Using Saved Exports as Import Data Sources

gheiler

I suggest implementing a feature where we can use Saved Export Definitions as Import Data Sources. Right now we can use a File or Connect to Anaplan Model - I would love to be able to select Saved Export Definitions in addition to current option of Lists, Modules and Saved Views. 

 

The natural place for this, in my opinion, would be in the Connect to Anaplan Model menu (List, Module, Saved View and now Export Definition).

 

Off the top of my head, this would be extremely powerful for: Exporting and Re-Importing Model History for analysis, Exporting and Re-Importing Model Users list for various uses (I know you can workaround with User dim module), Exporting and Re-Importing Actions menu (for automatically analyzing things like the last time a process was run). All of these examples are possible today but require either tedious human interaction (export and download file manually, re-upload manually) or a custom integration using API. With this proposed feature, you could do it all with one click and never download a file to machine or server.

 

Overall this would be another step in the right direction: Workflow. 

 

 

Side note: This is different than this and this.  

This is very similar to idea posted here, the only difference is it is more broad (to just generally use Saved Exports as sources, not specifically Settings menu) and hopefully can keep the conversation alive. 

 

gheiler

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Thoughts?

JaredDolich

+1 from me @gheiler - although I have to consider the possibility of how I would know what I last saved into that export and if it's still valid. Would it be possible to either use a saved view or import the data to a "scenario" for later use? 

gheiler

Great point @JaredDolich 

 

Makes me think of a couple things combined: First of all actually using Saved Views to support Exports (as opposed to current state where Export is whatever view settings you applied when you exported, and is not anchored to a Saved View like an import can be), and then secondly as opposed to letting us use Exports as Import Data Sources, most of the use cases I brought here can be solved by just letting us create "Saved Views" in settings menus like Users, Actions, etc. 

 

I'm not sure which would be easier to implement from a software engineering standpoint...And I have always been curious why Exports don't anchor to Saved Views already.