In This Article
Best Practices and Recommendations
Overview
Value Driver Trees (VDTs) are composed of nodes that display information and provide controls for modification. Each node shows a name, fields with values, and optional formulas. Node colors vary by type and are configured in Site Settings.
Nodes support parent-child relationships for hierarchical calculations, and parent nodes use expressions to calculate values from their children using mathematical operators and functions.
Node Types
- Parent Node: Has child nodes and supports entering an expression to calculate values from children. Parent nodes aggregate or compute results based on their child node values using formulas.
- KPI Node: Node value is derived from a KPI. Exact values depend on the selected KPI and each field's date range. This node type pulls live data from existing KPIs in the system. Either a manual KPI, calculated KPI or an Initiative Output KPI can be added
- Constant Node: Contains a fixed value entered under "Input Fields". The value remains static and does not change based on other calculations or KPIs.
- VDT Node: Value is derived from another VDT. This node type allows you to extract field values from a different VDT, enabling cross-VDT calculations and references.
- Reference Node: A node that references values from other nodes or fields within the VDT structure. Used to create links between different parts of the tree without duplication. Only Parent nodes can be referenced.
Node Configuration Fields
The available configuration fields depend on the node type:
Fields Available on All Node Types:
- Title: Displayed at the top of the node; provides a descriptive label for identification.
- Reference:
- Unique identifier for the node
- Used in parent node expressions
- Must start with a letter; no spaces allowed
- Auto-assigned from a–z by node position, but can be changed to another valid identifier
- Node Type: Determines how the node calculates or retrieves its values (see Node Types section above).
- Decimals: Number of decimal places displayed for node values.
- Comments: Free-text field for notes and additional context.
Fields Specific to Node Types:
- Expression:
- Formula used to calculate field values; built from child references, expressions, and functions.
- Available on Parent nodes only
- KPI:
- Specifies which KPI to link for the node.
- Available on nodes of KPI node type only
- You also have the option to create a new KPI to add to the VDT
- Input Fields:
- List of baseline, target and actual fields configured on the Create/Edit VDT Definition page.
- Available on Constant nodes type and KPI nodes type
- For Constant nodes: Fixed numeric values
- For KPI nodes: Values that can vary by month
- VDT Selection:
- Specifies which VDT to reference.
- Available on VDT nodes type only
- Reference Parent Node:
- Points to a Parent node by name for reference linking.
- Available on Reference nodes only
- Only Parent nodes can be referenced
Node Actions
Available actions depend on the node type:
Actions Available on All Nodes:
- Edit node - Opens the Edit Node dialog to modify node properties
- Delete node - Removes the node from the VDT
Additional Actions Specific to Parent Nodes:
- Create child node - Opens the Create Node dialog to add a child node
- Add to Library - Add parent node and the related child nodes to the VDT library
Node Expressions
Expressions can include:
- References to other fields (calculated fields) or child nodes (calculated nodes)
- Constant numbers
- Function calls
Example Expression: pow(a, 2) * avg(a, b) / abs(min(a * 50, b))How Evaluation Works:
References (like a, b) are replaced with their values, then evaluated using standard order of operations:
- Brackets
- Function calls
- Multiply/Divide
- Add/Subtract
Supported Functions
Function | Usage |
abs(a) | Absolute value |
ceil(a) | Ceiling (round up) |
floor(a) | Floor (round down) |
round(a) | Round to nearest integer |
trunc(a) | Truncate |
exp(a) | Exponential |
min(a, b) | Minimum of two values |
max(a, b) | Maximum of two values |
avg(a, b) | Average of two values |
pow(a, b) | Power (a to the power of b) |
sqrt(a) | Square root |
log(a) | Natural logarithm |
log10(a) | Base-10 logarithm |
sin(a) | Sine |
cos(a) | Cosine |
tan(a) | Tangent |
asin(a) | Arcsine |
acos(a) | Arccosine |
atan(a) | Arctangent |
atan2(a, b) | Two-argument arctangent |
sinh(a) | Hyperbolic sine |
cosh(a) | Hyperbolic cosine |
tanh(a) | Hyperbolic tangent |
Best Practices and Recommendations
- Use meaningful reference codes - Name references to reflect the node's purpose (e.g., REV for Revenue, COST for Cost). Keep them short but descriptive and maintain consistent naming conventions across your VDT.
- Keep expressions simple - Break complex calculations into multiple parent nodes rather than creating one very complex expression. This improves readability and makes troubleshooting easier.
- Test before finalizing - Test expressions with sample data before finalizing the VDT structure to ensure calculations work as expected.
- Organize hierarchically - Structure nodes to reflect your business logic. Place the most important outcome (output node) on the left, with drivers flowing to the right.
- Use the right node type - Use Constant nodes for fixed assumptions (e.g., tax rates), Variable nodes for monthly varying values in Idea/Initiative VDTs, and Initiative Output KPI nodes to aggregate values from linked initiatives automatically.
- Leverage reusability - Use VDT nodes to reuse calculations across multiple VDTs and Reference nodes to avoid recalculating the same values multiple times.
- Document your work - Always use the Comments field to explain non-obvious nodes, document the source of KPI nodes, and record any business rules or assumptions embedded in expressions.
- Review regularly - Regularly review and optimize your VDT structure as your business model evolves to maintain performance and accuracy.
Related Articles
Initiative Output KPI : WiredUp
Creating a Value Driver Tree Definition : WiredUp