How to copy folders in Sage ERP X3

During my last Sage X3 engagement (read implementation project) as a technical resource, one of the most frequent requests from the implementation consultants was the copying of Sage X3 Folders to another (sometimes new) folder. During the initial days, the creating of the new Test System(s) was handled via the Setup>General Parameters>Folders task/process. That works as intended; copies settings from one folder to another, is well documented (and blogged about), and allows for a myriad of options. A particular option we definitely found handy and reliable was being able to change the currency of the “copy folder” which later on became the live/production folder with the correct Currency.
It was the during later days of the implementation cycle that the requests turned from just “Folder Copying” to “Folder Copying with all data”. And this data was to include reference/common data as well as any transactional data. Now, this again is possible from within the X3 Client Application, though that encompasses multiple tasks; Creation of a Copy Folder, the Export/Extract Data out of the source folder, and Final steps of Importing data into the New/destination Folder. Each step is as time-consuming as the previous, and I started searching for a utility or tool in Sage X3 that does the three tasks in one.
Fortunately there is another way. The answer wasn’t in the X3 Client Application, but within the X3 Management Console application. The Sage X3 Management Console is for X3 System Administration/Management, so the rest hereon is intended for anyone who knows what and where that is, and why I would put a disclaimer at the end.

So I start off by opening up the Management Console (application), going into the Solutions section, and clicking on the “Folders” button in the top right.

This fetches in the list of existing X3 Folders. My plan is to copy GSTEST to a new Folder TEST2. So I select/highlight GSTEST and then click on the Copy button. (In fact it is mandatory to select a folder before clicking Copy).

In the next screen, I indicate the name of my destination Folder, TEST2, and click Ok.

Since I have typed in a new Folder name, I will get to confirm its creation by clicking “Yes” in the next pop-up screen.

Finally, we get the options screen, which is understandably simple; here we specify the admin password, the reference folder and the Copy Folder. Note that the Copy Folder defaults to X3, so that definitely needs to be changed.

Leaving the rest of the options to the default values/settings, I need to specify my source to be GSTEST, and click Next.

The process starts and this can be followed in detail as well by clicking on the “Details>>” button.

Once it’s completed, we get to click “OK”, and Close the Configuration Window. Note that the time will vary according to a lot of factors, but the key being server specs and the amount of data being transferred.

We are back in the Management Console, Solutions, Folders List, and there is our newly created TEST2 Folder.

That is all to copying a Folder and its data using the Sage X3 Management Console.
Any user(s) who need access to TEST2 will only need to configure their Sage X3 Client Connections for this new Folder.
Disclaimer: The Information in this blog is presented as-is with no guarantees implied, and you agree to assume all risks by utilizing it.