access the Variance Analysis selection criteria page (Activity Based Management Analysis, Variance Analysis).

To analyze variance data:

1. The Base Scenario fields display the settings you selected for opening this page. You can change the Calculation Column to include a different calculation type in your analysis: Actuals, Budgeted, or Calculated.

2. In the Compare Scenario column, select the Scenario ID of the model you want to use for the comparison. This can either be the same scenario if you want to compare a different fiscal year and period, or a different calculation type, or an entirely different scenario.

   If you are comparing the model amounts, for example (such as actuals versus budgeted, actuals versus calculated, or budgeted versus calculated) specify these settings in the Calculation Column drop-down list box.

3. In the Select Base Scenario Tree group box, specify the Object Type that you want to use as the starting point for the analysis: Activity, Cost Obj. (cost object), or Resource. The Tree Name for the object type you select automatically displays.

   Note. You must select an object type that has an attached tree in order to perform a variance analysis.

4. Click the Do analysis link to view the data based on your selection criteria.

5. You can also reset your scenario selection by clicking the Select new base link.

Viewing Variance Analysis Data

Access the Variance Analysis page by clicking the Do analysis link on the Variance Analysis selection criteria page.

The Object Type column displays the objects currently selected using the tree control or grid. The Object Description column displays descriptions of the objects as links that you can use to drill down to linked objects. For example, clicking on a cost object description enables you to drill down to view the activities that drive this cost object.

For each object listed, the grid displays the Base Amount and the Compare Amount. It also displays the Total Variance as both an amount and a percentage, and you can also view the Base Volume and the Compare Volume.

Click the Spending/Volume Variances tab to view the Spending Variance and Volume Variance both as an amount and percentage.

The following formulas are used to calculate the variance amounts:

The chart displays the grid data in graphic form enabling you to view the variance for the data.

To change your selection criteria or enter new criteria, click the Choose scenario link to return to the Variance Analysis selection criteria page.

See Also

Viewing Trend Analysis Data

Creating and Reviewing OLAP Cubes

With Activity-Based Management you can create an OLAP (online analytical processing) cube for analytical purposes. By creating an OLAP cube with Activity-Based Management data, you can easily see how costs relate to each other. Activity-Based Management cubes are used to see three-dimensional costs; for example, costs going from resources to cost objects through activities.

You typically use cubes after you've run all the Activity-Based Management engines and your model is created and balanced.

Note. As an option, you can use the Object Navigator to view three-dimensional costs one at a time, however, Activity-Based Management cubes show all costs at the same time.

You can create an Activity-Based Management cube and then review your results using the OLAP Cube inquire page.

Page Used to Create and View OLAP Cubes

Running the Create Activity-Based Management Cube Process

As with all Activity-Based Management engines, you can run the Create Activity-Based Management Cube engine in a jobstream. You can also run it separately by selecting Activity Based Management, Analysis, ABM Cube.

The Create Activity-Based Management Cube engine populates temporary tables. After running this engine, you need to run the Merge engine to transfer the data from the temporary tables to final tables. You can do this by creating a jobstream for both engines, or you can run the engines separately.

Inquiring on Engine Messages

To review messages generated by these jobs, access the Application Engine message log for the relevant process instance and engine ID.

See Viewing Engine Messages.

Reviewing Your OLAP Cube

Access the OLAP Cube page (Activity Based Management, Analysis, Cube Results) to review the OLAP cube you have created.

To review the results of the OLAP cube:

1. Enter the Search Criteria for the objects you want to review. To retrieve all objects, click the Get Cube Details link without entering any search criteria.

2. You can also narrow your search by searching for a particular Resource ID, Activity ID, or Cost Object ID. The more options you select, the more specific your search results will be.

3. Click the Get Cube Details link to populate the grid at the bottom of the page with your search results.

4. The Calculated Amount column displays the calculated values at the intersection of resources, activities, and cost objects.

Using the Activity-Based Management Drillback Engine

In addition to using OLAP cubes to get a three-dimensional view of you Activity-Based Management data, you can use the Activity-Based Management Drillback engine to get a multidimensional view for reporting purposes.

To use the Activity-Based Management Drillback engine, you must:

• Specify the drillback levels on the Drillback Levels page.

• Run the Activity-Based Management Drillback Application Engine process.

Note. If you are using the Activity-Based Management Drillback engine you also must select the Get Drill Level 2 Information check box on the Models - Run Control Information page before running the Activity-Based Management engine.

See Defining Run Control Information.

Page Used to Specify Drillback Levels

Specifying Drillback Levels

Access the Drillback Levels page (Activity Based Management, Analysis, Cube Results) by entering a SetID, object type, and drillback level number.

