A block is the smallest modeling unit in Basis. There are three tables in every Block. The first two tables—Assumptions and Inputs—help you create financial metrics in the third table (Outputs).
Assumptions, Inputs, Outputs
At a glance: the Hourly Employee Block with all three tables in action!
Assumptions (Optional)
The Assumptions table, as its name suggests, stores data that are based on assumptions or take-for-granted beliefs. For example, in the Revenue Block below, an assumption like MoM Growth would live in the Assumptions table.
Keeping assumptions separate communicates what underlying beliefs are being used to calculate metrics in the Outputs Table and gives users a sandbox to test these beliefs.
Inputs (Optional)
The Input Table also stores data used to calculate metrics in the Output Table. Unlike the Assumptions Table, however, data in the Input Table are not beliefs. They are facts coming from business operations.
For example, in the Employee Block below, the Input Table holds all of the active and planned employees in the company.
Data enters Input Tables in Basis through manual entry or through the Import feature, which connects with CSV files or popular software databases via API calls.
Data can then be further categorized using these tools.
Outputs
This is the table where financial metrics are made. Financial metrics are called "Outputs" in Basis because they represent the result of making calculations off of Assumptions and/or Inputs.
Line items created in the Outputs section are called "Metrics" and can either be Basis-generated or created using custom formulas.
These Metrics can then be used within Reports, Charts, or in formulas as drivers for other models.
Configuring Blocks
Blocks have a few configuration options that dictate how line items within them are formatted, and how various calculations are created.
Format type: The default formatting used for displaying values for cells in line items in Blocks such as Currency, Number, or Percentage
Display high positive variance in: The color to show positive or negative variance (when actuals beat projections).
For example, an Expenses block would want to show variance values in "Red" when actuals surpass the projected values.
Period Value Type: How to display the Period (ie. Quarterly and Yearly) groupings in Reports and Charts for Blocks and line items.
For example, a line item configured to display "Sum of Period", would sum all the values for the year to display in the Yearly aggregate.