Optimize input values to meet a target

Use target-based optimization to determine the input values required to achieve a specific business objective, such as a revenue target. Optimize recalculates one or more selected input measures and updates them with the values needed to achieve the specified result.

Prerequisites

Before you begin, review the Prerequisites section for Optimize to understand the initial setup requirements.

Achieve a target on a calculated field

To demonstrate target-based optimization, set a target for the calculated field Profit forecast by optimizing independent variables - Revenue Forecast, Purchase Forecast, Advertising Forecast, and Transport Forecast.

You can optimize values at any hierarchy level. In this example, optimize at the total level. When Optimize runs on a parent cell, it recalculates the required change and distributes the updated value to the underlying editable child cells.

1. Select the target cell in the calculated measure. In the Planning ribbon, select Optimize. In this example, select the target cell from the Profit Forecast measure.

1. To achieve a specific target, set Objective to Target and enter the target value. In this example, set the target value to 45m.

1. Select the data input or forecast measures (independent variables) to optimize from Variables to Update. In this case, Optimize adjusts the Revenue Forecast, Purchase Forecast, Advertising Forecast, and Transport Forecast to achieve the target Profit Forecast. Select Next.

1. Select Add Constraint to define the minimum and maximum limits for the data input measure. For more information, see Configure optimization thresholds.

Adding constraints is optional. Directly select Run to skip defining constraints; however, as a best practice, explicitly specify constraints for all the independent measures used in Optimize.

1. Choose the measure to apply the constraint from Apply to Variable. Select Range for the Set Type option. Enter the minimum and maximum optimization thresholds.

1. Select Apply. Select Add to specify additional constraints. Select Run after you define all the constraints.

1. Review the adjusted values, then select Apply to update the independent measures with the optimized values. For more information about Optimize parameters, see Adjust parameters to achieve targets.

1. Optimize increases the Profit Forecast to 45m from 43.92m after adjusting independent measures within the specified constraints. Since you applied Optimize to a total value, the update is cascaded to all the related child dimensions.

Optimize doesn't change the values of locked cells. The target value is achieved by adjusting the values of editable cells.