Push data to Cube directly from your spreadsheet to update and democratize source data for accurate reporting and forecasting. The next time you or your team needs to use that data, it can be fetched or pulled into your spreadsheet using the Spreadsheet add-on.
Publishing basics
Publishing from the Spreadsheet add-on pushes the data you've selected to the cloud to be organized and saved. Understanding how publishing works and the rules is necessary for smooth publishing.
Every successful publish sends data to Cube
A publish can't be undone. If data needs to be updated again, you can change data in your spreadsheet and do another publish. You'll want to be sure your spreadsheet and data are ready to publish before performing this step.
Note: Actuals can never be published over. Write protection ensures data imported from your source system can’t be overwritten. Learn more about write protection.
Publish only to child dimensions or editable Scenarios
Because data is stored at the child dimension level (read more about dimensions), only child dimensions can receive data. Other dimensions, like parents and those sourced from formulas or tags, calculate their value from child dimensions and, therefore, cannot be published to.
Attempts to publish to other dimensions will result in an error message like the one below:
Learn more about our data model.
Also, confirm the Scenario you’re publishing to isn't write-protected or blocked. For example, Cube won't replace your actuals data and secures it against changes using write protection. This prevents accidental overwriting by publishers. Your team can also block scenarios from being overwritten to maintain version control, like when comparing estimated budgets versus actual budgets.
Cube will produce an error message like the one below if you attempt to publish to a scenario that isn't editable:
Publishing can be limited by role or range
User permissions play a crucial role in data publishing within Cube. Users need appropriate account permissions and range-specific publish access to ensure secure updates and control. This safeguards your data and activates the publish function in the Spreadsheet add-on. Cube prioritizes data security, so ensuring users have the right permissions is key for seamless publishing. Without the correct permissions, the publish button in the Spreadsheet add-on will be inactive.
Learn more about the best practices for publishing.
How to publish
Ready to start pushing your data to Cube from your workbooks? Learn the steps and options for publishing below.
Define a range
First, create an active range in your sheet. You can select a pre-formatted range, build one from your dimensions in the Cube portal, or open an existing template.
Then you can publish from the Spreadsheet add-on in a few ways:
- Publish data all in a range. Example: Headcount planning
- Publish only certain cells within a range. Example: Salary changes
- Publishing additional details with your data. Example: Transaction codes or memos
Publish all data in a range
Publishing all data in the defined range is helpful when changing a lot of data at once, such as with headcount planning.
1. Confirm that the active range does not include parent, formula, or write-protected scenario dimensions.
2. Make the changes in appropriate cells; under Publish > Data, select the Publish Data button.
3. Communicate context to changes in the audit trail by including a message in your publish using the text box.
4. Select the Publish Data button to execute the publish. If the publish was successful, you'll receive a green confirmation notification in your Spreadsheet add-on.
Publish only certain cells within a range
If you only make a few changes to your data, such as with salary changes, you can publish specific cells within the larger range you've defined.
1. Highlight the cells you want to publish within the existing range.
Learn more about building a range if you haven't selected your range already.
2. Under Publish > Data, check the box next to Use selected area to publish only the cells highlighted.
3. Add a message if you would like to communicate the context in the audit trail.
4. Select the Publish Data button to execute the publish. If the publish was successful, you'll receive a green confirmation notification in your Spreadsheet add-on.
Publishing additional details with your data
If you want to include additional attributes or the details you see when drilling down into your data, use the Set Attributes function within the Publish section of the Spreadsheet add-on.
Learn more about using the Drilldown feature.
Learn our recommended best practices for publishing.
If you're receiving errors when publishing, investigate what might be going wrong.