When creating a new Scenario, there are different options to choose from. This article discusses how to create a Scenario and the different options to choose from. There is also a section on how to edit data with Scenarios.
Table of Contents for this article
Create a new Scenario
Once activated, each Application will start with a Default Scenario, this scenario will inherit all the current data and formulas. You can create new scenarios in multiple places. First is the Scenario Management screen, you can navigate there by clicking Scenarios from the Sidebar within an Application. This screen will show all active Scenarios for that Application, and in the top right, you can click + New to add more. You can also add a Scenario from any of the Scenario Selector screens, located on Metrics, Tables, Boards or anywhere scenarios are present.
Options when creating a new Scenario
In order to create a Scenario, you will need to define the name and you can add a description (optional). The description is visible in the Scenario Management screen and can be used to help give additional information about the scenario. There are two more options that affect the Scenario; Initial source of data and if the Scenario is a Shared Scenario.
Name and color
The name field is mandatory and will allow users to be able to identify the purpose of the scenario. Each name must be unique. You can click on the circle icon next to the name to be able to adjust the color. This color will be used in selectors and data grids and , like the name, can be adjusted at any time. While the name but be unique, you can use the same color across multiple scenarios to identify a type of scenario.
Initial source of data
The Initial source of data is the Scenario that will be used to define the new scenarios data and formulas. It is possible to choose any Scenario to be the Initial source of data. For example, you start with a Default Scenario, you can use that as your Initial source of data for Scenario A. You can then create a Scenario B, that uses Scenario A as a Source.
Note: From the Scenarios management screen, you can click on the ellipses (…) next to a Scenario to create a new scenario that will use the selected scenario to be the source of the new scenario.
Shared Scenarios
When creating a new Scenario is very important to select the right type of Scenario. Once you have started to work on a particular Scenario you can’t change its type.
There are 2 types of Scenarios:
- Shared Scenarios: have the ability to be used across different Applications. By default, if you are a workspace administrator new Scenarios are listed as Shared Scenarios, if you prefer to create a local one you just have to disable the “Shared Scenario” option in the Scenario creation form. Keep in mind, if your Application is using or will be using Shared Blocks from other Applications and you plan to change assumptions on these Blocks, you need a Shared Scenario. You can identify a Shared Scenario by the two rings icon next to them.
- Local Scenarios: they will be created only in your Application and won’t be visible elsewhere. Data in Local Scenarios will never be shared with other Applications via Shared Blocks. Shared Blocks being used in the Local Scenario are the ones coming from the closest Shared Scenario.
Note: Scenarios can’t be converted from Local to Shared and vice versa. You must also be a Workspace Administrator in order to create a Shared Scenario.
Making Changes in Scenarios
Currently, the changes that are supported between Scenarios are changes in Metrics. Everything else is shared across All Scenarios.
Here below some actions examples that will impact all Scenarios regardless of the Scenario being selected on the Active Scenario Selector:
- Editing a List (Dimension or Transaction)
- Creating a new Block or changing a Metric’s Dimensions
- Creating or modifying a View or a Board
Note
You will see the Scenario selector when viewing List dimensions, currently there is no impact here, as all lists remain the same across Scenarios.
Editing a Scenario
When working with Scenarios, they will always appear in top left of your screen in the Scenario Selector. By default when only one scenario is selected, the name of the scenario will not appear on the grid in a Metric or Table. if you want to see the name of a Scenario on the grid, open the Configure panel, locate the Scenarios and select Always show header. There is more information around how to view and compare scenarios in this article.
Putting a Scenario into Read Only
You can limit the ability for all users to be able to adjust data in a Scenario by placing the Scenario into Read Only. This will prevent users to manually enter data and import on that specific Scenario. It is still possible to change formulas in this Scenario. Only users with Create Scenario Permission can set a Scenario into Read only mode by selecting the “Prevent inputs” icon in the Scenario Selector dropdown.
Importing into a Scenario
When importing into a Scenario, you will have to choose which Scenario you want to import your data into. On Step 2 of the import, you will see a Scenario Section with a dropdown for Scenarios. By default, it will be set to All Scenarios. You can also pick which individual scenarios to import into or keep as All Scenarios. If an import is saved as All Scenarios, it will import into all future created Scenarios.
If a Scenario is grayed out, this means it has been put into Read-Only mode and can not be imported into.
Deleting a Scenario
Those with the Delete scenarios permission can delete a Scenario in two places. They can delete it directly from the Scenario page selector by clicking on the delete icon next to the Scenario they wish to remove. Scenarios can also be deleted from the Scenario management screen. Once deleted, a Scenarios data will be deleted and any formula groups or changes will be lost.