Why even use set analysis ?

[lost_rabbit]

What's the point of using set analysis since it accepts only Data Model Fields and not Dimensions .

1. I see that almost every case where we need set analysis, it can be replaced by a combination of other functions like aggr(), if() etc. So do we really require set analysis?

2. I have a date field in my data model called "order_date" and dimensions "order_year", "order_week" which are derived from "order_date" field using formula Year(order_date) and Week(order_date) . I can't use these two dimensions in my set expressions. For eg, I can't use these dimensions like this 

=Sum({<order_year={"<=$(=vMaxYear)"}>}Sales) 

because "order_year" being a dimension can't be used and this formula will throw an error.   So how do you handle situations like these and does Set analysis even help when I have my Calendar fields as Dimensions? If so, in what cases? 

Thanks in Advance

@hic @sunny_talwar @swuehl 

[hic · Accepted solution]

No, you need set analysis.

1. You don't always get the same result using other functions. For example, one would think that

Sum( If(OrderMonth=4 and InvoiceMonth=5, Amount) )
Sum( {<OrderMonth={4}, InvoiceMonth={5}>} Amount) )

would result in the same number, but this is not necessarily true: The If()-function generates a join between the tables that contain OrderMonth, InvoiceMonth, and Amount, and if there is a many-to-many relationship, you may get duplicate records. I.e. the same dollar will be counted several times. I.e. an incorrect result.

The set analysis, on the other hand, does not cause a join. Here the numbers will be correct.

In addition, the set analysis evaluates faster if you have large data amounts.

2. Try
Sum({<order_date.autoCalendar.order_year={"<=$(=vMaxYear)"}>} Sales)

HIC

[lost_rabbit]

Thanks a lot for the explanation. It makes sense 

If there are any articles/blogs that explains such things in detail please share. It would be very helpful 

[hic]

There is a lot. It may be hard to find, though... Start with the following:

https://community.qlik.com/t5/Qlik-Design-Blog/Symbol-Tables-and-Bit-Stuffed-Pointers/ba-p/1475369 
https://community.qlik.com/t5/Qlik-Design-Blog/Performance-of-Conditional-Aggregations/ba-p/1463021 
https://community.qlik.com/t5/Qlik-Design-Blog/A-Primer-on-Set-Analysis/ba-p/1468344

HIC

[lost_rabbit]

This formula works 

YEAR is a field in the data model 

Sum({1<YEAR={"$(=$(v_CurrentYear))"}>} Sales )

But this formula doesn't work 

Sum({<order_date.autoCalendar.order_year={"$(=$(v_CurrentYear))"}>} Sales )

dimension order_year created using formula = num(year(DATE))

v_CurrentYear = num(Year(Today()))

Any help on why it is not working and how to deal with it?

[swuehl]

You can prepare your dimensions as fields in the data model, using a calendar script or the auto-generated Qlik Sense calendar fields Henric was referring to. If you don't want to, try something like

=Sum({<order_date = {"=year(order_date)<=$(=vMaxYear)"}>} Sales) 

(translates to something like: select the values in data model field order_date, where year(order_date) <= vMaxYear)