Formula basics
Overview
Formulas define how a node is calculated in a model. They combine node references, operators, and functions to calculate values across time and other business dimensions.
Use this page to learn the core syntax before diving into the full Operators and Function catalog.
Core syntax conventions
Referencing nodes
Use single quotes around node names:
'Revenue'When you type a single quote (
') in the function editor, Valsight shows a list of available nodes, including nodes from submodels.
Constants
You can write numbers directly in formulas:
0,1.2,100000Numbers have no dimensions (they’re a single value).
Operators
Arithmetic:
+,-,*,/Comparisons:
=,!=,<,<=,>,>=Boolean logic:
AND,NOT,OR,XOR,TRUE,FALSEOperators can be nested and combined with functions.
Functions
Functions are named operations that transform, filter, or compare values
Function names are case-sensitive and written in uppercase, for example
EXPAND,FILTER,IFThey consist of comma-separated arguments inside parentheses
Functions can be nested and are evaluated inside out (inner results first).
Dimensions, levels, and level values
Dimensions and levels describe which business axes a value is defined on and at what detail.
Use double quotes for dimension names, level names, and level values:
"Time","Year","2024"
Value lists
Use square brackets for lists of values:
["EMEA", "APAC"]
Project variables
You can use project variables as placeholders in functions.
Type
$to select a variable from the list, for example$FORECAST_START
Comments
Use
#to add comments in the function field.
Common formula shapes
Arithmetic:
'Revenue' - 'COGS'Data reference:
DATA("ERP", "Actuals", "Volume")Reshaping:
EXPAND('Sales', "Product")Filtering:
FILTER('Sales', "Region", ["EMEA", "APAC"])Conditional logic:
IF('Margin' < 0, 0, 'Margin')
Related sections
Operators: arithmetic, comparisons, and boolean logic used in formulas
Function catalog: all functions (A–Z and browse by category)
Troubleshooting guide: wrong shape, missing values, and common pitfalls