Formula-level reusable functions

Ideas & Features
1

What would be really useful is also having reusable functions across formula fields. That would allow to overcome current UI-level limitations of presenting data while not requiring creating redundant formula-level piece of functionality over and over like this one:

ToText(Year(Deadline)) +
  If(
    Month(Deadline) < 10,
    "0" + ToText(Month(Deadline)),
    ToText(Month(Deadline))
  ) +
  If(Day(Deadline) < 10, "0" + ToText(Day(Deadline)), ToText(Day(Deadline)))

just to show date with leading zeros.

2

We have a feature in the backlog specifically to allow custom formatting when converting dates to text, so do you have other examples of reusable functions that are lacking?

3

Hey Chris, yes. Also money.

4

That seems like a specific feature request related to showing decimals on UI with zero dp (without changing how many dps are stored).
Anything else?

5

I got one! Knowing the suffix of a number 1 → “st”, 2 → “nd” 3 → “rd”, etc. Relevant for dates, but could also be for other cases.

6

But I think the point here is not 1000 different ‘specific feature requests’ but the ability to solve our specific feature requests and then re-use it multiple times. I find myself using the same building blocks multiple times in formulas – and it would be great to just re-use them instead of having to re-create them each time (especially if I need to update them!)

7

Yeah, I get that. I am just thinking about the items that I already know might be in the backlog which might help.
User-definable reusable formula functions would require a significant change in the technical implementation of the formula service, so I think it’s unlikely to happen any time soon, so I was hoping to lessen the pain in the short term.
Plus, any example use cases help us to get a feel for what people are using Fibery for, which then helps us prioritise all different features in the most synergistic way.

8

Makes sense!