Trace cell values

If a cell value is derived through consolidation or rules, you can review or 'trace' the underlying values that contribute to the consolidation or the rules that define the cell value.

About this task

You can trace cell values only in cubes that reside on a IBM® Planning Analytics TM1 database version 2.0.3 or later. If you are viewing a cube on a TM1 database prior to 2.0.3, the Trace Cell option is not available on the right-click menu from a cell.

The Trace Cell option is available only on cell values that are derived through consolidation or rules. The option is unavailable on leaf cells.

1. Right-click the cell you want to trace.
2. Click Trace cell.

   The Trace cell page displays a table with details about the cell you are tracing. The first row shows information about the original cell from which you initiated tracing. You can click the expand/collapse icon next to the cell coordinates to trace the original cell's value. As you trace the value, more rows appear to provide further details about how the original cell value is derived.

   The table includes the following columns:

   Cell

   For the first row, identifies the original cell by its coordinates in the cube, by using a comma-separated list of member names. As you click the expand icon to trace the original value, more rows show the members that contribute to the original value.

   Value

   The value of the original cell or member for the current table row. If the value is over 10,000, the value that is displayed is truncated to an integer, otherwise the value shows two decimal places. You can hover over the displayed value to view the actual raw value as it exists in the TM1 database. To enable the value to display, right-click a cell and select Trace cell. Then, click Display unrounded values.

   Source

   Identifies the source of the value: Consolidation, Input (a leaf cell that is not rule calculated), or rule. If the source is a rule, the entire rule is displayed. If the rule is too long to appear in its entirety within the confines of the column, you can click the expand/collapse icon to reveal the full rule.

3. Click the expand/collapse icons in the Cell column to trace the original value as far as you want to go.

Example

In this example, the cell trace is initiated from a consolidation cell that is identified by the members Actual, Argentina, S Series 1.8 L Sedan, Units, 2 Quarter. When you click the expand icon in the first row of the Cell column, the three input leaf members and their values are revealed.

In this example, the cell trace is initiated from a cell that is derived through rules and identified by the members Actual, Argentina, S Series 2.0 L Sedan, Price, Jan. Because Price is calculated by a rule, the rule appears in the Source column. When you click the expand icon in the first row of the Cell column, the component of the rule that calculates the original cell value is revealed. In this case, the component is a reference to an Input value in the PriceCube.

In this example, the cell trace is initiated from a cell that is derived through rules. The cell is identified by the members Actual, Argentina, S Series 1.8 L Sedan, Gross Margin%, and Mar. Because Gross Margin% is calculated by a rule, the rule appears in the Source column.

Gross Margin% is calculated by using the members Gross Margin and Sales. When you click the expand icon in the first row of the Cell column, new rows for these members appear in the table. Gross Margin is a consolidation, while Sales is defined by a rule. You can click the expand icon next to both of these members to further trace the values that contribute to the original cell value.