Adding to Forumula w/o Losing Data

[Czeszyn]

Hello Everyone,

I wanted to add more items to my scrap form, which was not an issue. But where I have a field that it takes all of the scrap and adds them up did.

I added the new items in the formula to add, which it worked, but it deleted everything that was entered in before that time.

Is there a way add to your formula without losing data?

Thank you in advance.
Tony

 

[MarkK]

Typically when you add data you add a new record. That way you don't harm old data, and calculations are performed across many records.

 

[Czeszyn]

Hi MarkK

So there is no way to add another field for scrap, and then in my total column add that scrap in the formula?

 

[MarkK]

What is scrap?

 

[Czeszyn]

Scrap is plastic defects. There are many, and I need to add more to the list. But if I do I lose the data that was already entered.

 

[MarkK]

Yes, so, like I said, typically when you add data you add a new record. Like, in a process where you take a periodic measurement, or a quantity of something accumulates somewhere over time. Presumably you will add some scrap today, then you will add some tomorrow. Or you will add some this hour, and then next hour also.

In all these cases, add a new record, and specify the quantity of your substance and a measurement of time, like a date/time value.

Then, for a total quantity, sum the quantity in a time range of specified records. This solves your problem of overwriting a previous value in a previous record, and allows you to calculate the rate of accumulation of your substance. With this approach you can calculate what the quantity was historically, and you can predict how much will accumulate in the future.