To name the drillback levels for multidimensional reporting, enter a Drillback Level Name and Description. The description will appear in any reports you generate after running the Activity-Based Management Drillback engine.

Running the Activity-Based Management Drillback Engine

As with all Activity-Based Management engines, you can run the Activity-Based Management Drillback engine in a jobstream. You can also run it separately from the Activity-Based Management Drillback page by selecting Activity Based Management, Analysis, Drillback.

The Activity-Based Management Drillback engine first populates temporary tables. After running this engine, you need to run the Merge engine to transfer the data from the temporary tables to the final table, the Drillback table (AB_DRILL_F00) used to drill back data. You can do this by creating a jobstream for both engines, or you can run the engines separately.

You can review messages generated when you run these jobs, by accessing the Application Engine message log for the specific process instance and engine ID. This component is described in detail in the PeopleSoft Enterprise Performance Management Fundamentals 9.1 PeopleBook.

Using PF Ledger Drilldown

The PF Ledger Drilldown tool enables you to view Activity-Based Management-specific data that comes from the general ledger.

Ledger Drilldown uses rules you defined in Data Manager to determine which page to automatically navigate towards. That information appears in the Source column on the Drill Details page. Data originating in Activity-Based Management is defined as Activity-Based Management.

Note. You can also use Object Navigator to perform these functions, as well as to view graphics.

See Also

Using Ledger Drill Down

Page Used to Drill Back

Drilling Back with PF Ledger Drilldown

To drill back using Ledger Drilldown:

1. You must have run a jobstream that included the Activity-Based Management engine, Activity-Based Management Drillback engine, and Profit Manager processes, including PF Post and PF Edit.

2. Select Performance Ledger, Performance Journals, Review Ledger Details, and set up the Drill Criteria page (PF_DRILLSRCH_TBL1) with the following criteria in the Drill Criteria group box: business unit, scenario ID, fiscal year, accounting period, and source (be sure to enter Activity-Based Management as the source).

3. Click the Get Drill Data button near the upper right on the page. Doing so transfers you to the Drill Details page. You can use this page to drill down through Activity-Based Management calculations to the Ledger table (PF_LEDGER_F00). Here you can choose data from the ledger and drill back to the source for data from PeopleSoft Activity-Based Management.

4. On the Drill Details page, in the left-hand column, click the Get More Drill Back Data button for the line item (object) on which you want to drill back. Doing so immediately populates the next drilldown page, the Activity-Based Management Ledger Data page (AB_DRILL_TBL2), with the appropriate data.

   This is a view only page that displays the criteria you mapped to the Ledger Mapping table (PF_LEDMAP_F00).

5. On the Drill Details page the Scenarios tab displays information about the scenario and the dimension, while the Amounts tab displays information about the currency and the amount.

Other Activity-Based Management Inquiry Pages

PeopleSoft Activity-Based Management also provides three pages you can use to review the following:

• Pointer quantities.

• Driver quantities.

• Driver rates.

Pages Used to Review Pointers and Drivers

Reviewing Pointer Quantities

Access the Pointer Quantities page (Activity Based Management, Setup, Pointers to Drivers, Pointer Quantities).

In the Search Criteria group box, you can either choose a particular Pointer ID by selecting from the prompt list, and then click the Get Pointer Details link, or view all pointers by leaving the Pointer ID field blank and clicking the Get Pointer Details link.

The grid then displays a Description and Pointer Quantity for each pointer ID. This is the quantity used by the Activity-Based Management engine.

Reviewing Driver Quantities

Access the Driver Quantities page (Activity Based Management, Setup, Drivers, Review Driver Quantities).

1. In the Search Criteria group box, you can either choose a particular Driver ID by selecting from the prompt list and clicking the Get Driver Details link, or view all drivers by leaving the Driver ID field blank and then clicking the Get Driver Details link.

2. The grid populates based on your search criteria, displaying for each object a Description and Target. You can also view the Driver Quantity and Percentage. This is the quantity used by the Activity-Based Management engine.

3. Click the Actual/Budgeted tab to view the Actual Driver Quantity, Budgeted Driver Quantity, Rate Driver Quantity, and Capacity Driver Quantity as applicable.

Reviewing Driver Rates

Access the Driver Rates inquire page (Activity Based Management, Setup, Drivers, Driver Rates).

1. In the Search Criteria group box, you can either choose a particular Driver ID by selecting from the prompt list and clicking the Get Driver Rate link, or view the rates for all drivers by leaving the Driver ID field blank and clicking the Get Driver Rate link.

2. The grid populates based on your search criteria, displaying for each Driver ID a Description, Calculated Rate, and Actual Rate.