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Formulas

Basic Formulas

This page provides more information about the use of formulas when creating custom items. To learn more about custom items, go to:

To create a formula for a custom item, you should have already selected the type of custom item, given it a name, and selected “Formula” from the Input Type drop-down menu. An additional field will then appear:

  1. Enter a Formula by starting with an “=”.
  2. You can then also enter variables, numbers, and basic mathematical operators such as +, -, *, /, and ( ).

Examples of basic formulas that could be entered in the Formula field are the following:

  • = normal_rate * 40 * 25
  • = (basic_salary + normal_pay) / 4.3333 * 0.3333
  • = mtd_before_current('basic_salary') * 0.05

Variables and functions which can be used when creating formulas are:

Variables

  • basic_salary: Basic Salary (salaried employees)
  • normal_pay: Basic Hourly Pay (hourly paid employees)
  • normal_rate: Hourly Rate
  • shifts_worked: Number of shifts worked
  • total_income: Total income
  • periods_in_year
  • hourly_paid
  • weeks
  • default_days_worked: For monthly employees, equal to their full days per week (Regular Hours) x 4.333. For weekly paid employees, full days per week (Regular Hours).
  • days_with_leave_for_system_type:
    • For example: =normal_rate * days_with_leave_for_system_type(‘unpaid’). This would be the number of days taken with unpaid leave. Note: This considers days with unpaid leave, not days of unpaid leave.

Functions

  • min: Used to select the lowest of the values in the list provided to it.
    • For example: = min(50,100) = 50
  • max: Used to select the highest of the values in the list provided to it.
    • For example: =max (50,100) = 100
  • round: The number in brackets will be rounded up or down depending on the decimal. This functions as per the regular rounding of numbers.
    • For example: = round(1.1) = 1, and =round(1.5) = 2
  • ceiling: Rounds up the number in brackets to the nearest whole number.
    • For example: = ceiling(1.1) = 2
  • floor: Rounds down the number in brackets to the nearest whole number. The number will always be rounded down regardless of the decimal point.
    • For example: = floor(1.1) = 1, and = floor(2.7) = 2

  • mtd_before_current: This function accepts a string argument representing an account name, e.g. 'basic_salary'. It will return the month-to-date value of the given account – but excluding the value for the current payslip.

    • For example: = mtd_before_current('basic_salary') * 0.05 in the Regular deduction field of the Savings item. If this is added to a non-monthly employee, the Savings Deduction will be zero on the first non-monthly payslip, but it will be 5% of the month-to-date basic salary (before the current payslip) on every subsequent non-monthly payslip in that month.

Example 1: Levy
An employer must make a contribution that is 0.32% of the employee’s hourly pay, with a maximum contribution of $4.26. Since there is a maximum, the formula must select the lowest of option (1), which is $4.26, and option (2), which is the employee’s pay multiplied by 0.32%.

= min(4.26, (normal_pay * 0.0032))

Example 2: Trade Union deduction
An employee must make a contribution of 1% of their hourly pay, plus $1.80. Before the $1.80 is added, the minimum contribution is $9.13, and the maximum contribution is $16.73.
= min(16.73, (max(9.13, (normal_pay * 0.01)))) + 1.80

“IF” Statements

General IF statements

The IF function returns one value if the specified condition is true and another if it's false. The IF statement is also known as a logical formula: If, then, else. If something is true, then do this; else/otherwise, do that.

The IF statement works as follows:

if (condition, true statement, false statement)

For example: Suppose that the company deducts a staff social fund contribution based on how much an employee earns. If the employee’s salary is greater than $1 000, then the contribution is $10, but if the employees earns less than $1 000, then the contribution is $8.

The formula will be written as:

= if (basic_salary>1000, 10, 8)

This means that if the basic salary is greater than 1 000, the result will be 10, and if it’s less, it will be 8.

Nested IF statements

A nested IF statement is an IF statement within an IF statement. It works as follows:

if (condition, true statement, if (condition, true statement, false statement))

For example: Suppose that the company deducts a staff social fund contribution based on how much an employee earns. If the employee’s salary is greater than $1 000, then the contribution is $10, but if the employees earns between $500 and $1 000, then the contribution is $8, and if they earn less than $500, it is $6.

The formula will be written as follows:

= if (basic_salary>1000, 10, if (basic_salary<500, 6, 8))

This means that if the basic_salary is greater than 1 000, the result will be 10. Otherwise, if the salary is less than 500, the result will be 6; otherwise, it will be 8.