Have you ever wondered why, after creating a new dataset and going through the typing layer process, your columns ended up in a random order? Or have you questioned what pattern, if any, determines their sequence?

We're happy to announce that we've addressed this issue. Moving forward, the columns in your datasets will retain their original order after creation. This update doesn't alter your data; it simply restores the initial order that was present when the dataset was first uploaded. As before, any new columns generated through transformations will still be added at the end.

And not only that, with this new improvement we are also allowing you to manually reorder columns within your dataset. This will also ensure that your preferred column order is preserved for drill-through purposes.

What's New?

We’ve introduced powerful enhancements to our AI Summary feature, giving you greater control over the generated summaries and the type of analysis provided. Now, you can:

• Focus on Specific Dimensions: Select a dimension from the list (e.g., Region) to receive a summary that provides detailed insights related to that dimension.

• Adjust Summary Length and Complexity: Refine the AI-generated summaries in draft state with the following options:

  • Make Shorter: Condense summaries by removing redundant phrases and focusing on key information.
  • Make Longer: Expand summaries with additional details and supporting information.
  • Simplify: Rewrite complex language for better clarity and accessibility.

How does it work?

• Generate Summary:

  • Click on the pencil button on the top right of your table.
  • Choose between the existing Quick summary or the new Focus on dimension option.
  • If focusing on a dimension, select one from the list.

• Draft State:

  • The AI-generated summary will be in a draft state, visible only to you.
  • Options available while in draft:
    • Post Summary: Convert it to a call-out block for further formatting and editing.
    • Cancel: Delete the AI Summary.
    • Make Shorter/Make Longer/Simplify: Use these presets to refine the summary further.

Note: When using the "Focus on dimension" option with dimensions that have high granularity and many variables, you might encounter an error due to the large amount of data being processed.

If you don’t see this feature as active, please reach out to your main point of contact at Abacum.

What's New?

We've revamped our filters system to enhance usability and prepare for future features seamlessly. Now filters operate on an an opt-in model:

• Only actively applied filters are displayed, reducing visual noise.
• Managing filters is now simpler and more intuitive.

Why?

Previously, our filters caused confusion and clutter:

• All dimension filters were displayed, even when not in use.
• Active filters were only visible at the top of the space, which required scrolling.
• It was challenging to see which dimensions items were filtered.

We’re gearing up for advanced features, including space filters for members, requiring a consistent and intuitive UX across Spaces and Table Builder.

How does it work?

Functionality remains unchanged, but the UX is streamlined:

• No badges appear on the filter icon by default when no filters are applied.
• To apply filters, click the filter icon, select dimensions, and choose items.
• Easily manage filters by clicking and selecting "Remove."
• Admins have full control, while members can view applied filters.

More information?

Please visit the tables filters and spaces filters Academy pages. 

We've made some improvements to the appearance and usability of our datasets tables:

• Enhanced readability: Text no longer gets cut off, and margins and paddings have been adjusted for a cleaner look.
• New background design: A more aesthetically pleasing background has been implemented.
• Improved cell padding: Cells now have better padding for improved readability and usability.
• Refined locked icon: The locked icon has been redesigned for a more intuitive look.
• Enhanced icon margins: Icons now have improved spacing for a cleaner and more organized appearance.

Until now, reordering steps within dataset transformations was not possible. This often led to frustration and wasted time, as you had to delete and recreate transformations to adjust their sequence.

What's new?

In our latest release, we're excited to introduce a drag-and-drop functionality within transformation steps. This improvement allows you to effortlessly reorder steps without the need for deletion or recreation.

How does it work?

What's New?

You can now download and upload Version excel files of variables with the following input types: Yearly, Constant, and Start and End dates.

How Does it Improve Your Experience?

Previously, you could only update the manual inputs of variables with monthly input types. Now, with the ability to bulk update version values for Yearly, Constant, and Start/End dates input types via Version excel upload, you no longer need to manage this solely through the manual input panel in the platform.

