About Models

Definition: Models

Models are sets of up to 8,000 interrelated equations that can be used to calculate new data values. They can also be used in worksheets for performing what-if analyses. Models are:

• Database objects that you create and maintain

• Separate from the financial data items whose data they calculate

To use a model to calculate new data for a financial data item, you include the model in a solve definition, and associate the solve definition with a financial data item. You then run the solve definition to calculate the data. The same model can be used to calculate data for multiple financial data items, as long as they have the same dimensions.

Using models to manage financial data

Financial Analyzer models can be used to manage a wide range of financial data issues including:

• Simple relationships between dimension values

• Complex reference calls involving data stored in separate data cubes

• Simultaneous equations where the sequence of multiple calculations is essential to deriving the desired results

Who can work with models?

Administrators

As an administrator, it is your responsibility to maintain the models that your users access in the shared database that you administer. When you create or modify a model and want other users to be able to access it, you must distribute the model to the shared database and to other users. Typically, administrators create and distribute the basic line item models for their groups.

Budget workstation users

As a Budget workstation user, you can create and modify models for your own personal use. You can modify models that your administrator has created for you, but you cannot save the modifications unless you assign a new name to the modified model, retaining the original.