BASELINE

Overview

The BASELINE function returns the value of a node with no assumptions applied. Assumptions are removed from the referenced node and all upstream nodes that affect it.

Use this function to compare the effect of assumptions by seeing what a node's value would be without them.

Syntax

BASELINE('Node' [, "useVariablesFrom"])

Example usage: BASELINE('Revenue')

Parameters

Parameter	Description	Type	Required	Default
Node	Input node, specified using the node name in single quotes (e.g.`'Revenue'`)	Node reference	Yes	--
useVariables From	Determines which variable values are used in the calculation	Keyword	No	`"SCENARIO"`

useVariablesFrom options:

"SCENARIO": Uses variable values as overridden by the scenario. This is the default.
"PROJECT": Uses the original project default values instead of scenario overrides.

Output Shape

Aspect	Behavior
Dimensionality	Same as the input node.
Values	The input node's values computed without any assumptions applied to it or its upstream nodes.
Row count	Same as the input node's baseline values.

Watch Out

The input must be a single node reference. Combinations of operations (e.g. 'A' + 'B') are not valid.
If the model has multiple baselines, the baseline of the current scenario is used.
The PROJECT mode only applies project default variable values to nodes calculated within the BASELINE function. Upstream nodes outside the BASELINE call still use scenario variable values.
BASELINE removes assumptions from the node and all upstream nodes. To remove assumptions from only the specified node while keeping upstream assumptions, use NONSIM instead.

Examples

Baseline values without assumptions

This example shows the baseline result of multiplying two nodes when no assumptions or variable overrides are applied. The project default variable $MY_VAR is set to 10.

Project default variables: $MY_VAR = 10

Input node: Node 1

Year	Value
2025	$MY_VAR = 10
2026	$MY_VAR = 10
2027	$MY_VAR = 10
2028	$MY_VAR = 10

Input node: Node 2

Year	Value
2025	1
2026	1
2027	1
2028	1

Formula: 'Node 1' * 'Node 2'

Year	Value
2025	10
2026	10
2027	10
2028	10

These are the baseline results with no assumptions applied.

Values with scenario overrides and assumptions

This example shows how the same nodes look when a scenario overrides $MY_VAR to 20 and assumptions are activated on both nodes.

Variable override via scenario: $MY_VAR = 20

Input node: Node 1 (with overridden $MY_VAR as 'Base' and activated assumptions as 'Change')

Year	Base	Change	Result
2025	20	0	20
2026	20	10	30
2027	20	20	40
2028	20	30	50

Input node: Node 2 (with the initial measures as 'Base' and activated assumptions as 'Change')

Year	Base	Change	Result
2025	1	1	2
2026	1	2	3
2027	1	3	4
2028	1	4	5

Result Node formula: 'Node 1' * 'Node 2'

Year	Base (Node 1 * Node 2)	Change	Result
2025	20 * 2	5	45
2026	30 * 3	5	95
2027	40 * 4	5	165
2028	50 * 5	5	255

Comparing SCENARIO vs PROJECT mode

This example shows the difference between the two modes: SCENARIO uses the variable value overridden by the scenario (20), while PROJECT uses the original project default (10).

Formula: BASELINE('Result Node') = BASELINE('Result Node', "SCENARIO")

Year	→ BASELINE Result
2025	20
2026	20
2027	20
2028	20

BASELINE removes all assumptions but keeps the scenario's variable override ($MY_VAR = 20).

Formula: BASELINE('Result Node', "PROJECT")

Year	→ BASELINE Result
2025	10
2026	10
2027	10
2028	10

PROJECT mode also reverts the variable to its project default ($MY_VAR = 10).

Related Functions

Function	When to use instead
NONSIM	When you only want to remove assumptions from the node itself. BASELINE removes assumptions from the node and all upstream nodes; NONSIM only removes them from the specified node.