Example of Replacing Attribute Values in Future-Dated Records

When you update a date-effective object in Replace mode, you replace all existing, future-dated records with the uploaded data. You're recommended to use Replace mode only when the contents of the .dat file must replace the existing data rather than update it.

Replace mode is the default maintenance mode. However, you can use this SET command to select Replace mode explicitly and record the setting in the .dat file:

SET PURGE_FUTURE_CHANGES Y

Updating Only Selected Attributes of an Object in Replace Mode

This table shows the date-effective history of an Assignment object.

Effective Start Date	Effective Sequence	Effective End Date	Action Code	Job	Grade	Location	Normal Hours
2010/06/08	1	2012/03/03	HIRE	ACC1	IC2	HQ	40
2012/03/04	1	2012/03/04	PROMOTION	ACC1	IC4	HQ	40
2012/03/04	2	2012/03/04	TRANSFER	ACC1	IC4	LVP	40
2012/03/04	3	2012/06/01	JOB_CHANGE	ACC3	IC4	LVP	40
2012/06/02	1	4712/12/31	JOB_CHANGE	ACC2	IC4	LVP	40

To update the working hours to 37.5 from 2012/01/10 in Replace mode, you create the following data file:

SET PURGE_FUTURE_CHANGES Y
METADATA|Assignment|SourceSystemId|EffectiveStartDate|EffectiveSequence|EffectiveLatestChange|EffectiveEndDate|ActionCode|NormalHours
MERGE|Assignment|2724|2012/01/10||Y||ASG_CHANGE|37.5

After update, the Assignment object is as shown in this table.

Effective Start Date	Effective Sequence	Effective End Date	Action Code	Job	Grade	Location	Normal Hours
2010/06/08	1	2012/01/09	HIRE	ACC1	IC2	HQ	40
2012/01/10	1	4712/12/31	ASG_CHANGE	ACC1	IC2	HQ	37.5

In Replace mode, records with effective start dates that are later than the effective start date of the update are purged. Attribute values that predate the change and for which you supply no values in the data file appear in the new record. This update isn't reversible.

Caution: You're recommended to supply values for all attributes that currently exist on the object when updating in Replace mode. In this example, you could have provided values for job, grade, and location. As you didn't supply those values, the values that are current on the effective start date of the update remain in effect.