i2 Analyst’s Notebook 101 “Simple Tasks, great results”
Function: Combine Attributes
1. CONTEXT
Attribute classes categorize the information stored as attributes on a chart item such as entities and links. The standard template contains several attribute classes that the analyst can use when creating a chart. Adding information to items using analysis attributes provides a way to gain a deeper analysis insight from existing entities and links on the chart.
2. SCENARIO
Suppose there are four bank accounts that have undergone various transactions. Each account is an entity. The transaction amounts are identified on the Link Labels between each account, as illustrated by the graph below.
BALANCE OF FOUR BANK ACCOUNTS BEFORE THE TRANSACTION
Account B has a starting balance of $2,100. Three transactions are performed on that account:
$500 is transferred FROM Account D TO Account B.
$100 is transferred FROM Account C TO Account B.
$1,500 is transferred FROM Account B TO Account A.
To calculate the account B’s new balance the following formula is applied: (starting account B balance) + (sum of deposits to account B) – (sum of withdrawals from account B) = new account B balance. Consequently, account B’s new balance is of: $2,100 + ($500 + $100) – $1,500 = $1,200.
BALANCE OF FOUR BANK ACCOUNT AFTER THE TRANSACTION
3. METHOD
The function “Combine Attributes” allows to merge the analysis attribute “Entity Sum Link Flow” with the attribute class “Dollars Amount”. The analysis attribute “Entity Sum Link Flow” adds the sum of the digital links entering towards an entity and subtracts the sum of the digital links leaving an entity. The account balances are therefore adjusted according to the amounts transferred between each account.