Column types in Flexible Columns

For a step-by-step walkthrough of building a report end to end, see Building a report with Flexible Columns.

Before we get into the column types, let's talk about the base column. When you select a report type, the report loads with one column already in place: your base column. It uses the period and settings from the Editor panel and acts as the anchor for the rest of your report.

What it is: a column that shows data for a specific period of time.

When to use it: any time you want to show numbers for a particular month, quarter, or year. Period columns are the bread and butter of most reports.

Example: show this year's actuals next to this year's forecast next to last year's actuals. That's three Period columns. Here I compared 2025 actuals to 2026.

What it is: a column that aggregates values across other columns.

When to use it: at the end of a report when you want a season-to-date or year-to-date total alongside your individual periods.

Example: a monthly P&L showing each month of the season, with a Total column on the right summing everything up. Here I did a total of the past two years.

What it is: a column that shows the difference between two other columns. When to use it: any time you want to compare performance. For example, actual vs forecast, this year vs last year, or budget vs actual.

Example: set your actuals column as the Base Column and your forecast column as the Comparative Column to see how the year is tracking against plan. Here I did the percentage of variance between 2025 and 2026.

Good to know: a Variance column needs at least two other columns to compare. If you only have your base column on the report, add a Period column first, then come back to add the Variance.

What it is: a column that divides another column by a metric from your Formula Library.

When to use it: when you want to express financial numbers on a per-unit basis ($/kgMS, $/ha, $/cow) to make conversations with farmers more relatable.

Example: show your operating expenses Period column divided by kgMS to give you a $/kgMS view of costs. Here I did 2026 divided by Direct costs.

Good to know: the metric you want to divide by needs to already exist in your Formula Library. If it's not there, head to the Formula Library to set it up first.

What it is: a column that calculates an average across previous periods.

When to use it: when you want to show how the current year compares to a rolling average. Useful for spotting whether numbers are tracking with long-term trends. Example: show this year's actuals next to a 3-year average of the same line items. Here I did the average of 2025 and 2026.