How You Process Changes-Only Extracts

Changes-only extracts can be dynamic in nature. You need to consider the sequence of the tasks that you complete to extract only the changed data.

For the changes-only option to work accurately, you must have a baseline. You establish a baseline when you transmit an extract. The extract process uses the baseline from the previous extract with a transmitted status. Subsequent extracts include only changes.

When you configure plan carriers, you can select a transmission type of Manual. Manual transmission overrides any actual transmission to an FTP or SFTP site, and marks the extracted file as Transmitted. A transmit action initiates the Generate and Transmit Benefits Extract process. You can view the details of the process in the Monitor Process Request section in the Evaluation and Reporting work area. The process generates two files: a log file, and a text file that contains the actual xml that was generated using the staged data.

The effective date that you enter when you submit the extract process determines which enrollments to include. When you first run the extract process, you typically select the process type as Full. When you run the process subsequently, it identifies and extracts the enrollments with only the changes made between the effective date of the previous process and this process.

Note: You cannot run an extract process for an effective date that's before or on the effective date of the previous process.