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# How the tool works

Configuration Manager consists of a number of jobs that read and write power monitoring system configuration components and databases.

#### Read from System

When Configuration Manager reads a source system, it determines the installed power monitoring system version on the source machine, and then compares the source system to a default configuration of that version. Configuration Manager considers non-default values to be customized; when Read from System completes these values are displayed in the tool as customizations.

Configuration Manager also scans the system for compatible historical database archives. You can choose to include these to be saved to archive with the configuration.

IMPORTANT! Configuration Manager does not display source historical database archives that were saved using an unsupported power monitoring system version. These historical database archives cannot be saved with the configuration. To include unsupported historical database archives with the configuration, upgrade them to a supported version before using Configuration Manager.

#### Save to Archive

When Configuration Manager saves a configuration to archive, it copies the customized values, files, and configuration databases into a single archive folder in a user selected location. The historical database and historical database archives can optionally be included in the archive. Any notes or attachments created in the Configuration Manager are also included in the archive folder.

#### Load from Archive

When Configuration Manager loads an archived configuration, it retrieves and displays the content of the archive, including notes and attachments. Once open, you can inspect the configuration, add notes and attachments, and write it to a target system.

#### Write to System

notice

LOSS OF DATA

• Back up the system configuration before writing a new configuration.

• Verify the correctness of a configuration before writing it to the system.

Failure to follow these instructions can result in permanent loss of data.

When Configuration Manager writes a saved archive to a target system, it scans the target version to verify that it is a supported PME 8.2 system. It then copies all customized configuration values to the target. If replacing the default values is compatible with the target system, Configuration Manager copies the customized files directly to the PME 8.2 system. Configuration components that cannot be automatically updated due to overwriting issues are copied to the following folder: `...\Power Monitoring System\CM Migration Files`. You must add these components manually. See Supporting Guides for detailed information on how to manually complete the upgrade or migration of your system.

Note: Configuration Manager is designed to write to a newly-installed PME system. Writing a configuration to a system that was previously customized could negatively impact the system configuration. See Writing to a Customized PME System for details.