05 entering parameters
Entering the Parameters
A sample of the parameter entry portion of the screen appears below. Initially, it appears to be simplicity personified with only three fields for possible entry, a SESA ID (‘NEXT-MIC-ACCT:’ – actually only the 10-digit U-I account number is needed, since the reporting unit number will always be zero), a switch (‘P/S:’) for whether we are seeking predecessors or successors, and the year/quarter (‘YRQ:’) involved. In fact, it is simple to enter these fields, once you acquire the knack for the terminology. There are two rules for parameter entry that should clarify how they are set.
The first rule is: the P/S switch (‘P/S:’) is used to find what is lacking. In other words, when we have an inexplicable employment drop, we would be looking for a potential successor (“S”), to find out where the employees have gone. When the employment leaps upward, we want to find potential predecessors (“P”) to determine whence the new employees originated.
The second rule is: the year/quarter (‘YRQ:’) identifies the “normal” quarter for the displayed account that is next to the questionable quarter. For potential predecessor (“P”) searches, use the quarter for which the target account has reached its new higher-level employment (e.g., “172”); potential predecessors will be examined in this quarter versus the one immediately prior to it (when the target account’s employment was lower). For potential successor (“S”) examination, use the last quarter for which the target account had the higher employment level (e.g. “171”); potential successors will be examined in this quarter and the one immediately following (when the target account lost its employment level).
As a pair of examples, if Jill’s Shoe Emporium had fairly constant employment throughout the first quarter of 2017, but shows a sudden drop of 50% employment in April of 2017, we would use “S” in the P/S switch, since we are seeking potential successors; we would use ‘171’ in the year/quarter field, since that is the last “normal” (higher-employment) quarter for the company. Then the potential successors will show the number of employees that switched from Jill’s company to another employer between 17/1 and 17/2.
If Big Ben’s Sports Equipment had remained relatively consistent in 2016 employment, but had a huge employment increase in January 2017 (remaining at that higher level through the quarter), then we would want to find out where the new employees came from. We would use “P” in the P/S switch and ‘171’ in the year/quarter (since it defines the beginning of the new, higher level of employment. The potential predecessors will show the number of employees who migrated over to Big Ben’s between 16/4 and 17/1.
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