Working with range calculations
In regular calculated rows and columns, one calculation applies to the entire range of symbols within that row or column.
Using range calculations, you can create calculated rows and columns in which you can define more than one calculation and apply them to different ranges of symbols within that row or column.
This section contains information on these main topics:
"Understanding range calculations "
"Creating range calculations "
Understanding range calculations
You define a range by selecting a parent symbol in the ranging dimension. The ranging dimension is the dimension containing the symbols on which the calculation is based. By default, the ranging dimension is the innermost dimension in the opposite direction of the calculated symbol. For example:
You can make any dimension in either the down or across direction of your view the ranging dimension, as long as it resides in the opposite direction to the one containing the calculated symbol.
All child symbols beneath the selected parent symbol are included in the range and are thus subject to the same calculation. For example, in the previous example, the initial range is Gross profit and all its children.
In this example, all symbols in the initial range are subject to the following calculation:
2003 - 2003 Budget
This calculation results in all calculated data being shown as positive.
To show the expense accounts as negative, you must define a second range with a different calculation.
This calculation results in all data in the second range being shown as negative.
You can add as many ranges as you want. The order in which you create ranges does not matter. Ranges are calculated according to their position in the hierarchy from the top of the hierarchy down.
Creating range calculations
Depending on your role, you may be able to create range calculations within a calculated symbol.
| Role | Can perform this task? |
|---|---|
| Report Publisher | yes |
| Report Author | yes |
| Report User | no |
To create range calculations within a calculated symbol, follow these steps.
- Click on a symbol next to which you want to create a calculated symbol.
- Right-click the symbol name. A pop-up menu appears.
- Choose Insert Calculated Symbol. The Create Calculated Symbol dialog appears.
- For Type, select Range Calculation. The appearance of the dialog changes.
- Complete these fields:
Field Description Name Type a name for the range. Description Type a description for the range. Type You have already selected Range Calculation. Ranging Dimension Select the dimension containing the parent symbols within which you want to specify ranges of symbols. - Click Add/Remove Symbols. The Symbol Selection For Range dialog appears.
- Complete the following:
Field Description Available Symbols and Selected Symbols Find the symbols within which you want to define symbol ranges in the Available Symbols list and click the arrow to move them to the Selected Symbols list. You may select as many symbols as necessary. - Click OK. The Create Calculated Symbol dialog appears with the symbols you selected in the Ranging Symbols drop-down list.
- For Ranging Symbols, select a symbol within which you want to create a range calculation.
- Click Create/Edit Calculation. The Create Calculation dialog appears.
- Define the calculation to apply to the range as described in:
- “Creating a ratio row or column”
- “Creating a variance row or column”
- “Creating a percentage row or column”
- “Creating a formula row or column”
For Calculation Type Applied, you can select None (blank) if you do not want the range calculation performed on a parent symbol (and all its children) to apply to one or more child symbols (and all their children) within that parent symbol. In this case, you would have to create a separate range within the parent range, to which you would apply the None (blank) setting.
- Repeat step 9 to step 11 for each range to include in the calculated column or row.
Note: The order in which you define the range calculations does not matter because ranges are calculated according to their position in the hierarchy—symbols higher in the hierarchy are calculated before symbols lower in the hierarchy.
- When you are finished, click OK. The Create Calculated Symbol dialog appears.
- Complete these fields:
Field Description Insert Point Select the location of the calculated row or column. You can place it either before or after the symbol you selected in step 1. Decimal Select the number of decimal places to include in the calculated data. To retain the global decimal setting for the calculated symbol, select Default. - You can create a condition for data in the calculated row or column, so that values meeting a certain condition are highlighted, filtered, or suppressed altogether.
- To create a calculated row or column without a condition, proceed to step 16.
- To create a condition, click Conditional Display, and complete the dialog, as described in “Working with conditions”.
- Click OK. The view appears, showing the calculated row or column.