Getting Started & Initial Setup - FAQs and troubleshooting

Setup prerequisites and sequence

Q: What is the correct order for completing the initial setup?

A: Follow this sequence:

Platform settings (first):

Data and model setup (second):

Skipping or re-ordering these steps can result in missing reference data, unmapped spend, or incomplete dashboards.

Q: Which role is needed to complete the initial setup?

A: The Admin role is required. Admin has full platform access, including user management, settings, Designer, and all functional areas. The Cost Model Manager role has similar access but cannot add, manage, or provision users. For the complete role matrix, see Users.

Q: What is the difference between an Admin and a Cost Model Manager?

A: Both roles have access to Designer, models, settings, and most administrative areas. The key difference:

Q: What should be in place before users start using dashboards and reports?

A: Before teams rely on dashboards, reports, analytics, or Ask Yarken, confirm the following foundations are in place:

1. Access to Yarken with the correct administrator role

2. Master data loaded (Accounts, Cost Centers, Vendors, Solution Offerings, Consumers)

3. Spend, budget, or forecast data is load loaded

4. TBM allocation is completed

5. Entity access and currency settings confirmed

Yarken includes default entities and a base currency based on your environment configuration. See Getting Started for the full setup checklist.

Default settings and financial years

Q: What do Default Settings control and why do they matter?

A: Default Settings define the baseline values the application uses for:

Changes to these settings affect dashboards, analytics, planning, reporting, and filter behavior.

Q: How do financial years work in Yarken?

A: Each financial year uses the start month defined in Default Settings. For example, if the financial year start month is set to April, a financial year added as 2024 runs from April 2024 to March 2025.

Key behaviors:

• Yarken includes the current and previous financial year by default

• You can add new financial years via Admin → Settings → Financial Years → + ADD NEW

• Yarken prevents deletion of a financial year that already contains data or reports

• The From and To periods are calculated automatically based on the start month

Q: Can I change the financial year start month after data has been loaded?

A: Yes, but proceed with caution. Changing the start month recalculates the From and To period for every financial year. This affects how months are sequenced in filters across dashboards, analytics, planning, and reporting. Review the impact on existing data and reports before making changes.

Data Dictionary and templates

Q: What is the Data Dictionary and when should I use it?

A: The Data Dictionary provides a centralized view of all data fields available across Yarken. Use it to:

• Download predefined templates for data uploads (master data, spend, assets, etc.)

• Review field names, descriptions, data types, and mandatory flags

• Understand the business impact (high or low severity) of missing data in each field

• Troubleshoot upload errors caused by missing or incorrect fields

Navigate to Admin → Data Dictionary, select a data table, and click DOWNLOAD. The system downloads a ZIP containing a .csv template and an .xlsx data dictionary with field definitions. See Data Dictionary.

Q: What file formats does Yarken support for data uploads?

A: Yarken supports the following formats for master data and expense uploads:

• .xlsx (Excel)

• .csv (Comma-separated values)

Always use the predefined template from the Data Dictionary to ensure file headers align with Yarken fields. This improves auto-mapping during upload and reduces validation errors.

Master data loading

Q: What master data needs to be loaded before expenses?

A: The following master data must be available before loading expenses:

Without master data, expense records cannot be mapped through the TBM cost flow.

Q: Can I add master data manually instead of uploading a file?

A: Yes. Use manual entry when creating or updating a small number of records:

Q: Is master data shared across all model periods?

A: Yes. Master data is persistent across all model periods.

Models and expenses

Q: What are models in Yarken and what types are available?

A: Models define how data is grouped, allocated, and analyzed. Yarken supports three model types:

Yarken includes default models, and administrators can create custom models for parallel scenarios or different planning strategies. See Create and manage custom models.

Q: What happens if I delete a custom model?

A: Deleting a model removes all associated expenses and rules linked to that model. This action is irreversible. Verify that the model is no longer needed before deleting.

Q: What are the prerequisites before loading expenses?

A: Before loading expenses, ensure:

• Accounts, Cost Centers, and Vendors (if vendor-level reporting or mapping is required) are available in Master Data

• Select the correct model (Spend, Budget, or Forecast) and year

• The upload file contains all mandatory fields in a supported format (.xlsx or .csv)

Troubleshooting initial setup issues

Financial year not appearing in filters or dashboards

Cause: The financial year has not been added in Settings, or the Default Settings are pointing to a different current year.

Resolution:

1. Verify the required year exists

2. If missing, add the year from Admin → Settings → Financial Years

3. Review the calculated From and To periods — they are based on the start month defined in Default Settings

Master data upload fails or records are not created

Cause: The upload file is missing mandatory fields, uses an incorrect template, or has formatting issues.

Resolution:

1. Download the correct template from Admin → Data Dictionary for the dataset (Accounts, Cost Centers, Vendors, Solution Offerings, or Consumers)

2. Verify all mandatory fields are populated

3. Re-upload and review the field mapping screen — adjust any unmapped columns manually

Incorrect month sequence in filters after changing financial year start month

Cause: The financial year start month was changed in Default Settings, which recalculates the month sequence across the platform.

Resolution:

1. Confirm the Financial Year Start Month is correct

2. Review all existing financial years in Admin → Settings → Financial Years — the From and To periods will reflect the new start month

3. Clear browser cache and reload to ensure the updated sequence appears correctly

Settings changes not reflecting across the platform

Cause: Some settings affect multiple areas of the product (dashboards, analytics, planning, reporting, user access, search). Changes may require a browser refresh to take effect.

Resolution:

1. Clear browser cache and reload the application

2. Verify the setting was saved successfully — look for a confirmation indicator

Related content

• Getting started

• General settings