Enter data manually using editable tables

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Applies to: TBM Studio R12.0 and later

You can use editable tables to enter data manually. This data is then maintained directly within the Apptio project database. For example, you can use editable tables to map other cost pools to IT Resource Towers.

You can create two different types of editable table:
  • Blank editable table: This is a simple table where the row and column values are directly typed into the Apptio UI by one or more individuals.
  • Enriched editable table: This is a blended table or generated table where some of the values are typed in and some of the values come from another table.

You should use an enriched editable table if you have machine-generated data which needs a human to enrich it. For example, you may want a human to provide a "responsible project" for every instance tag detected in an Amazon Web Services bill.

Tip: If end users want to be able to add and remove rows on the reporting surface, create a standalone blank editable table. In this case, you should consider the editable table to be the source of truth, not the reporting surface.

Blank editable tables

You can create a simple table where the row and column values are typed directly into the Apptio user interface by one or more individuals.

Create a blank editable table

  1. On the Home tab in the Document group, select New > Editable Table.
  2. In the New Manually Entered Table dialog, select Blank Table.
  3. When prompted, enter a name for the editable table then select OK.
  4. Go to Steps > Configure Columns and update the column properties.

    Learn more about column properties

  5. Check in the editable table.

Enriched editable tables

You can create an editable table which is based off of an existing Transform table. Users cannot delete rows from an enriched editable table because the included rows are based on the source Transform table.

Note: Sometimes, users employ enriched editable tables when a TableMatch function or similar would be a better choice. While there are valid use cases for enriched editable tables, consider whether they are the correct solution.

Create an enriched editable table

  1. On the Home tab in the Document group, select New > Editable Table.
  2. In the New Manually Entered Table dialog, select Enriched Table.
  3. When prompted, enter a name for the editable table then select OK.
  4. Go to Steps > Generated and configure the source table.
  5. To add editable columns to the enriched table, go to Steps > Configure Columns, select Add a new column and update the column properties.

    Learn more about column properties

  6. Check in the editable table.

How data goes into editable table

Editable Table report component

The Editable Table report component allows you to directly enter, maintain, and upload data without TBM Studio access.

How to directly enter data online

  1. In the Project Explorer view, select Reports.
  2. Select a report.
  3. Select Check Out > the report component features are available.

  4. Select Editable Table from the feature list. Now, you can directly enter your data in the table > Select Save.
How to upload data to Editable Table
  1. In the Project Explorer view, select Reports.
  2. Select a report.
  3. If you scroll down the table, you get download and upload options.

  4. Download the table with Open In Excel > Make your changes > Upload the table with Click or Drag File option.
  5. Select Check Out.
Note: You may also wish to see Table Upload component to familiarize yourselves with that feature as it serves a similar purpose.

The data flow from a raw table to the Transform table will not happen, unless the raw table is checked in.