Relative Time Period References

A relative period reference specifies the number and/or type of periods to lag or lead:

For each reference, you must indicate whether the time periods are a lag or a lead:

If you specify no period type, the type becomes the same as the current period. For example, if you are in a month then you lag by months, or if you are in a year then you lag by years.

You can retrieve an account value from a nonexistent period. For example, if you forecast January 2003 Sales based on growth rate from the previous year (January 2002 Results), but 2002 is an annual period, Strategic Finance interpolates the answer based on the final Result for 2002. This will not predict variance.

Valid formats include:

Example

Meaning

v1030( -1M )

Lag one month of Sales

v1030( +3M )

Lead three months of Sales

v1030( -4Q )

Lag four quarters of Sales

v1030( +2Q )

Lead two quarters of Sales

v1030( -1Y )

Lag one year of Sales

v1030( +3Y )

Lag three years of Sales

v1030( -1 )

Lag one of the current period type of Sales

v1030(+2M)

Lead two months of Sales

See Functions that Typecast Within Relative Time Period References.