Custom Fields - Detect dropdown values as numeric values in calculations

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Solving the “Custom Fields: Detect Dropdown Values as Numeric Values in Calculations” Challenge

Hi everyone,

I have voted for this feature myself, but I also want to share a workaround I built that has been working great for our team. While Asana doesn’t natively treat dropdown values as numbers (yet), you can translate those values into a numeric custom field using this rule action.

Here’s the logic behind it:

  1. The Problem:
    Dropdown fields (like Fibonacci sequences for Story Points) are great for consistency and user-friendliness but can’t be used in calculations or advanced automation. Teams need a numeric representation of these dropdown values for velocity tracking, reporting, or risk alerts.
  2. The Workaround:
    By creating rules, you can map each dropdown value to its numeric equivalent in a separate field. This allows Asana to use the numeric field for calculations or other automations.
  3. How It Works (See Screenshot):
  • Create a dropdown custom field for your values (e.g., Fibonacci: 1, 2, 3, 5, etc.).
  • Add a numeric custom field (e.g., “SP (Numeric)”).
  • Use rules to assign a specific number to the numeric field whenever a dropdown value is selected.
    • Example: If “3” is selected in the dropdown, set SP (Numeric) to 3.
  1. Why It’s Useful:
  • You can trigger risk warnings for large estimates (e.g., comments for items >13 SP).
  • Automatically remove oversized tickets from sprint boards (e.g., items >20 SP) so they go back to the backlog for further refinement and splitting.
  • Use the numeric values for velocity calculations, dashboards, or burndown charts.

Here’s an example of how we’ve implemented this:

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  1. Next-Level Automation:
    If your team uses both DEV and DSGN Story Points, you can replicate the same logic for both fields and even create combined totals (e.g., “Total Story Points”) for better visibility.

This workaround does require a bit of initial setup, but it’s saved us so much time and helped us flag oversized tickets before they become a problem.

Let me know if you have questions or want further details!

Cheers
Daniel

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