Skip to main content
Custom calculations give you complete control over how value gets quantified. Whether you’re modeling a unique business outcome or adapting an existing use case, you can build calculations that match your exact methodology. This recipe walks you through creating a Cost Reduction calculation that measures time savings on a recurring task. You’ll learn how to structure inputs, build subtotals, and configure totals that show current versus future costs.
1

Create a new use case

Start by creating a new use case in your Value Framework.
2

Add a calculation

Add a calculation to your use case and select the calculation type.
3

Name and describe your calculation

Give your calculation a clear name and description that explains the value story.
4

Add inputs

Configure inputs that capture the data points needed for your calculation.
5

Add a highlighted input

Set up an improvement percentage as a highlighted input with value presets.
6

Build subtotals

Create subtotals that combine your inputs to calculate intermediate values.
7

Configure totals

Set up totals that show current and future costs based on your subtotals.

​
Create a new use case

You can add a calculation to an existing use case or create a new one. For this recipe, we’ll create a new use case.
  1. Navigate to the calculation tab of the Value Summary
  2. Click Add Use Case
  3. Enter a name for your use case (e.g., “Reduce Time on Task”)
  4. Add a description that explains the value outcome
Creating a new use case
Use cases can contain multiple calculations. You might have one use case with several related calculations that together tell a complete value story.

​
Add a calculation

Once you’ve created your use case, add a calculation to it.
  1. Click Add Calculation in your use case
  2. You’ll see options to select a calculation type
Adding a calculation

​
Select a calculation type

Calculation types determine how your calculation is formatted and displayed in business cases. Each type has a specific structure optimized for different value scenarios.
Calculation TypeDescriptionBest For
Cost ReductionCompares current costs to future costs, showing savingsHeadcount reduction, time savings, software consolidation
Revenue UpliftCompares current revenue to future revenue, showing growthSales acceleration, conversion improvements, upsell opportunities
CustomFlexible structure for any calculation formatUnique business models, non-standard value metrics
Non-MonetaryQuantifies value without currency (e.g., hours, units)Time saved, quality improvements, risk mitigation
Learn more about how calculation types affect use case card displays in business cases.
For this recipe, select Cost Reduction since we’re measuring how much time (and cost) we save on a task. Selecting calculation type

​
Name and describe your calculation

Give your calculation a clear, outcome-focused name. The description should explain what value this calculation quantifies.
  1. Enter a name (e.g., “Reduce Time on Task”)
  2. Add a description that explains the value story
Naming the calculation
Use outcome language, not feature language. “Reduce Time on Task” is better than “Task Automation Feature.”

​
Add your first input

Inputs are the building blocks of your calculation. They represent the data points you need to quantify value.
  1. Click Add Input
  2. You’ll configure the input details in the next step
Adding first input

​
Input types

Each input has a type that determines how it’s formatted and validated. Choose the type that best matches the data you’re capturing.
Input TypeDescriptionExample Values
NumberWhole numbers or decimals50, 2.5, 1000
CurrencyMonetary values$50,000, €1,200
PercentagePercentage values (0-100)25%, 50%, 75%
DurationTime periods (hours, minutes, days)2 hours, 30 minutes, 5 days
TextFree-form text values”High”, “Low”, “Enterprise”
Input types ensure consistent formatting across business cases. Currency inputs automatically format based on the business case’s currency setting.

​
Configure your inputs

For this Cost Reduction calculation, we need to measure how long a task takes, how often it’s completed, how many employees do it, and what they cost per hour.

​
Input 1: Time per task

This measures how long it takes to complete the task once.
  1. Name: “Time per Task”
  2. Type: Duration
  3. Unit: Hours
  4. Default value: 2 (hours)
Configuring input

​
Input 2: Tasks per year

This measures how many times the task is completed annually.
  1. Name: ”# of Tasks per Year”
  2. Type: Number
  3. Default value: 100
Tasks per year input

​
Input 3: Number of employees

This measures how many employees complete this task.
  1. Name: ”# of Employees”
  2. Type: Number
  3. Default value: 10
Number of employees input

​
Input 4: Average hourly rate

This measures the average hourly cost of employees who complete the task.
  1. Name: “Average Hourly Rate”
  2. Type: Currency
  3. Default value: $50
Average hourly rate input
Your inputs are configured. You should see them in your calculation builder.

