Template-Based Contexts

Use

You can create and maintain many identical or similar contexts by creating a context template and then basing new contexts on that template.

The contexts developed from a template can share the same or similar scorecard definitions, strategy components, Home tab layout, and so on. On screens where a Propagate link appears, changes made on that screen to the template can be propagated to the specified contexts.

The process involves first creating the template and then creating contexts based on the template.

If you are developing only a few contexts that are similar, you may prefer to create the new contexts based on an existing context rather than on a template. Use this method when contexts are similar, but not identical. For more information, see Creating a Template and Creating a Context Based on an Existing Context.

If you are creating multiple contexts that have many different elements, you create the individual contexts without applying a template. For more information, see Creating a Context.

Features

Methods of Context Development using Templates

You can create a template and add the common context, strategy, and scorecard definitions to be used by all related contexts. Then you create contexts individually based on the template. For information, see Creating a Context from a Template.

You can set up the contexts in a hierarchy if you want. For more information, see Ordering Contexts and Applying a Hierarchy.
You can create a template and add the common context, strategy, and scorecard definitions to be used by all related contexts. Then you create multiple contexts based on the template using a differential of one dimension member for each context. For example, if the Stores dimension has 100 members, you can create 50 contexts at the same time, where each context is based on a different member of the Stores dimension.

When the contexts are created, the context names are the dimension member names, the context hierarchy is the same as the dimension hierarchy, and the scorecard filter for each context is its dimension member.

For information, see Cascaded Scorecards Based on a Dimension Hierarchy.

Note
This is one form of cascading scorecards, where all scorecards have the same perspectives, objectives and KPIs. Another form of cascading scorecards involves multiple contexts that all share the same objectives but different KPIs, or the same KPIs but different objectives. These cascading scorecards are not created from templates. For more information, see Cascaded Scorecards.

Template and Context Maintenance

You do the following to maintain templates and contexts that are based on templates:

You can modify a template and then specify which template-based contexts apply the changes. Use the Propagate link in the Manage Contexts and Scorecard Defaults screens to apply the template changes on these screens to specific template-based contexts.
You can modify a template-based context separately from its template. The template is not affected by this change.
You can delete a template by selecting it in the Manage Contexts screen and selecting Delete. All associated contexts remain as functioning individual contexts.
You can rename a template by selecting it n the Manage Contexts screen and selecting Rename.

Activities

To create and maintain contexts and templates, choose Start of the navigation path Context Management Next navigation step Manage Contexts End of the navigation path

More Information

Creating a Template

Creating a Context from a Template

Creating Cascading Scorecards Based on a Dimension Hierarchy

Propagating Changes in Template-Based Contexts