Erase data

Erase Data lets authorized users remove database values for specified dimension members and to replace the existing values with null values. Some business reasons for clearing database values might be to re-initialize a period or to remove irrelevant data.

Due to the permanent effects of this process, certain safe-guards are in place to protect data from unintended erasure, as listed below:

• The ability to erase data is based on security roles (controller or administrator) and read-write access assigned by the administrator. Unauthorized users attempting to use this process receive a message informing them they do not have the required permission to run the request.
• Descendants of the Unit or custom dimension members are not included in the Erase command unless specifically selected.
• (Optional) The financial tables affected by the Erase command and the total number of rows affected in the tables can be displayed for review and confirmation prior to data erasure.

This chapter applies only to controllers and administrators with read-write security.

Best practices

• We recommend erasing small amounts of data at a time. This maximizes performance and minimizes chances of inadvertently erasing data or exceeding the memory currently available in CPM Server.
• To ensure that data is erased properly for the selected schedules:
  • Select schedules with the same periodicity. For example, select either monthly schedules or quarterly schedules, but not both at the same time.
  • For the start and end periods, select the Period dimension members that are considered to be leaf members of the periodicity of the selected schedules.