Working with Snapshots in Planning Control Panel

Snapshot

The Snapshot feature allows finance teams to take a backup of a template for the selected budget entity. Using this feature, finance teams can easily take a backup and restore the version of the template if needed.

For example:

John from the finance team takes a Snapshot of the "Operating Expense" template and shares this template with a budget manager named Michel and wants him to update "T&E Accounts". Michel updates "T&E Accounts" but accidentally deletes some existing data. John gets a notification about the status of the template and verifies it. John observes some data discrepancies.

Now, with the Snapshot feature, John can use the backup of the template he created before sharing it with Michel and easily restore the backup version as the main version of the template and completely avoid using the template that came back from Michel.

How to Create a Snapshot?

Perform the below steps to create a snapshot:

1. Navigate to Structured Planning to open the Planning Control Panel.
2. Select a Scenario, Budget Entity, and a template.
   
   
3. Click the Snapshot icon. A dialog box will appear on the screen.
   
   
4. In the Create New tab, provide a name for the backup version of the template and click Save.
   
   
5. Click the Saved tab to view the backup version. The latest backup version is saved at the top.
   
   
6. Click the Export to Excel icon to download the backup version of the template.
   
   

How to Restore a Snapshot?

Perform the below steps to restore a snapshot:

1. Navigate to Structured Planning to open the Planning Control Panel. 
2. Select a Scenario, Budget Entity, and a template with at least one snapshot.
   
   
3. Click the Snapshot icon. A dialog box will appaer on the screen.
4. Click the Saved tab to view the list of backup versions.
   Click the Restore button associated with the snapshot to restore. A confirmation message will appear asking for permission.>
   
5. Click Yes to restore this version of the template.
   
   
   Notes:

   • A snapshot of the entire template can be taken, but only L-type lines can be restored
   • Only the latest backup of the template can be restored; older versions can be downloaded using the Export to Excel icon
   • The modified date and time for the template are visible in the history window on the Template Input screen
   • Restoring a backup version is not possible if the template is open in input mode; all instances must be closed first
   • Structural changes made in Template Setup mode, such as adding a new line type or updating a calculation formula, will invalidate the latest backup version
   • Audit logs track all activities related to the Snapshot feature

Snapshot Restore Guidelines

The snapshot feature allows finance teams to take a backup of a GTSC template for the selected budget entity. Using this feature, finance teams can easily take a backup and restore the version of the template if needed. Users should have access to the GTSC template in Input mode to be able to restore a snapshot. 

Following are cases when a snapshot can be restored:

1. The latest Snapshot of the template or the restorable version, has the delete option disabled.
2. When a user clicks restore, the Planful system automatically generates a backup version of the snapshot that can be restored.
3. Only L-type lines are restored from the snapshot; RA lines (Single & Multiple), RC lines, C-type Lines, and History account lines are not restored because they consist of data from a different template.
4. Once a snapshot is restored, it can not be reverted, but it can be downloaded in Excel format.
5. If a template is opened in the setup or input mode, the scenario will be locked and users will be unable to restore a snapshot of the same template.
6. Only data from the template is restored from the snapshot while the format changes from the template are retained.