Cannot rollup or sum Formula fields

Technical Help
1

When trying to create a Rollup field that sums values from a Formula field in a linked table, Baserow returns an error:

argument number 1 given to function sum was of type array but the only usable type for this argument is a list of number, or duration values obtained from a lookup.

Steps to reproduce:

  1. Create a Formula field in Table A that calculates a numeric value
  2. Create a Link to table field from Table B to Table A
  3. In Table B, try to create a Rollup field that sums the Formula field from Table A
    Error occurs

Expected behavior:
Rollup should be able to sum numeric Formula fields, just like it can sum Number fields and Lookup fields.

Impact:
Cannot aggregate calculated values across linked records, forcing workarounds like manual number fields or external calculations.

1 Like
2

Could you please share the formula you’re using? If the formula returns a numeric value, it should work :thinking:

3

I have the exact same issue. I tried to upload a question about that - but it seems as if disappeared - could you please let us know how to make the rollup function work?

4

Hey @AnnaRiis, responded in the thread: Rollups and lists issues :slightly_smiling_face:

1 Like
5

@olgatrykush I have checked @AnnaRiis’s thread, however, it’s been 3 months without any ETA on a core database field functionality.

I am sure there are a lot of issues and other tickets, so let me give you an example about why this should be prioritized from user perspective and its in the company’s best interest to do so.

Basically, when you make two indepent formula calculations across any 2 tables in Baserow, you can’t recombine them. Formula + Formula = {rollup breaks}

That leads to numerous issues when dealing with anything more complex than simple formulas, because you have to convert the formula result into a value.

Now, in Anna’s case that might be a simpler rollup, but when you use Baserow as part of a software, if you have a database table with say 10,000 rows, instead of using the database rollup field, you have to bypass that limitation programatically. That leads to numerous API requests and slows down the entire software application, no matter how well optimized it is, even if it’s just for a few requests.

Meanwhile, if the rollup field works, all the calculations happen on a database level and the output value is in the database, there is no need to recalculate it programatically.

This is not about Kuma AI, or some workarounds. This is a core functionality that defines IF Baserow will be used into more complex software applications, or if it will remain a database that’s preferred only for basic smaller apps.

What needs to happen is that the engineers figure out a way to convert the formula values into readable format, so that the rollup field recognizes them and is able to perform the rollup when the source is a *formula field (*prioritizing numeric values).

Again, Kuma AI is a helper, and the new automation builder is great, but you can’t solve everything with a workaround.

1 Like
6

Can you share a detailed scenario that doesn’t work for you?

Following your steps from the first post, I am able to use rollup field with SUM function over a formula field in another table when the result of that formula is a number.

It seems like your formula doesn’t result in a number.