The variance column is used to calculate the variance between 2 columns. The reason we have a Variance as well as a Calculation column is to make it easier for users to calculate variances, where we will automatically apply our favourable/unfavourable variance logic. This is where we calculate variances depending on the Credit/Debit type of the account row or the Higher/Lower is better property for KPIs.
Group header
Text fields that represents the group header, by default this is empty for variance columns. You can type directly in the cell to use your own terminology.
Column header
Text field that represents the column header, only one dynamic placeholder is available on this cell with the Value Type: Variance which is the default. Alternatively, you can Type directly in the cell to use your own terminology, with or without the merge field.
Column type indicates the type of column selected in +ADD COLUMN
Variance configuration
The Variance configuration allows for reporting on the variance between two columns that are included in the Report. The drop down arrows will show the available columns to choose for the variance calculation.
First column
Defines the first column to be used in the variance calculation. Usually the primary values such as "Actual".
Second column
Defines the second column to be used in the variance calculation. Usually the comparative/target value such as "Budget" or "Last Year Actual".
Show as percentage
When this option is checked we will calculate a percentage variance instead of a standard variance.
TIP 💡If you would like to include both a $ variance and a % Variance, you will need to add separate columns for each of those, with the Show as percentage box unticked to report the $ value and ticked to show the % percentage.
Appearance
Group header
Select Radio button as required:
Primary colour
Sets the background colour as per the Report Styles primary colour
Secondary colour
Sets the background colour as per the Report Styles secondary colour
Column
Toggle: Background shading
Off (default): no background shading
On (Green toggle): Background shading on the column header as well as the detail rows. This replicates the shading in the Calxa Preconfigured report, where Actual Values have a grey background.
Minimum width (default: 175)
Defaults to a value of 175, as the minimum width of this column. When the report is generated it may grow larger to fit all columns neatly to an A4 Portrait, A4 Landscape, or A3 Landscape page. Once the total of all minimum column widths exceeds an A3 Landscape width, the page sizes are no longer standard and simply grow to fit the required columns.
Apply negative text colour
Check this box to have negative numbers displayed in red or a custom colour as defined in Report Styles. Untick to report as Black text only.
Traffic Light
Traffic light formatting allows users to add conditional indicator icons to certain variance values in reports. In the generated report we'll insert a separate column to the right where we include the indicator icons.
TIP 💡Each rule is processed in order from the top down. The first condition that is met is applied and no more rules are processed
By default the Traffic Light checkbox is disabled
Click checkbox to enable rules and actions below
Choose either Number Value or Percentage
Click +ADD NEW RULE
Rules can be re-ordered by clicking on the ::: icon and dragging and dropping as required.
NOTE 💬 Colours and Icons shown in this configuration are taken from the Report Styles where users can choose one of 3 icon sets and then set the icon colours.
Default Percentage Rules
Percentage rules can be set in a similar way, rather than entering a number, when you click in the middle section the up/down arrows appear and you can click those to give your preferred values, click the down arrow past 0 to get negative numbers.
