# 🎶 Finally it happened to me🎶 - 5 Top Use Cases For The New Formula Field (so glad it is finally here!) **URL:** \ **Category:** Forum Leader tips\ **Tags:** productivity, formulas, forum-leader-tip, custom-fields, tasks\ **Created:** [2 June 2023 09:34 UTC](https://forum.asana.com/t/finally-it-happened-to-me-5-top-use-cases-for-the-new-formula-field-so-glad-it-is-finally-here/443224 "2023-06-02T09:34:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Danielle-GenD](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/asana/user_avatar/forum.asana.com/danielle-gend/32/220420_2.png) [@Danielle-GenD](https://forum.asana.com/u/Danielle-GenD)\ **Post date:** [2 June 2023 09:34 UTC](https://forum.asana.com/t/finally-it-happened-to-me-5-top-use-cases-for-the-new-formula-field-so-glad-it-is-finally-here/443224/1 "2023-06-02T09:34:34Z")
1. **Inventory!** - if you are using it to manage stock levels. Have a number field for total units, another number field for units given out to staff then use the formula field to take the total from the given out number and you have your remaining stock! 🧮 2. **Estimated vs Actual Time Difference!** - If you are using estimated vs actual time custom fields, find out the difference between what you estimated a task would take and the time spent on that task. Then you can use the dashboard to add up the total difference between what you estimated the project to be and actual project delivery time - great for retrospectives.➕➖✖➗ 3. **Item Monetary Value!** - if you are using tasks to record items or stock and their value then add a number field for amount, a currency number field for worth and then use the formula field to multiply them together and you have your total cost for all items. Again you can then use the dashboard to add these together and find out total value for all items.➕➖✖➗ 4. **Billable Hours on Tasks!** - add a currency number field for hourly rate and then number field for hours, you can then use the formula field to calculate total payment due.➕➖✖➗ 5. **Automatic Duration for Tasks!** - You can use the due date and minus your start date as your options and it will give you the duration of that task. Alternatively, you can use the completed on minus the created on to find out how long it took to complete each task. ➕➖✖➗ Let me know your thoughts and other use cases below!!! ---
**Author:** ![John\_Petty](https://luna1.co/8d76cd.png) [@John\_Petty](https://forum.asana.com/u/John_Petty)\ **Post date:** [2 June 2023 11:22 UTC](https://forum.asana.com/t/finally-it-happened-to-me-5-top-use-cases-for-the-new-formula-field-so-glad-it-is-finally-here/443224/2 "2023-06-02T11:22:48Z")
Thanks Danielle, great content as per. I know this is already going to spark plenty of new ways of using Asana. Wondering if there is an overview page for this new Custom Field?? ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Sather](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/asana/user_avatar/forum.asana.com/richard_sather/32/276096_2.png) [@Richard\_Sather](https://forum.asana.com/u/Richard_Sather)\ **Post date:** [2 June 2023 13:45 UTC](https://forum.asana.com/t/finally-it-happened-to-me-5-top-use-cases-for-the-new-formula-field-so-glad-it-is-finally-here/443224/3 "2023-06-02T13:45:51Z")
Here you go @John_Petty : [Formula Custom Fields in Asana | Product Guide • Asana Product Guide](https://asana.com/guide/help/premium/formula-custom-fields) ---
**Author:** ![John\_Petty](https://luna1.co/8d76cd.png) [@John\_Petty](https://forum.asana.com/u/John_Petty)\ **Post date:** [2 June 2023 13:58 UTC](https://forum.asana.com/t/finally-it-happened-to-me-5-top-use-cases-for-the-new-formula-field-so-glad-it-is-finally-here/443224/4 "2023-06-02T13:58:26Z")
Thanks @Richard_Sather much appreciated ---
**Author:** ![anon2656139](https://luna1.co/8d76cd.png) [@anon2656139](https://forum.asana.com/u/anon2656139)\ **Post date:** [12 June 2023 04:28 UTC](https://forum.asana.com/t/finally-it-happened-to-me-5-top-use-cases-for-the-new-formula-field-so-glad-it-is-finally-here/443224/5 "2023-06-12T04:28:38Z")
love it!!! especially your #5, but it only shows in number of days or week not by hours, would anyone know how? ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Sather](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/asana/user_avatar/forum.asana.com/richard_sather/32/276096_2.png) [@Richard\_Sather](https://forum.asana.com/u/Richard_Sather)\ **Post date:** [9 August 2023 13:54 UTC](https://forum.asana.com/t/finally-it-happened-to-me-5-top-use-cases-for-the-new-formula-field-so-glad-it-is-finally-here/443224/8 "2023-08-09T13:54:09Z")
