PREVIOUS

Description

Returns the previous period value of a Node, except for the base-period Basevalue where it returns the value of the Base Node. All effects applied between the Node and the Basenode will therefore cumulate over the year. The function can be used to create models where the value of a node depends on the result for the previous period of a node higher in the value driver tree, thereby creating a loop that is resolved along the time dimension. An example is provided below, where the 'Base Cost' node depends on the final 'Cost' of the previous year, calculating the costs based on the costs of the previous year with the two drives inflation and productivity.

Signature

PREVIOUS(Node, Level , Basenode, Basevalue)

Parameters

• Node: Input node, of which the previous year value is taken (e.g. 'Cost')
• Level: The time level which defines the previous value (e.g. "Year" → previous of "2016" is "2015")
• Basenode: Input Node which is used to get the value of the Node for the base period (e.g. 'Initial Cost')
• Basevalue: The value describing the base period (e.g. "2015")

When using the PREVIOUS function, the following limitations apply to all nodes between Node and Basenode

• no manipulation of time, e.g. by using SHIFT
• all nodes must have the time level used for the loop
• Node and Basenode must have the same levels
• The loop cannot span multiple sub-models