Calculate service cost, ticket age, and other metrics using Formula Fields in Zoho Desk

Hello everyone,
Formula Field is currently available on Early Access. Kindly fill out this Registration Form to request early access.
We have made an important update to the fields and layouts in Zoho Desk that will allow users to compute values within the record using Formula Fields.
Please note that this feature is available for both Standard and Custom modules.

Support agents often need to calculate tax, interest, the total cost associated with a service, and other details, such as the time remaining before a ticket becomes overdue. Performing these calculations manually can be time-consuming and even cause errors.

Formula Fields automate these essential computations directly within the support system to ensure teams have quick access to accurate, real-time insights. This helps them prioritize tasks, allocate resources efficiently, and deliver fast resolutions.

What is a formula field?

Formula fields are custom fields that allow you to perform calculations by combining functions, operators, and existing Zoho Desk fields. With formula fields, you can create custom equations to automate complex calculations. Formula fields can perform:

Numeric calculations: Calculate service costs, refund amounts, and expenses.
Date-based calculations: Calculate the time elapsed since ticket creation and determine upcoming service deadlines.
Text/String outputs: Create a customized message by combining other fields' values.

For example, a formula field can instantly calculate the total cost of handling a service request or display customized text like "SLA deadline approaching."

How do formula fields benefit support teams?

Support managers and agents need quick access to accurate data to make decisions and prioritize tasks. Here’s how formula fields improve operations:

Minimize manual errors

Manually calculating the refund amounts or insurance policy renewal date can lead to inconsistencies. Formula fields automate these types of calculations to ensure accuracy.

Example: A formula calculates the total refund for a ticket by summing eligible costs, such as the product price, tax, and shipping and handling charges.

Save time and increase efficiency

Automating repetitive computations lets agents focus on resolving customer issues.

Example: A formula field calculates the Days Since Manufacturing by subtracting the Manufacturing Date from the Current Date (using the now() function). This eliminates the need for agents to manually calculate how many days have passed since the manufacturing of the raw material, which helps agents track material age efficiently.

Provide real-time insights for decision-making

Formula fields update dynamically as ticket data changes, offering managers and agents immediate insights so they can take prompt action.

Example:A formula combines the now() date function with the SLA Due Time to create a custom field like Days Overdue, which dynamically shows the number of days a ticket has remained unresolved since its SLA due date. This enables managers to quickly identify and address the most pressing overdue tickets.

Industry-specific use cases for formula fields

Formula fields are highly customizable and can meet unique business requirements across industries. Below are some of the real-world use cases to illustrate their benefits:

Raw material cost calculation in the automobile industry

Goal: To calculate the total cost of raw materials by including base price, shipping, and taxes (GST).

Formula: (cf_raw_material_base_price + cf_shipping_charges) + ((cf_raw_material_base_price + cf_shipping_charges) * (cf_gst_percent / 100))

This formula computes the total cost of raw material by summing the base price, shipping cost, and applicable GST. The calculation helps procurement teams understand the total cost of materials to assist in better budgeting and financial planning.

Calculating the total cost of the purchased product using different cost components

Goal: To determine the total cost of a purchased electronic product, the calculation considers the unit price, number of units, shipping cost, and any applicable discount.

Formula: Total cost = (unit price * number of units) + shipping cost - discount

This computation helps customers and businesses accurately determine the final payable amount for an electronic product purchase. It ensures transparency by factoring in all cost components, including product price, quantity, shipping charges, and applicable discounts.

Warranty expiration date for the purchased product

Goal: To calculate the warranty expiration date for a purchased product.

Formula: Adddate(purchasedate, 'P1Y')

This formula helps in automatically determining the warranty expiration date, which is typically one year from the purchase date. By applying this calculation, businesses or users can easily track when the warranty period ends, which is useful for customer support, product returns, or any warranty-related inquiries.

Determining the reminder date for renewing the software license before it expires

Goal: Notify customers when their software license is about to expire.

Formula: Subdate(LicenseExpiryDate, 'P15D')

This formula helps to generate a reminder date that is 15 days before the license expiry, ensuring that customers are notified in advance. By using this calculation, businesses can send renewal reminders ahead of time, giving customers ample time to renew their licenses and avoid service interruptions.

For more information on the available operations and functions for creating formula fields, please refer to the help document.

Give it a try, and share your experiences, feedback, or suggestions in the comments below. We’d love to hear how Formula Fields helps your support teams.

Thanks, and have a great day!