Refreshing a cost model

The details of a cost model are modified each time you update any related source of data. For example, if you make changes to a technical service model, it in turn impacts any cost model that uses that technical service model element. Similarly if you change allocation of a resource element in various cost models, all models that use that resource must reflect the allocation changes.

The IT Service Cost Modeler window displays a refresh icon when any data related to the cost model has changed and is not yet available in the cost model.
Some of the scenarios where a cost model might require refresh are as follows:

• The foundation data is updated.
• The allocation data for an element used in the model is modified.
• Any shared element is updated to modify children elements or cost data.
• The direct cost of the associated service is updated.
• The book currency of the application is changed.
  
  BMC IT Business Management Suite provides the following options to automatically refresh the cost models whenever there is any change in the underlying element values:
• Auto-refresh option in the New Cost Model window
   Set this option for the software to automatically refresh the cost model if there are any changes to the underlying elements. By default, this option is selected. You can de-select this option if you need to see the original values defined for the elements in a cost model before you refresh the cost model for updated values.
   The software is set to auto-refresh cost models at the interval of five minutes.
• Refresh Required column in the list of cost models in the Cost Models window
   A check mark appears in the Refresh Required column for any cost model that is out-of-date and requires a refresh. You can use this column to identify the cost models that require refresh.
• Refresh selected Cost Models option in the Cost Models window
   Use this option to manually refresh the cost models listed in the Cost Models window. To refresh the cost models, select the cost model(s) from the list of cost models by clicking on the checkbox in the Select column and click Refresh selected Cost Models option.
   The software automatically refreshes all cost elements that are set to automatically refresh (using the Auto-refresh option).

• Auto-refresh option in the Properties tab of a cost model
   Similar to the Auto-refresh option in the New Cost Model window, you can set this option to automatically refresh the cost model. The software is set to autorefresh cost models at the interval of five minutes. To set the refresh interval to any other value, a system administrator can specify the value in the SCHEDULER_COST_MODEL_REFRESH_JOB configuration parameter in the
   magick URL interface.

  Cost model refresh notification

  In a dynamic business environment, the users can continuously update cost models to reflect the actual service environment and values. It is therefore important for the users to be aware if the underlying values in a cost model have changed. Based on this information, the user can decide to track the changes or update the cost model. The software now sends notification each time a cost model requires a refresh or if a cost model is refreshed with updated values.
   The software sends the notification to the following set of users:

• Users that appear in the Modelers field in a cost model window. A Modeler list typically contains the name of the user that creates the cost model. The user can optionally update the list to add or remove the names of users from this list. You can use this list to send notification to users related to a particular cost model (s).
• Users that are added to the notification list by the system administrator.