CRM Hack #25 : Adding a numeric formula field when the number of permissible numeric fields is exhausted.
Formula field is an extremely useful utility in Zoho CRM. It does the required calculations in the back-end thereby saving the hassle of performing them manually. Formula fields are mostly numeric and the hack I’m demonstrating today is a suggested workaround for a limitation faced by quiet a few of our customers.The hack is applicable for the professional and enterprise CRM editions and I'm sure you'd find it useful.
Adding an extra numeric formula field when the number of permissible numeric fields is exhausted:
The number of permissible number fields in a layout varies depending upon your CRM edition. For example, in professional edition, you can choose a maximum of fifteen numeric fields in the layout. What if you’ve exhausted the permissible limit and have a requirement for an additional numeric formula field?
How can we achieve this?
- Click on settings (the gear icon at the top right corner) --> Customization --> Modules and Fields --> Choose the required module, for example Leads =--> drag and drop a formula field from the left panel.
- Assuming you've already exceeded the permissible numeric fields, choose string as return field.
- Select "Tostring" from the available list of string functions and click on Insert.
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Add the required formula expression in the paranthesis ()
The "Tostring" function converts the resulting numeric variable to a string variable. Set the return type as string. The formula is now applied, however, the output variable is stored as a string instead of number.
Note:
1. As we are using string as a return type the filters such as > . < , >= and <= cannot be used like you do for number fields.
2. As the number is now stored as string, if you are exporting the data to a spreadsheet, you'd have to convert the string to number.
Hope you found the hack useful. We'd be back next Wednesday with another hack.