Setting Up Custom Dimensions and Metadata

Dimensions categorize data values. You can create up to 13 user-defined, custom dimensions. Planning includes two custom dimensions: Account and Entity. Use Account and user-defined dimensions to specify data to gather from planners. Use Entity to model the flow of planning information in the organization and establish the plan review path.

A multicurrency application include the Hsp_Rates dimension for storing exchange rates. This dimension includes these members and others that store currency rates: Hsp_InputValue: (stores data values) and Hsp_InputCurrency (stores currency types for data values).

For detailed information about custom dimensions and Hsp_Rates, see Working with Dimensions.

Note:

In the Metadata and Custom Dimensions section of the Create Application window, you have the option to either manually enter member names or you can set up Account, Entity, and custom dimension members by importing from metadata files. To import from metadata, you first export the metadata for each dimension to a flat file and then, on this window, import their metadata by browsing to that flat file. For instructions on creating the flat file, see Creating the Metadata Flat File .

  To set up custom dimensions:

  1. To add a dimension or rename a prefilled dimension, to the right of Dimension Type in the Dimension Name column, enter the name of the dimension.

    Dimension names can have up to 80 characters and can include spaces.

  2. For each dimension, enter its member names.

    For example, for the Version dimension, you could enter Budget2014. You can add more members later.

    The Number of Records column displays the number of members either entered or in the flat file.

  3. Optional: To import metadata for Account, Entity, or a custom dimension from a flat file, click Browse.

    Use this method for importing smaller dimensions (for example, 1,000 members or fewer); use the Import and Export method (described in Importing and Exporting Metadata and Data) for incremental updates or for loading larger dimensions.

    For instructions on creating flat files, see Creating the Metadata Flat File . If the file has so many members that application performance would be impacted, an error displays and the number of records displayed is 0 (zero).

  4. Click Create.

    Note:

    To subsequently launch the new application from Planning and Budgeting Cloud Service Workspace, select Navigate, then Administer, then Planning Administration, and then click Launch Application. The Create Application icon is no longer displayed because Planning supports only one application.

  5. If you have more metadata to load, continue to Importing Metadata.