Results from prior periods can be added to your simulation using the List function. Simply enter a value for each prior period into your list (e.g. =[500, 600, 700]), select the recurring pattern corresponding to the results (e.g. Monthly), and enter a Start Date and End Date for the list (e.g. January 1, 2022 and March 31, 2022). These results will then appear in the output table as a dedicated row. Learn more about lists here.

There are multiple ways to represent totals or sum values in Summit. See descriptions and examples below:

Similar to a standard total described above, there are multiple ways to create a rolling total in Summit. If you wish to display the logic for the rolling total on your canvas, you can use a series of connected events. Alternatively, a simple metric can be created directly in the output table to track the value (e.g. for a rolling 12-month total: total-lag(total, 12).

You can explore the formulas and details for each approach by accessing the How-to Guide available here.

Questions? Contact us at [email protected].

🔔 Note: In this example, paid_leads is the parameter (i.e. the input field in the app) and Leads is the alias (i.e. the label that appears when the event is viewed as a Form). Learn more about tags and parameters here.

🔔 Note: Alternatively, you can use a route to send leads to a subscription tier. You can reflect a conversion rate on the route by editing the route %. Learn more here.

🔔 Note: If this event is receiving converted customers from the marketing events above, set this recurring pattern to End of Month. This ensures the churn is reflected after newly converted customers are added to the tier.

🔔 Note: Sending a Pool of customers to the revenue event using a route generates a total revenue amount for the month for that tier.

See an example of how these events could be connected in a Customer Acquisition simulation here.

Free Trials are a straightforward concept in Summit. Using the Wait function, you can define a Free trial over a period of Days, Months, Years, et al. so that customer conversions don't occur until the end of the trial period. For example, you can send an event representing customer signups to a Free Trial event like so: =Wait(7<free_trial:Days>)

You can also define how many trial users convert to paying customers or not. A How-to Guide that shows how these concepts could be applied to a forecast is available here.

Often difficult to do in spreadsheets, Summit allows you to simulate multiple customer upgrade paths and reflect the changes in customer totals and revenue automatically. A How-to Guide for designing models with upgrades is available here.

It's often easy to use revenue as a proxy for cash receipts in your forecast, but the two are not always the same. For example, we often offer discounts to buyers who are willing to pay upfront for an annual service, or sometimes we have enterprise customers who prefer a quarterly billing schedule. This means cash inflows can be lumpy, as opposed to the smooth, linear shape we tend to associate with revenue growth. Conflating the two can result in poor cash management and an inaccurate forecast.

The Wheel function makes it easy to reflect these variable schedules in a cash simulation. A How-to Guide (available here) includes instructions for simulating customer and cash growth across multiple billing frequencies. As you convert new customers into annual, quarterly, or monthly billing schedules, the model will automatically keep track of those cash receipts in rotating lists and accurately reflect the timing of cash inflows to your bank account.

The key for this scenario is to use a Base to create cohorts of new signups so the discount can be accurately applied and tracked over time. In the example below (click the image to view and copy the project into your account), new customers receive a 50% discount for the first three months of service, after which the fees return to the original price. The Base function treats each new monthly wave of signups (e.g. 100 customers in month 1, then 105 in month 2, then 110 in month 3, etc.) as a distinct cohort that should receive the temporary discount. In parallel, the Wait function delays recording new customer revenue at the full amount until the end of the discount period.

Questions? Contact us at [email protected].

If these concepts are confusing, try exploring our topical guides on growth rates and containers.

Questions? Contact us at [email protected].

🔔 Note: In this example, online_service_fees_amt is the parameter (i.e. the input field in the app) and Monthly Amt is the alias (i.e. the label that appears when the event is viewed as a Form). Learn more about tags and parameters here.

🔔 Note: Alternatively, you can use a route to send the salary amount to a separate event (or multiple events) that perform the calculation for taxes and/or benefits. For example, send =Source(-100k<salary></year>) to an event with the formula *13<tax_ben_rate>/100. You'll then have a dedicated row in the output table for salaries and taxes/benefits. Keep in mind though, if you split the formula into multiple events this way, make sure you also send a second route from the salary event to its destination (i.e. so you're sending both the salary value and the tax/benefits amounts downstream).

See an example of how these events could be connected in an Expenses simulation here.

To simulate paid marketing activities, first create an event to represent the cost driver--for example, pay-per-click advertising (e.g. Paid Ads, Monthly). This event formula could be written as: =Source(1k<Paid_clicks> @ 5<growth_rate>%).

Using a route, you can then send those values to a conversion event that drives customer signups and a second event to represent the cost associated with each click--for example, an event called Advertising Expense with the formula * 14.50<cost_per_click>. The results can then be sent to an event that collects expense totals and reduces your bank balance.

A How-to Guide that shows how these concepts could be applied to a forecast is available here.

Questions? Contact us at [email protected].

See an example of these two approaches to customer churn and retention here.

Questions? Contact us at [email protected].

There are many ways to make things grow exponentially using SEL.

A basic exponential expression could be written as: =2**10 which reads as 2 to the power of 10, resulting in 1,024.

Here are a few other ways to express exponential growth:

Create an initial source. You can think of this as your initial seed amount. If you're a new business, this might be the number of customers that sign up on day one:

=Source(100)

To have this initial 100 "go viral", you'd want to point it to another event that does the compounding:

*= 2

This says to take the initial amount and then begin doubling it.

Viral growth of doubling each cycle using an initial seed of 100. The output of this second event will be: 200, 400, 800, etc.

The *= did something a bit tricky in the above example, didn't it? It consumed the initial value of 100 and ignored the rest of the 100's sent to it from the seed event.

Compound operators like *=, +=, -=, /= are exceptions to this rule. They store the initial result of their math (in this case, 100 * 2, and for each future occurrence, repeatedly apply their operator (in this case *) to the current value.

The real-world equivalent of this is hitting = repeatedly on your calculator.

You can also compound a container using percentage growth rates greater than 100%, for example, a pool of 100 free users that grows organically (through WoM) could be represented as:

=Pool(100 @ 200%)

This pool will follow the same sequence: 200, 400, 800, etc.

If neither of those suits you, there's another very simple way to represent viral growth: a List!

=[1,2,4,8,16]

In a List, you specify the values you wish to appear in each period in the output table. This creates a lot of clarity, but requires you to (1) define the entire list and (2) make sure the list contains enough entries to cover the full span of time you want to cover.

Questions? Contact us at [email protected].

Keep reading: Tips & Tricks