Snapshot

Snapshots are read-only versions that can be used to freeze the data at month-end accounting/financial closes for future comparisons that are not impacted by source data changes and dataset refreshes. In edit mode, the current state of the report can be saved as a snapshot.

Data cannot be edited in a snapshot view. Snapshots are available to the viewers of the report based on permissions.

1. Create a snapshot

A snapshot can be created only in the 'Edit' mode and not in the 'Reading' view mode

To create a snapshot, click the 'Create snapshot' option under the 'Plan' tab of the toolbar.

Create Snapshot

This will open up the 'New snapshot' modal.

In this modal, you can specify the name of the snapshot and click 'Create' to create the snapshot.

New Snapshot

2. Configure snapshot

If a snapshot is successfully created, a 'Snapshot' tab will be available in the toolbar.

This toolbar has the following snapshot-related configuration options:

i) Snapshot name

Clicking on this drop-down will display a list of all the created snapshots. You can click on any specific snapshot to open and view it.

Snapshot name

ii) Edit icon

Using this option, you can edit the current snapshot name. Clicking this icon will open up the 'Create snapshot' modal in which you can edit the snapshot name.

iii) Delete icon

If you want to delete the created snapshot you can do so by clicking on this trash/delete icon.

Delete Icon

Clicking on this icon will open up the 'Confirm delete' modal. Click 'Confirm' to delete the snapshot permanently.

Confirmation to delete snapshot

iv) Close

Click this icon to close the snapshot and return to the edit/reading mode view.

Close Snapshot

3. Schedule snapshots

The snapshot feature comes packaged with a built-in scheduler. Click on the Schedule Snapshot button in the Plan tab to open the Schedule Snapshot side pane. Click on Setup snapshot schedule. In the schedule configuration, you can set the start and end dates, the time and timezone, and the frequency for snapshots to be captured. Snapshots can be scheduled at daily, weekly, or monthly frequencies.

Snapshot scheduler

After saving the schedule settings, you will have options that helps you to initiate, reset, and pause the schedule and view logs.

Scheduler options

Click on View jobs to see all the snapshot jobs and to view logs. The logs will show details such as the total time taken to run the job, the time taken for each milestone and the steps under each milestone.

Snapshot Schedule log details

4. Writeback snapshots

Use Lumel EPM's powerful Writeback feature to persist snapshots to a data platform of your choice. After creating a snapshot, click the Writeback button in the Snapshot toolbar to trigger a writeback to all the configured destinations. Learn more about configuring Writeback.

In this example, the Base-01/01/2026(1) snapshot that is currently open will be written back.

Triggering writeback for snapshots

Click the View log button to check the writeback logs for that snapshot.

Writeback logs for snapshots

The image below shows how snapshots are written back to a Onedrive destination. The IrSnapshotName field indicates the Snapshot.

Writeback snapshots

5. Snapshots in reading view

Report viewers can also view, export, and compare snapshots if they are permitted by the report author. To give access to a snapshot, click on the Manage Permission button in the Snapshot ribbon - the Reading View Permission side pane opens. In this window, you can add the email IDs of users who can access snapshots in reading mode.

Users who have access to a snapshot have elevated access. They can view all the data irrespective of RLS settings.

Snapshot Permission in Reading View

After adding users, you can assign permissions to view/compare/export snapshots from the Allowed User Controls settings.

User access controls for snapshot in reading view

Users who have permissions will have the Snapshot ribbon enabled in reading view and will be able to access snapshots.

Snapshot viewed in Reading View

6. Hierarchy handling

Lumel EPM provides inherent support for hierarchical data. Snapshots are interactive - you can expand and collapse complex row/column hierarchies to easily analyze your snapshot data.

Expand/Collapse hierarchies in snapshots

7. Snapshots of scenarios

Preserve simulations run in scenarios with snapshots. Click the Create Snapshot button in the Plan tab to capture a snapshot of a scenario.

Snapshot of scenarios