Cumulative Context Functions

As described in the context calculation overview, the Cumulative functions are designed to provide an easy technique to calculate the accumulation of data points in a result set. While these can be done in semantic formulas, they are much more appropriate as context logic, because they will change to suit the selections made in a report or visual - which is significantly more efficient.

Cumulative Logic

The core principal behind cumulative calc's is to read a sequence of data points in a query and easily accumulate or total the values as you move from one item to the next. Although this concept is extended to comparing to the maximum or via a rolling total, the key element is that the logic looks at the list of items (from a hierarchy) and checks the movement of data from one "row" to the next on the selected metric. By changing the hierarchy or the selections, the accumulation will change accordingly, without needing to redefine or recode the calculation itself (i.e. its contextual).

However, if the contextual resolution of the cumulative logic requires further refinement, it is possible to edit the behavior of the calculation using the Context Calculation Logic Editor.

  • Click here to learn about the Context Calculation Logic Editor

Examples

Editing Context Calculation Logic

As well as editing and changing the properties of a context calculation, such as its name or format, it is also possible to alter the logic of how the calculation is performed using the Context Calculation Logic Editor.