In IBM Planning Analytics for Excel (PAfE), users have access to two of the most powerful report types: Universal Report and Dynamic Report. Each report type serves different purposes and offers unique functionalities, making it essential to understand the strengths and limitations of both to maximize efficiency in data analysis and reporting.?
This guide compares Universal and Dynamic Reports against some of the key feature sets, breaking down each parameter to help you decide which report best suits your business needs.?
Feature Comparison: Universal Report vs. Dynamic Report?
Key Insights for Choosing the Right Report
1. Formula Flexibility and Customization
- Universal Reports: These reports rely heavily on MDX queries for cascading formulas and dynamic columns, making them ideal for complex, formula-driven reports. Universal Reports also support the use of toggle columns and asymmetric drills, giving users more options for exploration and analysis.
- Dynamic Reports: On the other hand, Dynamic Reports lean towards its out-of-the-box capabilities including Excel to make the reports flexible. With DBRW in the master row, users can customise the report using websheet/Excel formulas and functions that cascade down automatically. For simple, formula-free reports where ease of customization is key, Dynamic Reports offers a streamlined solution.
- Universal Reports: These reports have built-in hierarchy awareness, which means they can recognise the hierarchies for displaying the data. This feature is particularly useful when working with dimensions having multiple hierarchies.
- Dynamic Reports: Hierarchy awareness is not supported unless you use TM1VAL, which adds some complexity to the process. Universal Reports are a clear winner in scenarios where hierarchy structures are central to the report.
3. Formatting and Visualization
- Universal Reports: Known for their robust dynamic formatting, these reports support conditional formatting based on both rows and columns. This allows users to apply more granular control (cell-level) over the visual presentation of data.
- Dynamic Reports: Although Dynamic Reports support both native and conditional formatting, they are limited to formatting on rows only. If column-based formatting is essential for your report, Universal Reports offers better flexibility.
4. User Experience and Report Complexity
- Universal Report: Universal Reports offers an array of advanced features that provide a high level of control and flexibility, but this comes at the cost of added complexity. The more parameters and functions you introduce, the more overwhelming the report-building process can seem.
- ?Dynamic Report: Dynamic Reports, with fewer parameters and a simpler structure, are easier to set up and less overwhelming. However, they are more rigid and may not offer the same long-term scalability as Universal Reports, making them ideal for more straightforward, quick reports that don’t require extensive customisation.
5. Support for Calculations
- Universal Reports: These reports excel at handling complex calculations using MDX queries. If your reporting involves advanced, server-side logic, Universal Reports is the right choice.
- Dynamic Reports: They shine in scenarios where Excel-based calculations are preferred, allowing users to leverage Excel’s extensive formula library. For teams comfortable with Excel and simple calculations, Dynamic Reports provides a familiar environment.
6. Asymmetric Drill and Report Stacking
- Universal Reports: The ability to perform asymmetric drills and stack multiple reports on columns makes Universal Reports ideal for complex, multi-dimensional reporting.
- Dynamic Reports: These features are not supported in Dynamic Reports, making them less suited for users who need to perform advanced, interactive data exploration.
Final thoughts: Both Universal Reports and Dynamic Reports offer distinct advantages, and choosing the right one depends largely on your reporting requirements and user preferences.
- Universal Reports: One of the notable points about Universal Reports is the increased number of parameters and new functions it introduces. At first glance, this can make the layout feel crowded or "claustrophobic," especially for users unfamiliar with these options. The sheer amount of customisation available may seem overwhelming. However, this initial learning curve is what allows for greater flexibility down the line. Once you familiarise yourself with the additional parameters, Universal Reports become powerful tools for creating dynamic, flexible reports that can handle various scenarios. This investment in learning upfront pays off significantly in more advanced and customised reporting.
- Dynamic Reports: They are generally easier to set up, with a more user-friendly interface. They are less parameter-heavy and feel less complex, making them ideal for quick, less involved reports. However, this simplicity also limits flexibility compared to Universal Reports.
Understanding the differences between these two report types will help you make more informed decisions and optimise your reporting processes within IBM Planning Analytics for Excel.
