Using Formulas in Groundplan

Updated on 26 Mar 2023
4 Minutes to read

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Article Summary

This article establishes what Supported References are, Formula terms and gives examples with explanations for common Formula used within Groundplan.

Summary Notes

All Formula must start with an equal sign (=) and include one of the Supported References associated with the Measurement.
Either whole or decimal numbers can be used.
Groundplan works in metres (feet for imperial customers).
Parts and Labour may follow our Grouping rules although Formula is not included within the rules.
Measurement Parts and Labour article gives step by step instructions to implement Formula.
Groundplan Formulas follow the PMDAS Rule.
ie: Parentheses (brackets) followed by multiplication, division, addition then subtraction. Calculations within brackets are prioritised. The Totals after any Formula is applied to a Part will be displayed in the bill of materials on the Quantities tab.

Term	Explained
+	Addition
-	Subtract or create a negative total
*	Multiply (SHIFT 8 to create a * )
/	Divide
ceil(`x`)	Rounds the total (`x`) and/or Formula inside the brackets up to the nearest whole number.
floor(`x`)	Rounds the total (`x`) and/or Formula inside the brackets down to the nearest whole number.
Unit of Measure	Displayed on the bill of materials and represents the Part being quantified. Some examples include ea, bags, sheets, rods, pipes, m, m2, m3. (Supported references will not reference this UOM for calculations).

Supported References

Formulas for Parts within a Measurement include related Supported References. These References vary according to the Measurement type (Count vs Length vs Area). Each Formula must contain a Supported Reference/s to be accepted.

Support References can be used in conjunction with Excel-type Formulas to calculate Parts and/or Labour for a Measurement.

Supported References for Count Measurement Parts

Count Formula examples

Formula	Explained	Unit of Measure
=count*8	For every Count, multiply the item by 8 metres	m
=count*5/100	For every Count, allow 5 items divided by 100 (or amount in a bag)	bags
=-count	Create a negative Count	ea

Explanation: To create a negative Count when removing an item.

Supported References for Length Measurement Parts

How Length Supported References correspond to a Plan:

Length Formula examples

Formula	Explained	Unit of Measure
=len/6	Total length divided by 6, (counting one length every 6 metres)	lengths
=len*2.4	Total length multiplied by height	m2
=ceil(len*2)	Total length multiplied by 2 and rounded up to the next whole number (ceil)	m
=segments*2	Each time clicked to change direction multiplied by 2 items along each segment	ea
=len+count*5	Total length add an additional 5m for each run	m
=ceil(len*2.4/2.88)	Total length multiplied by the height and divided by the area covered by a product rounded up to the next whole number (ceil)	sheets
=(len/1.5)+count*2	Total length divided by how often a post is (1.5m) add for each run 2 extra posts (for each end)	posts

Explanation: Total length multiplied by the height and divided by the area of a sheet rounded up to the next whole number (ceil)

Supported References for Area Measurement Parts

How Area Supported References correspond to a Plan:

Area Formula examples

Formula	Explained	Unit of Measure
=area*1.5	Area multiplied by height OR depth	m3
=len	Perimeter of the area	m
=ceil(len/6)	Perimeter of the area (including any cut outs) divided by 6m lengths rounded up to the next whole number	lengths
=area+(len*0.2)	Area added to (perimeter multiplied by 200mm high)	m2
=area/7.2	Total area divided by the area of a sheet / product (7.2m2)	sheets
=area*4/100	In each m2 there are 4 items required divided by the amount in a bag	bag
=count	Each area created	ea

Explanation- Area multiplied by height OR depth

Single Length Formula

Singling out individual Length / Areas to apply Formula to is not supported in Groundplan.

For example in the image below, applying Formula to the length measured in the Master Bedroom only is not possible.

Length and Area Formulas apply to all Lengths / Areas created within a Measurement. For this particular example, a separate Measurement would need to be created for the Master Bed and then apply the Formula required.

For further information on specific industry examples, please consult the following articles:

"IF" Formula is not Supported

Currently, Groundplan does not support "IF" rules in Formula.

eg.
IF (area<160,108, (area/2.22)+36)
Explained: If the area of the slab is greater than 160m2, the total labour hours for a standard slab is 108hrs. Otherwise, the labour is calculated as area/2.22 + 36hrs

We suggest using a program such as Excel for these Formula calculations.

For complex Formula solutions, please reach out to Support for assistance. Go to: Help > Send us a Message.