The ISANCESTOR function takes two list or time period values. It returns a Boolean value of TRUE if the first is an ancestor of the second. Ancestors of an item are its parent, its parent's parent, and so on.

ISANCESTOR(Ancestor, Descendant)

ArgumentData typeDescription
AncestorList, time periodThe value to test whether it is an ancestor of the Descendant argument.
DescendantList, time periodThe value to test whether it is a descendant of the Ancestor argument.

The ISANCESTOR function returns a Boolean result.

In Polaris, the ISANCESTOR function returns a value of false when given a top-level item coupled with an orphan entity.

In the Classic Engine, this will return a value of true.

In this example, a module has the Organization list on columns and line items on rows.

The Organization list is a hierarchical list with a top level of company. Within this list, regions are the parents of countries, and countries are the parents of cities.

The first line item, City, uses the ITEM function to return each location within the Organization list. Three further line items use the ISANCESTOR function to check whether these cities are part of the UK, France, or the EMEA region respectively.


LondonBirminghamParisLyonNew YorkLos Angeles
CityLondonBirminghamParisLyonNew YorkLos Angeles

Part of UK?

ISANCESTOR(Organization.UK, City)

true

true





Part of France?

ISANCESTOR(Organization.France, City)



true

true



Part of EMEA?

ISANCESTOR(Organization.EMEA, City)

true

true

true

true



In this example, the Dates list is on columns, and line items on rows. The Chosen Month and Chosen Quarter line items have the time period data type. The Quarter is Ancestor? has the Boolean data type and uses the ISANCESTOR function. This returns a Boolean value of TRUE if the value of Chosen Quarter is an ancestor of Chosen Month.

The final line item, Within Q3?, uses a direct reference to the time period of Q3 FY22 and checks whether it's the ancestor of Chosen Month.


Key DatesExpiry Dates
Chosen MonthFeb 2022Jul 2022
Chosen QuarterQ1 FY22Q1 FY22

Quarter is Ancestor?

ISANCESTOR(Chosen Quarter, Chosen Month)

true


Chosen Month Within Q3 FY22?

ISANCESTOR(Time.'Q3 FY22', Chosen Month)


true