Formula Frequently Asked Questions
Peter Novosel avatar
Written by Peter Novosel
Updated over a week ago

Can a formula reference a cell in a different Table?

Yes, a formula can reference fields in the current Table, a field in a Sub-Items field, or a Field in another Table using a Linked Record field. Learn more about this in our article Reference Data from other Tables.


Why are my numeric values not calculating correctly? For example, when adding 1 + 1 itโ€™s producing the result 11, instead of 2. What's going on?

This particular calculation error occurs because one of the referenced values is a text value, not a number. The addition operator (+) serves double-duty in SmartSuite formulas, either adding numbers together if both values are numeric, or combining (concatenating) values to create a custom bit of text if anything other than numbers are referenced (i.e. dates or text).

To correct this error, check that both values referenced by your formula are numeric types.

Note ๐Ÿ“ : The formula field is treated by SmartSuite as either a number, a date, or as text. If the addition operator is adding numbers you get a number result (allowing for numeric field filtering, charting, etc.) If you are concatenating values, the output is text (so you get access to "contains" and similar filters).


Why is my formula field displaying a red icon instead of a value?

If your formula's value is a red icon, you've got an error in the formula and SmartSuite cannot calculate a value. Click on the icon as a Solution Manager or Admin to open the formula field properties and fix the formula syntax.

Note that the warning "Invalid formula" will be displayed in red text below the formula builder text box if the formula is currently invalid.


Can I used a formula to combine values from two or more fields?

Absolutely - and this is one of the most common uses for the SmartSuite formula field. See our article Combine text from two or more fields for a complete, step-by-step tutorial.


Where can I see a complete list of formula functions and operators?

We've assembled the SmartSuite Formula Field Reference Guide to answer all of your formula function and operator questions! This comprehensive document gives you a list of everything the formula field currently supports, proper syntax, and illustrative examples of each function in use. Enjoy!

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