> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.runway.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
# Propagating sparse data
> Not all systems store data as time series. But in Runway, your model lives over time. So when source data is sparse—reported only once or sporadically—Runway gives you a way to pull it forward.
## Why would I need to pull forward sparse data?
Many tools outside of finance don’t track data monthly, and often omit months where nothing changed. For example:
* A CRM deal might only have a single timestamp for when it was created or closed.
* A user might have a signup date, but no updates after that.
* A contract might show up only in the month it was signed.
But in your model, you likely care about these things **across many months**, not just the one they happened in:
* Just because a deal was created in January doesn’t mean its ACV is \$0 in March.
* A user who signed up in April probably still counts as a user in June.
* A contract with \$12k ACV doesn’t just count for one month—it gets recognized over the year.
This is especially important when you want to:
* Spread a value over time (e.g. revenue recognition from contract value).
* Apply **cohort logic**, growth or decay curves based on a starting point.
## How does it work?
### Integrations data
When configuring an integration-powered database, you’ll see a button for **Most recent value** on the right-hand side. Turn this on if you want the value to **persist** across future months where the source data might be missing.
* Use the **data preview** to check how your source reports values.
* Once you enable this setting, Runway will **automatically apply the most recent value time range** to any drivers based on this data.
* You can also manually adjust the **time range** on formula pills after your database is live.
This only applies when the value is coming back as null. If the value is explicitly 0, that 0 will remain.
### **General formulas**
Even outside of integrations, the **Most recent value** option is also available when writing formulas.
* In any driver formula, open the filter menu for the time range, and select **Most recent value**.
* This will pull the last known **non-null** value forward into future months.
### Example
Here are some more examples so you can see how **Most recent value** interacts with dates, zero values, and null values.
