Importing Data

After you import dimensions, you can populate the application with data from a data import file.

Before importing data, you must:

  • Define or load metadata and refresh the database. See Importing Metadata,

  • Prepare the data load file. Source data must be in a business process-specific data file format or in an Oracle Essbase data file format.

  • Ensure the data load files do not contain any thousands separators, quotes, and so on, around data values. Up to one single . (decimal point) character is supported.

  • Ensure the data import file type is .csv, .txt, or .zip.

You can create a data import file based on a template, or you can generate one based on the source system. To use a template, run the export data process in your business process and use the exported file as a template. See .Exporting Data

Note:

When importing data, no validation is performed on intersections to determine which are valid, and data is loaded into all intersections. To review data that has been loaded into invalid intersections, run the Invalid Intersection report before importing data to see and clear invalid intersections. See Working With Invalid Intersection Reports.

To import data:

  1. From the Home page, select Application, and then select Overview.

  2. On the Application page, select Actions, and then Import Data.

  3. On the Import Data page, click Create.

  4. Select the Location of the data import file:

    Note: Valid data import file types are .csv, .txt, or .zip.

  5. Select the Source Type of the data import file:

    • Select Default to load data in a business process-specific data file format.

      If you select Default, enter the following data import options:

      Table 3-4 Default Data Import Options

      Data Import Option Description
      File Type

      Choose a file type:

      • Comma delimited

      • Tab delimited

      • Other

      Note the following:

      • If an import error occurs during a business process-specific data load, the import will continue to load valid data (partial load). Any errors are noted in the import and export status. See Viewing Data Import and Export Status.

      • For a list of supported delimiter characters and exceptions, see Other Supported Delimiter Characters.

      • If data is exported to a file in a business process-specific format, you can use Notepad to change the cube name in the file; for example, PCM_REP, and then import the data file into the aggregate storage outline (provided all dimensions exist in the aggregate storage outline).
      Source File

      Enter or select the source file:

      • If you selected Local for the location, click Browse to navigate to the source file.

      • If you selected Inbox for the location, enter the name of the file in Source File.

      Include Metadata

      Select whether or not to include metadata in your data inport.

      Note that clearing the Include Metadata option improves data import performance and prevents members from changing position in the outline during data import.

      Regardless of this option setting, the required metadata must already exist in the business process and in the Oracle Essbase outline before you can load the application data.

      Date Format

      Select a date format from the drop-down list.
      Missing Data Label

      Specify how to display missing values in forms. Enter an alphabetic value that does not exceed 16 characters. You can begin the value with a # (number sign). If no value is entered, the system defaults to #MISSING.

      Note: If you are using a data import file that's based on a template (in other words, you ran the export data process in your business process and you're using the exported file as a template), this label must match the Missing Data Label that was defined during data export. See Exporting Data.

      Last Validate/Import

      This field displays the date of the last validation or import, if any.

    • Select Essbase to load data in an Essbase data file format.

      If you select Essbase as the source type, enter the following data import options:

      Table 3-5 Essbase Data Import Options

      Data Import Option Description
      Cube

      Select a cube from the drop-down list.
      Source File

      Enter or select the source file:

      • If you selected Local for the location, click Browse to navigate to the source file.

      • If you selected Inbox for the location, enter the name of the file in Source File.

      Delimeter

      Specify the Delimiter for the Essbase data; options are Space or Tab.

      Stop in Case of Error

      Stop In Case of Error is selected by default. If this option is selected and any import errors occur during an Essbase data load, the import stops and no data is loaded. If this option is cleared, data continues to load even if there are errors.

      Last Validate/Import

      This field displays the date of the last validation or import, if any.

  6. Optional: If you selected Inbox for the import data file location, click Save as Job to save the import operation as a job, which you can schedule to run later.

    • Saving an import operation as a job is useful to batch a load sequence; for example, import metadata, then import data, then run rules when the data load is complete. See Managing Jobs.

    • You can run up to five import jobs at one time.

    • To review the data that was rejected during the data import job, specify an Error File in the Save as Job dialog box. This file will provide information about the data records that were not imported. If an error zip file is specified, the zip file is stored in the Outbox where you can download the file using Inbox/Outbox Explorer. See Uploading and Downloading Files Using the Inbox/Outbox Explorer.

  7. Optional: If you selected Local for the import data file location, click Validate to test whether the import file format is correct.

  8. Click Import to run the import operation.

Considerations When Importing Data

  • Since there is no option to clear data before import, the import will not overwrite existing data values with #MISSING values. Instead, complete one of the following tasks:

    • Run a Clear Cube job to clear specific business process data within input and reporting cubes. See Clearing Cubes.

    • Write a business rule that uses the CLEARDATA Essbase command to clear specific data values. See CLEARDATA in Technical Reference for Oracle Analytics Cloud - Essbase.

    • Use the Clear Data Slices REST API to clear business process and Essbase data for a specified region. See Clear Data Slices in REST APIs.

  • If the evaluation order in the application is changed after exporting data, the import may have unexpected results.

  • If a value in a data load input file doesn't match the evaluated driver member type; for example, if the evaluated type of a driver member is "date" and its corresponding input value isn't a valid date format, a driver member casting error occurs. See Driver Member Casting Errors.