Beta test... will be saved on your character progress?

[Daniolaut]

They already have.

"At the commencement of the beta test, players will need to create new characters for testing purposes. At the end of phase 3, this character data will be wiped. From phase 4 onward, players will be permitted to retain their character data and carry it over to the official release version. However, depending on the circumstances, character data may still need to be wiped, so please bear this in mind. We will notify players in advance should this become necessary."

Please read more at Beta application info page
http://entry.ffxiv.com/beta/detail_en.html

Yes i've already read that, and also even quoted the very thing you have. The question proposed here is not answered within that statement..

The question is what is considered "Character Data?"

(im typing the same thing i already have..)

Is character data referring to "features" and "looks" data

-If its just the features and looks (which most likely it is) then progression data will not be carried over into the retail version of FFXIV:ARR, like every other MMO's beta testing.

or is it referring to features, looks and also "progression" data..

-If its referring to both (which highly it is not) then whoever deleted FFXIV 1.0 will not have character data transferred over into ARR. (via Triairy's comment, and other statements made by other reps/devs.)

So what this boils down to is are they using the same term for multiple things (character data=progression data and features data)

Also, the real question proposed is,
"Will our progress be saved through onto retail, or will just our 1.0 data be carried over into retail"

I am not answering the question, I defining it. The information is obviously not clear because they say "make sure you save your data in your document files so it can be imported during beta character creation." also most MMO's do not allow you to carry your character data over into retail.

I believe we all know what the beta schedule road map states

"- Characters created during this phase will be carried over to the official release."
and
"* Circumstance may necessitate the deletion of character data"

But what OP is asking is.. something along the lines of what this is saying.

snip.

snip
"However, before the official service start we will be releasing a benchmark software which allows character creation which can import ver 1.x character data. So if you would like to import your data, please remember to keep the character data stored in FFXIV folder under My Documents > My Games > FINAL FANTASY XIV (default)"

One can assume character progress while another could assume character feature data (used in the character creation screen.) What the OP is asking is which.. Will we be keeping our character feature data, and our progress data, or just our feature data?

(because as you saw Triairy is referring to character data being just the characters feature data.)

If they are the same:
If they are in fact the same thing, (all the data is both progress and features) then whoever deleted FFXIV 1.0 will not keep their progress. In which case, there will be a major rage fest unleashed. (because Yoshida gave the "ok" to delete the FFXIV 1.0 client, which contained the data as did Triairy in his OP.)

If They are different:
If they are different then its only character feature data, meaning what you are importing is just the features or "looks" of the character not its progress data. Thus, whoever deleted FFXIV 1.0 client is safe, except they cannot import data for the benchmark (which isnt a big deal) but this also means that the data referred to as "character data" in the ARR schedule is just the "feature" and "looks" data used during character creation (not its progression being carried over into release.)