---
title: "Clone Data in Metrics"
slug: "clone-metric-data"
description: "Learn how to clone data in Metrics between list items, duplicating products or initializing country data, with important security considerations."
tags: ["Application Security", "Data Cloning", "Metrics Duplication", "Modeling Formulas"]
updated: 2026-05-26T14:44:20Z
published: 2026-05-26T14:44:20Z
---

> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://kb.pigment.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Clone Data in Metrics

Cloning Metric data can help modelers in the following situations:

- You want to add a new geography to the model based on existing data.
- You want to initiate a new Version based on existing data.
- You are launching a new product line and want to base its sales forecast on your existing product.
- You want to set up a Board with an action widget for Members to repetitively define and trigger cloning.

## Before you begin

> [!WARNING]
> ⚠️ **Important**
> 
> Only inputted or imported data and data added through formula override can be cloned.
> 
> Members must have the following permissions:
> 
> - [Clone Data permission](/v1/docs/roles-permissions-access-rights) to trigger cloning from a Board or elsewhere
> - [Configure Block permission](/v1/docs/roles-permissions-access-rights#roles-permissions-and-access-page) to set up a Board to allow Members to trigger a clone through an Action Button

> [!CAUTION]
> **🛡️****Warning**
> 
> Cloning Metric data is irreversible. After data is transferred from the Metrics of one Item to another, it can’t be reversed and any data that was in the target Item is overwritten, even if you are copying blank cells over.
> 
> You may need to create a blank target Item beforehand and you must check all the affected Metrics in the Clone data dialog before confirming the cloning of data.

### How it works

The **Clone data in Metrics**feature works with any List Item of your Application and in no more than a few clicks. There are some considerations to know first:

- **Data is cloned from one Item (called the source Item) to another**. This means that you need to create an Item before copying data onto it.
- **Data is cloned for each eligible Metric you choose.** During the process (see below) you select from all Metrics that:
  - use the Dimension you specify;
  - do not contain a formula, or have formula overrides enabled in [the Metric settings](/v1/docs/block-settings-for-metrics#allow-overriding-formula-results-with-an-input).
- **Data is cloned inside the Application** where the clone is triggered. This means that even if a Dimension is shared, no data is cloned in Metrics outside the Application.
- **Data is cloned based upon the access rights and permissions of the Member initiating it. The data copy is only applied to the cells of the Metrics that you have access rights for.******This means data is cloned only where you have:
  - Read access on the cells of all Metrics from which you want to clone data (the source Items)
  - Write access on the cells of all Metrics to which you want to clone data (the target Items)

## How to access Clone Data in Metrics

You can bring up the **Clone Data in Metrics** dialog in the following ways:

#### From the Block Explorer

1. In your Application, select **All Blocks** or any folder from the sidebar.
2. Select **More******in the top right of the main pane.
3. Select **Clone data in Metrics**.

#### From a Dimension

1. Right-select the Dimension Item you wish to copy.
2. Select **Clone data in Metrics**.
3. The **Clone data in Metrics** dialog opens with the Item pre-populated.

#### From a Metric or Table

1. Whether in Blocks or on a Board, from the Dimension Items displayed in rows or columns, right-select the one you wish to clone from.
2. Select **Clone data from Item**.
3. The Clone data in Metrics dialog opens with the Item pre-populated.

#### From Application Settings

1. In your Application, select Settings, the three-dot menu in the sidebar with the **More options**tooltip.
2. Select **Data Actions & Flows**.
3. Select the **Clone data in Metrics** tab in the main pane.
4. Select **Clone data**.

## The **Clone data in Metrics** dialog

The **Clone data in Metrics** dialog steps you through four fields, shown below.

![](https://cdn.document360.io/e47cfe35-dc28-40c7-a083-6cf003073d8e/Images/Documentation/image(208).png)

### **The****‘****Dimension List’********field**

- This field provides a dropdown containing every Dimension in your Application.
- Select the Dimension containing the Metric you wish to clone from.

### **The****‘****Source and Target Items’********field**

- In this field, specify which of the Dimension Items from the Dimension selected above is to be the source, and which to be the target.

