Track Changes In A Measure In Future Time Periods - IBM Cognos User Manual

11. In the Context offset box, or in the Context range box if you selected

Track Changes in a Measure in Future Time Periods

If your source data contains forecast values (that is, source columns with time
periods and date values that are later than the current period), you can add
relative time categories such as Next Quarter or Next Year to your model to report
future projections for the applicable measures.
For example, suppose the current period is December 31, 2006, but a data source
containing sales forecasts for all four quarters of 2007 is included in the Data
Sources list for the model. You create relative time categories with positive target
or context offsets, to track the Next Year and Next Quarter projections.
Procedure
1. Open the Categories diagram for the time dimension and position the pointer
2. Drag the pointer to the right of the root category.
3. In the Category code box, type a meaningful name for the new category, such
4. Click the Relative Time tab.
5. In the Relative time box, select Custom.
6. In the Basic approach box, select the option that matches the kind of projection
7. After you have set all the properties for the relative time category, click OK.
84
IBM Cognos Transformer Version 10.1.1: User Guide
For example, if you are creating a running total of 6 months, create the total
within the context of Year.
N-Period Running Total (Grouped) in the Basic approach box, type the
number by which the Context period is offset when the N-period running
total is created.
For example, if you are creating a 6-month running total relative to a Target
period of last year, type -1.
Your relative time dimension now contains the specified running-total time
periods.
over the right side of the root category.
The pointer changes to a crosshair.
A new relative time category is created and its property sheet opens.
as Next Month.
that you want.
Depending on your selected approach, different controls appear on the Relative
Time tab. For a current period of December, the settings for three typical future
time periods are as follows:
Basic approach: Category
Single Category: Next Month
Period To-Date Total: Year-to-date, Next
Year
N-Period Running Total: First 6 Months,
Next Year
Your relative time dimension now contains the specified future time periods.
Settings
Target period=Month; Target offset=1
To-Date Period=Year; Target period=Month;
Target offset=0; Context period=Year;
Context offset=1
Number of periods=6; Target
period=Month; Target offset=-6; Context
period=Year; Context offset=1