Calculation Steps

A calculation step is a container for a pricing condition template, which determines the behavior of the step and how to retrieve the data required to perform the calculation.

Calculation steps are highly configurable; they can reference the results of previous calculation steps to act as subtotals, apply specific rounding rules, and dictate to which order attribute the result is written. To use the result of a previous step, use a step reference. In a percentage step, for example, you can use a step reference to retrieve the previous step result for which to calculate the percentage. In a subtotal step with a meta type like Minimum, Maximum, or Summation, you can use a step reference to retrieve the results of a range of steps (for example, 10–15) or a list of steps (for example, 10, 12, 15).

When calculating a required condition such as a base price, you can mark a step as mandatory. If a step is marked as mandatory and has no linked pricing condition template, the calculation stops and the mobile device shows an error message.

For a value that is not directly added to the order item’s final total, you can mark a step as statistical. Results calculated in statistical steps can be used in subsequent steps. One type of statistical step is an accrual step, which is used for items that are technically part of the calculation but don’t immediately change the net price shown to the customer. The result of an accrual step is recorded for internal reporting or future financial settlement: for example, a marketing rebate or promotion to be deducted later.

Use a Calculation Group to classify types of order items and apply behaviors to them. For example, you can create a “free good” group for promotional items, then create a 100% discount step that applies only to that group.

For interim values that you need to preserve until the end of the calculation, use Calculation Variables. There are six copy variables and six carryover variables. When you store a result step in a copy variable, it overwrites the variable value with the step result. When you store a step result in a carryover variable, it adds the result to the variable value.

To override the standard pricing logic, add a User Exit: custom Apex or JavaScript code that affects the current condition base, the calculation result, or whether to run the step at all.

To log a step and make it available for printouts and reports, mark the step print relevant.