> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://revhero.gitbook.io/revhero-docs/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://revhero.gitbook.io/revhero-docs/your-hotels-performance/dashboard/reference-date.md). # Reference Date Set the Dashboard or Daily Performance to report as of any past day, and see the booking position you held at that moment. The **Reference Date** is the day a screen reports as of. Set it to a past day and you see the confirmed booking position you held at that moment, instead of your live position today. It works the same way on the [Dashboard](/revhero-docs/your-hotels-performance/dashboard.md) and on [Daily Performance](/revhero-docs/your-hotels-performance/daily-performance.md). Each screen keeps its own setting. Use it to answer 2 questions. Where were we at this point in the booking window? How did this month look this time last week? What you get is the **reservation state as it stood on that day**. That means the bookings confirmed at that moment and nothing booked since. A reservation cancelled or amended later is still counted the way it stood then. The Reference Date changes only what you are shown. It never changes your data. ![The Reference Date rewinds the whole screen](https://272652298-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FnzEa7YGji6t92Mfc0ZJ1%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-4c7c8ec3ced74403f9799893a122a48d3ee8576c%2Frewinding-the-dashboard.svg?alt=media) *Move the Reference Date back and every widget re-reports as of that day. Your data never changes.* ## Where to find it The **Reference Date:** control sits in the Dashboard filter bar. Its neighbours are the period picker, **Comparison Period:**, **Room Type**, **Segmentation** and **Cancellations**. On [Daily Performance](/revhero-docs/your-hotels-performance/daily-performance.md) it sits in that screen's own filter bar. The control shows the current as-of day, for example `26/06/2026`, with a calendar icon and a chevron. Click it to open the calendar. | Control | What it does | | ------------------------ | -------------------------------------------------- | | Day cells | Click a day to report the Dashboard as of that day | | Month dropdown | Moves the calendar to another month | | Year dropdown | Moves the calendar to another year | | Previous / Next chevrons | Move 1 month at a time | When you pick a day, the calendar closes and the whole screen re-reports as of that day. You cannot select a future date. ## The "Compared to" line A **"Compared to"** line sits under the control. It shows the day your as-of figures are being compared against, for example `Compared to 01/07/2025`. The default **Comparison Period:** is `STLY`, same time last year. So the paired date rewinds with you: it shows the reservation state you held at the same point last year, not last year's finished result. Both sides of every comparison are therefore partial books, which is what makes the comparison fair. Change the Reference Date and this paired date changes with it. Switch **Comparison Period:** to `LM` and it pairs with last month instead. ## What it changes These widgets all re-report as of the day you choose: * [Revenue](/revhero-docs/your-hotels-performance/dashboard/revenue.md) * [Occupancy](/revhero-docs/your-hotels-performance/dashboard/occupancy.md) * [RevPAR](/revhero-docs/your-hotels-performance/dashboard/revpar.md) * [ADR](/revhero-docs/your-hotels-performance/dashboard/adr.md) * [Room Nights](/revhero-docs/your-hotels-performance/dashboard/room-nights.md) * [Business Mix](/revhero-docs/your-hotels-performance/dashboard/business-mix.md) * [Booking Pace](/revhero-docs/your-hotels-performance/dashboard/booking-pace.md) * [Pickup](/revhero-docs/your-hotels-performance/dashboard/pickup.md) * [Online Demand — Per Day](/revhero-docs/your-hotels-performance/dashboard/online-demand-per-day.md) * [Online Demand — Overall](/revhero-docs/your-hotels-performance/dashboard/online-demand-overall.md) So with an earlier Reference Date, Revenue might read `53,713€` where today it reads `181,273€`. Fewer bookings were on the books on that earlier day. That is what the control is for. {% hint style="info" %} **Two widgets ignore the Reference Date.** [Competitor Rate Analysis](/revhero-docs/your-hotels-performance/dashboard/competitor-rate-analysis.md) always shows *current* competitor rates, and [Rate Recommendation](/revhero-docs/your-hotels-performance/dashboard/rate-recommendation.md) always shows the current recommendation. Both are about what to do now, so neither rewinds. {% endhint %} ## How to use it * **Judge pace fairly.** Compare this month at 30 days out against the same month last year at 30 days out. Do not compare it against a month that has already finished. * **Explain a change.** Move the Reference Date back 1 week at a time and watch which stay dates moved. * **Prepare a review.** Rebuild the position on the day a decision was made. The discussion is then about what was known at the time. ### Find when something started The single most useful habit with this control is stepping through days one at a time. Go back to last week, then move the Reference Date forward a day at a time and watch the figure you care about. You are not looking at one snapshot, you are watching the shape of the change. That tells you two things a single view cannot. **How a trend developed** — whether business built steadily or arrived in one burst. And **the day a problem started** — the point where pickup went flat, or cancellations began running ahead of bookings. Knowing the day it started is usually enough to know the cause. Find it early and you are fixing something while you can still sell the dates. Find it late and you are explaining it. ## Common questions **Does it change my data?** No. It changes only what you see. **Why do two widgets ignore it?** Competitor rates and rate recommendations are both about the decision in front of you today. See the note above. **How do I return to today?** Set the Reference Date back to today, or click **Reset** (↺) in the filter bar. ## Related * [Dashboard](/revhero-docs/your-hotels-performance/dashboard.md) * [Reading a widget](/revhero-docs/your-hotels-performance/dashboard/widget-anatomy.md) * [Competitor Rate Analysis](/revhero-docs/your-hotels-performance/dashboard/competitor-rate-analysis.md) * [Glossary](/revhero-docs/support/glossary.md) *** **Was this page helpful?** If something here is wrong, unclear or missing, email [support@revhero.com](mailto:support@revhero.com?subject=Manual%20feedback%20%5Ben%5D%20dashboard%2Freference-date.md) and quote this page: `dashboard/reference-date.md`. Say what you expected to find — that is the part we can fix.