Calculate Percentage Difference Between Quarters

[lisamb1]

HI All, I am trying to calculate the percentage cost difference between 2 quarters. I am able to calculater a percentage costs difference between 2 months, but the quarters I cannot seem to find a solution. I have a table that includes the following fields Dates, EBSCostAvoidance column with costs that will be used to calculate the cost difference between the dates for the quarter percentage difference. I also have a QTR and Year column in this same table that I added trying to get the quarter percentages to work. I need for the percentage to display in a card visualization so that I can use unichar arrows for the up and down percentages. I do not need help with the unichar arrows as I have done this with the percentage changes for 2 months. 

I also have a Calendar table that has a date column, QTR and Year Column.

Example table with data for cost percentage calculation: 

Example Calendar table data:

Code that I have for Quarter percentages:

CustomAvoidanceTotalForPreviousQuarter =
          CALCULATE(
                  SUM(EBSOptimization[CostAvoidance])
                 , PREVIOUSQUARTER(EBSOptimization[Dates])
)

--- I have also changed the code above to look at the Calendar Dates field PREVIOUSQUARTER(EBSOptimization[Dates])

to 

PREVIOUSQUARTER(Calendar[Date])

thinking it may help with locating the quarter. but that did not resolve the issue.

CustomAvoidanceCostDifferenceQTR =
     VAR CurrentQTRCosts = SUM(EBSOptimization[CostAvoidance])
     VAR PreviousQTRCosts = [CustomAvoidanceTotalForPreviousQuarter]
     VAR Result = CurrentQTRCosts - PreviousQTRCosts
     RETURN
             Result

CustomPercentageOfChangeQTR =
        DIVIDE([CustomAvoidanceCostDifferenceQTR],
        [CustomAvoidanceTotalForPreviousQuarter]
)

Does anyone have any ideas on how I can figure percentage change between 2 quarters?

Thank you!

[Anonymous · Accepted solution]

A lot of text.... but where's the problem? 'Cause I can't see anything clearly pointing out the issue.

This piece of code:

VAR CurrentQTRCosts = SUM(EBSOptimization[CostAvoidance])

will only sum up values that are visible in the current context. It will not auto-magically give you a quarter's value. So, if you select a period of time from your Calendar that happens to be a full quarter, the measures will work correctly. If you select something different, they won't.

Is this the problem here?

On top of that, time-intel functions work correctly when you use them on a proper Calendar, not when you want to use them with any column in any table.

[lisamb1]

daxer thank you for your assistance I am still learning Power BI and this did resolve the issue. I thought the CurrentQTRCosts and PreviousQTRCosts would identify the quarters, but after your explanation I did go pick a full quarter and that did resolve the issue of the percentage not displaying correctly.

Per your suggestion I will change the code to look at my Calendar table instead of the date in my data table. I was not aware of time-intel functions not working correctly if I did not use the Calendar table.

Thank you again!