Financial Dimensions reference data

Manage Account reference data

After the initial import and configuring of your accounts, it is important to maintain your .csv file of Accounts data, including cost pool mapping for future import updates.

In the Costing & Planning Plan navigation menu, select Configuration > Reference Data > Account.

This data table includes the following:

• Code (required) - The unique identifier for a general ledger account, used to import actuals from the general ledger.
• Name (required) - The account's name.
• Parent Code - Represents your account's hierarchy. This is the code value of its immediate higher-level or parent account (if any).
• Category - General ledger account groups used for variance analysis. See the following section "Manage Account Category reference data."
• Cost Pool - The ATUM category to which the account belongs.
• Expense Type (required) - Defines the general ledger account as an Operating (OpEx) or Capital (CapEx) account. If blank, the default value is OpEx.
• Group -

Manage Account Category reference data

This dimension groups your detailed general ledger accounts into a manageable list for variance analysis. See Analyze budget variance. 10-15 discrete values are recommended for this dimension. You may already have something similar implemented as a custom attribute in your Account reference data.

1. In the Costing & Planning Plan navigation menu, select Configuration > Reference Data > Account Category.
2. Update the data table values as required:
   • Code (required) - The unique identifier for your account category or grouping (for example, ADMIN)
   • Name (required) - The name for your account category or grouping (for example, Facilities and Administration)

Here are some example Account Category reference data values:

Manage Cost Center reference data

Cost Centers represent line-item attributes that map to Cost Objects.

1. In the Costing & Planning Plan navigation menu, select Configuration > Reference Data > Cost Center.
2. Update the data table values as required:
   • Code (required) - The unique identifier of the Cost Center (usually provided by your corporate finance system), used to import actuals from the general ledger and employed in plans to integrate with corporate finance systems.
   • Name (required) - The Cost Center name.
   • Parent Code - Represents your Cost Center hierarchy. This is the code value of its immediate higher-level or parent Cost Center (if any). Note that the Cost Center hierarchy is not related to the budget or forecast plan approval hierarchy in Apptio Planning applications. Those are determined by Cost Object Permissions for your organization (see Manage Cost Object Permissions reference data.

Manage Department reference data

This dimension represents your organization's structure. Specifically, Departments represent the hierarchical structure of your IT organization (or whatever structure you prefer) for budget planning and reporting. Departments are one type of Cost Object (Projects are another example of Cost Objects). Cost Object Permissions reference data determines who can edit each Department and who can approve budget plan submissions. See Manage Cost Object Permissions reference data.

Import and publish reference data for your Department using .csv-format files maintained outside of your Apptio Planning applications.

1. In the Costing & Planning Plan navigation menu, select Configuration > Reference Data > Department.
2. Update the data table values as required:
   • Code (required) - The unique identifier of the Department.
   • Name (required) - The Department's name.
   • Parent Code - Represents your Department's hierarchy.
   • Currency Code - The common currency for the Department. Required when multiple currencies are enabled (see Support for multiple currencies). The Department's common currency value should be the three letter ISO code for the currency. If no currency code is entered, the default common currency is used. • Price Group - Determines the price group for the Department for Region-based or Tiered-pricing models.
   • Default Cost Center Code - The default value unless a different Cost Center code value is provided.
   • Cost Center Code - The identifier for corresponding Cost Centers (see Manage Contract reference data). When importing actuals, they are allocated per Cost Center, then mapped to Cost Object (see Import and publish actuals). A Department can be associated with multiple Cost Centers and can include line items (volumes, labor, or expenses) recorded for more than one Cost Center. Add multiple Cost Centers to the table cell using a comma to separate them. NOTE: A Department can be associated with multiple Cost Centers, but a Cost Center can only be associated one Department.

SEE ALSO: Update department hierarchy

Manage Location reference data

By defining Location, you can determine where costs will be incurred. Also, location helps define other dimensions, such as value-added tax (VAT). See Manage Contract reference data)

1. In the Costing & Planning Plan navigation menu, select Configuration > Reference Data > Location.
2. Update the data table values as required: Name, Continent, and Country of the Location.

Manage Variance Driver reference data

This dimension defines a configurable list of common variance drivers for your users. This structured approach enables the effective roll-up reporting of variance drivers. See Analyze budget variance.

NOTE: (for Costing Standard users): If you build the Account Category reference data in Costing Standard then map to Account, the import from Costing Standard will import those mappings into your Apptio Planning application. See Integrate with Cost Transparency. Variance Driver does not currently support importing from Costing Standard.

1. In the Costing & Planning Plan navigation menu, select Configuration > Reference Data > Variance Driver.
2. Update the data table values as required:
   • Code (required) - The unique identifier for your variance driver (for example, TIMING)
   • Group - Determines the group for the variance driver (in development, leave blank)
   • Name (required) - The variance driver name (for example, Project Timing)

Example Variance Drivers reference data values:

Manage Vendor reference data

By defining the vendor, budget owners can account for costs from external companies.

1. In the Costing & Planning Plan navigation menu, select Configuration > Reference Data > Vendor.
2. Update the data table values as required: Name and Group associated with the vendor.