## When to use cycle snapshots

When a compensation cycle opens, Pave takes a snapshot of your HRIS and equity management system (EMS) data and freezes it. This gives planners a stable baseline to work from. Changes can happen during a cycle: people relocate, job profiles change, org structures shift, exchange rates get updated.

With cycle snapshots, admins can selectively update integration data during an active cycle. You can snapshot specific fields for specific employees, update management chains across your organization, or run a full snapshot of all data. Snapshots can be reverted if something doesn't look right, with some exceptions (see [Revert limitations](#revert-a-snapshot)). Only admins can trigger snapshots, and there is no way to schedule recurring snapshots. If a planner notices incorrect data, they need to tell an admin.

A cycle snapshot pulls the latest data from your HRIS/EMS integration into your cycle. It is not a way to override or manually edit integration data. Your HRIS remains the single source of truth. If the data in your HRIS is wrong, fix it there first, then take a new snapshot. Snapshots pull from integration data that Pave already has, not directly from your HRIS at the moment you select Snapshot. Pave syncs with your HRIS approximately every hour, so recent HRIS changes may not be available immediately.

## Before you start

**Permissions required.** You need both of the following Compensation Planning permissions:

* Cycle configuration: edit
* Snapshot: edit

**Cycle must be frozen.** You can only snapshot data when the cycle's snapshot is frozen (the cycle is active). If the cycle is still in setup and the snapshot hasn't been frozen yet, automated snapshots are still running on a schedule and will pull in updates automatically.

**One snapshot at a time.** You cannot start a new snapshot while another snapshot or revert is in progress. The Snapshot button will show "Snapshotting..." or "Reverting..." and will be disabled until the current operation finishes.

**Data freshness.** Pave syncs with your HRIS approximately every hour. If you recently made changes in your HRIS, wait for the next sync before snapshotting.

## Types of snapshot

There are three ways to snapshot cycle data:

Partial snapshots (management chains and specific employees/fields) do not include equity data (grants, vesting events, exercise events). If you need to update equity data mid-cycle, use a full snapshot.

## Run a full snapshot


1. Go to your cycle's **General** configuration page.
2. In the **Cycle integration data** section, select **Snapshot**.
3. In the drawer, select **Full snapshot**.
4. Select **Snapshot**.
5. In the confirmation modal, select **Confirm snapshot**.

A full snapshot replaces all underlying integration data in your cycle, including both HRIS and EMS data. You will receive an in-app notification when the snapshot completes.

## Run a management chain snapshot


1. Go to your cycle's **General** configuration page.
2. In the **Cycle integration data** section, select **Snapshot**.
3. In the drawer, select **Partial snapshot**.
4. Under "What subset of your HRIS data do you want to update?", select **Update management chains for all employees**.
5. Select **Snapshot**.
6. In the confirmation modal, select **Confirm snapshot**.

This updates three fields for every employee in the cycle: management chain, direct manager email, and direct manager name. This is useful after org restructures or terminations that change reporting lines.

Management chain updates affect which employees a planner can see in their worksheet. If a planner's access is scoped by direct reports or reporting chain (via the bypass approvals permission), taking a management chain snapshot will immediately change who appears in their view.

## Snapshot specific employees and fields

Use this option when you need to update particular data for particular people, for example, updating job titles for employees who were recently promoted, or snapshotting compensation data after a mid-cycle adjustment in your HRIS.

### Select employees and fields


1. Go to your cycle's **General** configuration page.
2. In the **Cycle integration data** section, select **Snapshot**.
3. In the drawer, select **Partial snapshot**.
4. Under "What subset of your HRIS data do you want to update?", select **Update specific employees and fields**.
5. Select **Next**.

### Create snapshot groups

A snapshot group defines which employees should have which fields snapshotted. You can create multiple groups if different employees need different fields updated.


6. In the **Select employees** field, search for and select employees. You can also select **All employees** to include everyone in the cycle.
   * To add employees in bulk, select **Upload a CSV**. The CSV should contain employee emails listed in one column without a header. All emails must match employees in the cycle. If any emails are unrecognized, you will need to correct and re-upload the file.
7. In the **Select fields** area, choose which HRIS fields to snapshot. Fields are organized into two categories:
   * **Employee fields**: first name, last name, gender, ethnicity
   * **Job fields**: title, department, division, city, country, level, metro, job code, family, start date, paid hourly, location state, custom fields
   * Use **Select all** to include all fields in a category.
8. Optionally, check **Update compensation fields** to include base pay, variable pay, and bonus data. Compensation is snapshotted as a complete replacement: all compensation records for the selected employees are updated at once. The employee's display currency is derived from their most recent base pay record, so updating compensation will also update the currency shown in the cycle if the employee's base pay currency has changed.
9. Select **Save** to save the group.

