Time Ranges Specification Window
Use the Time Ranges Specification window to control the period of fit and evaluation and the forecasting horizon. Invoke this window from the Options menu in the Develop Models, Manage Forecasting Project, and Model Viewer windows or the Set Ranges button in the Develop Models window.
Controls and Fields
- Data Set
is the name of the current input data set.
- Interval
is the time interval (data frequency) for the input data set.
- Series
is the variable name and label of the current time series.
- Data Range
gives the date of the first and last nonmissing data values available for the current series in the input data set.
- Period of Fit
gives the starting and ending dates of the period of fit. This is the time range used for estimating model parameters. By default, it is the same as the data range. You can type dates in these fields, or you can use the arrow buttons to the left and right of the date fields to decrement or increment the date values shown. Date values must be entered in a form recognized by a SAS date informat. (See SAS Language Reference: Concepts for information about SAS date informats.) The inner arrows increment by periods, the outer arrows increment by larger amounts, depending on the data interval.
- Period of Evaluation
gives the starting and ending dates of the period of evaluation. This is the time range used for evaluating models in terms of statistics of fit. By default, it is the same as the data range. You can type dates in these fields, or you can use the control arrows to the left and right of the date fields to decrement or increment the date values shown. Date values must be entered in a form recognized by a SAS date informat. (See SAS Language Reference: Concepts for information about SAS date informats.) The inner arrows increment by periods, the outer arrows increment by larger amounts, depending on the data interval.
- Forecast Horizon
is the forecasting horizon expressed as a number of forecast periods or number of years (or number of weeks for daily data). You can type a number or select one from the pop-up list. The ending date for the forecast period is automatically updated when you change the number of forecasts periods.
- Forecast Horizon – Units
indicates whether the Forecast Horizon value represents periods or years (or weeks for daily data).
- Forecast Horizon Date Value
is the date of the last forecast observation. You can type a date in this field, or you can use the arrow buttons to the left and right of the date field to decrement or increment the date values shown. Date values must be entered in a form recognized by a SAS date informat. (See SAS Language Reference: Concepts for information about SAS date informats.) The Forecast Horizon is automatically updated when you change the ending date for the forecast period.
- Hold-out Sample
specifies that a number of observations or years (or weeks) of data at the end of the data range are used for the period of evaluation with the remainder of data used as the period of fit. You can type a number in this field or select one from the pop-up list. When the hold-out sample value is changed, the Period of Fit and Period of Evaluation ranges are changed to reflect the hold-out sample specification.
- Hold-out Sample – Units
indicates whether the hold-out sample field represents periods or years (or weeks for daily data).
- OK
closes the window and stores the specified changes.
- Cancel
closes the window without saving changes. Any options you specified are lost.
- Reset
resets the options to their initial values upon entry to the window.
- Clear
resets all options to their default values.
