Are you confused by the TM1 Contributor Licenses Functionality (now called Performance Management User)?

Here is the description IBM provided to me about TM1 Contributor Licenses Functionality, but this led to some questions:

The Enterprise Planning TM1 Contributor/ Performance Management User role is targeted at the business analyst or manager for contributing to enterprise TM1 applications. Contributor/PM User licenses must have related server rights, either through Analytics Server licenses, or previously granted server rights from earlier versions of TM1.

The TM1 Contributor/PM user has access to:

• Modify & review workflow status through Planning Manager or TM1 Contributor/PM User
• Perform read/write data operations via any supported TM1 interface, including TM1 Contributor, TM1 for Microsoft Excel and TM1 Web. Also, from other separately purchased tools such as Executive Viewer, or custom applications using the TM1 API
• Execute TM1 Turbo Integrator processes and chores
• Create private & public presentation objects via TM1 for Microsoft Excel
• Read data from and write data to a TM1 server through IBM Cognos Connection web portlets displaying TM1 viewers
• This user also has all any additional rights found under Enterprise Planning TM1 Explorer

What does “create private and public presentation objects via TM1 for Microsoft Excel” mean? IBM is using the term “TM1 for Microsoft Excel” to refer to the Excel Perspectives add-in, and the term “presentation objects” to refer to TM1 Workbooks or Websheets. The term “presentation objects” can be extended to refer to Cube views as well. But doesn’t the ability to create Public objects require assignment to an Admin or Data Admin security group; and, therefore, a TM1 Modeler license? Let’s explore that thought …

With designated permissions, non-admin Users having a TM1 Contributor / PM User license may:

1. Save public subsets, public cube views, and public workbooks/websheets
2. Add presentation objects to public Application Folders and make them public

This is accomplished by having an Admin user designate the non-admin user’s TM1 Security Group with ‘Admin’ rights to specific objects using TM1 Security.

1. A non-admin user belonging to a Security Group having ‘Admin’ access to an existing Application Folder may add presentation objects to the Folder and make them public *
2. A non-admin user belonging to a Security Group having ‘Admin’ access to a designated Dimension may create Public Subsets for that Dimension *
3. A non-admin user belonging to a Security Group having ‘Admin’ access to a designated Cube may create Public Views for that Cube *

* This capability is available in Perspectives / Architect with TM1 10.1.x and in TM1Web with TM1 10.1.1 FP2 IF3. The capability is also targeted for TM1Web 10.2 with planned mid-year 2014 releases (10.2 FP2 and 10.2.2).

You may also be wondering how a user can save views to Application Folders in TM1Web. Current releases of TM1 10.1.1 and TM1 10.2 permit a non-admin user to save a new Cube view opened from an Application Folder ‘back into’ that same Application Folder using the ‘Save As’ action. By default, the non-admin user can perform this action to save private Cube views; and with the designated permissions identified above, the non-admin user can perform this action to save public Cube views.

Note that licensing guidelines are always subject to change, so please check with your IBM rep for updates. This is not intended to be construed as legal advice and may not be the views of IBM.

Thank you, IBM! We really appreciate clarification as our clients want to stay in compliance!

Here is a video we just posted on our YouTube channel on this topic:
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If you would like help reviewing your IBM Business Analytics licenses, contact me at hcole@lodestarsolutions.com. You can also check out our Licensing videos on:

• Licensing Tips Video (5 min) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YAdIeEpOnXQ
• Updated IBM Cognos Licensing Webinar (53 min) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgfcZeSLikQ

Thanks for taking the time to read about TM1 Contributor Licenses Functionality!