Tailor how formula values are displayed in SmartSuite to enhance usability and readability. This guide walks you through customizing value formatting, using styles, and ensuring consistent display across the platform.
Plan Availability | All plan types |
Permissions | Administrators: Configure global formatting options. Solution Manager: Can configure formatting options in managed solutions. |
Related Reading |
Explore our Formula Operators & Functions solution template, perfect for hands-on learners who want to understand how formula outputs are generated and displayed. Use these examples as a foundation to experiment with formula behavior or to build your own more advanced formulas tailored to your needs.
Formatting Numeric Values
Numeric values provide a wide range of display options, each designed to accommodate various user needs and preferences. These options enable you to tailor the presentation of numerical data to align with specific use cases, whether for detailed reporting, concise summaries, or visually appealing formats that enhance readability and understanding.
Each numeric format below can be displayed as a number or currency with more formatting options to come!
Number
The "Number" format is the most versatile option for numeric values. Users can adjust the following settings:
Precision: Define the number of decimal places (e.g.,
123.45for two decimals).Separators: Toggle thousands separators (e.g.,
1,000or1000).Large Number Abbreviation: Display large numbers in a compact format (e.g.,
1.2Mfor 1,200,000).Labels: Add units or labels for better context.
Currency
The "Currency" format is ideal for monetary values and includes settings similar to the Number format, with additional currency-specific options:
Currency Selection: Choose a currency type (e.g., USD, EUR).
Precision: Adjust decimal places (e.g.,
$123.45for two decimals).Separators: Include thousands separators if needed.
Large Number Abbreviation: Use compact representations for large amounts (e.g.,
$1.2M).
Formatting Date Values
You can also control how formula results are displayed when a formula returns a date value. In the formula field’s advanced editor, the Formatting tab lets you choose how date-based results should appear, helping you present calculated dates more clearly and consistently across your solution.
Formatting is optional. If no formatting is selected, the formula result is displayed as-is. Selected formatting is applied consistently across views, records, dashboards, charts, PDF exports, and Document Designer.
Configuring Date Formatting
When your formula returns a date value, you can use the Formatting tab to control how that result is displayed.
Open the formula field and go to the advanced editor.
Select the Formatting tab.
If the formula is already returning a date, date formatting options will appear automatically.
Choose the date display style you want to use.
Decide whether to include time in the output.
If time is shown, choose whether to display it in 12-hour or 24-hour format.
Choose whether time zone information should be shown, using your existing settings as the default reference.
Available date formatting options
When a formula returns a date, you can format it using several display styles:
Compact: A shorter date display for space-saving layouts.
Standard: The default date display option.
Long: A more detailed date display for cases where you want the full date to be easier to read.
You can also extend the display by enabling time and time zone information when needed. This is especially useful for formulas that calculate deadlines, reminders, due dates, or other time-sensitive values. The formatting options convert supported values into a standard date presentation for display.
If formatting options are unavailable
If SmartSuite cannot yet determine that the formula returns a date, formatting options may be temporarily unavailable.
This can happen when:
the formula is incomplete
the formula is invalid
the result type is still changing while you edit
In these cases, the Formatting tab may prompt you to finish configuring the field before date formatting can be applied. Once the formula returns a valid date again, the date formatting options become available.
Formatting is preserved as formulas change
Formula result types can change as you edit. For example, a formula might temporarily become invalid, or it might change from returning a number to returning a date. SmartSuite preserves the formatting settings you previously configured for each supported result type, so you do not need to recreate them each time the formula changes. This means if your formula later returns a date again, your earlier date formatting choices can still be preserved.
Why Date Formatting is useful
Date formatting gives you more control over how formula-driven dates appear throughout your workspace. This makes it easier to:
standardize the appearance of calculated dates
make date values easier to scan in tables and records
show more detail only when needed
keep dashboards, charts, and exported documents consistent
This is especially helpful for formulas that return values such as due dates, date ranges, review dates, or other calculated scheduling fields.
Consistent Formatting Across the Platform
Once a display option is configured, the formatting is automatically applied across all relevant views, including records, dashboards, charts, PDF exports, and the Document Designer. This ensures a uniform and professional appearance throughout the platform.
Practical Scenarios and Use Cases
Here are three examples of how formatting formula values can be valuable in real-world situations:
1. Financial Reporting
Scenario: The Finance team needs to create monthly budget summaries.
Solution: Use the Currency format to display financial data consistently, with thousands separators and two decimal places for clarity.
2. Project Performance Metrics
Scenario: The Operations team tracks key metrics, such as units sold and revenue generated.
Solution: Apply the Number format with large number abbreviations to create easy-to-read dashboards and reports.
3. Custom Labels for Inventory
Scenario: A Warehouse Manager wants to track stock levels with clear units.
Solution: Add labels like kg or boxes to numerical values for better context.