Create a template so that you can reuse the investment analysis settings

IBM Rational Focal Point V6.5.2 contains a number of improvements for the investment analysis component. It provides more detail, but must be reset for each new element in the Focal point. In V6.5.2, you can create a template to reuse all of these detailed settings.

For example, you can use the modules in Rational Focal point to represent projects. When using investment analysis, the financial model for each project may be similar to other projects. The template contains settings that are common to all projects in the Project module, and the template also guides how users of the module should use a particular investment analysis setting.

This article describes how to set up these templates

Prerequisite:

In general, you need to be familiar with the basic usage of Rational Focal point, especially investment analysis.

You also need to have access to the workspace administrator who accesses instances of Rational Focal point.

Creating and using templates

The investment analysis template is a predefined combination of streams, calculator tapes, and variables. Each time a new element is created in the module that defines the template, an instance of the template is created. When you enter investment analysis, you will have a predefined stream and a default variable. The stream is empty in the new element, and the variable will have a predefined value.

Investment analysis uses the time grid property to store its data. This means that the template settings are part of the time grid property configuration.

You can also make changes to the template in investment analysis mode, because you typically need to test and run the templates before you know exactly how to define them.

Set the stream

In the time grid property configuration, the stream is set to a row. You can add three different types of streams: cost, revenue, and variable flow. A variable stream is also called a time series variable.

If you want to add a stream to the template, do the following:

Select Configure > Attributes, and then select the module and time grid attribute for investment analysis.

In the section named Rows, click Add Row.

Specify a name and type for your stream:

If you want to add a revenue stream, mark the Benefit check box.

If you want to add a cost stream, mark the Price check box.

If you want to add a variable stream (a time series variable), do not mark any check boxes.

Figure 1. The Row section of the time grid property configuration

For all elements in a module, all rows are displayed as streams in investment analysis.