Yes — Salesforce supports two kinds of formulas inside the Report Builder: Row-Level Formulas (one calculated value per record) and Summary Formulas (calculated values at group / grand-total level). Both let you compute values that don’t exist as fields on the underlying objects.
The two formula types
| Type | Where the value sits | Scope |
|---|---|---|
| Row-Level Formula | A new column on each row | One value per record |
| Summary Formula | A new cell at each grouping / grand total | Aggregated value |
Row-Level Formula
A formula that runs per record and shows as a column. Looks like a regular field but exists only in the report.
Row-Level Formula: Days Open
Formula: TODAY() - DATEVALUE(Case.CreatedDate)
Display: Number, 0 decimalsReturns the number of days since the Case was created — for each Case row.
Limits:
- 1 row-level formula per report in Lightning Experience
- Returns Number, Currency, Percent, Date, Datetime, Text
- Can reference any field on the report
Summary Formula
A formula calculated at group level — subtotal rows and grand total — using the report’s grouping/summary metrics.
Summary Formula: Win Rate
Formula: RowCount[CLOSED_WON] / RowCount[CLOSED]
Display: Percent, 1 decimal
At every grouping: YesRenders a new “Win Rate” column at every grouping subtotal plus the grand total.
Limits:
- 5 summary formulas per report
- Can use
RowCount,Sum,Average,Max,Min,Medianoperators - Reference fields with subscript syntax:
AMOUNT:SUM,RowCount[StageName='Closed Won']
When to use each
- Row-Level Formula — compute a per-record value (Days Open, Profit per Line Item, Days to Close)
- Summary Formula — compute a per-group value (Win %, Average Days to Close, Bookings per Rep / Quota)
Row-Level Formula example
Name: Discount Amount
Formula: Opportunity.Amount * Opportunity.Discount__c / 100
Output: CurrencySummary Formula example
Name: Average Deal Size
Formula: AMOUNT:AVG
Output: Currency
At grouping: Stage, Account, Grand TotalWhat formulas can’t do in the report
- Reference summary fields in row-level formulas — Row-Level runs per-row, before aggregation
- Loop over child records — no aggregation across child rows in row-level
- Persist outside the report — formula fields are report-only
- Be reused in another report — re-create them, or promote to an object formula field
When to promote to an object-level formula field
If the same Row-Level Formula appears in 5+ reports, build it as a custom formula field on the object. Reusable, queryable via SOQL, and consistent.
Custom Summary Formulas in Joined reports
Joined reports support Cross-Block Summary Formulas — formulas that calculate across blocks. Same syntax with block references: Block1!AMOUNT:SUM + Block2!AMOUNT:SUM.
Common follow-ups
- Row-level formula limit? — 1 per report in Lightning.
- Summary formula limit? — 5 per report (10 in Joined for cross-block).
- Can formulas reference other formulas? — Summary formulas can reference other summary formulas if their order is correct.
Verified against: Salesforce Help — Row-Level and Summary Formulas. Last reviewed 2026-05-17 for Spring ‘26.