Database Management Copy Data - Replace Option

Question

Can anyone provide info on how this works? we are using 9.2.1
When using database management to copy data, when using the replace option, even if we only pick a few accounts to copy, it is erasing all data in the Target scenario. Does the replace option clear all data by default before copying in the selected data?
we tried to use the Merge option but apparently that doesn't always work for some reason-could be user error. not sure.
Thanks
Wags

Answer 1

Hey Wags- this is expected functionality of the Replace method. It clears all custom/account data for the load entity/year/period combo prior to do the load. For example, if there is P&L data in entity A in Jan 2010 and you load $500 to it in a Sales account, all the rest of the P&L data will be cleared and you'll just have $500 in the Sales account.
Here's stuff from the guide:
Several options are available for loading data into an application. You can merge, replace, or
accumulate the data into the application. You select one of these options for each load process.
Note:
You cannot load calculated data into an application.
Merge
Select this option to overwrite the data in the application with the data from the file.
For each unique point of view that exists in the data file and in the application, the value in the
data file overwrites the data in the application.
Note:
If you have multiple values in the file for the same point of view, the system loads only the value
for the last entry.
If you select the Accumulate Within File option in conjunction with the Merge option, the system
adds all values for the same point of view in the data file, and overwrites the data in the application
with the total.
For each unique point of view that is in the data file but does not have a value in the application,
the value from the data file is loaded into the application.
Replace
For each unique combination of scenario, year, period, entity, and value in the data file, the
system first clears all corresponding values from the application, then loads the value from the
data file.
Note:
If you have multiple values in the file for the same unique combination of dimensions, the system
loads only the value for the last entry.
If you select the Accumulate Within File option in conjunction with the Replace option, the
system clears the value from the application, adds all values for the same point of view in the
data file, and loads the total.
You can achieve the same result as using the Replace option with the Accumulate Within File
option by using the Database Management module. You can organize the data in the file into
groups based on Scenario, Year, Entity, Value, and Period.
Use the Clear Data tab in the Database Management module to clear each unique combination
of these dimensions, selecting all accounts including system accounts. Enter the data manually
in a data grid, or load or copy the data into the application using the Merge or Accumulate load
options. When you perform the Clear operation for a period in a subcube, data, cell text, and
line item detail are cleared, but cell attachments are not cleared.
Note:
You may need to create several small files to load a data file using the Replace mode, especially
if the data is very large or if the file contains ownership data. An error message is displayed if the
file is too large when you try to load it.
Replace by Security
This option enables you to perform a data load in Replace mode even if you do not have access
to all accounts. When you perform the Clear operation for a period in a subcube, only the cells
to which you have access are cleared. Data, cell text, and line item detail are cleared, but cell
attachments are not cleared.
Accumulate
For each unique point of view that exists in the data file and in the application, the value from
the load file is added to the value in the application.
Note:
Data for system accounts is not accumulated.
Accumulate Within File
You can use the Accumulate Within File option in conjunction with the Merge and Replace
options. This option accumulates the data in the file first and loads the totals into the application
based on the load option selected.
File Contains Ownership Data
If the file contains ownership data, you must indicate this by selecting File Contains Ownership
Data. If you do not select this option and the data file contains ownership or shares information,
an error occurs when you load the file.