Overview
Dynamic values are a tool for customising calculations within your quotations and sales orders. By using dynamic values, you can tailor calculations or modify existing ones to align more closely with your specific requirements, and show these in supported areas in the UI. This guide will introduce you to the concept of dynamic values, guide you through their setup, and demonstrate how to utilise them effectively.
Dynamic values can be categorised based on their placement: either as Standalone or as Replacement.
Standalone | A Standalone Value, when implemented, appears within the profitability breakdowns for that type, serving as an additional piece of information. |
Replacement | A Replacement Value substitutes an existing value, potentially altering calculations across the application. Example placement types are Total Profit, Quotation Upfront & Ongoing Profit & report columns or summaries.  |
Example: Consider Quotation Profit Metrics
Consider the following scenario: the Dynamic Value is set to "Quotation" as its record type and "Quotation Profitability Bar" as its placement type. This setup is achieved through a custom calculation, configured by the administrator using a formula builder, as shown below. This could be formatted as currency, percentage, or a numeric.
Example of the above scenario in the quotation editor.
Testing the formula in the builder
Example of placement setup (Placement & Replacement)
View to disable Quotation Profit Bar entities
You can also disable some items in the finance report & profit breakdowns
Example Uses
Some examples uses are:
📊 Custom Profit Values
Dynamically adjust profit margins based on all available fields.
🔄 Inventory Cost Updates
Recalculate profits in sales orders when inventory purchase prices change without affecting original profits and show this value separately to your overall profits.
🌐 Multi-Currency Support
Show in the order the total equivalent currency against items.
Understanding Dynamic Values
Dynamic values allow you to perform custom calculations or override certain predefined values within your quotations and sales orders. These values are dynamically calculated based on the data within your documents, ensuring that you can tailor the displayed information to specific requirements without altering the original data.
Key Points
Non-destructive 🛡️
Original values in your sales orders and quotations remain unchanged.Customisable 🛠️
Tailor calculations to meet specific business needs.Controlled 🔐
Require administrator approval and can be toggled on or off.Flexible 🔄
Affect specific record types and utilise standard mathematical operations.
Practical Applications
Dynamic values can be particularly useful in scenarios such as:
Displaying customised profit data in the user interface.
Limiting the visibility of certain financial metrics in the UI flow.
Performing specialised calculations that are not supported by default by The Layer.
Setting Up Dynamic Values
To harness the power of dynamic values, follow these steps:
1. Administrator Approval
Ensure that Dynamic Values are enabled by an administrator.
2. Accessing Dynamic Values
Navigate to Settings > Dynamic Values.
3. Configuring a New Dynamic Value
Firstly, create a new Dynamic Value by pressing on the "New Dynamic Value" button here:
Select Record Type - Choose the type of record (quotation or sales order) that the dynamic value should apply to.
Define the Placement - Choose where this dynamic value will be shown. If Standalone Value is presented, it will show the value in the profitability breakdowns. If a placement replaces a value, rather than supplements it, is selected with "Replacement". Replaced vales may affect values throughout the app. These will not affect reports.
Define the Calculation - Use the editor to create your custom calculation. You can use standard mathematical operators (+, -, *, /) and parentheses for grouping ((, )).
Set Custom Formatter (Optional) - By default, items will show as currency. If you want to change this, please use a valid composite format.
Anything not directly available on the parent type will need to be aggregated, you'll see this in the drop down menu.
4. Testing and Validation
Before applying the dynamic value broadly, test it to ensure it behaves as expected. This might involve creating test quotations or sales orders and verifying that the dynamic value calculates correctly.
Viewing Dynamic Values
Once configured and enabled, dynamic values will be reflected in the relevant sections of your quotations or sales orders. Common places to find these values include:
Profit Breakdown - A detailed view of profitability metrics, where dynamic values related to profit calculations will appear.
Overridden Section -- Any values that have been overridden by dynamic values will be indicated in a section.
Best Practices
Regular Review - Periodically review and update dynamic values to ensure they remain relevant and accurate.
Role-Based Access - Limit the ability to create and modify dynamic values to trusted administrators or power users.
Documentation - Maintain clear documentation of all dynamic values, including their purpose, calculation logic, and impact on quotations or sales orders.
Testing
The Test Console is an invaluable feature for users implementing dynamic values, allowing you to run tests against live sales orders or quotations. This ensures that your dynamic values work as intended in real-world scenarios before they are fully deployed. Here's how to make the most out of the Test Console:
Accessing the Test Console
To access the Test Console, use the button on the edit page.
How to Use the Test Console
Select a Test Record - Choose a live sales order or quotation that you want to test your dynamic value against. It's best to select a variety of cases to ensure your dynamic value works across different scenarios.
Apply Your Dynamic Value - Input or select the dynamic value you wish to test. The console might allow you to select from existing dynamic values or input a new formula directly into the console for testing purposes.
Run the Test - Execute the test to apply the dynamic value to your selected sales order or quotation. The console will process the calculation based on the current data within the document.
Review Results - Analyse the output provided by the Test Console. It should show you the original values, your dynamic calculation, and the resulting values after the calculation is applied.
Tips for Effective Testing
Use Reports - there are a few good reports, particularly the ones below, which can help diagnose values. Remember that other reports may have their values overridden. The following two show true values at item level.
Sales Order Items Profit Per Item |
Quotation Items Profit Per Item |
Comprehensive Testing - Test your dynamic values against a range of records, including edge cases, to ensure they handle all possible scenarios gracefully.
Document Test Cases - Keep a record of the sales orders or quotations used for testing, along with the outcomes. This documentation can be helpful for future reference or if any issues arise.
Iterative Testing- If a dynamic value doesn't work as expected, adjust the formula and retest. This iterative process helps refine the calculation until it meets your requirements.
User Feedback - Consider involving end-users in the testing process, especially those who frequently interact with sales orders or quotations. Their insights can be invaluable in ensuring the dynamic values meet practical needs.
Finalising Dynamic Values
Once your dynamic value passes all tests in the Test Console, you can proceed to implement it. Remember, even after deployment, it's wise to monitor the performance of dynamic values and be prepared to make adjustments as your business needs evolve or as you receive feedback from users.
Incorporating the Test Console into your workflow when working with dynamic values not only enhances accuracy and reliability but also fosters confidence among users by ensuring that the custom calculations reflect real-world needs and scenarios accurately.
Conclusion
Dynamic values are a good tool for customising the financial calculations and data presentation in your quotations and sales orders. By understanding how to set up and use dynamic values effectively, you can enhance the flexibility and accuracy of your business processes. Remember to follow best practices and ensure that all changes are made with careful consideration and appropriate permissions.