# Using custom calculated item **URL:** \ **Category:** Uncategorized\ **Created:** [April 10, 2019, 1:45pm UTC](https://forum.manager.io/t/using-custom-calculated-item/21547 "2019-04-10T13:45:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![momirlan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/258eb7/32.png) [@momirlan](https://forum.manager.io/u/momirlan)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2019, 1:45pm UTC](https://forum.manager.io/t/using-custom-calculated-item/21547/1 "2019-04-10T13:45:26Z")
Hello, I just installed Manager, and quite like the user interface - very polished and intuitive. Was trying to set up payslip, and need to calculate some items, like pension deduction. This should be 5.1% of the Gross Pay. Is it possible to refer to the Gross Pay field, and calculate this automatically ? (Same as a VAT of 5% is calculated automatically when added to an invoice). Thank you ! ---
**Author:** ![Tut](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/forum.manager.io/tut/32/3286_2.png) [@Tut](https://forum.manager.io/u/Tut)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2019, 2:16pm UTC](https://forum.manager.io/t/using-custom-calculated-item/21547/2 "2019-04-10T14:16:58Z")
That is not possible. You can perform calculations in fields, but not reference other fields. See [Perform calculations in number fields | Manager](https://www.manager.io/guides/18222). ---
**Author:** ![momirlan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/258eb7/32.png) [@momirlan](https://forum.manager.io/u/momirlan)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2019, 2:37am UTC](https://forum.manager.io/t/using-custom-calculated-item/21547/3 "2019-04-11T02:37:43Z")
Ok, thank you for the prompt response. Would you consider that in the future ? I loooked at other accounting packages, and when it comes to supporting so many countries and rules I think it’s a good idea to implement some plugin flexibility where users can write the calculations (based on input fields). Payroll is always a great example. In Ontario, I have to include: - federal tax calculation - provincial tax calculation (each of the 13 provinces have different rules) - pension deduction as a percentage, but only up to a yearly defined limit - employment insurance deduction - bonuses, etc. There are pages and pages of calculations, and they change every year (see [https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/forms-publications/payroll/t4127-payroll-deductions-formulas/t4127-jan/t4127-jan-payroll-deductions-formulas-computer-programs.html#toc28](https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/forms-publications/payroll/t4127-payroll-deductions-formulas/t4127-jan/t4127-jan-payroll-deductions-formulas-computer-programs.html#toc28)) Now, you can try to hard code that (just joking), or you could say “we don’t support payroll in Canada, or anywhere else”. On the other hand, if you supported some modular approach, the community could write those rules and share. I have done this when I was using Odoo, and it worked great - all payroll calculations were scripted. Odoo is another sad story, but I liked the flexibility… Thank you ! ---
**Author:** ![Tut](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/forum.manager.io/tut/32/3286_2.png) [@Tut](https://forum.manager.io/u/Tut)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2019, 12:16pm UTC](https://forum.manager.io/t/using-custom-calculated-item/21547/4 "2019-04-11T12:16:36Z")
I’m a forum moderator, not the developer. I can only tell you improvements to the payroll functions have been discussed and promised on the forum previously. > [@momirlan](#): > > There are pages and pages of calculations, and they change every year And that’s the problem, isn’t it? Remember, you can also use a third-party payroll processor and just enter summaries into Manager. ---
**Author:** ![momirlan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/258eb7/32.png) [@momirlan](https://forum.manager.io/u/momirlan)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2019, 12:42pm UTC](https://forum.manager.io/t/using-custom-calculated-item/21547/5 "2019-04-11T12:42:37Z")
Oh, sorry Tut, I wasn’t suggesting you yourself has to do that. I’m hoping the developer reads this, or is there another way to propose an enhancement to him/her ? Yes, using a third-party processor is an alternative, but the whole point of an accounting package is to automate the work. If I wanted to do typing, I could just use Excel - which is still my accounting tool of choice until I find a (free) package that can automate payroll calculations. Odoo was one, until they decided to go mostly commercial. The pages of payroll calculations are daunting, but once translated in code there is minimal effort to maintain them once a year. And only one person has to do it - I volunteer to maintain it for Canada - the rest of the community benefits from it. Of course, this involves hard work on the deveolper’s part but I think having a more modular software has great benefits in the long term. I really appreciate what you guys have achieved so far, as I said it is a great package and I hope my comments are only seen as a friendly attempt to engage. I don’t intend any offense, and I am ready to put my time where my mouth is. Peace brother ! ---
