1. Calculation functions
2. All Functions
3. Time and Date Functions

LEAD returns a value from a period in the future.

You could use LEAD to calculate how this month's earnings compare to next year's projected monthly earnings.

## Syntax

LEAD(Value to offset, Offset amount, Substitute value [, Non-positive behavior])

## Arguments

 Argument Data Type Description Value to offset Number, Boolean, date, time period, list, or text The value to replace with a value from a different time period. Offset amount Number Number of periods forward from which to retrieve a value. Positive values refer to future periods, negative to past periods, and zero to the current period. Substitute value Same as Value to offset Value to return if the Offset amount specifies a period outside of the model's time range. Also used for non-positive offsets if you use the SEMISTRICT or STRICT keywords for the Non-positive behavior argument. Non-positive behavior (optional) Keyword Determines how the LEAD function uses the Substitute value argument. The keywords are NONSTRICT, SEMISTRICT, and STRICT. There's more information in the Non-poisitive behavior keywords section below.

The LEAD function returns a result of the same data type as the Value to offset argument.

### Non-positive behavior keywords

 Keyword Description NONSTRICT The default keyword if you omit the Non-positive behavior argument. Returns the Value to offset if the Offset amount is positive, negative, or zero. SEMISTRICT Returns the Value to offset if the Offset amount is positive or zero. STRICT Returns the Value to offset if the Offset amount is positive. In STRICT mode, LEAD applies to the future, and not to current periods. The fill value is returned if either shift < 0 or the future period is beyond model time range.

## Syntax example

LEAD(Value to offset, 2, 0)

In this example, the LEAD 1 line item returns the value from two periods after each cell. If two periods after a cell is outside of the module’s time range, the formula returns the Substitute value of 0, as seen in the June column. The function does not contain the Non-positive behavior argument, so the default behavior is NONSTRICT.

 Jan Feb March April May June Value to offset 1 2 3 4 5 6 LEAD 1 3 4 5 6 0 0

If the period LEAD specifies is outside of the module's timescale, LEAD returns the value of the Substitute value argument.

## Constraints

You can only use a line item for the Offset amount argument if the Value to offset and Substitute value arguments have the number data type. If they use the Boolean, date, time period, list, or text data type, you must enter a number directly into the Offset amount argument.

## Calculation engine functionality differences

In Polaris, you can use numeric expressions for the Offset amount argument when you use a data type other than number for the Value to offset argument. Any number used for the Offset amount argument is rounded to the nearest integer.

In the Classic Engine, if you use a data type other than number for the Value to offset argument, you can only use numbers for the Offset amount argument, not numeric expressions or the results of line items. Any number used for the Offset amount argument is rounded towards zero.

## Examples

### Example 1

LEAD(Value to offset, 2, Substitute value)

In this example, the LEAD 2 line item returns line item from two periods after each cell. If two periods after a cell is outside of the module’s time range, the formula returns the Substitute value. The formula returns the values of 500 and 600 contained in the May and June columns for the Substitute value. The function does not contain the Non-positive behavior argument, so the default behavior is NONSTRICT.

 Jan Feb March April May June Value to offset 1 2 3 4 5 6 Substitute value 100 200 300 400 500 600 LEAD 2 3 4 5 6 500 600

### Example 2

LEAD(Value to offset, Offset amount, Substitute value, [non-positive behavior]) In this example, the LEAD 3 line item returns the Substitute value for the period the Offset amount specifies. If the Substitute value specifies a period outside of the module's time range, the formula returns the Substitute value. This means the formula returns the value of 600 contained in the June column for the Substitute value. The function does not contain the Non-positive behavior argument, so the default behavior is NONSTRICT.

 Jan Feb March April May June Value to offset 1 2 3 4 5 6 Offset amount 0 -1 0 1 0 1 Substitute value 100 200 300 400 500 600 LEAD 3 1 1 3 5 5 600

### Example 3

LEAD(Value to offset, Offset amount, Substitute value, [, Non-positive behavior])

In this example, you can see how the different keywords for the Non-positive behavior change the results.

 Jan Feb March April May June Value to offset 1 2 3 4 5 6 Offset amount 0 -1 0 1 0 1 Substitute value 100 200 300 400 500 600 LEAD SEMISTRICT 1 200 3 5 5 600 LEAD STRICT 100 200 300 5 500 600 LEAD NONSTRICT 1 1 3 5 5 600