Calculation, calculation, calculation, etc., etc.

[davej]

I have eight fields on a form involved in calculations. The user enters data into three of the fields and calculations should occur in the other five fields based on the just entered data. Some of the calculations happen; some do not.

I've tried to enter ALL five of the calculations in the first calculated field so that they occur at one time in sequence, but I cannot hit on the correct separator. I keep getting the 'Invalid or incomplete expression' error message.

Does anyone know how to place multiple calculations in ONE field so that calculation one happens, then calculation two, then calculation three, etc., or is this not possible?

Thanks

Dave

[Tom Cone Jr]

RE: Calculation, calculation, calculation, etc., e

Dave,

I've seen cases where layering calculations on top of each other won't work. i.e. where the current calc expression relies on a previous calc expression result.

But none where the raw, lowest level, calc expression is used. i.e. writing the expression without any other calc fields being involved.

This makes for some long expressions sometimes, but has proven reliable.

Why not post the tables or sets involved, along with their dictionaries, and an explanation of what it is you want to wind up with... ?

-- tom

[David Mason]

RE: Calculation, calculation, calculation, etc., e

Dave,

I had a similar problem in V4 and remedied by making a new action for each calculation in action scripting. I am not as familiar with v5 but it seems it can still be done that way. I was doing calcs for 5 fields off waht was entered in 2 fields and when doing it straight through, it became jumbled. by seperating the calcs into seperate scripts, it finished one before starting the next.

I only hope this helps.

Dave

[davej]

RE: Calculation, calculation, calculation, etc., e

Tom,

Here is the zipped sample file.

The user enters a value into:

Allocation - range represents percentage
Total FTE - a value not to exceed 1 (full time) (ex: .5 = half time)
Total Salary

Calculations are shown to the right of the appropriate field.

What I need is for each calculation to execute AFTER the previous field is calculated. I would prefer to have all the calculations in one field so that they execute at once.

Example: 100 entered in 'Allocation' and 1 entered into 'Total FTE'. 'RU Approved' should display 1. Enter 32772 into 'Total Salary' and the bottom four fields should calculate - results should be: 'FY 03 UTS' should be 32,772; '4% Increase' should be 1,311; 'Total Budgeted Salary' should be 34,083; 'Total w/3% Lapsed Salaries' should be 33,061.

To Dave Mason:

I haven't tried that yet, but I certainly will.

Dave

[Tom Cone Jr]

RE: Calculation, calculation, calculation, etc., e

Dave, while I'm working on this, maybe you can explain 100 (allocation) times 1 (total FTE) equals 1 ? Shouldn't your formula for RU Approved be something like:

( 100 * 1 ) / 100

-- tom

[Tom Cone Jr]

RE: Calculation, calculation, calculation, etc., e

Dave,

Unzip the attachment to an empty folder.

I've left your table and its field rules intact.

Duplicated it and then revised the field rules.

Hope it's self-explanatory.

As mentioned on the form I think your formula need further work to deal with allocation percentages less than 100.

-- tom

[davej]

RE: Calculation, calculation, calculation, etc., e

Tom,

'Allocation' is the percentage of time that an employee is allocated to a particular position. 'FTE' is full time equivalent - is that a full time position or something less? 'RU Approved' is the product of multiplying the allocation percentage and the Total FTE value (1 for
full-time, .5 for half-time).

Dave

[davej]

RE: Calculation, calculation, calculation, etc., e

Tom,

You are a gentleman and a scholar, and there are very few of us left. You hit it right on the mark.

I just wish I understood as much about math as I think I do.

Thanks,

Dave

[csda1]

RE: Calculation, calculation, calculation, etc., e

Dave & Dave

The easiest way to do something complicated within the scope of an expression field of Alpha 5 (such as a calculated field on a form), is to create a UDF function that does the entire calculation and returns the value.

Then your calculated field expression looks merely like a simple function call, with some parameters passed to it, as in

calcfield1 calcfield1function(parameter1,parameter2....)

Regards,

Ira