Simply go to the versions page, select the version, model, and variables you wish to download, update your budget/forecast values in the Excel file on these new fields, upload it, and verify the updated values in your models! 

Additionally, we've revamped the version Excel file for better visualization and understanding, making it clearer which inputs and dimension columns need to be updated for each variable.

Set consistent colors for table backgrounds and column headers across your organization with ease.

What Does This Feature Do?

You can now define default colors for your tables' background and various column headers such as time frames, actuals, forecasts, budgets, variances, and more directly from the organization settings. This ensures that all your current tables and new columns will automatically adhere to your predefined styles, eliminating the need for manual adjustments.

Why is it important?

• Consistency across all tables: Achieve a unified and on-brand appearance for all tables within your organization.
• Time-saving: Reduce the time spent manually coloring headers cell by cell. New columns will automatically adopt your set styles.
• Flexibility: Easily detach specific tables from your company settings for more customization. This allows you to tailor individual tables without affecting the overall organization settings.

How does it work?

Navigate to "Company settings", select the "Tables" section, and configure your preferred colors for table backgrounds and column headers. These settings will automatically apply to all current and new tables and columns, ensuring a consistent look across your data. If needed, you can detach specific tables from the company settings at the table level, providing greater customization.

Take into consideration that existing cell, column and row level styles will not be impacted by these changes as they take precedence over the new settings.

For more information about the feature, please visit the Academy.

If you cannot see the feature as active, please contact your Abacum point of contact or reach out to Support.

We're excited to announce another big step towards enabling your autonomy! Now, you can independently add custom fields to your integrations.

For integrations like HiBob, Personio, and BambooHR, you often need to include fields available in the native API that aren't standard in our integration. Previously, accessing these fields required intervention from the FP&A team, preventing you from completing the integration setup independently. A similar issue occurred with the NetSuite integration, where you could not add custom segments or transaction fields independently.

We've now addressed this issue!

From the integrations settings, you can now follow these simple steps:

1. Navigate to the Integrations section in Abacum.
2. Find your HiBob, Personio, BambooHR, or NetSuite connection and click on the "Add Custom Fields" action.
3. Select the fields you want to incorporate into your connection. Changes will apply after syncing related datasets and will appear as new fields.

Find more detailed information about each specific integration in their specific integration details pages.

- HiBob

- Personio

- BambooHR

- NetSuite

Imagine you're working on your 2024 forecast:

• You have actual data up to March 2024.
• You have forecast data from April 2024 onwards.

You may want to save this version as your "2024 Forecast - March" and then compare it with your "2024 Forecast - April" and subsequent months' forecasts.  But the current system doesn't let you save both the actual data and the forecast together, making it hard to see rolling version changes over time. Ideally, this comparison should show no deviations in Q1 2024 if actuals remain unchanged, allowing for precise tracking of model snapshot changes.

We're introducing a new functionality to let you duplicate your full rolling forecast, including both actual data and future projections.

How does this work?

• Click on the version you want to duplicate.
• Click on "Duplicate as manual inputs" and then choose "Rolling version values".

This will save actuals up to the version switchover date and version values from that point onwards. Learn more about this functionality in this link ↗︎. 

With this new feature, you’ll be able to track your forecast changes more effectively, ensuring a smoother and more accurate forecasting process.

We're excited to announce a significant update that puts you in full control of your integrations!

Security is paramount for us, and we understand that creating user accounts for our team or sharing credentials through any system can create significant friction.

We are launching a new section in our app that allows you to autonomously set up and manage any integration. This means you can now:

• Securely set up new connections on your own.
• Reauthenticate your accounts anytime if there are issues with credentials.

How does it work?

• Go to the integrations section in the app.
• Click on "Connect" to set up a new connection.
• Manage existing connections by renaming, deleting, or reauthenticating them as needed.

Find all the details for each integration on our Abacum Academy.