​
Add a highlighted input

Highlighted inputs appear at the top of the input list on use case cards and are always visible. They’re perfect for improvement percentages or other key variables that drive the calculation. For this calculation, we’ll add an improvement percentage that shows how much more efficient your solution makes the task.
  1. Click Add Input
  2. Name: “Improvement %”
  3. Type: Percentage
  4. Check Highlight this input to make it a highlighted input
  5. Set default value: 20%

​
Configure value presets

Value presets let users quickly select common values instead of typing. This is especially useful for improvement percentages where you might have standard scenarios.
  1. Click Add Preset
  2. Add presets like:
    • Low: 12%
    • Medium: 20%
    • High: 28%
Users can switch between these presets using buttons or a dropdown (depending on how many presets you create).
Highlighted inputs are always shown on use case cards, making them perfect for key variables that buyers should focus on. Learn more about highlighted inputs.
Configuring improvement percentage

​
Build your first subtotal

Subtotals combine multiple inputs to calculate intermediate values. For this calculation, we’ll create two subtotals:
  1. Annual hours (current): Total hours spent on the task per year
  2. Annual hours (future): Total hours after improvement

​
First subtotal: Annual hours (current)

This multiplies all inputs except the improvement percentage to get the total annual hours.
  1. Click Add Subtotal
  2. Name: “Annual Hours (Current)”
  3. Build the formula:
    • Multiply: Time per Task × # of Tasks per Year × # of Employees
    • Formula: Time per Task × # of Tasks per Year × # of Employees
This gives you the total number of hours spent on this task annually before any improvement. Adding first subtotal Building first subtotal

​
Second subtotal: Annual hours (future)

This applies the improvement percentage to show how many hours will be spent after your solution.
  1. Click Add Subtotal
  2. Name: “Annual Hours (Future)”
  3. Build the formula:
    • Multiply: Annual Hours (Current) × (1 - Improvement %)
    • Formula: Annual Hours (Current) × (1 - Improvement %)
We use (1 - Improvement %) because a 30% improvement means we do 70% of the original work. If your improvement percentage represents efficiency gain, you might structure this differently.
Inverting the improvement percentage Building future subtotal

​
Configure your totals

Totals are the final values that appear prominently on use case cards. For a Cost Reduction calculation, you typically have two totals: current cost and future cost.

​
First total: Current cost

This shows the current annual cost of the task.
  1. Click Add Total
  2. Name: “Current Cost”
  3. Build the formula:
    • Multiply: Annual Hours (Current) × Average Hourly Rate
    • Formula: Annual Hours (Current) × Average Hourly Rate
First total Completed calculation

​
Second total: Future cost

This shows the future annual cost after your improvement.
  1. Click Add Total
  2. Name: “Future Cost”
  3. Build the formula:
    • Multiply: Annual Hours (Future) × Average Hourly Rate
    • Formula: Annual Hours (Future) × Average Hourly Rate
Future total
Your calculation is complete! The difference between Current Cost and Future Cost shows the annual savings.

​
What you’ve built

Your calculation now:
  • Captures the right inputs: Time per task, frequency, employee count, and hourly rate
  • Shows improvement impact: The highlighted improvement percentage drives the savings
  • Calculates intermediate values: Subtotals break down the math into understandable steps
  • Displays clear outcomes: Two totals show current vs. future costs side-by-side
When sellers use this calculation in business cases, they can customize the inputs for their specific buyer. The formulas stay consistent, ensuring your ROI methodology is standardized across all deals.
Learn more about building use cases and how calculations work in business cases.