Virtual sandbox dimensions

A sandbox is not a copy of the base data, but a separate overlay or layer of your own data values on top of the base data. The distinction between base data and sandbox data is important to understand as you make changes to your data.

• Base data is the data that all users can access. Any edits made to base data are written directly back to the database.
• Sandbox data is the data in your own personal work area where you can edit the data values as many times as you want and keep the changed data separate from the base data. Sandboxes are private to each user and cannot be seen by other users. Your data values are viewable to others only when you merge them back with the base data.

Sandboxes are not stored on the client. They consist of a separate and private area of the server. When you make a change to data in the sandbox, it is as if the base model data value is temporarily blocked by the value you entered in the sandbox. To make the base model take on the values in the sandbox, you must merge the sandbox values with the base values. After the sandbox data values are committed, they are merged with the base so that the changed values then update and become the base values.

Sandboxes include the following features:

• Private data changes

  Sandboxes let you try out different changes to the data before making those changes public to other users and before committing those changes to the base data.

• Cell coloring

  Changes to cell values in a sandbox are identified by a change in cell content colors. The cells change color to remind you that the change has not yet been committed to the base data. After data is committed and processing is complete, the cell coloring turns to black again.

  Cell coloring is also applied to any dependent cells, such as consolidated or rule calculated cells, that your edits affect.

• Manual commit

  When working in a sandbox, the Merge button becomes available so you can decide when to commit changes to the base. When you commit the data, your changes become available to other users.

• Discard changed values

  In a sandbox, the Discard icon becomes available and lets you reset the values that you have changed but not committed. When you discard changed values, the values you have not committed are reset to the values in the base data.

• Named sandboxes let you create what-if scenarios

  Depending on your configuration settings, you can name multiple sandboxes, such as Best Case or Worst Case and then compare the impact of your edits by switching between them.

To work in a sandbox, you must first open a view and then either create a new sandbox or select an existing sandbox. When working in a sandbox, the selected sandbox applies to all the other views in your current user session.