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Hi Tarjei,
The cluster ID functionality is not yet documented so I can see why you've posted about this in the forum.
Module component cluster IDs are used to provide greater control of the positioning of module components when modules are inserted into a modular workbook.
By default, module components are positioned based on their module area order index, module order index and type - i.e. an assumptions component within an operating expenditure module located within the Revenue & Expenses module area will be positioned after all assumptions module components in module areas with a lower module area index, and all assumptions module component located within modules with a lower order index. Module components are also by default placed on sheets separated by module area.
This is why if you insert all the modules for a 3-way financial model it will by default result in module components grouped by module area separated into assumptions and outputs sheets.
The cluster ID property overrides this default behaviour and, unless not possible due to things like different time series period titles sets, ensures that module components with the same cluster ID are always positioned immediately alongside each other on the same sheet. The order within the module component cluster is then determined my the module area and module order indices of the components within the cluster.
This feature was added when we built the scenario analysis functionalities into modules, because we wanted to ensure that the scenario assumptions module component within each module containing scenario assumptions was automatically positioned within a cluster below the scenario manager module header component. You can see the use of the cluster ID for the revenue scenario assumptions module component below:
This ability to more specifically control the automatic placement of module components alongside other related module components, which can be in other modules and module areas and be assumptions or outputs, etc., is extremely powerful when creating complex module libraries with modules to be inserted into a starting dynamic template.
We are using this functionality heavily when building project finance module libraries as they require very specific placement of module components such as debt funding components, which ideally need to be placed in a cluster when creating a construction funding waterfall analysis.
This is obviously very complex stuff, so let us know if you'd like our team to provide your team with a demo/Q&A session.
Cheers, Michael.
Hi Mike
Thanks for the thorough response - your answer and example makes sense and I can use the cluster ID to group together component as required now.
May I ask, in which instance would the "Position" dropdown boxes become active?
Cheers, T
Hi Tarjei,
The position drop down boxes allow you to specify the default insertion positioning of module components relative to other module components within the same module.
Time series-based module components will always be inserted in order on time series sheets based on their required period titles sets, but blank components can be set to insert on time series sheets alongside their sibling components using these settings, as shown below.
These settings probably need to be updated to allow for the fact that we now allow assumptions and outputs components based on the same time series set to be positioned on the same sheet, but the software doesn't currently allow this. M.