valsight.ai
Reference Updated March 24, 2026

DELTA_REL

Category: Compare periods

Overview

Description

Calculates the relative difference between consecutive values within the selected dimension.

Use this when you need the relative (percentage) change between consecutive values along any dimension, not just time.

Syntax

`DELTA_REL('Node', ["Dimension", ["FirstValueBehavior"]])`

Parameters

  • Node: Input node, specified using the node name in single quotes (e.g. 'Profit')

  • Dimension (optional): The dimension along which consecutive values are compared. Default: "Time" at the node's finest level.

  • FirstValueBehavior (optional): How the first value per unique level combination is handled. Default: "SKIP_FIRST".

    • "SKIP_FIRST" - The first level combination per group will not be present in the result.

    • "FIRST_AS_ZERO" - The value of the first level combination will be set to zero.

Limitations

  • The growth will always be calculated on the lowest available level of the specified dimension.

  • If the "former value" is zero, the calculation cannot be performed as a division by zero is not possible. The level combination will therefore not be in the result.

  • The function compares only entries that actually exist in the input. Missing values are skipped.

    • To calculate the growth with filled missing values use YOY_REL

  • The function ensures that the links from the levels of the specified dimension match those in the dimension management.

    • Do not use this function if you want the node to have different level links as the dimensions.

Examples

Default: skipping first values

In contrast to YOY_REL and related relative functions, the growth will be calculated by using the absolute former value as relative base: (currentValue - formerValue) / absolute(formerValue). This means for example: The relative growth from -2 to -10 is -400% as (-10 - (-2)) / abs(-2) = (-8 / 2) = -4.

Input node: Input node

YearMonthProductValue
20252025-11A1
20252025-11B2
20262026-04A20
20262026-05B-10

Formula: DELTA_REL('Input node') = DELTA_REL('Input node', "Time", "SKIP_FIRST")

YearMonthProduct→ DELTA_REL Result
20262026-04A19 (= (20 - 1) / ABS(1) )
20262026-05B-6 (= (-10 - 2) / ABS(2) )

First values as zero

With FIRST_AS_ZERO, the first entry per group gets a result of 0 instead of being omitted.

Formula: DELTA_REL('Input node', "Time", "FIRST_AS_ZERO")

YearMonthProduct→ DELTA_REL Result
20252025-11A0
20252025-11B0
20262026-04A19
20262026-05B-6
FunctionWhen to use instead
DELTA_ABSWhen you need the absolute difference instead of a percentage.
YOY_RELWhen you need year-over-year relative change with filled missing values.
QOQ_RELWhen you need relative change specifically quarter-over-quarter.
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