If the dates you want aren't listed in the period dropdown, you can apply a custom period to your current analysis. This is a temporary date range and isn't added to your period dropdown, but if you save the results of your query as a favorite the custom period will be included in the favorite. If you need to save your own period, choose Add instead of Custom. (See xxxx)
Uses of a custom period
Applying a custom period is a useful way of seeing data for a one-off timeframe such as the duration of a campaign. You can set the dates to, for example:
- a range of months
- sections of months
- one month at a time.
How to set a custom period
Step 1. Select Period > Custom, as shown below.
Step 2. In the custom period window:
- Select a time unit (e.g., example, month, day, etc) .
- Select a start and end date for your current period. The dates previous period dates automatically adjust to these dates, but one year earlier. You can keep these dates or enter a different previous period.
- Apply.
The data in the grid will update accordingly and the Period button will display 'Custom'. The period range(s) you have set will appear in the status bar.
If you save the results as a favorite, the custom period will be included.
Offset dates and custom periods
When you set (not save) a custom period, the dates will be fixed. For example, you can define January 2014, but you cannot define, say, last month, or year to date.
However, if you have permission to save a new custom period, you then have the option of selecting offset dates.
More about offset dates.
View a range of months
You may want to view customers who have purchased during a particular season. To do this:
- Make sure you are in period mode, then select Period > Custom.
- Choose Month and set your start and end dates. E.g., if you want to see data just for summer (in the northern hemisphere), set current period to start in June and end in August. (The previous period will default to Jun-Aug in the previous year.)
- Apply.
Only customers who have purchased during the summer will be displayed on the grid. The columns will be June, July and August, from left to right. The Period button changes to Custom and the actual dates will appear in the status bar.
Compare data for sections of months
You can compare products sales for part of a month, e.g., first half of May compared with the first half of April.
- Make sure you are in period mode, then select Period > Custom.
- Choose Day and set your start and end dates. In the example below, we have set current period to start on 1 May 2016 and end on 16 May, and the previous period to start on 1 April and end on 16 April.
- Apply.
The grid will display all products sold during the first half of May (Current Period column) and the first half of April (Previous Period column). The Period button changes to Custom, and the actual dates will appear in the status bar.
View one month at a time
To view a single month the start and end need to be the same, as shown in the example below.
How stream mode affects period settings
In Stream mode, you see different options in the settings window.
E.g., if you are in Stream mode with 'Sales' and 'Budget' selected, the dialog will contain options that allow you to set a start and end date for each of the streams. It also allows you to choose between day, month or year.