### **The****‘****Select Metrics’********field**

- This field allows you to exclude certain Metrics from the clone.
- If you leave all the checkboxes selected, data in all those Metrics is cloned.

### **The****‘****Define data to clone’********field**

- In this field, add conditions to clone specific ranges of data.
- Choose ‘Is in’ to only copy the specified range.
- Choose ‘Is not in’ to copy everything but the specified range.

> [!WARNING]
> **⚠️****Important**
> 
> As specified by the “And any other data between source and target Items” section, for Metrics that are not defined on a Dimension given in the conditions, the data is still cloned from the source to the target Item.
> 
> For example, if you have a Metric defined only on Version but not on Department, but you have Department in the conditions, the data is still copied over.

### Turn source, target and conditions into Parameters

Instead of specifying Dimension Items for source and target as above, you can choose to turn them into Parameters. Parameters allow you to leave specification of your source and target Items for a later time, when cloning data from a Board (see [below](/v1/docs/clone-data-in-metrics-v2#clone-data-in-metrics-from-a-board))*.*

Here’s how to use them:

1. Select the Parameter symbols in the source and/or target fields: ![](https://cdn.document360.io/e47cfe35-dc28-40c7-a083-6cf003073d8e/Images/Documentation/image(189).png)
2. The field changes to say **From: Single Choice** or **To: Single Choice**, reminding you that cloning is only possible from and to single List Items.
3. If desired, turn the conditions set out in **Define data to clone** into Parameters in the same way. Choose between allowing Members to select just one or multiple options.

> [!NOTE]
> **ℹ️ Note**
> 
> For more information on how to use Parameters with Data Actions, see [Customize Data Actions with Parameters](/v1/docs/customize-data-actions-with-parameters).

## Save as new configuration

To reuse this configuration at a later time, select **Save configuration**.

To access, edit and trigger these saved configurations:

1. In your Application, select **Settings**.
2. Select **Data Actions & Flows**.
3. Select the **Clone data in Metrics** tab in the main pane. Your saved configurations appear listed.
4. Hover on items in the list. Options appear allowing you to:
  - **Trigger**configurations that do not use Parameters.
  - Select the **Edit** symbol to make changes.
  - Open an item’s **three-dot menu**and select **Duplicate** to create a copy of the configuration or rename it.

> [!WARNING]
> **⚠️****Important**
> 
> If the configuration you select is not triggerable, an Error message alerts you. Check whether the configuration was deleted or whether all the Metrics referenced are still present and valid.

## Clone Data in Metrics from a Board

You can set up your Boards to allow Members to trigger a clone through an Action Button:

1. Go to a Board.
2. Select **Edit**, then **+ Add a widget.**
3. Choose **Action.**
4. Select **Clone Data in Metrics**. You must have a saved configuration (see [above](/v1/docs/clone-data-in-metrics-v2#save-as-new-configuration)) for this selection to be available.
5. Select the configuration from the dropdown.
6. Choose **Card** or **Button** for the widget format and add a **Title**, optional **Description**, or **Button label.**
7. Select **Add to board.**

Once added, any Member with the required permissions can clone the data directly from the Board.

![](https://cdn.document360.io/e47cfe35-dc28-40c7-a083-6cf003073d8e/Images/Documentation/image(191).png)

## How to clone from a Board action widget as a Member

1. Ensure you have [the right permissions](/v1/docs/clone-data-in-metrics-v2#before-you-begin) to clone this data.
2. Beneath is an example of a **Clone data in Metrics**Board action widget. Select the action button (here labelled **Initialize with filters**), opening a dialog.
3. The dialog allows you to specify **Source of data**,**Target of data** and/or **Filters**, if set as Parameters during configuration (see previous section). Choose from the dropdowns and select **Apply**.

![](https://cdn.document360.io/e47cfe35-dc28-40c7-a083-6cf003073d8e/Images/Documentation/image(204).png)

## View Clone data in Metrics History

To view a history of executed clone operations:

1. Go to an Application.
2. Select **History** from the sidebar.
3. Under **All Actions**, select **Clone****data** from the dropdown to view execution history.