Components of the Formula Editor
The Formula Editor window is used to build a cost or date calculation or a concatenation for a Profile Rule that is applied to an additional form or a Contract, Company, or Project Profile. The formula created is designed to auto-populate a field in an additional form or a field in the Contract, Company, or Project Profile screen. The calculation or concatenation formula is built using existing fields in a Profile screen or an additional form, along with math and precedence operators, as well as static text and values.
Formula Editor - Cost Calculation
The Formula Editor window is launched from the Profile Rules Edit screen by clicking Add Action, selecting Calculate Field in the Action Type list, selecting a text, list, or value field in the Field list, and clicking in the Value field.
A Profile Rule for a Project Additional Form includes a formula that calculates the total cost of a project and populates a field in the form with the result. Five variables are used in the formula, which includes math and procedure operators, and a static value.
Variables list | Click on a variable to add to it to the Formula Editor. Tip: Variable names are the same as the field names in the Profile or additional form. The variables in the list depend on the selection made in the Field list in the Actions section of the Profile Rules Edit screen when Calculate Field is selected in the Action Type list. |
Variable fields | Right-click on a variable to display a menu that allows you to perform tasks, such as selecting all the components of the formula in order to copy it or delete it.
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Math operators | Use standard symbols to perform mathematical functions in the formula: + adds variables - subtracts variables * multiplies variables / divides variables |
Parenthesis (Precedence Operator) | Use to identify precedence in performing calculations in the formula.
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Static values | Type in a value to ensure the calculation is always updated by the addition, subtraction, division, or multiplication of this value. |
Save button | Click to save the formula. |
Formula Editor - Date Calculation
The Formula Editor window displays different options if the action to be performed by the Profile Rule involves calculating a date. To access the window, open the Profile Rules Edit screen, click Add Action, select Calculate Field in the Action Type list, select a date field in the Field list, and click in the Value field.
A Contract Profile Rule includes a formula that calculates the original expiration date of all Service contracts, which have a 2-year term, using the contract's effective date.
Variables list | Click on a date variable to add to it to the Formula Editor. Tip: Variable names are the same as the field names in the Profile or additional form. The date variables in the list depend on the selection made in the Field list in the Actions section of the Profile Rules Edit screen when Calculate Field is selected in the Action Type list. |
Variable field | Click the Edit button, and then right-click on a date variable to display a menu that allows you to perform tasks, such as selecting all the components of the formula in order to copy it or delete it.
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Dart Part list | Select Day, Month, or Year as the time frame for the formula. |
Number field | Enter a number in the field based on the selection made in the Date Part list and the date field selected in the variables list.
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Edit / Read Only toggle button | Click to edit the formula, where you can manually enter the formula directly into the window without using the Date Part list or the Number field, or remove components of the formula. Tip: The Edit/Ready Only toggle button also populates the variables list with all fields in the Profile or additional form, not just the date fields. |
Save button | Click to save the formula. |
Formula Editor - Concatenation
The Formula Editor window can be used to build a concatenation, which is the linking of two or more fields to produce a character string that is used to populate a related field in an additional form or a field in a Contract, Company, or Project Profile screen, including any additional fields that have been added to the Profile.
The Formula Editor window is launched from the Profile Rules Edit screen by clicking Add Action, selecting Calculate Field in the Action Type list, selecting a text, list, or value field in the Field list, and clicking in the Value field.
A Company Profile Rule includes a formula that concatenates one of the default fields in the Company Profile with two additional fields that were added to the Profile, and then populates a third additional field with the concatenated character string.
Variables list | Click on a variable to add to it to the Formula Editor. Tip: Variable names are the same as the field names in the Profile or additional form. The variables in the list depend on the selection made in the Field list in the Actions section of the Profile Rules Edit screen when Calculate Field is selected in the Action Type list. |
Variable fields | Right-click on a variable to display a menu that allows you to perform tasks, such as selecting all the components of the formula in order to copy it or delete it.
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Static data | Add text or a value, encased in single quotes, to the formula to ensure this information is always displayed in the character string.
Important: Make sure there is a space between every variable, operator, and symbol. |
Pipe symbol | Ensure all variables are encased in || symbols, except the last variable, which requires only a leading || symbol. Tip: The Pipe symbol is produced by holding down the Shift key on your keyboard and depressing the backslash ( \ ) key twice. |
Save button | Click to save the formula. |
