Calculating the Difference
You can determine the difference between measure values from two time periods.
Prerequisites
A chart or table must be selected. The data source must include a date dimension. However, the
table or chart only need the date dimension when comparing Current
Period.
Note
-
SAP HANA models prior to version 122.14 do not support
aggregations.
However, you can use models that have data from an acquired data
source.
-
An existing aggregation cannot be used to create another aggregation.
Context
The Difference From aggregation shows the difference in the value of an
account between a starting date and a target date that is calculated from a
specified number of time periods before or after the starting date. For example, you
can compare the sales on February 2015, with the sales 6 months previously.
You can also use the current date as a starting date for your comparison.
Procedure
-
Open the Calculation Editor using one of the following
methods:
Note
The option to create a new calculation may not appear if calculations
are not possible for the chart type or model.
The Calculation Editor appears.
-
Select Difference From from the list.
-
Enter a name for the calculation.
-
In the Measure section, select a measure from the list.
-
In the Time Dimension section, select the date dimension.
-
In the Compare (A) section, select Select Time
Value, and then choose an option from the list:
- Current Period
- Current Date:
Choose the
Granularity level:
- Year
- Half Year
- Quarter
- Month
- Select by Member:
Select a value from the list of available
members. You can use
(Search) to find specific values. When you
expand the list beside the search icon, you can choose to view the
member Description, ID and
Description, or ID, and specify
whether to display quarters and halves in the time
hierarchy.
- Create a New Calculation Input Control (This
option is available when adding a calculation to a chart.):
-
Enter a name for the input control, and then select
Click to Add Values.
- Choose how to select values for the input control:
- Select by Member:
Select values from the list of available
members. If you select Exclude selected
members, all members except the ones
selected will be included in the input control. You can
use (Search) to find specific
values. When you expand the list beside the search icon,
you can choose to view the member
Description, ID
and Description, or
ID, and specify whether to
display quarters and halves in the time
hierarchy.
The members you choose appear in the
Selected Members list.
Expand the Settings for
Users section, and then choose whether
users can do the following in the input control:
Single Selection,
Multiple Selection, or
Multiple Selection Hierarchy.
Select OK.
- Select by Range:
Choose a start value and end value for the
range. Select
Add a New Range to
add additional ranges to the input control.
Note
The Select by Range option
appears only if dimension values are numerical or
date based. If the dimension is date based, you
can also select quarter, month, or year from the
slider that appears. Ranges can be fixed or
dynamic; for example, you could choose the fixed
range January 2017 to December 2017. If this story
is opened in 2018, the story will still show 2017
data. For dynamic date ranges, in addition to the
above granularities, these granularities are also
available: current year, current quarter, and
current month. For more information, see Story and Page Filters.
Expand the Settings for
Users section, and then choose whether
users can do the following in the input control:
Single Selection,
Multiple Selection, or
Single Value Slider. Select
OK.
-
Select OK.
This value is used as the starting date to calculate the difference from.
-
In the To (B) section, choose PREVIOUS or
NEXT.
- PREVIOUS – calculates the difference between the
starting date and a specific previous time period:
- 'N' Periods
- Period
- Year
- Quarter
- Month
- – calculates the difference between the starting date
and a future time period.
-
In the Nth Period section, enter the number of time periods over
which to calculate the difference.
The time period must be a discrete value, or an input control with a static list of discrete
values. This is the number of time periods before or after the starting date
that you want to compare the value to. The period is the smallest time
granularity of the current date, included in your data source. For example,
the period may be a year, a quarter, or a month.
Note
Month is the smallest
time period supported.
-
Optional:
-
Select Set No Data as Zero: To include a NULL data
point in your variance, set it to the value zero.
-
Select Calculate as Percentage.
Select Absolute Base Value to display the absolute percentage
change. Absolute values are useful if you are comparing negative values,
but have a positive change (For example, (-20) - (-40) = +20. The
percentage change (+20/-40) would be -50% if you did not use absolute
values.)
- In the Divide By section, choose Compare
(A) or To Value (B).
The Compare (A) is the value of the measure at the starting date.
The To Value (B) is the value of the measure at
your target date.
-
Select OK.