In contrast to editing or copying data, automated scenario management using inheritance gives you significant advantages:

• A single hydraulic model file makes it possible to generate an unlimited number of "What If?" conditions without becoming overwhelmed with numerous modeling files and separate results.
• The software maintains the data for all the scenarios in a single hydraulic model so it can provide you with powerful automated tools for directly comparing scenario results where any set is available at any time.
• The Scenario/Alternative relationship empowers you to mix and match groups of data from existing scenarios without having to re-declare any data.
• You do not have to re-enter data if it remains unchanged in a new alternative or scenario, avoiding redundant copies of the same data. It also enables you to correct a data input error in a parent scenario and automatically update the corrected attribute in all child scenarios.

These advantages may not seem compelling for small hydraulic models, however, as hydraulic models grow to hundreds or thousands of network elements, the advantages of true scenario inheritance become clear. On a large hydraulic model, being able to maintain a collection of base and modified alternatives accurately and efficiently can be the difference between evaluating optional improvements or ignoring them.