Migrating Your Files to Azure with EBM Software

Important Note: The Cube Migrator option must be turned on in your environment(s) before it can be used. Please reach out to EBM Support or your EBM rep to enable this for you. 

This article contains the following topics:

• Introduction
• Use-Cases
• Requirements
• Instructions
• Troubleshooting

Troubleshooting

When migrating legacy files from AWS to Azure in Catalyst, you might encounter issues related to file format and connectivity. These issues can arise due to differences in how macro-enabled content and cube formats are handled between systems. Follow these steps to resolve any problems

• Opening Files from Shared Locations

  • If you're used to opening files from a shared location, like SharePoint, be sure you're opening the migrated version of the file. This can be easy to miss as commonly these files are named similarly.

• Macro-Enabled Content Error
  
  

  • If you experience an error message after migrating a file that says, "The file is a macro-free file, but contains macro-enabled content," follow these steps:

    1. Open the original .xlsm file.

    2. Save it as an Excel Workbook (.xlsx) by choosing File > Save As > selecting .xlsx from the dropdown (click yes when prompted to remove macros from the file).

    3. Use the "Migrate to Tabular" option in your Catalyst website. Download the converted file.

    4. Run the downloaded file through the Cube Updater in the new instance of Catalyst.

• Asked to Recover Data in Excel

  1. Start by downloading or locating the original file in .xlsm format.

  2. Use the "Migrate to Tabular" option under the Analysis tab in Catalyst.

  3. Download the newly created file and open it. You may be prompted to recover data—click "Yes."

  4. In Excel, go to the EBM Office Bridge ribbon and refresh all cubes.

  5. Save the file as an .xlsx format by choosing File > Save As and selecting .xlsx.

  6. Use the Cube Update tool, found under the Analysis tab. Download the updated version of the file.

  7. Open the updated file and verify its connection to Azure. Refresh the file to confirm everything is linked correctly.

• Cube Migrator Delayed or Timing Out

  • If you find that the Cube Migrator tool doesn't load or complete after uploading your file after a reasonable amount of time (5 minutes max), it may be that your file is incompatible.

  • Often this means that the migrator believes the file you're uploading is already in tabular format. The fix will be to save your file in .xlsm format. Then run it through the cube migrator, then through the cube updater. 

• Date String Error Message
  • If you encounter this error message or something similar, the fix is simply to take the date field out of the pivot table and then put it back in. 
    
• File is Corrupt Error Message
  

  • If you encounter a "File is Corrupt" error, it's likely due to the file being opened between Step 1 and Step 2 of the process.

    To avoid this issue:

    1. Step 1: Run the file through the Cube Migrate to Tabular tool and download it.
    2. Step 2: Without opening the downloaded file, immediately run it through the Cube Updater.

    Opening the file between these steps can lead to corruption, so ensure the file remains closed until the entire process is complete.

    
• Upload Fails Object Reference Not Set to an Instance
  
  

  • If you notice the EBM Office Bridge section is missing from the ribbon, it indicates the file you're trying to migrate isn't connected to Catalyst or the connection has been broken. To resolve this:

  • Reestablish the connection to Catalyst: Run the file through the Cube Updater first.
    Follow the migration process:
    1. Run the file through the Cube Migrator.
    2. Run the downloaded file through the Cube Updater again.

    This ensures the file is properly connected and processed.

• Cube Migrator Not Enabled

  • If you cannot find the "Cube Migrate to Tabular" option in your existing environment, the Cube Migrator option might not be enabled. Contact EBM Support or your EBM representative to enable this feature.

• Missing Data Connections

  • If after updating files in your new Azure instance, the files do not connect to the data:

    1. Open the file in Excel.

    2. Go to the Data ribbon and select "Queries & Connections."

    3. Click on connections, right-click on EBM_TabularCubeName, and choose properties.

    4. Ensure the highlighted field in the Definition tab under "Queries and Connections" shows Source=asazure://eastus.asazure.windows.net.

• Ungrouped Cell Ranges

  • If your files contain grouped cell ranges, they might be ungrouped during the migration process. Verify your cell groupings after migration and regroup as necessary.

• Custom Pivot Table Fields

  • Files must not contain any user-created custom pivot table fields, such as Managed Sets. If you have such fields, remove them before starting the migration process.

• Connection Confirmation Issues

  • If you have followed all steps and still face issues with file connections, ensure that the Cube Migrator feature was enabled correctly and that the file was fully processed in both the Cube Migrator tool and the Cube Update tool in Catalyst. If the problem persists, contact EBM Support for further assistance.

• Pivot Table Expansion

  • When refreshing a pivot table or adjusting filters in migrated legacy files, the table may unexpectedly expand horizontally or vertically, unfiltering your selection. If this occurs, reapply your desired filters to correct the table. If content adjacent to the pivot table is affected, temporarily move it, refresh and refilter the pivot table, then restore the content.

By following these steps, you can efficiently transition your data files, reports, and uploads into our updated Azure infrastructure.