Some of you might have seen my previous posts about Cloud for Analytics and how you can use a Google Sheet as a data source and how you can setup your own model with a Location Dimension and some other information.
This time I would like to share more details on the scaling and unit and currency options in Cloud for Analytics. Let me start with the details on the scaling and the Unit.
After you - for example - generated a model based on a Google Sheet you will receive an Account dimension as part of your model.
In this Account dimension you will find all the Key Figures that you configured when you created the model and here is where you can configure the Unit and where you can configure the scaling factor.
Coming from a BW modelling background I thought it was kind of "strange" to organize all key figures into what is called an "Account Dimension" in Cloud for Analytics but my guess is that this is coming from a planning background.
You have several options on the configuration :
- Account Type: This refers to financial account types. INC = Income; EXP = Expenses; AST = Assets; LEQ = Liabilities / Equity; NFIN = Non-Financial.
- Aggregation Type: Here you can choose between Average, Last, Sum, None. For HANA based models you also have MIN, MAX, COUNT.
- Aggregation Dimension: Here you can select the dimension for the aggregation option Average and Last.
On the property Scale you can see you only have a limited number of choices....
... and as mentioned previously, the scaling factor is configured in the model and can not be configured as part of a specific visualization.
On the property Unit you also see that so far you only have limited choices:
- In case you use"%" as Unit, then the key figure will be configured as percentage value and the scale is configured automatically as Percent.
- Amount: In this case the values are configured as numerical values.
Something that is perhaps not so obvious but will help in the current situation with limited choices, is the fact that you can simply enter a 3 digit code into the Unit property. For example, if you wanted to use EUR as currency Unit for the key figure Revenue, all you have to do is to enter EUR into the property Unit.
On the Currency you will notice - unless configured in the model differently - that your model will come with a default currency. This default currency is configured in the preferences of your model and there is only one preference for the complete model and all key figures in that model.
Some new additions to my wishlist:
- I hope that Cloud for Analytics very soon does receive the option to create key figures with actual unit / currency columns
- At the same time I hope that Cloud for Analytics gets the ability to handle mixed currencies
- I would also hope for the ability to set a scaling factor on a specific visualization
- I would also that the option to organize the key figures in a "Account Dimension" becomes an option and not a mandatory step