Get more options for viewing data

This option is available:

• For defined periods that are based on the Month period type. Typically, Month to Date is used when your period range (both current and previous) is set to a single month. This option is also available if your period range spans several months, however, the range must not exceed 12 months, and the range must not project into the future.

• In Summary view only (when no dimension is selected): Period and Stream modes. Both the current and previous periods need to include the same month for each respective year.

• When a dimension is selected: Variance, Stream, Period Stream, Period Variance, and Matrix Variance modes. The displayed periods need to include the current month.

This option has the following impacts on the grid:

• When it is turned OFF (default*; checkbox is clear), the data in the current calendar month (Current column) is based on the transactions so far, up to today. Whereas, the data in the corresponding month in the previous year (Previous column) is based on the transactions for the whole of that month. In this case, a like-for-like comparison is difficult.

*Administrators might set the Month to date option to be turned on by default.

• When it is turned ON (checkbox is selected), the data in the corresponding month in the previous year (Previous column) updates; only the transactions up to the same day of the current month are included. In this case, a like-for-like comparison is easy.

For example, if today is the 7th of the month, the data in the Current column would typically include transactions from the 1st to 6th of the month. In the first image below, the Month To Date option is turned off, so the data in the Previous column is based on the full month of transactions. Whereas, in the second image below, the Month To Date option is turned on, so the data in the Previous column includes only the transactions from the 1st to 6th of the month. The values in the two columns are now more comparable.

Use the Month To Date option to compare data for the first few weeks of February with the same part of the month in the previous year. Assume today's date is 16 February 2017. You want a like-for-like comparison with the first 15 days in February last year (2016).

1. Set your date range to display data from this February and last February: Click Period > Custom, then set the Current Period to start and end in February 2017. The Previous Period automatically changes to start and end in February 2016. Click Apply.

2. Click the Customer dimension.

3. Click Mode > Variance. The grid displays results for the entire month of February 2016, and the first 15 days of February 2017. The image below highlights the disparity in these results.

   
4. Click Options > Month To Date.

   

   The Previous column updates to display data for the first 15 days of February 2016, as illustrated in the image below. These results are much closer in range than in the image above, where Month To Date was not applied.

   
5. (Optional) Save this view as a favorite or dashboard widget.

If you cannot see the Month to Date option in the Options menu:

• Check with your administrator that you have permission to use this feature.

• Ensure you are using a period that is based on the Month period type:

  • Administrators can check this via the database’s page > Defined Periods tab in Administration, where the period type is specified in the Type column.

  • Other users can check it themselves, if they have permission to apply custom periods. When the period is applied to the grid, click the Period menu and select Custom. The Custom Period window displays the period type in the top left corner. Click Close to return to your analysis.

    

The Show Others option is only useful when you have selected and focused on some rows in the selected dimension. It displays the total of the unfocused rows below the total of the focused rows.

When this option is turned on (checkbox is selected), a new row displays at the top of the grid (below the TOTAL row) to show the sum total of all the 'unfocused' rows in each column. As you can see in the first image below, zeros will display in this row if you have not focused on some rows. When you focus on some rows, the total of the other (unfocused) rows displays.

Note: The data that displays in the OTHERS row depends on which measures are selected. For example, if the Value or Profit measures are selected, the OTHERS row displays a total, but if the Margin measure is selected, it will display an average.

To remove the OTHERS row, clear the Show Others checkbox. You cannot remove this row by clicking the Reset button, however, logging off and back on will remove it.

Example 1: View a total based on information not showing on in the grid

Suppose you have filtered the grid to display data for the UK only. The total revenue for all regions in the UK is $23,305,649.11.

You then select and focus on the top 5 performing regions in the UK. The total revenue for those regions only is $6,351,192.34.

Now you want to compare the total of the top 5 performing regions with the total of all the other, unfocused regions. Click Options > Show Others. The total revenue of the unfocused regions ($16,954,456.77) displays below the total revenue of the focused regions ($6,351,192.34). The sum of these two equals to the total revenue for all regions in the UK ($23,305,649.11).

Example 2: Limit the information displayed in a chart

Sometimes there is too much data to turn into a meaningful chart. In the image below, rather than attempt to chart all Sales Reps, just 6 Sales Reps have been selected and focused on, and the Show Others option has been turned on. The percentages in the resulting pie chart remain accurate, and there is no clutter. All unfocused Sales Reps are grouped together in the 'Others' wedge.

When this option is turned on (checkbox is selected), it adds up all the values in the column and returns the total in a new SUM row at the top of the grid (below the TOTAL row).

Click Options and select the Show Sum checkbox. The additional row, SUM, displays underneath the standard TOTAL row.

To remove the SUM row, clear the Show Sum checkbox.

When this option is turned on (checkbox is selected), a new row displays at the top of the grid (below the TOTAL row) to show the average of the data in each column.

Click Options and select the Show Average checkbox. The additional row, AVERAGE, displays underneath the standard TOTAL row.

To remove the AVERAGE row, clear the Show Average checkbox.

In Period mode, the first column after the Properties column(s) shows the total value for the selected period. This makes sense for streams that have cumulative data, such as Sales Invoices but in streams that hold a snapshot of data showing the variance over time, such as Stock on Hand, the total is meaningless. For these types of streams, you can display the period total as an average, rather than a sum of the periods.

For example, in the image below, the Total Value column displays the cumulative value of three month's worth of sales. This is the typical (default) view.

When you click Options > Totals as Average, that total column now displays the average of those sales, which is reflected in the new column header. Note that the values in the TOTAL row of the period columns are not changed, just the values in the total column.