How to use formula fields in your tables
Formula fields in tables calculate a value automatically from other fields on the same record, so the number is always current and nobody maintains it. In Jestor, you add a formula column, reference the fields you need and the result recalculates on its own.
Why calculated columns beat manual ones
A number typed by a person is correct at the moment it is typed and drifts from then on. A number calculated from its inputs stays correct as long as the inputs do.
That difference matters most in financial data, where a stale figure leads to a payment that is wrong rather than just untidy.
Common calculations teams need:
- An overdue amount including interest
- The total of an order from its line items
- Days remaining until a due date
- Margin from price and cost
- A balance of contracted versus consumed
What a formula can reference
| Source | Example | Result |
|---|---|---|
| A field on the same record | Amount | Base of the calculation |
| Several fields combined | Price and quantity | Line total |
| A fixed multiplier | Amount multiplied by 1.10 | Value plus ten percent |
| A date field | Due date against today | Days remaining or overdue |
| A connected record | Data from a linked table | Calculations across relations |
Step by step to build one
- Add a column and choose the formula field type.
- Name it clearly, such as amount with late interest.
- Search for the field you want to use as the base.
- Write the operation, using the asterisk for multiplication and standard operators.
- Express percentages as multipliers, so a ten percent increase becomes multiplication by 1.10.
- Check the result on real records before relying on it.
Why the field type of the inputs matters
A formula can only calculate on numeric data. If the amount was stored as text, the sum silently fails or returns something meaningless. That is the most common reason a formula does not work, and it is fixed by using the right field type from the start.
- Calculated automatically: the value updates with its inputs
- No export needed: the calculation lives with the data
- Readable operators: standard arithmetic, no scripting
- Foundation for automations: a calculated field can trigger a rule
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I add ten percent in a formula?
Multiply the base field by 1.10, which returns the original value plus ten percent. See jestor.com.
Why does my formula not calculate?
Usually because the input is stored as text rather than as a number or currency field.
Does the result update on its own?
Yes. The value recalculates whenever the fields it depends on change.
Video Tutorial: Step by Step
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