How to use the same calculated field on multiple forms? | Community
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Level 2
April 5, 2022
Question

How to use the same calculated field on multiple forms?

  • April 5, 2022
  • 2 replies
  • 1372 views

I have 3 calculated fields that are needed across 3 forms. If I attempt to add the same field to multiple forms sometimes it will work and other times I will get the error "[field name] field is used in a multi-form configuration, if you would like to change this formula you will need to remove this field and replace it with a new one containing the desired calculation." even if I only try to add the field to the form.

I can of course, make a new field for that specific form and add it, but then it gets difficult to report across these different forms.

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2 replies

RandyRoberts
Community Advisor
Community Advisor
April 6, 2022

There's probably an article about it somewhere but the gist is that the objects in the calculation field may not exst in the object the current form is attached to. To mitigate that, Workfront nulls out the calc field. and makes you put in a calc that you know reflects that specific object type.

R_KephartAuthor
Level 2
April 6, 2022

In this case the fields being used in the calculation are on the form I am trying to add this field to. In Preview, I actually successfully added the calculated field to a form with none of hte fields using the calculation and it didn't complain (only after I removed the field from the other forms)

Level 10
April 6, 2022

I think the other issue is the same field can't be on two custom forms if both those forms are on the same project/template/request/object.

So say you have a field "Do This Stuff" on three custom forms: Form A, Form B, Form C.

You can never have an instance where two more more of these forms are, say, on the same project.

What I have done in these cases is that field, since it used in multiple places in different combinations, is it lives on it's own custom form. I do all my custom forms "modular" in this way so I can mix-n-match pieces as needed (so I don't have any long, monolithic custom forms; just lots of smaller ones).

R_KephartAuthor
Level 2
April 6, 2022

For anything other than calculated fields I have absolutely no issues putting the same field across multiple custom forms.

skyehansen
Community Advisor and Adobe Champion
April 6, 2022

I've seen plenty of cases where the same calculated field is on multiple forms, but it's ill-advised since it causes you to have to remove and replace it every time you need to change the calculation. Kevin's practice is much better for "calculated field maintenance" if you can make this happen.

If not, then you do need to make sure that when you're attaching Forms A, B and C onto the same object (say, 3 forms onto one project), they all contain the identical calculation in the same calculated field on all three.