Reference : Attribute types : Time grid
  
Time grid
The time grid attribute is useful for financial planning. For example, you can use it to calculate costs and revenue for a business case.Using time grid attribute, you can:
▪ adapt the time grid attribute to any number of scenarios, and you can use it to consider different timing and other factors on each sheet
▪ visualize the time grid values as graphics in lines or vertical bars.
▪ show one or several sheets in the same visualization and select the rows to be included in the charts
▪ edit one row or all rows for all sheets simultaneously
▪ display the summary column to show the sum of values in a column
▪ compare time grids faster and with ease
▪ display the time grid overview (charts or tables) in the attribute list without having to open the editor. Edit the settings for the time grid in the attribute list.
Each sheet is configured for a specific scenario, with a name, time interval (month, quarter, or year), start date, and end date. A time grid attribute can have multiple sheets, each with an individual time line and cell values. The cells can be empty or can contain a number or an expression. You can use numbers, and expression for time grid cells. You can reference the first and the last column with date attributes. The time grid attribute can initially be configured with summary rows, headings, and locked rows. Summary rows are headings that display the sum of the cell values of all of the rows below the heading until the next heading is displayed. The summary rows are always locked.
Time grid sheet
Tips
▪ Avoid configuring a time grid attribute with the summary row that is placed as the last row. Summary row is used to sum the values of rows below the row until the next header row. The rows that are above the summary row are not considered.
▪ A time grid displays entire time intervals, even if the start and end dates of a sheet are in the middle of the interval. For example, if a sheet is configured to display quarters and the end date is 2 April, the entire time period (in this case the quarter) is displayed in the sheet.
▪ You can select a number of cells in a sheet and paste them into a spreadsheet application or in another position in the current time grid sheet.
Note In the time grid attribute, when a cell is marked as an expression for a Text attribute, instead of Nan, the value is 0. Nan represents “Not a number”.
Time grid limitations
The time grid attribute has these limitations:
▪ Time grid is supported only by REST web services.
▪ Time grid cannot be the basis for filters.
▪ The import and export of time grid attributes is limited to workspaces and modules.
▪ You cannot access time grid sheets from views on the Home page, from a view displayed as a table structure, or from the pairwise comparison pages in the Prioritize view.
▪ You cannot search for a value in a time grid cell.
▪ You cannot reference an aggregate time grid from another attribute.
Time grid settings
A time grid attribute contains one or more sheets, which each contain a time line. On each sheet, a grid is displayed with its time line as column headings and a common set of row titles.
General settings
 
Field
Description
Name
Type a name for the time grid attribute.
Description
Type a description. The text in this field is displayed in a hover help when the mouse pointer hovers over the attribute title. The text is also displayed when the attribute is being edited.
Administrator notes
Optional. In this field, enter information about the attribute that might be useful to other administrators. For example, This attribute must not be editable in any view. This text is displayed on the setup page for the attribute when you configure access levels for views or add global attributes to modules.
Position Before
Select a position to place the attribute in the list of attributes.
Allow Investment Analysis
Select this field to enable the option to analyze investment and financials.
Do not allow settings changes for non-admin users
Select this option to prevent non-admin users from editing the time grid attribute display settings from the element. The settings icon Settings iconwill not be displayed in the element for non-admin users.
Link aggregation
 
Field
Description
Incoming Links Settings
Enables inserting a link from one element to another. When you view an element, incoming links attributes display the elements that link to that element.
Show extra sheet
Select this option to enable the sheet in the link aggregated time grid used in addition to the aggregated sheets from the source.
General Time Grid settings
 
Field
Description
Sheets
Add time grid sheets. For each sheet, specify the name, time scale, scenario type, start date, and end date.
▪ Name: Enter a name for the sheet.
▪ Time Interval: Select the time interval: Month, Quarter, Year.
▪ Date Attribute: Select this check box if date attributes are created for the start and end dates.
▪ Start Date: Specify the start date. If the Date attribute is selected, select the date attribute that was created for the start date.
▪ End Date: Specify the end date. If the Date attribute is selected, select the date attribute that was created for the end date.
▪ Scenario Type: Select the scenario type for the sheet: High, Likely, Low, Actual.
▪ Include in overview: Select to include the sheet in the overview.
Add Sheet
Add a time grid sheet.
Rows
Add rows to the sheets. For each row, specify the name, type, and unit.
▪ Cost: Select if the row indicates a cost.
▪ Benefit: Select if the row indicates a benefit.
▪ Summary: Select this check box to make the row a heading that displays the sum of the values in the cells that belong to the heading. Summary rows are locked for editing.
▪ Heading: Select this check box to group the cells that are below the heading.
▪ Locked: Select this check box to lock a row from editing.
▪ Default Row Value: Type a default value for the row.
▪ Unit: Type a unit for the row. The unit can be monetary, non-monetary or a mix of both. All cost streams must have the same unit. Benefit streams can be of different units. Time series variables can be of any unit or have no unit.
▪ Include in overview: Select to include the row in the overview.
Display in attribute list
 
Field
Description
Display type
Select the type of display for the rows in the element: Default, Streams, Chart, Table.
Note When a time grid attribute has the display type set to “Chart”, the time span in the chart is based on the selected sheet. You can also specify a different time span by clicking the Settings icon of the time grid attribute. In the Settings page, select the Display different time span check box, and specify the start and end dates in the Display start date and the Display end date.
Time Interval
Select the time interval: Month, Quarter, Year
Change Log Settings
 
Field
Description
Log Changes
Select this check box to record a history log for each change in the attribute.
Integration Settings
 
Field
Description
Property URI
Provide a unique URI according to the Open Services for Lifecycle Collaboration (OSLC) standard for the attribute.
Alias
Specify the alias when you integrate with other tools. This alias is also used in financial metrics in Investment analysis.
Controls
 
Field
Description
Copy Default Display Settings To All Elements
Push button to copy the default display settings to all elements. This will override the value in Display different time span field in the time grid settings for each element.
Copy Default Sheet Time Span To All Elements
Push button to copy the time span of the default sheet to all elements in the module.
Copy Default Value To All Elements
Push button to copy the default values of the attribute to all the elements in the module that contain the attribute.
See also
Time grid menu options
Attribute types