Rollup Summary Fields

Rollup Summary Fields provide quick access to complex metrics in large databases.

About Rollup Summary Fields

Rollup Summary Fields summarize information contained in related records (records that have a Lookup to the current object). A Rollup Summary Field can be used to get a record Count, Sum, Average, Max, or Min value from those records.

The Rollup Summary Fields option is enabled by your Service Provider. The default single sign-on setting on on-premises installation is Off. The default single sign-on setting on the cloud is Off. (Contact Support to make changes.) Note: This is a compute-intensive option that affects all tenants. It should be enabled only when absolutely necessary.

This screen capture shows the kind of data that can be produced. Here, sales are totaled for each order's order items:

Using Rollup Summary Fields

Rollup Summary Fields can be used with the following platform elements:

• Master Objects (created via Master-Detail relationship)
• Elements that use Filter Expressions:

• Filters in Views
• Filters in Reports
• Computed Fields
• Layout Rules

In these one-to-many relationships, a Master-Detail relationship is created, where data from the detail object can be summarized and rolled up to the master-level object.

Considerations

• Rollup calculations are done in the background, on a schedule specified when the field is created.
• By default, the calculations are Asynchronous, which means that values are recalculated on a regular schedule, defined at the server level.
• Synchronous Rollup Summary Fields are recalculated whenever data changes.

Synchronous Rollup Summary Fields

Rollup Summary Fields are calculated asynchronously by default, which is adequate for most applications.

A Synchronous calculation whenever a value the Rollup Summary Field depends on is updated. This arrangement is tantamount to a live data feed, with up-to-the-minute metrics.

Note: The Synchronous option is available only for self-hosted installations of the platform, as the load placed on the system can impact all tenants.

Considerations

• To use Synchronous calculations for Rollup Summary Fields, the Synchronous Rollup Summary Fields option in Manage Tenant Capabilities must be enabled.
• The Synchronous option can cause a delay in displaying the Rollup Summary Field values, especially if a large number of records must be accessed for calculations.
• By default, a maximum of five (5) Rollup Summary Fields are permitted per Tenant
• The number of Rollup Summary Fields allowed is defined by the Service Provider, in Manage Tenant Capabilities.

Working with Rollup Summary Fields

Adding a Rollup Summary Field

To add a Rollup Summary Field:

1. Use objects in a Master-Detail relationship, or Create a Lookup Field in a subordinate object like Order Details to create a many-to-one relationship to records in a master object like Orders.
2. In the Detail Object, make the Lookup field the first field in an Index
3. Optionally, define Record Selection Criteria to determine which records are displayed in the user's Lookup Window
   Learn more: Lookup#Customize_Lookup_Field_Options
4. In the master object, Add a Field
5. Fill in the settings:
   • Label - Order Amount
   • Display Type - Rollup Summary
   • Detail Object - Select an object that has a Lookup field to this one
   • Rollup Type - Choose Record Count, Sum, Average, Minimum, Maximum
   • Field to Summarize - Choose a field in the Detail Object
   • Summary Calculation Mode - Asynchronous (default), or Synchronous (if allowed)
6. Click [Save]

Note: The Lookup field that targets the current object must be the first field in an Index defined on the detail object. That performance requirement makes it possible to find related detail records as rapidly as possible.

Example: Rollup Summary for Orders

As example, consider an Order Management system. The Orders object contains the master records, and Order Items contains the detail records. A Rollup Summary Field summarizes the total amount for each order.

• The Master object Orders contains these fields:

• customer_name
• order
• order_amount - the Rollup Summary Field, with these parameters:

• Label - Order Amount
• Display Type: Rollup Summary
• Detail Object: Order Items
• Rollup Type: SUM
• Field to Summarize: amount
• Summary Calculation Mode: Asynchronous

• The Detail object Order Items contains these fields:

• order_record - the Lookup to Orders
• item_number
• item_description
• order_number
• quantity
• each
• unit_price
• amount

Order records

order	customer_name
1001	Bob's Bakery
1015	Sally's Sweets

Order Item records

order	item_number	item_description	quantity	each	unit_price	amount
1001	B102	sticky buns	2	doz	$3.95	$7.90
1001	C220	chocolate chip cookies	1	doz	$2.95	$2.95
1015	W32	whole wheat bread	1	loaf	$4.50	$4.50
1015	B43	butter cookies	3	doz	$1.55	$4.65
1015	C56	carrot cake	1	large	$9.95	$9.95

Rollup Summary Action

Open the Orders object, and see the Rollup Summary calculations in the default View:

order	customer_name	order_amount
1001	Bob's Bakery	$10.85
1015	Sally's Sweets	$19.10

Eligible Field Types based on Calculation Type

Calculation Type	Eligible Field Types	Return Types
Count	All	All
Sum	Number (integer), number with decimals, currency, percent (%), formula fields	Number (integer), number with decimals, currency or percent (%)
Average	Number (integer), number with decimals, currency, percent (%), formula fields	Number (integer), number with decimals, currency or percent (%)
Min	Number (integer), number with decimals, currency, percent (%), formula fields	Number (integer), number with decimals, currency, percent (%), date or date/time
Max	Number (integer), number with decimals, currency, percent (%), formula fields	Number (integer), number with decimals, currency, percent (%), date or date/time

Technical Considerations

• A Rollup Summary Field can be deleted, which deletes all associated parameters, including: Name, Title, Summary Object, Rollup Type, Summary Field and Summary Calculation Mode
• When updating a Rollup Summary field, these fields can be modified: Title, Lookup Filters and Summary Calculation Mode

• However, these fields cannot be changed: Display Type, Summary Object, Rollup type or Summary Field

• When a Rollup Summary field is added, or the definition of an existing Rollup Summary changes, a background job is scheduled to recalculate values for existing records. Use the Scheduled Job Log to monitor job progress.
• A Summary Field that is used in a Rollup Summary cannot be deleted (because the Summary Field links to a field in the Detail Object)
• If a Detail object is deleted and a Rollup Summary Field exists in the Master object, then the field display type reverts from Rollup Summary to match the field display type originally specified by the field in the Detail object
• If the Synchronized Rollup Fields option is enabled in Manage Tenant Capabilities, then the [Asynchronous] and [Synchronous] calculation options become available when creating a Lookup field in a Master-Detail relationship
• When a record in a Detail object is deleted, the Rollup Summary Field is recalculated according to the defined Asynchronous/Synchronous option
• If a record in a Master object is accessed from a View while the Rollup Summary Field is being calculated, an icon will be displayed in place of the value, indicating that a calculation is in progress

Implementation

• Rollup Summary Fields:

• are universal, read-only fields
• should not be used to build filter criteria for Formulas, Data Policies, Validations, Indexes or Searches
• cannot be created based on a Rollup Summary Field
• can be created only in Master-record objects

• The ISCHANGED() function cannot be used on Rollup summary fields.

Packaging

• If the object is a master object with rollup summary field, the detailed object needs to be added as a dependent item
• Mass Update cannot be performed on Rollup Summary Fields
• Use ISNULL in Formula Functions with Rollup Summary Fields.