Non Technical Question

Post Reply
User avatar
LeeTaylor1979
Posts: 63
Joined: Mon Aug 25, 2008 12:53 pm
OLAP Product: IBM Cognos TM1
Version: 10.2.2
Excel Version: 2010

Non Technical Question

Post by LeeTaylor1979 »

All,

I am after some advice and guidance.

In my 2 years of using TM1 I have completed all the Applix TM1 courses that were on offer.

I now want to tackle an IT course that will widen my knowlegde but also something that is worthwhile in helping me tackle more complex things within TM1.

I hope that made sense :?

I have been looking into VB.net and would like your views as to whether this is something worth having or have you any suggestions as to what is a good skill to have.

What ever I do I want it to be useful in the use of TM1.

I look forward to your comments.

Regards


Lee
User avatar
jim wood
Site Admin
Posts: 3951
Joined: Wed May 14, 2008 1:51 pm
OLAP Product: TM1
Version: PA 2.0.7
Excel Version: Office 365
Location: 37 East 18th Street New York
Contact:

Re: Non Technical Question

Post by jim wood »

Hi Lee,

For me there are 2 ways you can go on this:

1) Go on a course that will teach you all about databases. (For example MS SQL)

2) Go on a course that you learn something about a programming language. Perhaps one of the .Net languuages.

The first suggestion will help you learn the SQL language (Always good when connecting to underlying databases) and theory of databases. The second will help you connect to the API. From there you will able to build customer apps, front ends and web apps.

I hope this helps,

Jim.

PS. There is always option 3 which is learn how to use another OLAP solution. This will help you learn how bad they are and how good TM1 is.
Struggling through the quagmire of life to reach the other side of who knows where.
Shop at Amazon
Jimbo PC Builds on YouTube
OS: Mac OS 11 PA Version: 2.0.7
User avatar
Steve Rowe
Site Admin
Posts: 2410
Joined: Wed May 14, 2008 4:25 pm
OLAP Product: TM1
Version: TM1 v6,v7,v8,v9,v10,v11+PAW
Excel Version: Nearly all of them

Re: Non Technical Question

Post by Steve Rowe »

I'd certanly suggest that a good knowledge of VBA for Excel can add a lot of value to your TM1 apps. Though the language itself is being phased out eventually in a future release of Excel (I think).

MDX is becoming much more important as well.
I'm not so sure about .Net, I guess it depends on what environment you are going to build TM1 apps...
Cheers,
Technical Director
www.infocat.co.uk
User avatar
George Regateiro
MVP
Posts: 326
Joined: Fri May 16, 2008 3:35 pm
OLAP Product: TM1
Version: 10.1.1
Excel Version: 2007 SP3
Location: Tampa FL USA

Re: Non Technical Question

Post by George Regateiro »

The suggestions so far have been good. You should really try to improve your ability as a programmer. Whether that be through JAVA, .NET or VBA the methodology and thought process of programming will allow you to succeed in any programming environment. From our experience with people that we have hired learning a specific language is not as important as having the thought process to solve any problem given a good enough help file. Take courses geared to becoming a better programmer and if you happen to learn a useful language along the way that is even better.
User avatar
John Hobson
Site Admin
Posts: 330
Joined: Sun May 11, 2008 4:58 pm
OLAP Product: Any
Version: 1.0
Excel Version: 2020
Location: Lytham UK
Contact:

Re: Non Technical Question

Post by John Hobson »

PS. There is always option 3 which is learn how to use another OLAP solution. This will help you learn how bad they are and how good TM1 is

Or in the case of PALO, Jim, how good it is for a free product and how transferable your TM1 skills actually are. :mrgreen:
John Hobson
The Planning Factory
User avatar
Olivier
Community Contributor
Posts: 159
Joined: Thu Jun 26, 2008 5:46 am
OLAP Product: TM1
Version: Tm1 10.2.2fp4 -> 2.09
Excel Version: Excel 2013 - 2019
Location: Sydney

Re: Non Technical Question

Post by Olivier »

Another option is maybe to focus on the non technical skills.
Which mean a non IT course...?!? :0

I have myself a functional qualification in business management and picked most of the technical from experience...
I am not at gurus level yet .), but i have now a good knowledge of tm1 capabilities.
My strong skill is in fact in the business needs understanding and a good practise of business analysis meaning few year of operational practise with ERP such as SAP combined with strong excel knowledge.

I am still limited in my vba but it never really restricted my design as i forces me to really think twice if going into programming is the only and best option.

I think that Tm1 activities usually require at least as much business understanding as technical knowledge.

If you have already a technical background from your root qualifications / experiences and know where to dig when facing technical issues and have a good knowledge of what is technically possible in general, and already have some experience in design of application even on other patform...then i think i would go for a functionnal course.

In the functionnal field, i would see as beeing interresting :
- Project Management ( if possible in software design)
- Business Management ( If possible with a focus on Reporting amd/or Business controlling)
- Anything mixing business analysis and information systems

I think it's good to have in mind the priorities of your customers from their position perspective...
Business analyst, accountants, executives, sales executives,CEOs...
Who is after what an when ? Whose head get chopped if a deadline is missed ? how to make their life easier ?

As your question is about IT course anyway, from the technical perspective, i would go in this order :
1 Strong Excel skill ( People redevelop excel function everyday because they are not aware of all capabilities)
2 SQL, relationnal databases, ERPs
3 VBA
4 MDX



Kind Regards,

Olivier
HTH
Olivier
Post Reply