(Apply Calc Method Changes utility)
When calc methods are changed after plan files are already built out, those changes are not reflected in the plan files (unless the plan files are designed as rebuildable / virtual). If you want the change to apply to plan files, you must either rebuild plan files from the template, or you must use the Apply Calc Method Changes utility to update calc methods in existing plan files.
Using this utility, you can update the entire calc method in plan files, or you can update only a portion of the calc method. If you want to update portions of the calc method, you will need to specify ranges within the utility setup. It is a good idea to write down the applicable ranges before starting to configure the utility, so that you have the information at hand. For example, if you want to update columns T through Z of the first row of the calc method, this is noted as T1:Z1. If you want to update column T within all six rows of a six-row calc method, this is noted as T1:T6. You can then specify how you want the update to be applied for that portion—for example, change formulas and formatting, or formulas only, or formatting only.
If instead you choose to update the entire calc method, then the update behavior is the same as when using the Change Calc Method feature in plan files. In this case, you are changing from the old version of the calc method to the new version of the calc method. Make sure you are familiar with the change rules so that you understand how the update will occur (see Change calc method rules).
When you run the utility, you specify which calc methods to update (and which portions if applicable), and then you specify the plan files to process. You can run the utility in two modes:
- Test mode: You can select a single plan file to be updated on the client, so that you can test the update before processing multiple plan files. If the changes are not working as you intended, then you can simply not save the plan file.
- Production mode: Select multiple plan files to update, to be processed on the Axiom Scheduler Server. The plan files are saved as part of the processing.
NOTE: Your templates must be enabled for validation in order to use this utility. The utility depends on the calc method validation codes in order to perform updates in plan files. For more information, see Template validation.
To update existing plan files for calc method changes:
-
Open a template that contains the sheet name for the applicable calc method library, and go to that sheet.
You can also start the utility from within a plan file, but in that case you will not be able to update the plan file that you have open.
-
On the Axiom tab, in the Advanced group, click CM Library > Apply Calc Method Changes.
The Apply Calc Method Changes dialog opens. This dialog has two tabs. On the Select Calc Method tab you select calc methods to update in plan files. On the Select Plan Files tab, you specify which plan files to update.
-
On the Select Calc Methods tab, click Add to select a calc method to update. Repeat this process until you have added all calc methods that you want to update in this utility.
NOTE: If you previously configured this utility within the current Axiom Software session, you can load that prior configuration by clicking the Load Previous Configuration link in the top right corner of the dialog. If no previous configuration is available then this link will not be present.
-
By default, the entire calc method will be updated in plan files. If instead you want to specify a particular portion of the calc method to update, select the calc method in the list and then click Edit.
For more information on how to specify a portion of the calc method to update, see Changing only specified portions of a calc method.
-
On the Select Plan Files tab, select either Test Mode or Production Mode as the update mode. Then, specify the plan file(s) to update:
-
If you selected Test Mode, then select a single plan file to test the updates. For more information, see Test mode.
- If you selected Production Mode, then select all plan files that you want to update. The selection process is similar to the Process Plan Files utility—you can select individual plan files in the list, or you can use a filter to specify plan files, or you can process all plan files. For more information, see Production mode.
In this example, test mode is selected, so the changes will be applied to the selected plan file (Dept 23000).
-
-
Click OK to begin processing. A message box displays the number of plan files you are about to update, and asks you to confirm that you want to continue. If you are using production mode, then the message also informs you that a restore point will be created before the process begins, so that if necessary you can restore any plan files to the state they were in before running the utility (see Restoring plan files from restore points).
-
Click Yes to continue. If the number of plan files is not as expected, you can click No to cancel the process and return to the Apply Calc Method Changes dialog.
The process begins, using either test mode or production mode.
NOTE: If you use the utility to update a calc method that is associated with a master sheetA designated sheet in a plan file template that end users can use to add new sheets to plan files., the calc method will be updated in all copied sheets that use the same calc method library as the master sheet.
Changing only specified portions of a calc method
By default, if a calc method is listed in the Select Calc Methods tab, then the utility will update the entire calc method in plan files. Alternatively, you can specify a particular portion of the calc method to update, leaving the rest of the existing calc method unchanged.
-
Select the calc method in the Select Calc Methods tab, and then click Edit.
-
In the Calc Method Changes dialog, click Add to specify the change to be made to this calc method.
-
In the Calc Method Change dialog, define the range to update and the change type, and then click OK.
Item Description Ranges Specify one or more ranges to update within the calc method. Separate multiple ranges with commas.
Ranges are relative to the first row of the calc method. For example, if you want to update columns A through F of the first row of the calc method, this is noted as A1:F1. If you want to update column F within all six rows of a six-row calc method, this is noted as F1:F6.
Change Type Specify the change type as either Formulas and Formatting (default), Formulas only, or Formatting only. 
-
Repeat steps 2 and 3 until you have added all desired changes for the calc method. You can add as many changes as desired. After you have defined one or more changes, the Calc Method Changes dialog looks like the following example screenshot.
- If you need to edit a range or a change type, select the change and then click Edit.
- If you need to delete a change, select the change and then click Delete.
-
When you are finished adding changes, click OK to close the Calc Method Changes dialog and return to the Select Calc Methods tab.
Your specific changes to the calc method are now noted in the dialog, as shown in the following example:
When running the utility in test mode, the selected plan file is opened in the client and updated. You can then check the updates to be sure they were applied as expected.
If the test was successful then you can save the plan file, or you can close it without saving and then include it when you run the utility in production mode.
If the test was not successful, then you can make further changes and test the utility again. The issue may be with the calc method itself (perhaps the modifications to the calc method were not correct) or with the utility configuration (perhaps the range to update was incorrect, or the change type was incorrect).
After running the utility in test mode, you want to be able to access the utility configuration again to re-test it or to run it in production mode. Your previous configuration will be saved for the duration of the current Axiom Software session. The next time you enter CM Library > Apply Calc Method Changes, you will have the option to Load Previous Configuration instead of starting from scratch.
This option will be available until you exit Axiom Software; at that point the utility configuration will be cleared.
When running the utility in production mode, the selected plan files are processed by the Axiom Scheduler Server. Each plan file is updated according to the utility configuration, and then the plan file is saved.
NOTE: A save-to-database is not performed as part of this utility. If the calc method changes resulted in data changes that you want to save to the database, then you should run Process Plan Files once the utility is finished.
A notification will display in the Notifications task pane when the processing is complete. If any errors occurred during processing, this will be detailed in the notification.
