Using the Math Operation Workflow Action
What is the Math Operation Action?
The Math Operation action is a tool within your CRM's workflow builder that performs calculations. You can use it to add, subtract, multiply, or divide numbers, or to add and subtract time from dates. This is useful for automating tasks like calculating commissions, adjusting lead scores, or setting future reminder dates.
Important: The Math Operation action cannot process complex mathematical expressions that require a specific order of operations (like PEMDAS) in a single step. For complex calculations, you must break them down into multiple, sequential Math Operation actions.
Key Benefits
Using the Math Operation action in your workflows offers several advantages:
- Automation: It eliminates the need for manual data entry and calculation, saving time and reducing errors.
- Flexibility: You can perform calculations using both static numbers and dynamic values pulled from custom fields within a contact's record.
- Precision: It ensures accurate and consistent updates to numeric, monetary, and date fields across your entire contact database.
How to Configure the Math Operation Action
Adding the Action to a Workflow
First, navigate to the Automation section of your CRM. Create a new workflow or open an existing one. After setting a trigger for the workflow, click Add Action and select Math Operation from the list of available actions.
Naming the Action
You can give the action a custom name. While it is named "Math Operation" by default, using a descriptive name (e.g., "Calculate Total Price") will make your workflow easier to understand and manage later.
Selecting a Field
Click the Select Field dropdown to choose the base value for your calculation. You have three options:
- Date Fields: Use system fields like the current date or a contact's date of birth to perform date-based calculations (e.g., adding 30 days to today's date).
- Custom Fields: Select a numeric, monetary, or date field that you have created in your CRM (e.g., "Invoice Total" or "Policy Expiry Date").
- Custom Values: Manually enter a specific, static number to use in the calculation.
Choosing the Operation Type
Next, select the type of calculation you want to perform from the Operation Type dropdown.
- For date fields, you can choose to Add or Subtract days, months, or years.
- For numeric and monetary fields, you can choose Addition, Subtraction, Multiplication, or Division.
Setting the Operation Value
After choosing the operation, you need to specify the value to use in the calculation. You can type a number directly into the field or use the + and - buttons to adjust the value. For more dynamic workflows, click the tag icon to select a value from a custom field instead of using a static number.
Managing Operations
You can add multiple operations to a single Math Operation action. To remove an operation you've added, click the delete (trash bin) icon next to it.
Saving Your Work
Once you have configured the action, the final step is to update the field where the result will be stored. After selecting the destination field, save the action and publish your workflow to activate it.