In this chapter, we will learn the importance and use of the time dimension in Cognos TM1 in regards to the current IBM Cognos TM1 Developer (Test COG-310) certification exam.
The current certification exam assigns a weightage of 3 percent to this topic.
Cognos TM1 applications are most often used to view, compare, and predict information over time. For the most part, information in TM1 will be:
Trended over time
Compared between different time periods
Forecasted for future time periods
To support these requirements, most TM1 cubes will have time added as one (or more) dimension. Of all the considerations for deciding what dimensions should make up a TM1 cube, time is one of the (if not the most) important.
Most TM1 cubes will have at least one time dimension.
It is the purpose of time to allow analysis of past, present, and future information as well as to support the ability to predict the future (also known as forecasting).
When considering...