X[Min:y] doesn't return results consistently

AmyX

Hi, 

 

In the first screenshot below, the formula in Min Start Date TEST is trying to get the earliest Activity Start Date by line item Campaign New from the second screenshot. There is no empty date in second screenshot, but the formula returns nothing in the first screenshot. This formula works in most other campaigns in the same module, but returns empty value for only a few campaigns like the example below where no date is empty.

 

When use the X[Max:y] formula for activity end date, it works fine.

 

Anyone has encountered similar issues before? Any insights on why this happened for only few instances? Thank you in advance!

 

anirudh

Hi AmyX,

What happens with the MIN formula is that a blank value is considered the most minimum value in Anaplan. Let's say your source data has:

A 01/01/2020
B <BLANK>
C 02/01/2020

The minimum of A, B and C is not 01/01/2020 but rather the BLANK value.
Now let's say you have
A 01/01/2020
B 02/01/2020
C 03/01/2020

In this case, since there are values against all three list members, the minimum value will correctly be 01/01/2020.

Basically you will need to do the minimum formula on a line item which replaces all blanks with a placeholder date. Something like:
IF ISBLANK(Activity Start Date) THEN Placeholder date ELSE Activity Start Date
Then do the minimum on this line item instead

Hope this helps!

Regards,
Anirudh

AmyX

Thanks for the quick reply, Anirudh!

In this particular example, none of the dates are empty as you can see in the second screenshot. That's where I don't understand why the result is empty. For other instances in the model, I see empty results when there is empty date as expected, which means it's working fine. And this formula returns correct results in most of the items. Only few of the items returned empty when it's expected to have a date, as the example in my screenshots.

anirudh

Hmmm, that's strange...
Could you drilldown into the blank cell and share a screenshot?

AmyX

Hi Anirudh,

 

Here is the drill-down of that empty cell. Only two activities with no empty date.