Data Load Fails in EPM Cloud Data Management when using Replace Data Option

 We were trying to load data into an EPM Planning Cloud application and we saw this:

Oh no, the dreaded red cross when doing a data export in Data Management!

In this example we were running a data load to a target plan type using the 'Replace Data' option.

Here is the error message in the log:

2020-11-06 09:55:02,837 INFO  [AIF]: Replace data script:

FIX ("Manchester",”Apr”,”Working","FY21")

CLEARDATA "null";

ENDFIX

2020-11-06 09:55:02,838 INFO  [AIF]: EssbaseRuleFile.getReplaceDataScript - END

2020-11-06 09:55:02,875 ERROR [AIF]: Cannot calculate. Essbase Error(1012004): Invalid member name [null]

2020-11-06 09:55:02,882 INFO  [AIF]: EssbaseService.loadData - END (false)

2020-11-06 09:55:02,901 FATAL [AIF]: Error in CommData.loadData

 

The issue we have is that the calc script is obviously invalid. When you run data load rule with the “Replace Data” option it dynamically creates a calculation to clear the data in the target cube before it loads the data.

The calculation generated is usually of the format CLEARDATA “Scenario Name”

where the Scenario (DM Category) is derived from whatever category you have set in your data load rule.

So why was ours failing?

We were loading data into multiple scenarios from the same file. In order to do this we had set our Scenario dimension to Generic in the target application dimension details:

 

This of course means that the Category (Scenario) in the rule is ignored so the dynamically generated CLEARDATA calculation sets the scenario as null.

 

The solution?

Set the data export mode to 'Store Data'.  This will just load the data into the target without trying to clear the data using a dynamic script. We run a business rule prior to the load to clear the data target.

Ahhh, that's better.