To create additional groups, select **+ New snapshot group** and repeat the process. Each employee can only appear in one group. If you try to add an employee who is already in another group, you will see an error listing the duplicates and which group they belong to.


10. When all groups are configured, select **Snapshot**.
11. In the confirmation modal, review the number of employees affected, then select **Confirm snapshot**.

You will receive an in-app notification when the snapshot completes. For partial snapshots, you can select **Show in Worksheet** from the notification to view the affected employees.

## What happens after a snapshot

When you snapshot cycle data, several things update automatically:

* **Column values recalculate.** Any columns that depend on the snapshotted data (including custom columns built with formulas) will update for the affected employees.
* **Band matching re-runs.** Employees whose job data changed will be re-matched to pay bands.
* **Recommendations recalculate.** If recommendation logic references snapshotted fields, new recommendations will be generated for affected employees.
* **Smart Flags recalculate.** Flags and priority scores are re-evaluated for affected employees.

Things that do **not** update automatically:

* **Approval chains** are not regenerated. If a management chain change affects who should approve what, you need to [regenerate approval chains](https://support.pave.com/en-us/articles/approval-chains-RPnVJR22kQ) separately.
* **Budgets** are not recalculated. Budget allocations remain as configured.
* **User inputs are never overwritten.** If a planner has already entered a value in a column (a recommendation, a note, an override), that value is preserved. A snapshot will never replace something a planner typed in.
* **Employee roster is unchanged.** A snapshot does not add or remove employees from the cycle. If someone was terminated after the cycle started, they remain in the cycle.

## Revert a snapshot

There is no way to preview what data will change before taking a snapshot. If the result isn't what you expected, you can revert it. Reverting restores cycle data to the state it was in before the snapshot.


1. Go to your cycle's **General** configuration page.
2. In the **Cycle integration data** section, select **View history**.
3. In the snapshot history drawer, select **Revert latest**.
4. Review the details (who performed the snapshot, when it happened, how many employees were affected).
5. Select **Revert**.

After a revert, column values and band matching will recalculate to reflect the restored data.

**Things to know before reverting:**

* You can only revert the most recent snapshot. You cannot skip ahead and revert an older snapshot while keeping a newer one.
* Only manual snapshots (ones you triggered from the UI) can be reverted. Automated snapshots that ran before the cycle was frozen cannot be reverted.
* Pave retains up to 5 previous manual snapshots for revert purposes. After 5 manual snapshots, the oldest snapshot is permanently deleted.
* You cannot revert while another snapshot or revert is in progress.
* Snapshots that include changes to equity settings or exchange rates cannot be reverted. If the most recent snapshot falls into this category, the **Revert latest** button will be disabled and a tooltip will explain why.

## Snapshot history

Every snapshot and revert is logged in the snapshot history. To view it:


1. Go to your cycle's **General** configuration page.
2. In the **Cycle integration data** section, select **View history**.

Each entry shows:

* Who performed the action (the admin's name)
* What happened ("snapshotted the cycle" or "reverted the latest snapshot")
* When it happened (date and time)
* Scope: "Full snapshot" for full snapshots, or the number of employees changed for partial snapshots

## FAQ

### How often can I snapshot data during a cycle?

As often as you need. There is no limit on the number of snapshots, though only the 5 most recent manual snapshots are retained for revert purposes.

### What if a planner is editing while I take a snapshot?

The snapshot will update the underlying data regardless. If the planner made changes to columns that depend on snapshotted data, their inputs are preserved (user inputs are never overwritten). However, calculated values like recommendations and band matching will recalculate, which may change what the planner sees. The planner does not receive a notification about the snapshot.

### Can I snapshot data for a finalized cycle?

No. The cycle must be active with a frozen snapshot. Once a cycle is finalized, data cannot be snapshotted.

### Why doesn't my snapshot show the latest HRIS data?

Pave syncs integration data from your HRIS approximately every hour. If you made a change in your HRIS less than an hour ago, it may not be reflected yet. Wait for the next sync cycle, then try again.

### What if an employee's data didn't update after a snapshot?

The snapshot pulls data by matching the employee's email in the cycle to their email in your HRIS. If the employee's email has changed in your HRIS since the cycle started, the snapshot won't be able to match them and their data will not update.

### What permissions do planners need to see snapshotted data?

Planners don't need any special permissions. Snapshotted data appears automatically in their worksheet the next time they load or refresh the page. If management chains were updated and a planner's access is scoped by reporting line, the employees visible to them may change.

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