Custom Date Ranges: Seasonal and Campaign Analysis
How to use the AskBiz custom date range picker for seasonal analysis, campaign measurement, and year-over-year comparisons that the preset filters can't provide.
Key Takeaways
- The custom date range picker on Overview and Reports lets you select any start and end date for precise analysis.
- Use equal-length date ranges when comparing periods — 7 days vs 7 days, not 7 days vs 30 days.
- Year-over-year comparison (e.g. June 2025 vs June 2024) eliminates seasonal noise from month-over-month data.
- Measure a specific campaign by setting the date range to exactly the campaign run period and comparing to the equivalent period before it.
When preset filters aren't enough
AskBiz's preset filters — Today, Yesterday, Last 7 days, Last 30 days — cover most day-to-day analysis needs. But when you want to compare Easter week to last Easter, measure the impact of a specific 10-day promotion, or analyse Ramadan trading vs the rest of the year, you need the custom date range picker. It lets you select any start and end date, giving you precision that preset filters can't provide.
How to use the custom date range picker
On the POS Overview or Reports page, find the two date input fields labelled 'dd/mm/yyyy to dd/mm/yyyy' on the right side of the filter row. Click the first field and type or select your start date. Click the second field and select your end date. The metrics update immediately to show data for exactly that period. Combine with the Branch and Sector filters for the most specific slice of your business data.
Year-over-year comparison: the seasonal truth test
To compare this June to last June: set the first date range to 1 June 2025 – 30 June 2025, note the Revenue and Margin. Then set it to 1 June 2024 – 30 June 2024 and note the figures. YoY growth = (2025 figure – 2024 figure) ÷ 2024 figure × 100. This comparison is immune to seasonal effects — if June is always slower than December, the YoY comparison still shows whether your June grew. A business with +15% YoY Revenue growth consistently over three months is genuinely growing, regardless of seasonal patterns.
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Start for free →Measuring a specific promotion campaign
Set the date range to exactly the campaign dates (e.g. 1–14 June for a two-week promotion). Note Revenue, Gross Profit, and Avg Sale. Then set the equivalent pre-campaign period (18 May – 31 May). Compare. The difference in Gross Profit — not Revenue — is the promotion's net impact. If Gross Profit increased by more than the discount value given away (visible in the Discounts Report for the same date range), the promotion was ROI-positive. If not, revise the approach for next time.
Three useful custom analyses for retail
Analysis 1 — Payday effect: compare the 25th–5th of each month vs the 6th–24th. Most retail businesses see higher Avg Sale around payday — if yours doesn't, you may be missing a payday promotion opportunity. Analysis 2 — School term vs holidays: compare school term weeks to holiday weeks. Traffic patterns shift significantly for businesses near schools or that serve families. Analysis 3 — Weather/event comparison: if a major local event occurred on a specific weekend, compare that weekend to the same weekend last year to isolate the event's impact on your trading.
Sharing custom analysis with your team or investors
When sharing analysis with an investor, bank manager, or business partner, custom date ranges let you show growth across periods that matter to your narrative. 'Over the 6 months since we opened the second branch (1 Nov 2024 – 30 Apr 2025), group Revenue grew 34% vs the equivalent 6-month period before the opening.' This precision is persuasive — it shows the impact of a specific decision rather than presenting general revenue growth that could be attributed to many factors.