ER 56653 - Extend migration process to keep current users variable values

Dears,

During the migration of a custom application from Infor BI version 11 to Infor d/EPM version 12, customers currently experience data loss because it is not possible to carry over current users variable values (report- & global-variables). To avoid this data loss and to keep important, individual content from user variables, the migration process should be extended.

Affected are global variables and report variables. Some of them contain critical information, such as complex XML values with information about workflows, bookmarks, notes, report settings and other content that cannot be reproduced using standard values of variables.

In this regard, I would like to point out the following solutions:

At best, the migration of Application Studio reports should support an automatic transfer of user-specific values. Otherwise, there should be a technical possibility to transfer the current users variable values from Infor BI Version 11 via data export from the repository database. It would be adequate to import the exported values e.g. via flatfile in the d/EPM Administration or via script in SQL Server.

Please support the ER 56653 by endorsing it.

Regards,

Markus

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Comments

Nick Gladkov

Markus, while I agree this is good request, I would definitely change the message - data is not lost as we are moving full DB.

If you solution stores some critical values in report/global variables, I would say this is possibly dangerous approach. All data can be accessed through different angles - from Excel Integration, Self-Service, etc. and if users see different values from different UIs, it will create some more issues, which are far more dangerous.

For process related values, I would just have 'reset' option somewhere or if there is manageable list if values, move them manually one be one as a workaround.

Nick Gladkov | Senior Product Manager, Infor d/EPM | Infor

Markus Grosse-Kracht

Hi Nick,

thanks for your feedback and the workaround. First of all I would like to avoid misunderstandings:

Infor OLAP-DB ? Full DB will be moved.
Infor Repository DB ? DB will not be moved. Components must be transferred step by step in the migration process.
Data loss ? In this post I only refer to the user values of the variables, which are definitely lost.

Here are some examples of lost data:

User-individual report definition, e.g. via variable slices

User-individual report settings, such as favorites, report links, selections, slices, layouts, tasks, status, etc., e.g. via XML variables

All other individual data and information stored in variables during the use of the system

Some of these functions are also offered in the Infor Self-Service reports, not only in custom applications.

While many variables are certainly filled automatically by ListViews, actions and defaults, many individual values (described above) must be restored. If customers use several hundred reports, each report has several variables and dozens of users are working with the system, I don't think these values can be recovered by moving them manually one by one as a workaround. That would be an enormous effort.

How do other customers solve this situation? Are there any opinions or approaches to a solution?

Thanks in advance and regards,
Markus

Peter Mayall

Hi Markus,

To be honest I don't see this as a big deal for our customers. The number of user variable settings for our builds is fairly minimal and I don't think they would be concerned to having to reset a few settings. It sounds like you might use variables a lot more than I do, it could be a different approach that we take, I am not sure.

Peter.

gottesheim-daniela

Hello Markus!

We have just a few (definitely not more than 10) variables, for which the value of the variable is NOT set by the user or any interaction within the reporting. Most of our variables are global variables, which are either set on our welcome page or have a default value assigned. In case we use report variables, their value is set either in the report action when the report is loading or again has a default value.

So for us the problem you described isn't really an issue because we can handle those few variables I've mentioned above.

Best regards, Daniela

Nick Gladkov

Wow, really great discussion - this is primary reason why I love this community! thanks a lot!

Florian, Mark - thanks for your feedback, looks like we have enough endorsements for the ERS request (in a record time!), so I will discuss this with the product management and development team. Thanks again for making the solution better.

Nick Gladkov | Senior Product Manager, Infor d/EPM | Infor

florian-konath

Dear all,

I can understand those who say they don't use variables and therefore it's not a problem for them. For us it's a basic requirement in a version update process to generate the same situation for the user as before. E.g. we store user-favorites and also dynamic settings in XML variables. If all our users will need to update those first it will be a bad start from a users perspective (since his used environment is not available) and second it will take his time to reset them. We have a larger user base and if you just think about 5 minutes for everyone to reset (and that's optimistic) it would mean many lost hours. So we would expect to have and option to migrate (script or other way would be ok as well) to minimize efforts.

Thanks and best regards

Florian

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