Basic Set Functions: The BottomCount() Function, Part I

In this article, we will examine the BottomCount() function, whose greatest utility lies in its capability to enable us to isolate worst / lowest performers from among numbers (even hundreds, thousands or more) of fellow members. This ranking capability is critical in data analysis and decision support scenarios: In many business situations, we seek to report upon “worst” (or simply “lowest / least”) performers for various reasons. BottomCount() facilitates our doing so, allowing us to sort on a numeric value expression that we can provide. We can tell the function how many “bottom” members we wish to retrieve (say, the “bottom ten,” or the “bottom twenty”), for a “custom-fit” approach, that matches our needs precisely.

In this article, we will introduce and overview the BottomCount() function. We will first comment upon the general operation of BottomCount(), and then we will:

• Examine the syntax surrounding the function;
• Undertake illustrative examples of the rudimentary uses of the function in practice exercises;
• Briefly discuss the results datasets we obtain in the practice examples.