What is an archived version in Workday Adaptive Planning?
Archived versions allow the user to calculate and store the values of all calculated and linked accounts in a plan version. This freezes the values and stops them from recalculating as you make future changes to the original model. There is an Archive version checkbox within plan versions that allow for this robust data freeze seen in the screenshot below.
Before archiving a version, you will receive the following warning message.
This feature allows you to modify actual version data, linked account configurations and model structures—such as levels and custom dimensions—without compromising the integrity of leaf-level data in archived versions. The archived version will maintain the calculations and all corresponding data from the point of archiving.
The new archived version checkbox within modeling and versions replaces the calculate formula values checkbox and locked version. Workday Adaptive Planning plans to eventually retire calculate formula values by the 2026R1 update.
In the screenshot below you can see that upon archiving a version, Adaptive Planning will provide you with any errors within the newly archived version.
Example/Use Case
A prime example of when Archived Versions for Data Freeze comes in handy is in a plan version with actuals overlay. Prior to Workday Adaptive Planning adding archived versions feature, you would select calculate formula values in the plan version with actuals overlay. The problem with this option is upon restating actuals data, it reflected the changes made in the actuals portion that was only meant for the plan portion of data in the version. With archive version, you are now able to restate actuals without impacting actuals overlay and save the calculations from the original output.
Additional Thoughts
Metric and system accounts are not included in archived versions meaning they still calculate. The user can make changes to the original version/ model without impacting the archived version. It will archive the leaf intersection data, not the rollups. You gain improved performance and increased confidence with historical versions. It solves for the restatement of actuals by storing actuals overlay data in the archived plan versions. It won’t change if you make changes in the original model. Actuals overlay data gets stored directly in the plan version. This prevents a restatement of actuals from impacting the archived version. Link account values will be stored at the time of archive and won’t change in the archived version regardless of any changes going forward in other versions.
Revelwood is an award-winning, Platinum Solution Provider for Workday Adaptive Planning. We build solutions for the Office of Finance that minimize your risk by seamlessly incorporating business analytics into your everyday thinking. By combining the software with our best practices and out-of-the-box applications, we help businesses achieve their full potential with Workday Adaptive Planning.
Read more Workday Adaptive Planning Tips & Tricks:
Workday Adaptive Planning Tips & Tricks: Data Validation Rules in Modeled Sheets
Workday Adaptive Planning Tips & Tricks: Workforce Planning
Workday Adaptive Planning Tips & Tricks: Linked Accounts with Link Filter