# inmonths - script and chart function

This function finds if a timestamp falls within the same month, bi-month, quarter, four-month period, or half-year as a base date. It is also possible to find if the timestamp falls within a previous or following time period.

Syntax:

InMonths(n\_months, timestamp, base\_date, period\_no [, first\_month\_of\_year])

**Return data type:** Boolean

Arguments:

InMonths arguments

| Argument | Description |
| --- | --- |
| n\_months | The number of months that defines the period. An integer or expression that resolves to an integer that must be one of: 1 (equivalent to the inmonth() function), 2 (bi-month), 3 (equivalent to the inquarter() function), 4 (four-month period), or 6 (half year). |
| timestamp | The date that you want to compare with base\_date. |
| base\_date | Date that is used to evaluate the period. |
| period\_no | The period can be offset by period\_no, an integer, or expression resolving to an integer, where the value 0 indicates the period that contains base\_date. Negative values in period\_no indicate preceding periods and<br>positive values indicate succeeding periods. |
| first\_month\_of\_year | If you<br>want to work with (fiscal) years not starting in January, indicate<br>a value between 2 and 12 in first\_month\_of\_year. |

Examples and results:

These examples use the date format DD/MM/YYYY. The date format is specified in the SET DateFormat statement at the top of your load script. Change the format in the examples to suit your requirements.

Example 1:

`inmonths(4, '25/01/2013', '25/04/2013', 
 0)`

Returns True. Because the value of timestamp, 25/01/2013, lies within the four-month period 01/01/2013 to 30/04/2013, in which the value of base\_date, 25/04/2013 lies.

Example 2:

`inmonths(4, '25/05/2013', '25/04/2013', 
 0)`

Returns False. Because 25/05/2013 is outside the same period as the previous example.

Example 3:

`inmonths(4, '25/11/2012', '01/02/2013', 
 -1 )`

Returns True. Because the value of period\_no, -1, shifts the search period back one period of four months (the value of n-months), which makes the search period 01/09/2012 to 31/12/2012.

Example 4:

`inmonths( 4, '25/05/2006', '01/03/2006', 
 0, 3)`

Returns True. Because the value of first\_month\_of\_year is set to 3, which makes the search period 01/03/2006 to 30/07/2006 instead of 01/01/2006 to 30/04/2006.

Example 5:

Add the example script to your document and run it. Then add, at least, the fields listed in the results column to a sheet in your document to see the result.

This example checks if the invoice date in the table falls in the bi-month period that includes the base\_date shifted forwards by one bi-month period (by specifying period\_no as 1).

`TempTable:` `LOAD RecNo() as InvID, * Inline [` `InvDate` `28/03/2012` `10/12/2012` `5/2/2013` `31/3/2013` `19/5/2013` `15/9/2013` `11/12/2013` `2/3/2014` `14/5/2014` `13/6/2014` `7/7/2014` `4/8/2014` `];` ` ` `InvoiceData:` `LOAD *,` `InMonths(2, InvDate, '11/02/2013', 1) AS InMthsPlus1` `Resident TempTable;`

`Drop table TempTable;`

The resulting table contains the original dates and a column with the return value of the InMonths() function.

The search period is 01/03/2013 to 30/04/2013, because the value of base\_date is shifted forwards two months from the value in the function (11/02/2013).

Example 5 results

| InvDate | InMthsPlus1 |
| --- | --- |
| 28/03/2012 | 0 (False) |
| 10/12/2012 | 0 (False) |
| 5/2/2013 | 0 (False) |
| 31/3/2013 | -1 (True) |
| 19/5/2013 | 0 (False) |
| 15/9/2013 | 0 (False) |
| 11/12/2013 | 0 (False) |
| 2/3/2014 | 0 (False) |
| 14/5/2014 | 0 (False) |
| 13/6/2014 | 0 (False) |
| 7/7/2014 | 0 (False) |
| 4/8/2014 | 0 (False) |