PREVIOUS_VALUE: from Tableau to SQL

Repeats the initial revenue when the calculated field consists only of PREVIOUS_VALUE. Below, 8 sample rows go through the calculation and through the SQL, and both return the same numbers.

Calculated field

PREVIOUS_VALUE(SUM([Revenue]))

Compute using: addressing Period; partitioning Region

Sample data

RegionPeriodRevenueCost
Harbor112070
Harbor2180100
Harbor3180120
Harbor4240140
Upland19050
Upland2150110
Upland3null90
Upland4330190

The same calculation as SQL

SELECT CAST((first_value("Revenue") OVER (PARTITION BY "Region" ORDER BY "Period" ROWS BETWEEN UNBOUNDED PRECEDING AND UNBOUNDED FOLLOWING)) AS DOUBLE) AS result FROM input ORDER BY "Region", "Period"

Runs the example above.

Result

RegionPeriodRevenueCostresult
Harbor112070120
Harbor2180100120
Harbor3180120120
Harbor4240140120
Upland1905090
Upland215011090
Upland3null9090
Upland433019090

Same rows from the calculation and from the SQL in DuckDB.

Where a naive translation goes wrong

  • Omitting the region partition allows a calculation to consume marks from other regions.

    Naive SQL

    SELECT CAST((first_value("Revenue") OVER ( ORDER BY "Period" ROWS BETWEEN UNBOUNDED PRECEDING AND UNBOUNDED FOLLOWING)) AS DOUBLE) AS result FROM input ORDER BY "Region", "Period"
    RegionPeriodRevenueCostresult
    Harbor112070120
    Harbor2180100120
    Harbor3180120120
    Harbor4240140120
    Upland19050120
    Upland2150110120
    Upland3null90120
    Upland4330190120

    Matches the calculation

    SELECT CAST((first_value("Revenue") OVER (PARTITION BY "Region" ORDER BY "Period" ROWS BETWEEN UNBOUNDED PRECEDING AND UNBOUNDED FOLLOWING)) AS DOUBLE) AS result FROM input ORDER BY "Region", "Period"
    RegionPeriodRevenueCostresult
    Harbor112070120
    Harbor2180100120
    Harbor3180120120
    Harbor4240140120
    Upland1905090
    Upland215011090
    Upland3null9090
    Upland433019090

Signature

PREVIOUS_VALUE(initial_value)