---
title: The “Minus” Expression
description: "The Assette Data Object Editor provides a range of expressions and functions that enable you to manipulate and calculate data effectively. One of the fundamental mathematical operations available is the **\"Minus\"** expression, which is performed using the \"`-\"` operator. ##…"
url: "https://learn.assette.com/docs/the-minus-expression/"
updated: "2024-11-11"
category: Developers / Developer Tools / Data Object Editor / Expressions
---

# The “Minus” Expression

The Assette Data Object Editor provides a range of expressions and functions that enable you to manipulate and calculate data effectively. One of the fundamental mathematical operations available is the **"Minus"** expression, which is performed using the "`-"` operator.

## Mathematical Operators Overview

Before exploring the "Minus" expression in detail, it's helpful to review the basic mathematical operators supported by the Data Object Editor:

- **Addition (`+`)**: Adds two or more numbers together.
  - Example: `1 + 2 + 3` returns `6`.
- **Subtraction (`-`)**: Subtracts one number from another.
  - Example: `10 - 9 - 8` returns `-7`.
- **Multiplication (`*`)**: Multiplies two or more numbers.
  - Example: `1 * 2 * 3` returns `6`.
- **Division (`/`)**: Divides one number by another.
  - Example: `1000 / 10 / 10` returns `10`.

## The "Minus" Expression Using the `-` Operator

In the Assette Data Object Editor, subtraction is performed using the `-` operator. This operator allows you to subtract numerical values from each other to calculate differences.

**value1, value2, value3**: Numeric values or variables you wish to subtract in sequence.

```
value1 - value2 - value3 - ...
```

### How It Works

- **Left-to-Right Evaluation**: Subtraction is performed from left to right.
- **Negative Results**: If the result of the subtraction is less than zero, the result will be a negative number.
  Examples

**Simple Subtraction**
Subtract one number from another. **Result**: `10`

```
15 - 5
```

**Subtracting Multiple Numbers**

Subtract several numbers in sequence. **Result**: `10`

```
20 - 5 - 3 - 2
```

**Using Variables**
If you have variables representing data points, you can subtract them directly

```
totalRevenue - totalExpenses
```

**Combining with Other Operators**
You can combine subtraction with other mathematical operations. **Result**: Total cost after discount for a given quantity.

```
(price - discount) * quantity
```

**Grouping with Parentheses**
Use parentheses `"("` and "`)"` to group expressions and control the order of operations.
For example, calculate the remaining budget:

```
initialBudget - (expensesTravel + expensesLodging + expensesMeals)
```

**Without Parentheses**:

This would incorrectly add `expensesLodging` and `expensesMeals` to the result of `initialBudget - expensesTravel`.

```
initialBudget - expensesTravel + expensesLodging + expensesMeals
```

**Order of Operations**:

The Data Object Editor follows standard mathematical order of operations. Operations inside parentheses are evaluated first, followed by multiplication and division, then addition and subtraction.

**value1, value2, value3**

```
value1 - (value2 - value3) * value4 + value5
```

**Negative Numbers**:

If the subtracted value is larger than the initial value, the result will be negative. **Result**: `-5`

```
5 - 10
```

### Data Types

Ensure that the values you are subtracting are numerical. Subtracting non-numeric data may result in errors.

**Null and Undefined Values**:

- **Null**: Represents a null value (e.g., data point not available).
- **Undefined**: Represents an undefined or unassigned value.

Use the `HasValue` function to check if a value is neither `null` nor `undefined` before performing subtraction:

```
HasValue(value1) and HasValue(value2) ? (value1 - value2) : defaultValue
```

## Using Subtraction in Expressions

You can use the subtraction operator in various expressions to perform calculations relevant to your data.
Calculating Differences

**Difference Between Two Dates**
Calculate the number of days between two dates. Note for a more accurate calculation, consider using date difference functions if available.

```
Day(endDate) - Day(startDate)
```

**Variance Analysis**
Determine the variance between actual and budgeted amounts: **Result**: Positive result indicates over budget, negative result indicates under budget.

```
actualAmount - budgetedAmount
```

P**ercentage Change**
Calculate the percentage decrease. Result: Percentage of the discount.

```
((originalPrice - salePrice) / originalPrice) * 100
```

## Practical Use Cases

**Financial Calculations**
Compute net profit:

```
totalRevenue - totalExpenses
```

**Date Manipulation**
Determine the remaining time for a task:

```
totalDuration - timeElapsed
```

**Data Analysis**
Find the deviation from an average:

```
dataPoint - averageValue
```