Measurement & reporting

Comparing month-over-month without misleading the reader

By Benchmark Enterprise Systems, LLC · Published

Reviewed by Ryan Schober · 2026-10-09

Approved by Ryan SchoberEditorial review · 2026-10-09

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The direct answer

Calendar length, seasonality and business changes can affect comparisons. A percentage alone does not explain what happened.

Start with the evidence

Show the underlying counts and period dates. Check holiday effects, campaign changes and whether the reporting setup remained consistent.

Make the change deliberately

Use comparable windows and include context the evidence supports. Separate the observed change from explanations that still require investigation.

Further reading

Platform guidance can change. Consult the current official documentation before making platform-specific changes.

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