Customize Calculations is the formula builder in the Admin Portal. It lets you define exactly how a work order's logged data (hours, materials, partner costs) translates into a dollar total. Once you've built and saved your calculations, they show up in the Cost Summary tab of each work order and drive the line items on the invoice.
The tool is available to admins on Pro and Business plans. Find it in the Admin Portal under the Customize Calculations section.
How it works at a high level
Each calculation is a named formula that takes live data from a work order (hours logged, materials spent, partner invoices) and produces a dollar result. That result becomes a line item when you generate an invoice. You can have multiple calculations per work order, and each one shows up as its own line item.
- You define a formula once in the Admin Portal (e.g. labor hours × your hourly rate)
- You assign that calculation to the work orders where it applies
- As your crew logs hours and materials, the formula recalculates automatically
- When you generate an invoice, each calculation becomes a pre-filled line item
System variables
System variables are the live data points pulled directly from each work order. These are the building blocks of most formulas.
- Total Materials ($): the running sum of all material entries logged on the work order
- Total Team Labor Hours (HRS): the sum of all hours logged by your internal team members
- Total External Contractor Hours (HRS): hours logged separately for outside contractors
- Total Invoiced from Partners ($): the sum of all partner invoice amounts attached to the work order
- Work Order Grand Total ($): a special variable representing the subtotal of all other calculations on the work order. Use this to build percentage-based discounts or fees that apply to the running total rather than a single input.
Work Order Grand Total is calculated from all formulas that don't already reference it, which prevents circular math. It's most useful for things like a 5% discount on the full job total: Work Order Grand Total * 0.05.
Custom variables
Custom variables let you store a fixed value that you can reference across multiple formulas, like your standard hourly rate or a markup percentage. Instead of hardcoding a number directly in a formula, you create a named variable with that value and insert it by name. When your rate changes, you update the variable once and every formula that uses it recalculates automatically.
To create a custom variable, click + Create Custom Variable in the formula builder. Give it a name, choose a unit type ($, HRS, #, or DAYS), and set its value.
Building a calculation: step by step
- 1Go to the Admin Portal and open the Customize Calculations section.
- 2Step 1: Name your calculation. Give it a descriptive name (e.g. 'Standard Labor', 'Materials with Markup') and choose a category. Cost adds to the job total; Discount subtracts from it.
- 3Step 2: Build your formula. The formula field works like a text editor. Type numbers and operators (+, -, *, /) directly, and click or drag variables from the palette below to insert them as named chips. You can combine multiple variables and numbers in a single formula.
- 4Step 3: Review and save. The review panel shows your formula exactly as it will be evaluated. Confirm the name, category, and formula are correct, then tap Save Calculation.
Formula examples
Here are a few common formulas to illustrate how the builder works:
- Standard labor charge: Total Team Labor Hours * 85. Charges $85 for every hour your team logs. Replace 85 with a custom variable (e.g. 'Hourly Rate') so you can update it in one place.
- Contractor labor charge: Total External Contractor Hours * 65. Bills contractor hours at a different rate from your internal team.
- Materials with markup: Total Materials * 1.15. Bills materials at cost plus a 15% markup.
- Partner cost passthrough: Total Invoiced from Partners * 1.10. Passes partner costs to the client with a 10% markup.
- Percentage discount: Work Order Grand Total * 0.05 (category: Discount). Applies a 5% discount to the total of all other calculations on the job.
Assigning calculations to work orders
Saving a calculation doesn't automatically apply it anywhere. You control which work orders each calculation is applied to. From the Saved Calculations list in the Admin Portal, check one or more calculations and tap Apply to Work Order.
The assignment panel gives you three options:
- New Work Orders: automatically applies this calculation to every new work order created going forward. Use this for your standard calculations that apply to all jobs.
- All Existing Work Orders: applies the calculation to every work order currently on your account.
- Specific work orders: search and select individual work orders from your job list. Use this for calculations that only apply to certain job types, clients, or contract structures.
You can combine these. For example, check 'New Work Orders' to auto-apply going forward and also select a few specific existing work orders that should use it.
Managing calculations per work order
Every work order has a Cost Summary tab (visible to admins only) inside the Edit Work Order modal. This tab shows which calculations are currently applied to that job and lets you toggle individual calculations on or off. It's the right place to handle exceptions, like a job where one of your standard calculations doesn't apply or a job that needs a one-off calculation added.
How calculations connect to invoices
When you generate an invoice from a completed work order, each applied calculation that produced a value becomes a pre-filled line item on the invoice. The line item name comes from the calculation name you gave it, and the amount is calculated from the data logged on the work order. You can edit, remove, or add to these line items in the invoice preview before sending.
If your invoice preview shows no line items, check that at least one calculation is saved, assigned to the work order, and that the relevant data has been logged. A formula referencing Total Team Labor Hours won't produce a value until hours have been logged on the job.
Editing and deleting calculations
Saved calculations can be edited at any time from the Saved Calculations list. Tap the edit icon to reload the calculation into the builder, make your changes, and save. Deletions are permanent and will affect any work orders the calculation was assigned to, so IRONGRID will ask you to confirm before removing one.