AX3004

Process Plan Files dialog

Use the Process Plan Files dialog to configure options for plan file processing. This topic provides a reference for the various options in this dialog. Process Plan Files is only available to administrators and to users with the Process Plan Files security permission.

The Process Plan Files dialog has several tabs to define different options. The tabs available in the dialog and the options on those tabs depend on the selected Processing Mode on the Options tab.

  • Options: Defines the overall processing mode and processing options
  • Plan Files: Specifies the plan files to process
  • Axiom Queries: Specifies which Axiom queries to run in plan files (only applies to Normal Processing)
  • Utilities: Specifies which data source to use for utility processing (only applies to Process with Utilities)

Options tab

The Options tab defines various options for processing. Some options vary depending on the selected processing mode, while other options are available for all modes.

General options

Option Description

Processing Mode

Select the type of processing to perform:

  • Normal Processing: Plan files are opened, refreshed, and saved. You can configure which actions occur. For more information, see Processing plan files.

  • Process with Utilities: A list of utilities is iteratively processed per plan file. Utilities are opened, refreshed with data for each plan code, and saved. This is primarily intended for processing form-enabled plan files that use embedded forms. For more information, see Processing plan files with utilities.

  • Update Persistent Plan Files: Update existing plan files for text, formatting, or formula fixes. This is an advanced feature. For more information, see Updating persistent plan files after creation.

  • Process with Custom Utility: Plan files are processed using a custom utility provided by Axiom Support. This is an advanced feature. For more information, see Processing plan files with a custom utility.

The default processing mode is Normal Processing. However, if the file group has been configured so that utility processing is the primary processing mode for that file group, then Process with Utilities is selected by default.

Process Plan Files on

Select one of the following:

  • Axiom Server (default): Process the utility on an Axiom Budgeting and Forecasting for Higher Education Scheduler server. This frees up local resources and allows you to work on other Axiom Budgeting and Forecasting for Higher Education tasks while the utility is being run. When the utility is finished processing, you will receive an email with the results.

  • Local Axiom Client: Process the utility on your local client machine. You cannot work on other Axiom Budgeting and Forecasting for Higher Education tasks while the utility is being run, but when it is finished, the results display immediately.

You might want to process on the server if you are processing a large number of plan files and do not want to wait for the utility to complete before moving on to other tasks. However, if you are only processing a small number of plan files, and you want to see the results immediately, you can process on the client.

If you choose to process on the server, a Scheduler job will be created to process the plan files, with a start time of the current time. These requests are handled by the System.RefreshPlanFiles event handler in Scheduler. The job is run under the identity of the user who initiated the request.

NOTES:  

  • Process with Utilities mode can only be run in the Windows Client (or the Web Server engine). If you are currently in the Excel Client, the local client option is not available.

  • Process with Custom Utility mode can only be run in Excel. If you are currently in the Windows Client, the local client option is not available.

Server Options

By default, Process plan files using the Axiom Web engine is selected and cannot be changed. The Web engine is the Excel-compatible spreadsheet engine used by the Axiom Windows Client and the Axiom Web Client to read Axiom files without using Excel.

In some older systems, the option may be editable, but you cannot disable the option if you are processing on the server. It is no longer supported to perform server-side processing using the Excel Client.

NOTES:  

  • This option is enabled by default and cannot be changed when using Process with Utilities mode.

  • This option is disabled by default and cannot be changed when using Process with Custom Utility mode.

Notification Options

If the process is being executed on the Axiom Server, select one of the following options to specify how you want to be notified when the process is completed. The notification will include error information, if applicable.

  • Notification task pane (default): Display the notification in the Notifications task pane.
  • Email notification: Receive the notification by email, using your email address as defined in Axiom Security.
  • Both notifications: Receive the notification by email and in the Notifications task pane.

Options for Normal Processing mode

If Normal Processing is the selected processing mode, the following additional processing options are available on the Options tab:

Option Description

Save document after processing

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Run Save To Database on plan files after processing

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Create a plan file restore point before processing

If selected, then a plan file restore point will be created before processing begins. This option is not selected by default.

Restore points can be used to restore plan files to the state they were in before changes were made. For more information, see Restoring plan files from restore points.

NOTE: If the file group uses virtual plan files, this option does not apply. Plan files are not saved and therefore restore points are irrelevant.
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Plan Files tab

On the Plan Files tab, specify the plan files that you want to process. There are three different options that you can use to specify the plan files: Choose from list, Use filter, and All. You should use the option that corresponds to how many plan files you want to process—all plan files, or a subset of plan files. If you want to process a subset of plan files, you can select individual files to process or you can use a filter to define the subset.

NOTES:  

  • If a plan file is locked by another user, then it cannot be processed by the Process Plan Files utility. If you select a file that is currently locked by another user, then when you click OK to run the utility, a message box warns you of the locked file and prompts you to choose whether to continue. If you continue, the file lock will be checked again before the file is processed as part of the utility, and if the file is still locked then it will not be processed and an error will be noted in the results.

  • If the file group uses a Show on List column, then any plan code that is set to False will not display in the plan file list and will be ignored when processing.

Process all plan files

To process all plan files, select All. When you start processing, Axiom Budgeting and Forecasting for Higher Education will retrieve the full list of plan files that you have access to and process those plan files.

Process selected plan files

To process certain plan files, select Choose from list, and then select the check boxes for the plan files that you want to process. When you start processing, Axiom Budgeting and Forecasting for Higher Education will process only the selected plan files.

To find the plan files you are looking for, you can sort, filter, and group the list using standard Axiom grid features. You can show additional columns and hide columns by right-clicking in the column header. If you have filtered the list, you can select the check box in the header to select only the plan files that currently display in the dialog.

Process a filtered set of plan files

To use a filter to process a subset of plan files, select Use Filter. When you start processing, Axiom Budgeting and Forecasting for Higher Education will process only the plan files that meet the filter.

You can use the Filter Wizard to create the filter, or you can manually type a filter criteria statement into the filter box. The filter must use the plan code table or a lookup table. For example: DEPT.Region='US West' where Dept is the plan code table.

Once you have entered a filter, you can click Refresh plan file list to show the plan files that currently match the filter. The refresh feature is intended to help you determine whether you have defined the filter correctly.

NOTE: When you define a filter, all plan files that meet the filter are automatically processed. You do not need to select any plan files for processing. If instead you want to filter the list and then individually select some plan files, use the Choose from list option. You can use the grid features to filter the list, and then select the specific plan files that you want to process.

Axiom Queries tab

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Utilities tab

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