What does the PREVIOUS function return?

The PREVIOUS function is designed to return results from another record in the same column. This functionality allows users to access and work with time-series data or sequential data by retrieving values from previous rows within the same dataset.

For example, in scenarios involving inventory management or production planning, you may want to compare the current value with a prior value to analyze trends or changes over time. By using the PREVIOUS function, you can effectively achieve this, facilitating a clearer understanding of past data and enabling more informed decision-making.

The other options do not accurately describe the function's purpose: retrieving data from a different column, summing values in a specified range, or averaging records across all columns would require different methods and functions that are not the focus of the PREVIOUS function.