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Challenges
During data transformation and reporting, it may be necessary to cross-calculate and derive new field values through mathematical and similar operations. Data cross-calculation analysis is usually performed in spreadsheets, but is not always easy to accomplish in BI, database, or data integration (ETL) platforms.
Getting the right results can also be a complex matter when applying formulas to aggregate values, or when values must be derived from several levels of nested, or dependent prior values.
Solutions
The SortCL program in the IRI CoSort sort utility and IRI Voracity ETL and data management platform supports cross-calculation of values between or within columns (fields).
SortCL users derive new values from mathematical equations in field statements. These expressions can include your own values, values from one or more existing data fields, or a combination of both.
SortCL cross-calculation methods include horizontal arithmetic functions, plus trigonometric, Bessel, and logarithmic functions, as well as absolute value, modulo, and so on.
You can also define complex and mixed field and constant expressions, such as:
and leverage the order of precedence to create nested logic and formulas as needed. Use parentheses to control operator precedence, and create temporary fields to hold intermediate values.
Billing and Reporting Applications
SortCL's cross-calculation features are particularly useful for ad hoc financial equations or spreadsheet-style presentations.
Use cross-calculation techniques to create useful business intelligence in structured report formats with join operations. For example, a SortCL report can determine and display a new account balance during a join of a transaction file to an archive file.
The CoSort GUI in the IRI Workbench contains an 'Expression Builder.' This dialog helps you construct and validate the expression logic you need to define.
