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What is TM1 ?

TM1 (Table Manager 1) is a multidimensional, in-memory OLAP database with a cell-orientated structure–like spreadsheets–allowing users to create sophisticated financial models and perform advanced calculations while benefiting from control and governance.


TM1 is an example of a class of software products which implement the principles of the functional database model (link resides outside ibm.com.)

The functional database model was developed from the need to perform “spreadsheet” analysis to large volumes of multidimensional data. This is done by applying database security and governance to overcome the data volume and complexity limitations of the spreadsheet. In TM1, data is stored as multidimensional arrays or "cubes," which can be easily manipulated and analyzed in real-time.

Cell-orientation is a key aspect of TM1. Data is stored and processed at the level of individual cells, rather than in pre-defined structures such as tables or columns. This allows for a high degree of flexibility in modeling and analyzing data, as cells can be easily manipulated and combined to create new views and analyses. Additionally, because cells can be easily linked to other cells or data sources, cell-oriented databases are highly dynamic and can be updated in real-time as new information becomes available.


Evolution of TM1

Manny Perez invented TM1 (Table Manager 1) in 1983 to solve complex, forward-looking business modeling problems associated with budgeting, forecasting and financial reporting. In 1996, Applix purchased Sinper Corporation. Cognos bought Applix in 2007, which was soon after acquired by IBM branding it as IBM Cognos TM1.

In 2016, IBM rebranded the product name to Planning Analytics, reflecting its expanded capabilities beyond traditional business planning and analytics into business intelligence by introducing the web interface–a highly visual, self-service data exploration and dashboarding tool. Currently, TM1 is still used to define IBM Planning Analytics core component–the TM1 Server.