Please read this important communication as you may soon start to see new warnings and errors on your models.
On September 25th, we will be rolling out a new validation feature related to calculated range arrays used in formulas. This validation is designed to prevent users from accidentally projecting range array values that don’t exist at certain time periods. Today, if you don’t use an array aggregation and you project backwards or forwards in time, you might cause certain array values to be calculated when those array values didn’t previously exist at the referenced time period.
When this validation goes live, you may see some additional warnings in your Cores projections. Initially, these warnings will not prevent you from running your projections. You will have until October 23rd to resolve these warnings. After that, we will enforce these warnings as errors. Note that warnings will only be visible for projections run using Cores, but errors will show in Cores and High Performance Mode.
September 25th: New validation warnings for Cores Projections
October 23rd: Validation warnings become errors for Cores and HPM Projections
Why are there errors in a model that I copied from the Slope Library?
The Individual Disability Income product in the Slope Life Library (versions 2024.03 and earlier) contains variables that use calculated range arrays, project forward or backward, and do not use array aggregation. A new version of the Slope Life Library (2024.10) will be published in October with a modification to the Individual Disability Income product. Once it’s released, you can use the Governance module to merge these changes from the new Slope Library model to your models.
What sort of formula will cause this warning/error?
Formulas that use calculated range arrays and incorrectly project backwards or forwards to time periods where the current array value doesn’t exist may start to see these validation messages.
Example
Below is a section of the Time in Benefit Period End variable formula where the array set in the variable properties is a Calculated Range Array. Today, this setup will not cause an error, but it may calculate array values that don’t exist for a given time period. With the new validation, this will result in a warning, and eventually an error.
For demonstration purposes, if we modify this formula to use a Single Value (Formula) aggregation, we can replicate the behavior of the new validation we will be rolling out. With this set up, if the formula encounters an array value that doesn’t exist at the given time, it will (correctly) error.
What do I need to do in the short term?
When the new validation goes live, you may start to see new warnings on projections run using Cores. We suggest you resolve these warnings before they become errors on October 23rd.
Why don’t I see warnings in HPM?
Warnings are not currently supported for High Performance Mode runs. When the validation begins, you will only see warnings if you run your model using Cores. After October 23rd, the warnings will become errors. The errors will be visible whether you run a projection in Cores or HPM.
If you have any questions, or if you need help updating your model, please reach out to us at support@slopesoftware.com.