PeopleSoft has introduced new functionality in 8.53 and the 9.2 applications called the Data Migration Workbench. This functionality allows for easier migration of data which is directly related to the use of the new PeopleSoft Upgrade Manager (PUM). There has always been issues try to migrate “non” PeopleSoft meta-data objects from environment to environment. So items like data mover scripts and SQR’s always had to be manually migrated.

Part of the Data Migration Workbench is Application Data Sets (ADS). These data sets can be compared and copied, however, there is a whole new security element just for ADS. PeopleSoft delivered the permission list PTPT3500, which ties to the role ADS Designer. Make sure that your Upgrade user has access to this role/permission. Also make sure that the ADS permissions are turned on. Navigate to PeopleTools->Security->Permissions&Roles->Permission Lists, select the PTPT3500 permission, and go to the new Data Migration tab. Add in any access group permissions and under the copy compare permissions make sure it is set to Full Access.

During the application patching I was doing, the PTADS{BUG#} compare step was failing.

PeopleTools 8.53.06 – Application Engine
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Begin Application Engine Process (257,401)
Compare project from repository/area/project: USKANWD21374/Area/PTADS16299507 (257,400)
Message Set Number: 257
Message Number: 400
Message Reason: Compare project from repository/area/project: USKANWD21374/Area/PTADS16299507 (257,400)
User does not have permission to perform Compare from File (257,308)
Message Set Number: 257
Message Number: 308
Message Reason: User does not have permission to perform Compare from File (257,308)
Load from file failed (257,298)
Message Set Number: 257
Message Number: 298
Message Reason: Load from file failed (257,298)
End Application Engine Process (257,402)
Application Engine program PTADSAEPRCS ended normally

After turning on this new security, I ran it again and received the same error. Just to ensure that I was on the right track, I went and deleted the 2-Tier cache (usually c:\ps\{dbname}), and re-ran and everything worked!

When doing an upgrade or any kind of patching you will often times want to compare the object you are importing with what is currently housed within your database.  PeopleSoft standard compare will generate a list of everything that is different between the data being imported and the data within the database.  You can get creative with these settings, but one thing that is SUPER helpful is to generate the output so that the compare reports can be viewed via the internet browser.

When in the compare options, if you select the Report Options tab you can select Generate Browser Reports, and the compare reports will be generated to the Report Output Directory which in the example is d:\temp\compares\{PROJECTNAME}.  If you want to change this directory you need to cancel out of the compare and going into the Tools Menu -> Options, and change the output directory.

After the compare is complete you will have a full set of output files in your output directory which you can put onto your PIA webservers public html document home directory:

%PS_CFG_HOME%/webserver/{domain}/applications/peoplesoft/PORTAL.war/

I typically make a compare folder here and insert the various compares there and then in the compare folder make a basic index page to link to the CompareViewer.html that was originally in the compare reports output folder root.

Lastly, you might find these reports don’t show up in the browser,  I find they are best viewed using Firefox, but IE works however, your security settings may cause you some issues.