Plan dimensions

The plan is hierarchical. The editable dimensions are plan object, unit, period, and scenario. An administrator defines the units, periods and scenarios. Planners define the plan objects. Accumulation Method and Measure are fixed dimensions. This section describes the fixed dimensions; the other dimensions are described in previous chapters. The Measure dimension is a fixed dimension, which includes actual, target, outcome, and activity values. The Accumulation Method dimension is described in the next section.

From the perspective of a plan object, each plan object contains these:

• An associated range of periods (starting with Start period for the Number of Periods specified in its property definition). These settings determine the range to use when defining a measure. See the section below on performance measure calculations.
• Multiple units associated with it. For example, a strategy can be assigned to Corporate and Marketing but not to Sales because Sales has no contribution to that strategy. The top most plan object is assigned to all units.
• An actual value can be assigned for a plan object for each associated period and associated unit where a measure has been established. Each scenario does not have different actual values.
• A target can be assigned for a plan object for each associated period, scenario and associated unit where a measure has been established.
• An outcome and activity value for each scenario and accumulation method and associated period and unit. See the section below on performance measure calculations.
• A single contributing weight used within a plan in determining the contribution relative to its siblings for its parent. The weight is used in activity value calculations. The weight for a plan object does not vary by unit.