How to use Raedfast online help

How to navigate help

Modellers new to the system

If you are an end-user new to the system, you can use the online help as a tutorial.

The context diagram below provides a quick overview of the system.

After that you are advised to begin with the model output from the Raedfast database as you have it, using section Viewing model output as a guide. This will introduce you to the essential structure of the Raedfast model, in terms of Measures, Dimensions, Rollups, Steps and Scenarios.

Move on to section Changing the model. This will take you through the basic Raedfast modelling loop — copying a model step, making a simple change, attaching the new step to a new scenario, processing the new scenario, and reviewing the output in Excel.

You may then wish to experiment with dimension rollups, to create new rollups for the purposes of analysing model outputs. To understand how to do this, look at section Editing dimensions and rollups.

Refreshing data in an existing model

Even before making significant modifications to your model, you may wish to refresh the historical data which the model uses to provide a model baseline. To do this using the Raedfast Excel Add-In, refer to section Loading baseline data.

Alternatively you can load data using Sql Server. See section Loading Data via SQL in the System Administration area to see how to do this.

Experienced modellers

Once you have grasped the essentials, and are ready to move into more detail, you can use section Rule-writing in depth to explore the creation of model steps and rules from scratch.

Then section Building a model outlines how the various Raedfast functions can be applied to the different planning moves involved in building a full model.

System administrators

System administrators should refer to the sections under System Administration in the navigation bar at the top of the page, for guidance on installation, licensing, security, reporting and loading data via SQL.

Reference material

The Function catalogue section provides a detailed description of the operation of each of the model functions used in creating modelling assumptions.

The Task catalogue provides a description of the operation of each Raedfast Task. Tasks are the functions listed when you click on the Tasks button on the Main Menu screen of the front-end. A Task may add a measure to the model, or backup the database, or report the use of each business dimension in model rules, and so on.