Part 4: Build the Driver Model

In this part, you create two models and build the cause-effect relations of the revenue model.

Models in Valsight define the underlying calculation logic that connects data, business logic, and drivers as the basis for scenario simulation.

For detailed reference on any of the concepts here, see Modeling.

The model structure

Driver models in Valsight follow the "Valsight Fish" structure, read from right to left.

For this tutorial, you will create two models:

500_Data: contains the base nodes that pull in the Excel data
100_P&L: contains the drivers, calculation logic, and the revenue result

Watch the video guide

Step 1: Create the models

Open the Model overview from the left menu bar.
Click Add to create the two models:

Field	`500_Data`	`100_P&L`
Description	Base data from Excel	Revenue calculation and drivers
Submodels	None	`500_Data`

Click Create.

Step 2: Build the `500_Data` model

The data model contains two base nodes that connect to the uploaded Excel data: one for volume and one for price.

Open the 500_Data submodel by clicking its name.
Click the Node button in the action bar at the bottom of the canvas.
Create two Data nodes:

Volume (Base)

Name: Volume (Base)
Unit: Quantity

Price (Base)

Name: Price (Base)
Unit: EUR / Quantity

Connect to Excel data using the DATA function

When the node is selected the function editor shows on the top of the canvas.
Click the Data button
Select Data source, Table and Measure in the dialog
Click Insert. The following functions should appear in the editor:

For Volume: DATA("TutorialData", "Price and Volume", "Volume")
For Price: DATA("TutorialData", "Price and Volume", "Price")

Use Data Preview to confirm that both nodes show 2025 values.

Step 3: Build the 100_P&L model

Switch to 100_P&L using the model selector in the header at the top left of the Model Editor.

Create these nodes:

Volume

Type: Standard node
Name: Volume
Unit: Quantity
Formula: ROLLFORWARD_ADVANCED('Volume (Base)')
ROLLFORWARD_ADVANCED carries the 2025 base values forward into future years.

Market Growth

Type: Simulation node
Name: Market Growth
Unit: Percent
Formula: EXPAND(0, "Year", "Region")
EXPAND creates a dimensional structure for an empty node.

Update volume to:

ROLLFORWARD_ADVANCED('Volume (Base)', 'Market Growth')

Price

Type: Standard node
Name: Price
Unit: EUR / Quantity
Formula: ROLLFORWARD_ADVANCED('Price (Base)')

Price Adjustment

Type: Simulation node
Name: Price Adjustment
Unit: EUR
Formula: EXPAND(0, "Year", "Product", "Country")
This node must match the dimensions of Price (Base).

Update price to:

ROLLFORWARD_ADVANCED('Price (Base)', 'Price Adjustment')

Revenue

Type: Standard node
Name: Revenue
Unit: EUR
Formula: 'Volume' * 'Price'

Use Data Preview to confirm that Revenue equals Volume times Price.

Node overview

Node	Formula
`Volume (Base)`	`DATA("TutorialData", "Price and Volume", "Volume")`
`Price (Base)`	`DATA("TutorialData", "Price and Volume", "Price")`
`Volume`	`ROLLFORWARD_ADVANCED('Volume (Base)', 'Market Growth')`
`Market Growth`	`EXPAND(0, "Year", "Region")`
`Price`	`ROLLFORWARD_ADVANCED('Price (Base)', 'Price Adjustment')`
`Price Adjustment`	`EXPAND(0, "Year", "Product", "Country")`
`Revenue`	`'Volume' * 'Price'`

What you have done

Created two models: 500_Data and 100_P&L
Connected Excel data with DATA
Used ROLLFORWARD_ADVANCED to project values forward
Created simulatable drivers with EXPAND
Calculated Revenue as Volume times Price

Next step

Continue to Part 5: Simulate.