**Author:** ![Tut](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/forum.manager.io/tut/32/3286_2.png) [@Tut](https://forum.manager.io/u/Tut)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2019, 2:08pm UTC](https://forum.manager.io/t/using-custom-calculated-item/21547/6 "2019-04-11T14:08:41Z")
> [@momirlan](#): > > I’m hoping the developer reads this, or is there another way to propose an enhancement to him/her ? The developer reads the forum. Search the forum for comments already made. > [@momirlan](#): > > I volunteer to maintain it for Canada - the rest of the community benefits from it. That concept raises all sorts of questions. No offense, but why should any user have confidence in you? How can they know your code is correct? Will you indemnify all Canadian users against errors? The developer has to consider the fact that anything made available through the Manager web site or forum is his responsibility. > [@momirlan](#): > > Of course, this involves hard work on the deveolper’s part but I think having a more modular software has great benefits in the long term. An interesting perspective from someone who insists on using free software. > [@momirlan](#): > > I am ready to put my time where my mouth is. Understand that Manager is not open source or crowdsourced software. It’s produced by a commercial venture following the “freemium” business model. (You can Google that.) So volunteer assistance is not part of the picture. ---
**Author:** ![momirlan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/258eb7/32.png) [@momirlan](https://forum.manager.io/u/momirlan)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2019, 2:26pm UTC](https://forum.manager.io/t/using-custom-calculated-item/21547/7 "2019-04-11T14:26:09Z")
OK, no problem, got the hint. Back to Excel it is. Good luck ---
**Author:** ![Patch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a183cd/32.png) [@Patch](https://forum.manager.io/u/Patch)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2019, 6:19am UTC](https://forum.manager.io/t/using-custom-calculated-item/21547/8 "2019-04-12T06:19:13Z")
> [@Tut](#): > > > I volunteer to maintain it for Canada - the rest of the community benefits from it. > > That concept raises all sorts of questions. No offense, but why should any user have confidence in you? How can they know your code is correct? The assumption is the entry for the calculation field would be entered in human readable text so other users from the same country can create the formula themselves or look at another users example and modify that if they wish. Modification from a tax rule for the same country and year are likely to be minor. Slightly more for the same country with marginal rate updates and possibly quite significant between countries. As to why would one user trust the opinion / answers of another user on a forum. Past behaviour and answer reliability is a start, just the same as assessing any other information source. I suppose the point being how a user customises their company file is a users responsibility. The value in crowd sourced customisation is if supported it makes it easier for a user to do, and thus makes Manager more valuable to users, thus increasing the potential revenue return to the software owner. The concept in various forms has been discussed several times including [Community Supported Localisation](https://forum.manager.io/t/community-supported-localisation/17418) . A totally closed architecture is an alternative but that will either lack country / industry specific feature, or be much more onerous for the software company to maintain. The disadvantage of allowing customisation is it can increase set up complexity. Manager addresses this elsewhere by defaulting to the simplest implementation with the option to add capability if required. A good approach which should also work for customisable calculation fields. ---
**Author:** ![Ealfardan](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/forum.manager.io/ealfardan/32/63166_2.png) [@Ealfardan](https://forum.manager.io/u/Ealfardan)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2023, 3:01pm UTC](https://forum.manager.io/t/using-custom-calculated-item/21547/9 "2023-01-18T15:01:54Z")