---
schema_version: "1"
id: b2c0f4c25923c30197658e35d0b366228bdccfa83afcc74f021d7e15baf9509d
title: periods_ago
collection: admin
version: current
locale: en-us
portal_url: https://docs.salesforce.com/admin/current/en-us/sales/264-0-0/spiff_function_ref_periods_ago.md
canonical_url: https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=sales.spiff_function_ref_periods_ago.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5
source_site: help.salesforce.com
content_type: documentation
content_hash: 3be41eab4f804744ce764392bf6c95e791e2ff2eb159d2e0168d0a867b4b8906
description: Returns the statement period start date that's a specified number of statement periods before another date in Salesforce Spiff.
products:
  - Sales Cloud
  - Sales Enablement
release: "264"
---
# periods\_ago

Returns the statement period start date that's a specified number of statement periods before another date in Salesforce Spiff.

### Required Editions

<table class="slds-table slds-table_bordered slds-max-medium-table_stacked slds-m-bottom_small edition"><colgroup><col></colgroup><tbody><tr class=""><td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">Available in: both Salesforce Classic (not available in all orgs) and Lightning Experience</td></tr><tr class=""><td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">Available in: <strong>Enterprise</strong>, <strong>Unlimited</strong>, and <strong>Developer</strong> Editions</td></tr><tr class=""><td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">Available for an additional cost in: <strong>Professional</strong> Edition with Web Services API Enabled</td></tr></tbody></table>

## Syntax

```
periods_ago(start_date, number_of_periods)
```

## Arguments

  
| Argument | Required? | Description |
| --- | --- | --- |
| start\_date | Required | The date value to evaluate. This argument supports any date functions. To specify a date as a string in YYYY-MM-DD format, use the `date()` function and enclose the string in double quotes. |
| number\_of\_periods | Required | An integer that specifies the number of statement periods ahead or behind to find the date for. Positive values count periods in the past, and negative values count periods in the future. |

## Example

Return the start date of the statement period that's three periods before today's date.

```
=periods_ago(Now, 3)
```