Background

The task of bringing new recording artists and video directors to the attention of the world requires tremendous vision, knowledge of what works and a strong willingness to try something new. Those qualities are also evident on MTV's business side, which has successfully solved many of its financial data integrity problems by adopting Applix TM1.

MTV Networks operates nine cable channels around the globe, including MTV, Nickelodeon, and VH-1. Its financial planning department is responsible for overseeing costs of its widespread operations.

The Need for Seamless Financial Consolidation

In September 1993, when Jeff Polner joined the financial planning department, he inherited a system for handling financial consolidations that was so unwieldy that it actually interfered with budget analysis. The department was using Microsoft Excel's calculation environment, handling consolidations through a series of linked spreadsheets. Because the general ledger data was on an AS/400 J.D. Edwards application, it had to be manually input from the profit & loss statements. He immediately began pushing for MTV to move to Applix TM1.

"Anytime you have data that's more than two-dimensional," observes Polner, "that is, beyond columns and rows, you need to think 'TM1' because it allows you to look at data with an added dimension. It's really a magnificent tool."

The Applix Solution

With Applix TM1, instead of numbers being manually entered into a spreadsheet, analyses are created by pulling data from tables. What's more, the system now has bona fide data integrity because "all the information is coming from one place," says Polner. Another key point generating enthusiasm for Applix TM1 at MTV was that is functioned as an add-on to Excel, so users were comfortable and training was minimal.

Polner's push to give Applix a prime time tryout has been a rousing success. Applix TM1 provided cross-dimensional analysis with improved storage, manipulation, and organization of the network's data, all integrated smoothly into MTV's operations. "TM1 is really a management tool," he reasons. "Now I'm constantly evaluating to see what other reporting and analysis problems TM1 can solve."