The DBS Send feature is always on, which is a problem for tracking usage amonst other things. It needs an OFF switch, ideally at a workbook level.

Is your feature request related to a problem? Please describe.

We have a significant number of reports that users use to pull down values from the server.

The reports contain hidden DBSW / DBSS formulas that write information like usage times, element selections and so on.

In this way we can identify which reports are important, which ones are not, and if a user reports an issue with the data downloaded then we can see exactly what their selections were and not have to rely on what they thought they were at the time.

The problem is that in Slice the "DB Send" feature seems to be always on. Which means that instead of sending the usage data to the monitoring cube, the data just sits there with an asterisk next to it until or unless the users happen to hit the "DB Send" button.

Which they probably won't because they have no idea that anything is being written since most of the sheets are reports, not input sheets.

That means that as soon as anyone moves from Perspectives to Slice, we completely lose any visibility of report usage.

On a side note, there are some worksheets that I use where I don't want to have to remember to recalculate the sheet AND then hit the DB Send button. Sending attributes in bulk to a dimension is one example.

"Hey, why aren't those attributes there? They all calculated in the upload sheet. Oh, right, the DB Send button..."

As far as I can see there is no option to turn it off.

Describe the solution you'd like

The ideal solution would be to: (a) Be able to globally disable the feature for people who want sends to happen in real time; and (b) Have some kind of attribute added to workbooks that enable it to be disabled on a workbook by workbook basis if desired.

Describe alternatives you've considered

Training users to hit the button every time they use a sheet probably won't fly.

added apac enhancement slice labels

Thank you, Alan @akmb546, for your detailed feedback.

We understand the importance of tracking report usage and ensuring that DBSW/DBSS formulas function as expected without requiring manual intervention.

Regarding your proposed solution:
(a) A global setting to disable the feature for real-time data sends makes sense for users transitioning from Perspectives who expect the same behavior.
(b) A workbook-specific attribute would provide flexibility, allowing users to control this behavior based on specific use cases.

We will review this internally and explore options to address this issue. We'll keep you updated on any developments regarding this feature.

Thanks!
Shanoo

Hi Alan,

Just to be clear, what you need is that the DBS function in Slice should send data back to TM1 when user refresh the sheet (as it is in Perspectives).

Is this correct?

Currently, in Slice, the DBS function is sending the data only after clicking the DBS Send button. So yes currently your users have to click this button to trigger your hidden DBS functions.

Cheers,

Vincent

Or basically another way to put it. Have an option, either globally or per workbook, to trigger DB Send each time there is a Slice recalculation event?

This would make the functionality equivalent to Perspectives.

Just to be clear, what you need is that the DBS function in Slice should send data back to TM1 when user refresh the sheet (as it is in Perspectives

That we should have the OPTION of that, yes. Ideally from my point of view that it be the default option, but making it so may affect other users who have built their workflow around its existing behaviour. However at the very least having an ability to turn it off for specific workbooks so that people who don't want the behaviour don't have to have it on for those workbooks.

Currently, in Slice, the DBS function is sending the data only after clicking the DBS Send button. So yes currently your users have to click this button to trigger your hidden DBS functions.

Which they won't do, because... why would they? Even if we told them to, within a couple of weeks they'd forget to, because as far as they're concerned they aren't sending any values. So the report usage tracking would go from all users who use the report, to a small subset of users who use the report. Maybe. If we're lucky. The ones most likely not to remember are the less technically confident ones and the ones who only use TM1 occasionally... the very ones whose inputs we need to track for support purposes.

But it's not only them. Yesterday I had to update several thousand values in a mapping cube, which was done incrementally across a number of files over the course of an hour or two as I compiled the mappings for the new year. And at the end of it I had gaps. Why? You guessed it, I had pressed [F9] to calculate the sheet but on a couple of occasions I had forgotten to do the additional (and in Perspectives, unnecessary) step of hitting the DBSend button.

The blue walls of my office are as much the result of waves of Italian profanity as they are of the paint pigment.

I know why the feature was inroduced, some of my users do have reports with a "master switch" that uses an If() function to activate the DBSends only after they have finished their inputs. The DBSend button in Slice is a far better solution than that, but ONLY for the sheets where that is needed.

For every OTHER sheet, it's just one extra step that gets in our way and is easily overlooked or forgotten, and it prevents completely the automated tracking of workbook usage without effort on the users' part; effort that they can't be relied upon to provide.

At the very least if it could be toggled off by workbook, all of these issues would be overcome.

assigned to @aeremenko

changed milestone to %review

I have added a new option in Slice. When it is set to true, DBS Send button disappears from the ribbon and DBS formulas will send data to TM1 when calculation happens.

Thanks,
Andrey

+1 - Thanks, Alan, for posting this issue and team for a quick solution! I had this come up this week as well while testing with users transitioning from Perspectives. We also track report usage and utilize DBS/DBSS to send in attributes based on user inputs. This solution is very helpful and looking forward to its implementation.

Thanks Andrey for this implementation.

What is the default behavior?

I think what they are expecting is that this new setting "Send DBS Send data on recalc" should be on by default. By default, Slice will behave the same as Perspective.

Cheers,

Vincent

Hi Vincent,

Slice behavior is the default - to send the values to TM1 the user needs to press DBS Send button.

I can also add an option to have this workbook or worksheet applicable by adding a special named range. Let me know what you think about this.

Thanks,
Andrey

Hi @aeremenko ,

Yes please, we need a way to enable the developer to choose the behavior of the DBS functions.

Cheers,

Vincent

Yes, @vviau and @aeremenko , that would be a good solution. Thanks.

From my perspective I understand why DBSend was separated in Slice. It doesn't need to be Perspectives behaviour (DBSend on recalc) by default, just as long as there is a way to enforce Perspectives behaviour on a workbook level. E.g. have a hidden named formula in the workbook "Slice_SBSendOnRecalc" and if it has a value of 1 then Perspectives behaviour, else default Slice behaviour.

Having a Slice options setting is also OK, but this requires users to change it, or is vulnerable to users changing it. I would see this as an additional option but IMO what was requested was the ability to enforce a switch at workbook level, and the ability to add a named formula seems like the logical implementation to me. My 2c.

Exactly, IMHO.

removed milestone %review

changed milestone to %review

I have added a new option in Slice settings to send values on sheet recalc.

Another option is to add SLICEDBSSEND named range in Excel and set its value to 1

Nice work, @aeremenko, this seems to work well. I have merged it to develop.

changed milestone to %4.6.1