Using PS Cloud Core Analytics

In Analytics, lenses, dashboards, and datasets enable you to view, analyze, and perform actions on your data. You must be assigned administrator permissions, or equivalent, to create a new PS Cloud Core Analytics app.

For general information about datasets, lenses, and dashboards in Analytics, see the Salesforce Help for Analytics.

The data held in your datasets is refreshed each time you run your dataflow.

By default, the dataflows generated when you create your PS Cloud Core Analytics app are scheduled to run every 24 hours, starting at 01:00, according to the time zone set in your org. To alter this setting, perform the following steps:

  1. In Analytics Studio, click Data Manager.
  2. Click Manage Dataflows.
  3. Click the Dataflows tab.
  4. On the PS Cloud Core Analytics App PSA Analytics Dataflow row, click Arrow | Schedule and enter your preferred date and time.
  5. [Optional] On the PS Cloud Core Analytics PSA Utilization Analytics Dataflow row, click Arrow | Schedule and enter your preferred date and time.

For more information about managing your dataflows, see Managing Your PS Cloud Core Analytics Dataflows.

Each dataset contains information from PSA and other associated Certinia applications. The datasets are not copies of their related Certinia objects, rather the information within the objects is extracted, normalized, and stored in Analytics.

For each platform license, your organization can have a maximum of 250 million rows of data stored for all registered datasets.

When creating a dataset, Analytics applies one of the following types to each field:

  • Date: day, month, year, and time values. You can group, filter, and perform calculations on the data in date type fields.
  • Dimension: qualitative values, such as regions, product names, and model numbers. You can group and filter the data in dimension type fields. You cannot perform calculations. Dimension fields are indexed.
  • Measure: quantitative values, such as revenue and exchange rates. You can perform calculations on the data in measure type fields.

You do not need to know the object model of the dataset. The dataset includes information from various objects, which have been combined into one view. The naming convention remains as close as possible to the terminology that you are familiar with, such as Billings Date, Estimates Vs Actuals, Milestone Name, Project Manager Name. Additionally, all components are labeled to make it easy for you to recognize the content. Not all field names remain the same, however.

Some datasets are generated as standard as part of your PS Cloud Core Analytics app creation, but you can choose to generate optional, additional datasets by selecting them on your PS Cloud Analytics Setup record before creating your app.

The PS Cloud Core Analytics Datasets table indicates which datasets are generated as standard and which are optional.

PS Cloud Core Analytics Datasets

Dataset

Standard or Optional?

Description
Backlog Optional The Backlog dataset stores fields associated with the Project and Backlog Detail objects in PSA and its related records as well as other associated objects. For more information about which fields are included in the Backlog dataset, see Backlog Dataset PS Cloud Analytics Output Fields.
Billings Standard

The Billings dataset includes fields from the Est Vs Actuals, Milestones, Expenses, Miscellaneous Adjustments, Budgets, and Timecards objects in PSA, as well as other associated objects. For more information about the fields that are included in the Billings dataset, see Billings Dataset PS Cloud Analytics Output Fields.
Capacity Optional

The Capacity dataset includes fields from the Utilization Detail object in PSA as well as other associated objects. In order to prevent unwanted data duplication, this dataset only uses records that have the Is Report Master checkbox selected in PSA, we recommend you that your Utilization Calculations have the Is Report Master checkbox selected before running the dataflow. For more information about which fields are included in the Capacity dataset, see Capacity Dataset PS Cloud Analytics Output Fields.
Currency ISO Code Standard

When displaying the Currency ISO Code dataset in PS Cloud Analytics dashboards, the main currency associated with the Integration User is used. This dataset is used by all of the PS Cloud Analytics dashboards except Utilization and Capacity (Hours). For more information about the fields that are included in the Currency ISO Code dataset, see Currency ISO Code Fields.

Note: To change the ISO code displayed in PS Cloud Analytics dashboards:
  1. Change the currency associated with the Integration User.
  2. Run the PS Cloud Analytics dataflow to update the data displayed in the dashboards.
Project Margin Optional

The Project Margin dataset stores fields associated with the project margin calculations in PSA, this dataset is used by the Project Margin dashboard and its related workspace in Lightning. For more information about which fields are included in the Project Margin dataset, see Project Margin Dataset PS Cloud Analytics Output Fields.
Project Reporting Standard

The Project Reporting dataset includes fields derived from the following objects in PSA:

  • Budget
  • Estimates Versus Actuals
  • Expense
  • Milestone
  • Miscellaneous Adjustment
  • Project
  • Project Source
  • Project Task
  • Project Task Assignment
  • Resource Request
  • Resource Skill Request
  • Task Time
  • Timecard
  • Timecard Split

Fields derived from the following Services CPQ objects are also optionally included in this dataset:

  • Estimate
  • Estimate Role Request
  • Estimate Task

For information about which fields are included in the Project Reporting dataset, see Project Reporting Dataset Output Fields.
Resource Skills Standard

The Resource Skills dataset includes fields from the Skill / Certification, Skill / Certification Rating objects in PSA. For more information about which fields are included in the Resource Skills dataset, see Resource Skills Dataset PS Cloud Analytics Output Fields.
Revenue Forecast Optional

The Revenue Forecast dataset includes fields from the Revenue Forecast Version Detail, Revenue Forecast Version and Revenue Forecast objects in PSA as well as other associated objects. For more information about which fields are included in the Revenue Forecast dataset, see Revenue Forecast Dataset PS Cloud Analytics Output Fields.
RPG Not applicable The RPG dataset includes fields from the Region, Practice, and Group objects in PSA. For more information about which fields are included in the Revenue Forecast dataset, see RPG Dataset PS Cloud Analytics Output Fields.
Utilization Optional

The Utilization dataset stores fields associated with the Utilization object in PSA and its related records as well as other associated objects. In order to prevent unwanted data duplication, this dataset only uses record that have the Is Report Master checkbox selected in PSA, we recommend that your Utilization Calculations have the Is Report Master checkbox selected before running the dataflow. For information about which fields are included in the Utilization dataset, seeUtilization Dataset PS Cloud Analytics Output Fields.
Utilization Results Optional

The Utilization Analytics (Embedded) dataset stores fields associated with the Utilization Results object in PSA and its related records as well as other associated objects. This object is generated by the Utilization Run. For information about which fields are included in the Utilization Results dataset, see Utilization Results Dataset PS Cloud Analytics Output Fields.

