Following Value dialog

Use this dialog to create a following value calculation. A following value calculation returns the value that is a specified number of rows or a specified time period after each value. For example, you might want to know what the following month's sales are for each value.

You typically use following value to create calculations for use in other calculations. For example, you might use the following month's sales values to calculate the change in sales from the following month as a percentage of annual sales.

This type of analysis is sometimes referred to as LAG/LEAD analysis.

Note: To return a preceding value rather than a following value, use the Preceding Value dialog (see "Preceding Value dialog").

For more information, see:

"What are analytic functions?"

"Examples of using row-based and time-based intervals"

"How to create a new calculation using an analytic function template"

"LAG/LEAD function examples"

Following value of

Use this drop down list to choose the item for which you want to return the following value. For example, you might choose Sales SUM to calculate the following sales value.

Return value

Use this drop down list to specify the number of rows or the number of time periods in which you want to compare the values. For example, you might choose '3' to compare sales values with sales values three months in advance.

Use the adjacent drop down list to choose a row-based interval or a time-based interval. For example, you might choose Months Following Current Value to compare sales values with later sales values.

Hint: If you have time-based data, use time-based groups (e.g. Days/Weeks/Months After Current Value). If you do not have time-based data, use row-based groups (e.g. Rows After Current Value). For more information about types of group, see "About windowing".

For examples of specifying row-based and time-based intervals, see "Examples of using row-based and time-based intervals".

Order rows by

Use this drop down list to specify how to order the worksheet values. For example, you might choose Calendar Month to compare sales with sales one month in advance. Then use the adjacent drop down list to specify whether to order values in ascending order (i.e. Lowest to Highest) or descending order (i.e. Highest to Lowest).

Hint: If you have specified a time-based group in the Return value fields, specify a time-based value in the Order rows by fields (e.g. Calendar Month).

Then order rows by

Use this drop down list to specify a secondary order for the values. For example, you might choose City to sort values on city within month. Then use the adjacent drop down list to specify whether to order values in ascending order (i.e. Lowest to Highest) or descending order (i.e. Highest to Lowest).

Note: This drop down list only enabled if you specified a row-based group in the Following value drop down list. This drop down list is only disabled if you specified a time-based group in the Following value drop down list.

Restart calculation at each change in

Use this list to specify which groups to use if you want to arrange results into groups (sometimes referred to as partitions).

For example, to calculate the following value in Sales SUM values between months within year, you might choose Calendar Year.

If you do not specify a group, Discoverer treats all worksheet values as a single group.

Calculation

calculation When you click OK, the formula is transferred to the Calculation field in the "New Calculation dialog" or the "Edit Calculation dialog".

Notes

A following value calculation will return a null value if the following row is beyond the last row in the group.