Mastering Custom Formulas
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Mastering Custom Formulas
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Adding a custom formula to items in an assembly gives you greater control over what is displayed in the final line items on your Reports and in Estimates.
Below are some of the most commonly used formula conversions and add-ons.
Common Variable Conversions
- Adding a Waste Percentage
- Evenly-spaced Items
- Area-coverage Items
- Area of a Circle
- Circumference of a Circle
Common Variable Conversions
You may need to convert a takeoff variable into another. Below are examples of common custom variables you can create to convert the data.
Starting From Count
From [MeasuredCount], add custom variables to represent the other dimensions of the building condition.
Starting from Count | Add Custom Variable (example) |
To Linear Feet | [WallLengthFeet] |
To Square Feet | [WallLengthFeet] and [WallHeightFeet] |
To Cubic Yards | [WallLengthFeet] and [WallHeightFeet] and [WallThicknessInches] |
[MeasuredCount]*[WallLengthFeet]
[MeasuredCount]*[WallLengthFeet]*[WallHeightFeet]
[MeasuredCount]*[WallLengthFeet]*[WallHeightFeet]*([WallThicknessInches]/12)/27
[MeasuredCount]*[WallLengthFeet]*[WallHeightFeet]
[MeasuredCount]*[WallLengthFeet]*[WallHeightFeet]*([WallThicknessInches]/12)/27
Starting from Linear
From [MeasuredLinear], add custom variables to represent the other dimensions of the building condition.
Starting from Linear | Add Custom Variable (example) |
To Square Feet | [WallHeightFeet] |
To Cubic Yards | [WallHeightFeet] and [WallThicknessInches] |
[MeasuredLinear]*[WallHeightFeet]
[MeasuredLinear]*[WallHeightFeet]*([WallThicknessInches]/12)/27
[MeasuredLinear]*[WallHeightFeet]*([WallThicknessInches]/12)/27
Starting from Square Feet
From [MeasuredArea] or [MeasuredSurfaceArea], add custom variables to represent the other dimensions of the building condition.
Starting from Square Feet | Add Custom Variable (example) |
To Cubic Yards | [WallThicknessInches] |
[MeasuredArea]*([WallThicknessInches]/12)
[MeasuredSurfaceArea]*([WallThicknessInches]/12)/27
[MeasuredSurfaceArea]*([WallThicknessInches]/12)/27
Common Unit Conversion
You may need to convert a takeoff or custom variable from one unit to another. Below are examples of common units and their conversion factors.
Inches and Feet
From | To | Factor |
Inches | Feet | 12 |
[WallThicknessInches]/12
[MeasuredLinear]*12
[MeasuredLinear]*12
Square Feet and Yards
From | To | Factor |
Square Feet | Square Yards | 9 |
[MeasuredArea]/9
[CarpetRollYards]*9
[CarpetRollYards]*9
Cubic Inches, Feet, and Yards
From | To | Factor |
Cubic Inches | Cubic Yards | 46656 |
Cubic Feet | Cubic Yards | 27 |
([MeasuredArea]/12)*([SlabThicknessInches]/12)/46656
[MeasuredArea]*[SlabThicknessFeet]/27
[MeasuredArea]*[SlabThicknessFeet]/27
Common Formula Functions
Adding a Waste Percentage
You can add a waste percentage to your formula to control the final quantities. Some examples:
[MeasuredLinear]*1.10
[MeasuredArea]*(1+([WastePercentage0to100]/100))
[MeasuredArea]*(1+([WastePercentage0to100]/100))
Evenly-spaced Items
To calculate an item that occurs on set intervals, add a custom variables to represent the distance of the spacing, and then:
[MeasuredLinear]/[ItemSpacingInFeet]
[MeasuredLinear]*12/16
[MeasuredLinear]*12/[ItemSpacingInInches]
[MeasuredLinear]*12/16
[MeasuredLinear]*12/[ItemSpacingInInches]
Area-coverage Items
When an item is set to a known dimension, that information can be used to convert area takeoffs into item counts. For example:
4'x8' sheet of plywood: [MeasuredArea]/32
4'x10' sheet of drywall: [MeasuredSurfaceArea]/40
4'x10' sheet of drywall: [MeasuredSurfaceArea]/40
Area of a Circle
To calculate the area of a circle, add a custom variable to represent the radius or diameter of the circle, and then:
3.14*[RadiusOfCircle]*[RadiusOfCircle] or
pi()*power([RadiusOfCircle],2)
3.14*([DiameterOfCircle]/2)*([DiameterOfCircle]/2) or
pi()*power([DiameterOfCircle]/2,2)
pi()*power([RadiusOfCircle],2)
3.14*([DiameterOfCircle]/2)*([DiameterOfCircle]/2) or
pi()*power([DiameterOfCircle]/2,2)
Circumference of a Circle
To calculate the circumference of a circle, add a custom variable to represent the radius or diameter of the circle, and then:
2*3.14*[RadiusOfCircle] or
2*pi()*[RadiusOfCircle]
3.14*[DiameterOfCircle] or
pi()*[DiameterOfCircle]
2*pi()*[RadiusOfCircle]
3.14*[DiameterOfCircle] or
pi()*[DiameterOfCircle]
Related Articles
What is an Item
Bulk Import Custom Items to STACK
What is an Assembly
Create a Custom Assembly
Working with Item Formulas in Assemblies
Excel Functions in Formulas
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