Creating Matrices

Create a collection of metrics that allows users to track one project's metrics values through time or to create other types of complex comparisons of a project's metrics.

For more complicated matrix setups and data analysis, contact Sopheon Customer Support for assistance.

To create a matrix:

1. From the System menu, select Content Sources > Matrices.

To narrow the matrix list, search by the matrix name, system name, or category.

2. Do one of the following:

• To add a new matrix - Click Add New in the upper right corner of the page.
• To edit an existing matrix - Click the name of the matrix to open it for editing.

3. Complete the following to identify and describe the matrix:
   
   Required fields display with red text and an asterisk * if the field is empty.

Field	Description
Display Name	Enter a name, up to 64 characters long, which identifies the matrix.
System Name	Enter a unique, shorter name that identifies the matrix in queries, reporting views, field codes, and other places in Accolade. The name must be unique among reference tables and can contain only letters (English alphabet), numbers, and the underscore.
Category	Enter or select the group to which this matrix belongs. More... Use categories to organize like matrices together. For example, you may choose to group all the matrices used for financials into the same category, in order to separate them from matrices used for other purposes. Leave this field blank to add to the Default category. To define a new category, select New Category and enter the category name. To delete a category, remove every item from the category. Empty categories are deleted automatically.
Description	Enter a description of the purpose or nature of the matrix. This description helps other users identify the matrix throughout the system.
Order	Enter a number to specify the matrix's place when it displays in a list of matrices. Lower numbered matrices display higher in the list.
Active	Select the check box when the matrix is ready to use in projects.
Available to Business Intelligence Tools	Select this check box to enable the matrix for use in your organization's business intelligence application. If the matrix is selected for inclusion in a portfolio snapshot, you cannot clear this option. Rich text matrix metrics cannot be made available to Business Intelligence Tools.
Available to Reporting	Select this check box to enable the matrix for use in reports created using the Accolade Office Extensions add-in, Accolade online reports, and within snapshots. If the matrix is selected for inclusion in a portfolio snapshot, you cannot clear this option. If a matrix is made available to reporting, refer to the Included in Reporting column in the Associated Metrics section to see the included metrics. Rich text matrix metrics cannot be made available to reporting.
Portfolio Optimizer	Select one of the following to indicate the matrix availability within Portfolio Optimizer. The selections in this field are available only if one of the metrics in the matrix is set as unique. Not Available - Not available in Portfolio Optimizer. Reporting Only - Can be included in reports but is not visible in Portfolio Optimizer. This option allows you to create matrices for reporting without having to add them to the list of available columns in Portfolio Optimizer. Edit - Visible and fully available in Portfolio Optimizer.

4. In the Associated Metrics section, select the metrics to include in the matrix.

Click Add New to search for metrics to add to the matrix. Only metrics set to be available in a matrix are available in the Metrics field. To filter the metric list, select a name in the Name field and category in the Category field.

To define a new metric while building a matrix, select Add New Metric in the Metric field. To reorder metrics after you have added them to the matrix, click a row in the Associated Metrics section and drag it up or down to its new location.

5. Repeat step 4 as necessary to add additional metrics to the matrix.
6. Do the following for each metric, as appropriate for the matrix:

• To indicate that a metric should have a unique value in each row - Select the Unique check box to enforce unique values for each metric contained in the matrix. Metrics correlate to columns in Excel templates, and unique metrics ensure columns are not duplicated in the workbook. If a matrix is set to edit in Portfolio Optimizer or Innovation Planning, only one relative date metric can be set as unique. For Portfolio Optimizer matrices, also indicate the order in which the unique metrics display from left to right in the Portfolio Column Header field.

Multi-select lists and calculated metrics within the matrix cannot be set as unique.

If using the calculated metric expression CurrentMatrixValue in a matrix and updating the matrix in Excel, you must uniquely identify other matrix rows by flagging metrics as unique. If matrix columns are not unique or the Excel workbook contains duplicate columns, the Smart Excel template does not update, upload, or publish back to Accolade.

• To indicate a metric as a filter for the matrix within a model - Select the Filterable check box if the metric is a filter for a matrix to specify which rows of the matrix are editable or displayed in a deliverable or activity. Making a metric filterable in a matrix makes it possible for different document owners to edit different parts of the matrix based on the content of the filter metric. Multiple metrics in the matrix can be filterable. This option is only available for List type metrics. See Assigning Metric Filters in Matrices to Deliverables and Activities in Models.

7. Click Apply to save your changes.
8. (Optional) Follow the instructions listed in Restricting Configuration for Matrices to configure access group restrictions.
9. (Optional) Click Process Model Usage on the Security tab to see the list of process models that the matrix is associated with. The list includes all process models the matrix is included in, as well as links to the process model's component tree pages you have Edit access to.

Notes:    To delete a matrix, display the matrix and click Delete. Take caution when deleting matrices, as the data saved within those matrices, such as the system-generated Voting Matrix or data in existing portfolio snapshots, is deleted with it. To delete a metric from a matrix, display the matrix and click next to the metric in the Associated Metrics section. Accolade Portfolio Optimizer is an optional Accolade component that you may not have access to. To implement this solution, contact Sopheon Customer Support. The Included in Reporting and Included in Snapshots columns in the Associated Metrics section are read only.