The PS Cloud Core Analytics app includes several predefined dashboards to enable you to view and explore your PSA data. For general information about dashboards in Analytics, see the Salesforce Help for Analytics.

When launching a dashboard, if some widgets are not displayed or an error is displayed, verify that the following items are correct in the dataset:

  • All fields contain data
  • All field references are valid

See the Salesforce Help for more information.

The PS Cloud Core Analytics Dashboards table indicates which dashboards are generated as standard and which are optional.

PS Cloud Core Analytics Dashboards

Dashboard

 

Description
PSA Project Billings S View the total value that is available to bill for your project.
PSA Project Burnup S Track changes in scope for your projects and how much work has been delivered and billed.
PSA Project Overview  

Track the key performance indicators (KPIs) for individual projects, such as revenue forecast variance to baseline for the current quarter, estimate versus actuals variance for the past 13 weeks, and budget burn total to date.
PSA Revenue Forecast O View revenue forecasting key performance indicators (KPIs), including comparisons of forecast versions.
PSA Utilization Analytics O Compare the scheduled or actual hours logged with the calendar hours.
PSA Services CPQ Estimator O View the performance of your estimation process over time using data derived from the Project Reporting dataset. This dashboard is designed to be embedded in the Services Estimation workspace.
PSA Services CPQ Estimate Manager O View the performance of your team's estimation process over time, using data derived from the Project Reporting dataset. This dashboard is designed to be embedded in the Services Estimation workspace.
PS Cloud Advanced Analytics Dashboards

Dashboard

 

Description
PSA Backlog O

Enables you to view detailed information about your scheduled and unscheduled backlog. By default this dashboard charts display data for the current fiscal quarter.
PSA Billings S

Provides detailed information about the scheduled and actual bill rate and billings. By default this dashboard charts display information for the current fiscal quarter.
PSA Capacity O Enables you to view the available capacity hours and the contrast between scheduled versus remaining capacity hours. By default this dashboard charts display data for the current fiscal quarter.
PSA Capacity and Demand Planning O Enables you to view the utilization of resources by Region, Practice or Group, and view a breakdown of the demand for a role in your selected date range by Assigned, Held Requests, Unheld Requests and Remaining.
PSA Capacity Summary O Enables you to view the utilization of resources by Region, Practice or Group, and view a breakdown of the committed hours for a role in your selected date range by Assigned, Held Requests and Remaining.
PSA Overview S Enables you to view the most relevant key performance indicators (KPIs) for the current fiscal quarter and navigate to a more detailed view of each KPI by opening their respective dashboard.
PSA Performance Summary S Enables you to view the most relevant key performance indicators (KPIs) for the current fiscal quarter and navigate to a more detailed view of each KPI by opening their respective dashboard.
PSA Project Burnup Plus, PSA Project Burnup Plus (Embedded) S Track changes in scope for your projects and how much work has been delivered and billed, and use predictive analytics to view velocity trends in your projects.
PSA Project Margin % Predictor (beta) O Enables you to view any potential risk to planned project margin percentage based on historical performance, and shows actionable insights into mitigating risk and optimizing margin percentage value.
PSA Project Scheduling Risk S

Enables you to view a prioritized list of your projects that are most at risk of going over or under schedule based on hours variance percentage.
PSA Skills Capacity Planning O Enables you to view available capacity by skill/certification, using data derived from the Project Reporting, Utilization Results, and Resource Skills datasets.
PSA Staffing Risk Predictor (beta) O Enables you to view any resource requests that are unlikely to be staffed before the date that work is scheduled to start.
Total Project Margin (Workspace) O Enables project managers to view their assigned project's actuals and their expected project margins. This dashboard does not appear in the overview and, by default it displays an accurate prediction for the next four months.
PSA Utilization O Provides detailed information about the scheduled and actual utilization rate, the total utilization hours and the utilization percentage. By default this dashboard charts display information for the current fiscal quarter.
PSA Utilization Analytics Capacity and Demand Planning O This dashboard enables you to view demand and capacity of roles by Region, Practice or Group, and view a breakdown of capacity for your selected date range by Assigned, Held Requests, Unheld Requests and Available Capacity.
PSA Utilization Summary O Provides detailed information about the scheduled and actual utilization rate, the total utilization hours and the utilization percentage. By default this dashboard charts display information for the current fiscal quarter.

By default, the following lenses are provided with PS Cloud Core Analytics:

  • Budget Milestone Comparison by Project
  • Project Task Allocated and Estimated Hours
  • Project Timecard and Expense Submission Approvals by Resource
  • Project Timecard and Expense Submissions by Resource
  • Task Time Actual Hours and Revenue/Cost per Project Task
  • Task Time Actual Hours per Day by Project Task and Resource

In addition, you can create your own lenses from one of the included datasets. For assistance, contact your implementation consultant.