How to Calculate GST on Costs and Disbursements in a Form

Instructions

1. Open the form where you are creating or modifying a calculation.

2. Create a New Field

• Click on Add Field to create a new field for your calculation. This is where the calculated result will be displayed.
  
  

   

3. Understand Field Types

• In Smarter Drafter, there are several field types you can choose from for your calculations. The field type determines the kind of result you will get (e.g., number, date, or text). Here are the most common field types used for calculations:
  • Number: This field type is used for calculations that return numeric values, such as sums, averages, or percentages.
  • Date: Use this field type for calculations that return date values, such as today’s date or adding/subtracting days.
  • Text: Choose this field for calculations that return text-based values, like "Yes", "No", or dynamically generated text (e.g., "Child" or "Children").
  • Currency: This field type is ideal for calculations involving monetary amounts. It automatically formats the result as a currency value.
    
    

4. Choose the Field Type Based on the Calculation

• Select the field type based on the type of calculation you're performing. Here’s how to decide:
  • Number Field: Choose this field type if your calculation involves numeric values. For example, if you're adding or subtracting numbers (e.g., total cost, percentage, or tax calculations), select a Number field.
  • Date Field: If your calculation deals with dates, such as calculating a future or past date (e.g., adding days to today’s date), select a Date field.
  • Text Field: If your calculation returns text, such as conditional logic or pluralisation (e.g., "Child" or "Children"), choose a Text field.
  • Currency Field: For calculations involving financial amounts, such as pricing or discounts, select the Currency field to ensure the result is formatted as currency.
    
    

5. Set Field Properties

• Once you've selected the field type, complete the necessary properties such as the field name. Additionally, you can choose to set the field to Read-Only (so the result is visible but uneditable) or Hidden (if you want the result to be kept invisible to the user).
  
  

6. Select the Calculation Tab

• Click on the Calculation tab in the field properties to open the Calculation Builder tool.
  
  

7. Choose the Correct Calculation Type

• In the Calculation Builder, choose the appropriate calculation type for your chosen field type. For example:
  • If you chose a Number field, you can use calculations like sum, difference, average, or percentage.
  • If you chose a Date field, you can use functions like adding or subtracting days.
  • If you chose a Text field, you can use conditional logic or text-based calculations, such as pluralisation or generating dynamic text.
    
    

8. Save the Field

• After selecting the appropriate field type and completing the calculation, click Save to apply the changes to your form.
  
  

9. Test the Field

• Test the form by previewing it or filling it out. Make sure the field displays the correct result based on the calculation and field type.
  
  

Common Issues & Solutions

• Issue: The result of the calculation is not displaying correctly
• Solution: Ensure that the field type is correctly chosen based on the type of calculation. For example, if you're performing a numeric calculation, make sure the field is set to Number and not Text or Date.
• Issue: The calculation result is showing as an incorrect format (e.g., date showing as a number)
• Solution: Verify that you've chosen the correct field type for the type of data you're working with. A Date field should display dates in the correct format, not numbers. If you're using a Currency field, ensure that the calculation is correctly formatted as currency.