Enter data in Advanced mode by selecting data forms in the view pane. You can enter data in Basic mode if your administrator sets up tasks that include data forms.
Your administrator sets up data forms to show certain dimensions and members, reflected by the row and column headings. Cells display the data for the selected members. Background colors indicate:
Yellow: “dirty” cells, whose values changed but are not yet saved
Tan: locked cells (see Locking Cells)
If the administrator sets up data validation rules, cells in data forms can be displayed in different colors when specified conditions are met. See Viewing and Resolving Data Validation Errors.
Data forms can include:
Point of View (POV): Shows information about other members that are valid for the defined row and column members. POVs identify the database members that populate a data form, and define data intersections. Members on the rows, columns, and POV axes are constant (except when they have dynamic user variables).
Page lists: Display different views (pages) of selected member combinations that can span dimensions, enabling you to work with various member combinations.
Segments: Can include read-only or hidden areas and borders on rows and columns. The hierarchy can be suppressed for rows or columns, so that rows are not indented and columns exclude line breaks.
Smart Lists: Lists from which you can select text options, such as locations or descriptions. See Entering Data with Smart Lists.
Menus: Shortcut menus accessed by right-clicking that can open URLs, data forms, Approvals, or business rules. See Entering Data with Menus.
User variables: Selectable members on the row, column, page, or POV. Before you can open a data form having a user variable, you must select a value in preferences. After that, you can change the variable on the data form or in preferences. See Dynamically Setting User Variables.
Data validation rules: If the administrator sets up data validation rules, a Data Validation Messages pane displays information to help resolve any data entry issues that arise. See Viewing and Resolving Data Validation Errors.
Composite data forms: Display members from several data forms simultaneously so you can, for example, enter data into one grid and see the results—such as Total Revenue—aggregated in another.
After you enter data, annotate your assumptions, and are satisfied with your plan’s data, you can promote your numbers (as a planning unit) to another user, typically for review or approval. To do this, go to the Manage Approvals page, and start or promote the planning unit. After you promote a planning unit, its new owner can write to it (assuming the owner has write access), but you can no longer write to the planning unit. See Managing Planning Units.