Get the Most Out of Summary Formulas: Tips, Limits, and Limitations

Functions for use with summary formulas in reports are available under the function category. Select a function, then click Help on this function for information.

• Summary level formulas don’t support date or date-time functions or fields.
• A summary formula can't reference another summary formula. Nor can a summary formula reference a row-level formula.
• You can’t group report data by summary formula columns.
• You can’t filter report data by summary formula columns.
• You can’t reorder summary formula columns.
• Before adding a summary formula column, group report data at least one time.
• Summary formulas can contain 3900 or fewer characters.
• Regardless of the summary formula data type, your summary formula can contain fields of different data types, including: number, currency, percent, and checkbox (true/false) fields. For example, a summary formula in an Opportunities with Partners report can reference opportunity Amount or Stage Duration, as well as account Annual Revenue.
• In Salesforce Classic, dashboard and report charts that display values from summary formulas display decimal places using your default currency setting instead of what you specified for the formula. For example, if the summary formula specifies zero decimal places, no decimal places appear in columns, but chart values show the number of decimal places specified for your default currency (usually two decimal places). This limit applies to currencies, numbers, and percentages.
• When a field is deleted or is unavailable (for example, because of field-level security), all summary formulas that contain the field are removed from the report.
• The summary types Sum, Largest Value, Smallest Value, and Average aren’t available for use with the Record Count field.
• The Smallest Value summary type includes blank (null) or zero values in the summary formula calculation if these values are present in your report data.
• The Largest Value summary type includes the largest blank (non-null) value present in your report data.
• Percents are represented as decimals in summary formulas. 20% is represented as 0.20.
• Operators can be used to give fields in summary formulas a negative value. For example: {!EMPLOYEES:SUM} + - {!SALES:SUM}.
• For summary formulas on reports that are grouped by rows and columns (matrix reports), Salesforce calculates results for all formulas where the Where will this formula be displayed? option isn’t set to All summary levels. The formula determines the value returned. If null is returned, the cell is empty.
• Summary fields can display up to 21 digits. If a summary field has more than 21 digits, an accurate result might not be displayed. If “#Too Big!” appears in a report cell, check your formula for calculations that could result in more than 21 digits. Avoid multiplying large numbers, raising a large number to a power, or dividing by a very small number.
• Formulas treat blank (null) report cells as zero values.
• “#Error!” displays on report cells whenever an error occurs while calculating a formula’s value. “#Error!” also displays when formulas divide by zero. To resolve the error, check your formula and provide an alternative value.
• Cross-block summary formulas are available for joined reports.