Hi @anon2656139 , now that the new Advanced Editor is available, you can achieve the value of task durations in hours by using this formula which you can copy paste into the advanced editor: **( ( [[$DUE\_DATE]] - [[$STARTED\_AT]] ) + 0 ) / 60** or this one if you want without decimals: **( ( [[$DUE\_DATE]] - [[$STARTED\_AT]] ) / 1440 + 1 ) \* 24** You can also have a look at my recent post where you can do all sorts of things with the new Advanced Editor, here: > [@test\_tube 12 Formulas to get you started with the new Advanced Editor](https://forum.asana.com/t/12-formulas-to-get-you-started-with-the-new-advanced-editor/495178): > > Hi everyone! I hope you are all excited about the recent roll out of the Advanced Editor for Formula fields as I recently announced [here](https://forum.asana.com/t/formula-custom-field-with-advanced-editor/481803). That post includes a video where I had the chance to showcase various use cases, so I thought I’d create this post to share more details on how I built them, which will hopefully inspire you while you try out the Advanced Editor for Formula fields (rolling out on Business and Enterprise tiers). 1. Task Duration:white_check_mark Prerequisites: Start & Due … ---
**Author:** ![HS-ACG](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/asana/user_avatar/forum.asana.com/hs-acg/32/258368_2.png) [@HS-ACG](https://forum.asana.com/u/HS-ACG)\ **Post date:** [18 September 2024 16:40 UTC](https://forum.asana.com/t/finally-it-happened-to-me-5-top-use-cases-for-the-new-formula-field-so-glad-it-is-finally-here/443224/9 "2024-09-18T16:40:43Z")
> [@Danielle-GenD](#): > > **Billable Hours on Tasks!** - add a currency number field for hourly rate and then number field for hours, you can then use the formula field to calculate total payment due I’ve been looking at formulas to convert minutes/hours from the estimated and actual time standard fields to a ‘Level of Effort’ custom field, which is basically consulting days. There are 8h in each consulting day. I’ve got the formula as: LOE-Actual = [Actual Time] / [8], but the LOE field is still showing the results in minutes. Is there a way to change this? ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/asana/original/4X/b/1/1/b11651a0dec96e8c7130c4a095fffde34e8401f4.png) ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Sather](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/asana/user_avatar/forum.asana.com/richard_sather/32/276096_2.png) [@Richard\_Sather](https://forum.asana.com/u/Richard_Sather)\ **Post date:** [18 September 2024 17:38 UTC](https://forum.asana.com/t/finally-it-happened-to-me-5-top-use-cases-for-the-new-formula-field-so-glad-it-is-finally-here/443224/10 "2024-09-18T17:38:02Z")
Hi @HS-ACG , it should work if you insert +0 after Actual time and then divide by 60 to convert the minutes to hours. Then divide by 8 to get your ‘consulting days’. I’ve documented several such ‘hacks’ here: > [@test\_tube 12 Formulas to get you started with the new Advanced Editor](https://forum.asana.com/t/12-formulas-to-get-you-started-with-the-new-advanced-editor/495178): > > Hi everyone! I hope you are all excited about the recent roll out of the Advanced Editor for Formula fields as I recently announced [here](https://forum.asana.com/t/formula-custom-field-with-advanced-editor/481803). That post includes a video where I had the chance to showcase various use cases, so I thought I’d create this post to share more details on how I built them, which will hopefully inspire you while you try out the Advanced Editor for Formula fields (rolling out on Business and Enterprise tiers). 1. Task Duration:white_check_mark Prerequisites: Start & Due … ---
**Author:** ![HS-ACG](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/asana/user_avatar/forum.asana.com/hs-acg/32/258368_2.png) [@HS-ACG](https://forum.asana.com/u/HS-ACG)\ **Post date:** [18 September 2024 18:11 UTC](https://forum.asana.com/t/finally-it-happened-to-me-5-top-use-cases-for-the-new-formula-field-so-glad-it-is-finally-here/443224/11 "2024-09-18T18:11:37Z")
Awesome. Thanks very much. It worked.