Difference Export

Difference exports compare two hierarchies and output a record for each difference found. You can output this information to a file. You can use this export to report incremental changes to users.

To create a difference export:

  1. On the Home page, select Export.
  2. Click New compare toolbar button.
  3. Select Difference as the export type.
  4. Optional: To create substitution parameters for the export:
    1. Click Add Parameters button.
    2. Click Add and add Key-Value pairs.

      Note:

      Key-Value pairs cannot use "<%" or "%>" sequentially or an equal sign.

    3. Click OK.
  5. On the Source tab, select versions, hierarchies, and top nodes for which you want to export differences.

    Note:

    You must select a hierarchy and top nodes for both the current and previous versions.

    You can select Normal, Baseline, or As-Of versions. The Version list defaults to the Normal versions. To select a Baseline or As-Of version, click Normal under the Version list.

  6. On the Style tab, select from these options:
    • Node Selection — Determines which nodes (All Nodes, Limb Nodes Only, Leaf Nodes Only) are included in the export

    • Join Property — By default, compares map nodes from each hierarchy that have the same name. You can also join nodes based on other properties. For example, if a property named SortCode has a unique key in the specified hierarchies, then this property is used to identify differences between nodes having the same SortCode in each hierarchy.

    • Include Summary — Includes summary of differences in the export result.

    • Additions — Includes all nodes in the target (to) hierarchy that are not in the source (from) hierarchy.

    • Deletions — Includes all nodes in the source (from) hierarchy that are not in the target (to) hierarchy.

    • Merges — Includes merge information in the export (if the merge feature is enabled.)

    • Moves — Includes all nodes that have different parent nodes in the compared hierarchies.

    • Renames — Includes all nodes that have different names but the same internal NodeID in the compared hierarchies.

    • Property Updates — Includes all nodes that have different values in the specified list of properties in the compared hierarchies. Click Edit to select properties.

  7. On the Filter tab, select an option:
    • From Validation, select a validation to apply to the export.

    • From Query, select a query to apply to the export, or, to define a query, click New query button.

      Note:

      The inclusion filter determines the set of nodes from each hierarchy to be compared.

  8. On the Columns tab, select the properties to display as columns in the export results and move them from Available to Selected.

    Tip:

    Use the Category list to select a property category to ease navigation. Use the up and down arrows to position the column in the Selected list. The first item in the list is the first column, the second item in the list is the second column, and so on.

  9. On the Column Options tab, select options:
    • Pivot — If the property contains a comma-delimited list of values, a separate record is exported for each value with all other export columns set to the same values. The Pivot option may be selected on only one column.

    • Skip Defaults — To place a blank (empty string) or NULL (in output to database table) in the export if the field value equals the default value of the property

    • Primary Key — To define a field (or fields) as the primary key to be used when determining if duplicates exist

  10. On the Target tab, select the output type for the results:
    • Client File –– Download results via the browser.

    • Server File –– Use an external connection and save results to a network file system or an FTP directory.

    • Database Table –– Save results to a database table.

  11. Perform an action:
    • If you selected to export to a Client File, select options:

      • Column Headings — Includes column headings in the export.

      • Quoted Strings — Puts quotation marks around each column value. Any existing quotation marks within the column value are doubled.

        For example,

        =IF("ABC","XYZ",)

        changes to

        "=IF(""ABC"",""XYZ"",)"
      • Fixed Width — Allows you to specify field widths, left or right justification for the column, and number of pad characters. You can enter column information in the Fixed Width Option section.

      • Character Encoding — Select one of the encoding options.

      • Replace options — Select up to three characters from the lists to be replaced. All instances in the export are replaced as specified. For example, all commas can be replaced by tabs.

      • Header/Footer — Add a line between the header/footer and the body or enter text to be printed on the header and footer of the export results. Enter lines of text into the text box or click Ellipsis button to open a text editor.

        Note:

        You can insert customization tags to further enhance the readability of the export results. For more information, see Customization Tags.

      • Delimiter options — To select a field delimiter character and a record delimiter character.

    • If you selected to export to a Server File, you must set your connection and enter a file name. You must have already set up a valid external connection to a UNC or FTP file. You can also select from these options:

      • Column Headings — Includes column headings

      • Quoted Strings — Puts quotation marks around each column value. Any existing quotation marks within the column value are doubled.

        For example,

        =IF("ABC","XYZ",)

        changes to

        "=IF(""ABC"",""XYZ"",)"
      • Fixed Width — Allows you to specify field widths, left or right justification for the column, and number of pad characters. You can enter column information in the Fixed Width Option section.

      • Character Encoding — Select one of the encoding options.

      • Replace options — Select up to three characters from the lists to be replaced. For example, commas can be replaced by tabs

      • Header/Footer — Add a line between the header/footer and the body or enter text to be printed on the header and footer of the export results. Enter lines of text into the text box or click Ellipsis button to open a text editor.

        Note:

        You can insert customization tags to further enhance the readability of the export results. For more information, see Customization Tags.

      • Delimiter options — To select a field delimiter character and a record delimiter character

  12. Do any of the following:
    • To save the export, click Save button.

      You are prompted to define a name, description, and an object access group for the export. Select a custom group or one of the following:

      • User — Personal objects that are available only to an individual user to view and run.

      • Standard — Public objects that are available to all users to view and run. Only Data Manager users can create and modify standard exports.

      • System — Restricted objects that are available only to Application Administrator role users to view and run.

    • To run the export, click Run button.

      If you selected Client File, you have a download option where you can download the file locally.