Importing Data (Actual & Forecast) into Block using Actions

Comprehensive Guide: Importing Data (Actual & Forecast) into Blocks using Actions

This guide will walk you through setting up Actions to import historical (actual) or projected (forecast) data into a Block within Blox. By setting up these actions, you can streamline your workflow and update your block data with a simple click of a 'Run' button.

Getting Started

Navigate to the Data tab in your Blox Home page.
From the 'Sources' list on the left, select the data source you want to use (e.g., "Actual_Data").

Click the Plus(+) Icon in the middle of the Action Section or Create button in the top right corner of the Action section to start a new import action.

Note: As you progress through the steps, a preview of your data will update on the right side of the screen.

Creating Your Import Action: A Step-by-Step Guide

Follow these steps to configure your import action.

Step 1: Name Your Action

Provide a clear and descriptive name for your action.

Name: Enter a name that clearly identifies the action's purpose (e.g., "Actual Data Import").
Description (Optional): Add extra details if needed.
Best Practice Tip: Include "Data" or "Dim" (for Dimension) in the name so you can easily distinguish whether this action pushes data to a Block or a Dimension at a glance.

Click Continue.

Step 2: Set Up Your Import

This step defines the destination and purpose of your data import.

Select Import Type:

Choose Load actual data to update historical periods.
Choose Load forecast data to update future projection periods.

Select block: Choose the destination block from the dropdown menu (e.g., "Raw Data").
Select scenario: Choose the target scenario where the data will be pushed (e.g., "Actual" or "Baseline").
File has no column headers (Optional): Check this box only if your CSV file does not include header rows.

Click Continue.

Step 3: Select Time Period Configuration

Configure how the time periods are laid out in your source data.

Are you importing multiple time periods?

Select Single if you are importing data for just one specific month (you will be prompted to select the target month).

Select Multiple if your file contains data across several months.

Are the time periods in rows or columns?

Select Rows if your dates go down a single vertical column.
Select Column if your dates go horizontally across the top row of your file.

Click Continue.

Step 4: Map Time Periods

Map the time periods from your source file to the Blox timeline.

Select the specific row or column from your dropdown that contains the time period headers (e.g., "Account").
Blox will attempt to auto-map matching period labels. Review the mapping under Map the values into Blox.
If the auto-mapping is incorrect, check the Map manually? box and match the Time period in File to the correct Time period in Blox.

Click Continue.

Step 5: Select Indicators Layout

Note: Indicators are the block line items that contain dimensions (such as Accounts, Products, or Sales Streams). Ensure these indicators already exist in your block before proceeding.

Are you importing multiple indicators?

Select Single if you are only pushing data to one specific indicator.
- What indicator are you importing into the Block?
- Select the indicator in the block in which you want to import the data.

Select Multiple if your file contains data for multiple different indicators.

Are your indicators in rows or columns?
- Select Rows if your indicator names are listed vertically down a single column.
- Select Column if your indicator names are spread horizontally across the top.

Click Continue.

Step 6: Select Dimension Columns & Map Items

Select column containing account/indicator: Use the dropdown menu to select the column in your file that contains your dimension items.
Map the values into Blox: Ensure the Name in File correctly matches the Item in Blox (e.g., mapping "Sales" to "Sales"). Check the Map items manually? box if you need to adjust these connections yourself.

Note: If your block has a second or third active dimension, you will be prompted to select those columns and map them here as well.

Click Continue.

Step 7: Sync Options

Define how the new data should interact with existing data in the block.

Choose whether to toggle the Clear before import switch.

Option A: Toggle OFF (Disabled)

Only the items present in your source file will be overwritten. All other existing values in the block will remain untouched.

Option B: Toggle ON (Enabled)

If enabled, it removes existing values before loading so this import fully reconciles with the source file. You must configure the clearing scope for each dimension (e.g., Time, Account):

Matching: Clears only the existing values that are present in your source file for that dimension.
All: Clears all existing values for that dimension in the block before importing.

Click Continue.

Step 8: Data Preview and Run

Before finalizing the import, review the expected changes in the pop-up modal.

Status Check: Look for the green checkmark confirming "No errors - data ready to load in," along with the number of values to be updated.

Note: If you receive error messages (e.g., duplicate or missing accounts), you must update your source CSV file and re-upload.

Scenario Selection: Ensure the correct scenario is selected in the top right dropdown (e.g., "Actual" or “Baseline”).

Click RUN to execute the import immediately, or click SAVE to save the configuration to run later.

Step 9: Import Completion

Once the action is executed successfully, a green Success banner will appear at the bottom of the screen.

Your data has been successfully imported.
You can now close the data module or navigate to your Dashboards/Blocks to view the updated figures.