AutoCount formula UDF

AutoCount Formula on UDF / AutoCount Field — Auto-Calculate & Auto-Fill for Malaysian SMEs

AutoCount formula customisation is a service that adds calculation and auto-fill logic directly to UDF (User Defined Fields) or standard AutoCount fields using AutoCount's built-in formula engine. Two formula functions are available: Column Initialize — which runs when a document opens or a new row is created — and Column Changed — which runs when a specific field value changes. These formulas calculate values, pull related data, and populate fields automatically as your staff work in AutoCount. No scripting module required. No plugin installation needed. No Pro or Premium edition dependency. This is the simplest, lightest, and most affordable way to add smart automation to your AutoCount fields. From RM100 per formula.

Why AutoCount Formula Customisation?

Your staff enter data into AutoCount documents every day — invoices, delivery orders, purchase orders, quotations. Some fields need to be calculated from other fields. Some fields need to be auto-populated based on the item or customer selected. Some fields need a default value every time a new document is created. Without formulas, staff either calculate manually (slow and error-prone), look up values from another screen (disruptive), or leave the field empty (incomplete data). Formulas solve all three — the value is calculated, looked up, or defaulted automatically the moment the triggering event occurs. Staff see the result instantly without doing anything.

Two Formula Functions

Column Initialize — Runs When the Document Opens

Column Initialize executes when a document is opened, when a new row is added, or when a new record is created. Use it to set default values, pre-populate fields, or calculate starting values that should appear before the user begins entering data.
Examples:

Set today's date as the default value in a UDF "Follow Up Date" field when a new quotation is created
Pre-fill the salesman's phone number from the salesman master when a document opens
Default a UDF "Priority" field to "Normal" on every new sales order row
Auto-populate the customer's billing address into a UDF field when a new invoice is created
Set a UDF "Currency Rate" field to the current exchange rate when a new purchase document opens

Column Initialize ensures every new document or row starts with the right values already filled in — no manual defaults, no forgotten fields.

Column Changed — Runs When a Field Value Changes

Column Changed executes when a specific field's value is modified by the user. Use it to recalculate dependent values, look up related data, or update other fields based on what the user just entered or selected.
Examples:

When the item code is selected, auto-fill a UDF "Weight (kg)" field from the item master's UDF
When the quantity changes, auto-calculate a UDF "Total Weight" field (quantity × weight per unit)
When the debtor code is selected, auto-fill UDF fields for "Sales Region," "Customer Category," and "Account Manager" from the debtor master
When the unit price changes, auto-calculate a UDF "Margin %" field based on item cost vs selling price
When a UDF "Discount Tier" is selected, auto-apply the corresponding discount percentage to the unit price
When the warehouse location changes, auto-fill a UDF "Warehouse Contact" field with the location manager's name

Column Changed reacts in real time — the user changes a value, and dependent fields update instantly.

Common Use Cases for Malaysian Businesses

Auto-Calculate Custom Values

Calculate values that AutoCount doesn't compute natively. Total weight per line item (quantity × item weight). Cubic metre volume for logistics planning. Commission amount per line (sales amount × commission rate from UDF). Profit margin percentage per item (selling price minus cost, divided by selling price). Handling charges based on item category. These calculations happen automatically in UDF fields — no manual Excel work, no calculator, no errors.

Auto-Fill from Master Data

When a customer, supplier, or item is selected on a document, pull additional data from the master record into UDF fields on the document. The debtor master may have UDF fields for "Industry," "Region," "Credit Rating," and "Account Manager" — Column Changed pulls these into the invoice UDF fields when the debtor is selected. The item master may have UDF fields for "Brand," "Origin Country," "Shelf Life," and "Storage Requirement" — Column Changed fills these on the delivery order when the item is selected. Data that exists in the master record appears on the document automatically.

Default Values for Consistency

Ensure every new document starts with consistent default values. Every new quotation defaults to "Valid for 30 Days" in a UDF field. Every new purchase order defaults the "Requested By" UDF to the logged-in user's name. Every new cash sale defaults the "Outlet" UDF to the workstation's assigned branch. Column Initialize sets these defaults without relying on staff to remember.

Dependent Field Logic

When one field determines the value of another. Selecting a "Payment Method" of "Credit Card" auto-fills a UDF "Card Surcharge %" with 2%. Selecting a "Shipping Method" of "Express" auto-fills a UDF "Estimated Delivery Days" with 2. Selecting a "Customer Type" of "Government" auto-fills a UDF "Payment Terms Override" with "Net 60." The first field drives the second — logic your business uses daily, now automated.

Formula vs Scripting vs Plugin — When to Use Formula

Formula (RM100) — Auto-calculate or auto-fill a field based on Column Initialize or Column Changed events. One field, one formula, one trigger. No scripting module needed. Works on any AutoCount edition that supports UDF/Formula. The lightest and cheapest customisation.
Scripting (RM300) — Complex multi-step validation, conditional blocking (prevent save), cross-field validation involving multiple conditions, and automation that goes beyond what a single field formula can handle. Requires AutoCount Pro or Premium edition with Scripting module.
Plugin (RM1,600) — New screens, new workflows, new database tables, multi-database operations, cross-account book processing. Full custom development for functionality that doesn't exist in AutoCount.
Start with formulas for field-level auto-calculation and auto-fill. Move to scripting when you need document-level validation and blocking. Move to plugin when you need entirely new functionality.

How It Works

1. Tell Us the Field and the Logic

Describe which field needs the formula, what should trigger it (document open or field change), and what the result should be. "When I select an item, I want the weight to auto-fill from the item master UDF." "When I enter a quantity, I want total weight to calculate automatically." Plain business language — we handle the technical formula writing.

2. We Write the Formula

We write the formula expression in AutoCount's formula engine — referencing the correct fields, tables, and calculation logic. We test it against your data to ensure accuracy across different items, customers, and scenarios.

3. We Deploy to Your Field

The formula is configured on your UDF or AutoCount field — attached to Column Initialize, Column Changed, or both. We demonstrate the formula in action on a live document and confirm it works as expected.

Pricing

From RM100 per formula. Each formula addresses one field with one calculation or auto-fill logic. Simple lookups and calculations are at the base rate. Formulas involving multiple source fields, conditional logic, or complex expressions may be quoted based on complexity.

What's Included

✅ Column Initialize Formula (Auto-Fill on Document Open / New Row)

✅ Column Changed Formula (Auto-Calculate on Field Change)

✅ Auto-Calculate Custom Values (Weight, Volume, Margin, Commission)

✅ Auto-Fill from Master Data (Debtor, Creditor, Item UDFs)

✅ Default Value Configuration

✅ Dependent Field Logic

✅ Formula Development, Testing & Deployment

✅ No Scripting Module Required

✅ No Plugin Installation Required

✅ From RM100 Per Formula

✅ Compatible with AutoCount Accounting 2.2