1. Provides automated insights by pulling data from multiple records across modules.
   
2. Calculates & updates values in real-time whenever records are added, updated or deleted.
   
3. Avoids manual reporting and saves time.
   

Use Case: Summary Field usage to track expenses in a manufacturing project.

Problem statement: Real-time tracking of Expenses and Overspending

When running a manufacturing project on Zoho Projects, the manager sets task-level budget, creates tasks dependencies, and tracks expenses of all successor tasks using summary field.

Task level Tracking: 

The summary field "Budget Spent" created in the task layout, updates the total expenses across tasks in real-time.

To reflect the remaining budget post expenses, they create a formula field “Residual Budget” in the Task layout.

Project-level Tracking:

At the project level, they create two summary field which aggregates the total of the Budget spent and the total of the remaining budget as “Total Expense” and “Leftover Budget”.

Overspend Tracking:

To avoid overspending, they create a workflow rule that triggers an email alert before the total expenses cross $100,000.

This helps the manager track the spent and the leftover budget at task and project level, along with real time alerts for overspending.

1. Summary field can be added only to Project, Phases, and Task Layout. However, other default and custom modules & fields can be selected in the summary field form to summarize the values.
   
2. A maximum of 5 summary fields can be created per module.
   
3. Summary field cannot be edited, but should be deleted and created again to enable different combinations for summary field within allowed limit.
   

Create Summary Field

Users with enabled Custom field permissions can create Summary fields.

1. Go to Set up> Customization > Layouts.
   
2. Select the specific Project, Phase, or Task layout.
   
3. In the Layout configuration page, drag and drop the Summary field from the New Fields section to add it to the layout.
   
4. In the Summary Field form on the right, add Field name, and select values for Related Module, Field, Function and Return Type. Functions will be listed based on the selected field.
   When adding summary field in the task layout for rolling up data from sub tasks, select whether to roll up the data from Whole Tree or from Direct Sub Tasks alone.
   Check the Include data from current task box, to include the value of the task related to the sub task.
5. Enter a Hint for the field, if required and click Add to Layout.
   

View Summary Field

1. Go to Set up> Customization > Fields. 
   
2. Summary fields are listed along with the other fields. Scroll to find or search for the specific summary field from the search bar on top right side. 
   

Delete Summary Field

1. Go to Set up> Customization > Layouts.
   
2. Select the specific Project, Phase, or Task layout.
   
3. In the Layout configuration page, hover over the specific Summary field and click  to delete.
   
4. Confirm your action by clicking on Remove in the dialogue box.

1. Go to Set Up > Customization > Fields.
   
2. Hover over the specific summary field and click .
   
3. Confirm your action and select Delete.