Year to date (YTD) refers to the period of time between the first day of the calendar or fiscal year up to the current date. It is often used as a modifier to financial data, e.g., revenue, pay, or expenses.
How to calculate YTD figures
First, you need to determine if the figure is being given in the context of the fiscal or calendar year, which are not always the same.
Once this has been decided, the calculation can be carried out as follows:
- Take the total value of the data at the beginning of the year (fiscal or calendar), and subtract it from the total at the current date.
- Divide the result of step 1 by the value of the data at the beginning of the year.
- Multiply the result of step 2 by 100.
- Tada - that’s your YTD value as a percentage.
What is YTD data used for
Comparing this year’s YTD figures against the same time period for the preceding year is a quick and insightful measurement of ongoing business performance. The same comparison can be made for any other data that may be important to an eCommerce business.