YOY_ABS

YOY_ABS('Node' [, "MissingValueBehaviour"])

In Compare periods

The YOY_ABS function returns the absolute growth for each year compared to the previous year (year-over-year). The result is the difference current_year - previous_year in the same unit as the input.

Use this function when you need the absolute difference between consecutive years: YOY_ABS('Revenue').

Parameters

NodeNode referenceRequired
Input node, specified using the node name in single quotes (e.g.'Revenue')
MissingValueBehaviourKeywordOptional
How missing values in the time series are treated. Default: "IGNORE_MISSING".
  • "IGNORE_MISSING": Missing rows are skipped. A result row is only produced where both the current year and the previous year have values. This is the default.
  • "MISSING_AS_ZERO": Missing rows are treated as 0.

Output shape

Dimensionality
Same as input.
Time range
With IGNORE_MISSING, the first year is dropped and years adjacent to gaps are also removed. With MISSING_AS_ZERO, every year where either current or previous has data is included.
Values
Each value is current_year - previous_year. The result keeps the same unit as the input.
Row count
Reduced with IGNORE_MISSING. With MISSING_AS_ZERO, can include years beyond the input data range (within the project horizon).

Watch out

  • The input must have a Year level. If the input does not contain a Year level, the function fails.
  • With MISSING_AS_ZERO, results appear at years where the input has no data. A missing current year treated as 0 produces a negative result equal to the previous year’s value. A missing previous year treated as 0 produces a positive result equal to the current year’s value.
  • With MISSING_AS_ZERO, years beyond the input data range (but within the project horizon) may appear in the result.

Examples

Default: ignoring missing values

This example shows YOY_ABS with the default behavior.

Input node: 'Profit'

YearValue
2025200
2026300
2027450
2028500
2030100

Formula: YOY_ABS('Profit')

Equivalent to: YOY_ABS('Profit', "IGNORE_MISSING")

YearCalculationResult
2026300 - 200100
2027450 - 300150
2028500 - 45050

The first year (2025) has no previous year to compare against. The gap at 2029 causes both 2029 and 2030 to be excluded.

Treating missing values as zero

With MISSING_AS_ZERO, gaps are filled with 0, producing results for every year including those without input data.

Formula: YOY_ABS('Profit', "MISSING_AS_ZERO")

YearCalculationResult
2025200 - 0200
2026300 - 200100
2027450 - 300150
2028500 - 45050
20290 - 500-500
2030100 - 0100
20310 - 100-100

Year 2025 now has a result because its previous year (2024) is treated as 0. Year 2031 (beyond the input data but within the project horizon) also appears because 2030 has a value.

See also

YOY_REL
When you need the percentage change year-over-year instead of the absolute difference.
DELTA_ABS
When you need the absolute change along any dimension, not just time (e.g. compare across products).
CAGR
When you need compound growth over multiple periods, not just a single-period comparison.
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