Metrics vs CCFs

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Targetprocess is quite powerful with its ability to do advanced calculations. The system can evaluate values using multiple source fields and properties, common math, and string manipulation operations. As a result you get calculated numeric, date, boolean, text values. They can be displayed on views, presented within tabular and visual reports, saved to custom fields, and exported to external systems.

Custom Formulas in Metrics and Calculated Custom Fields are two features in Targetprocess that are capable of supporting custom calculations. They populate custom fields of the entities within values calculated according to formula expressions.

Similar results may be achieved within different features, and each feature has its own benefits and known limitations.

Warning: Calculated Custom Fields are deprecated Metrics have been designed and released as a replacement for Calculated Custom Fields feature. We recommend prefer Metrics over Calculated Custom Fields whenever possible.

Usage and Appearance

	Metrics
Supported process-based entity types	Epic, Feature, User Story, Task, Bug, Request, Test Case, Test Plan, Test Plan Run, Impediment, Project, Release, Iteration, Build, Time	Epic, Feature, User Story, Task, Bug, Request, Test Case, Test Plan, Test Plan Run, Impediment, Project, Release, Iteration, Build, Time
Supported global entity types	No Postponed till future updates
Real-time recalculation	Yes When data source is changed
Scheduled recalculation: daily / weekly / monthly	No Postponed till future updates
Displayed on Views, in Customize Cards	Yes Custom Fields section	Yes Custom Fields section
Use in Advanced Filters on views and reports Use in Visual Encoding filtering rules	Yes
Results available in View > Action > Export to CSV file	Yes Among regular Custom Fields
Results available in Tabular Reports: as column values and in filters	Yes In reports based on a single process
Results available in Visual Reports	Yes
Results available in REST API	Yes
Calculated results can be included to other calculation formulas	Yes
Calculated results may be edited by users	Yes

Warning: \*Metrics rewrite field values Metrics that set values to non-system custom fields can suddenly rewrite data in the fields. As a result manual user input may be lost.

Difference in Calculation Formulas

This table lists syntax of expressions that can be used in formulas for Custom Formula Metrics and Calculated Custom Fields.

Resource	Custom Formula Metrics
Present moment of time Now, Today, relative shifts	No	Yes <codeph>DateTime.Now DateTime.Now.AddDays(7)</codeph>
Check if Release / Iteration / Team Iteration is current / past / future	No Metric is not recalculated daily
Use NumericPriority in formulas	No Metric is not recalculated when NumericPriority values are normalized. Values are changed nightly.
Refer to LeadTime, CycleTime, ForecastEndDate	No Metric is not recalculated daily
Custom Fields set by Custom Formula Metrics	Yes
Custom Fields of Calculated type	No Metric is not recalculated when source CCF value is changed.
<xref href="custom-formula-metrics-custom-fields.dita#section-inherit-custom-field-values-from-an-entity-itself" format="dita">Custom Fields of the same entity</xref>	Yes
<xref href="custom-formula-metrics-custom-fields.dita#section-inherit-custom-field-values-from-parent-entity" format="dita">Custom Fields of parent entities</xref>	Yes
Custom Fields of entities in child collections	Yes <codeph>UserStories.SUM(CustomValues.Number("Field Name"))</codeph>
Custom Fields of entities in Relations	Yes <codeph>SlaveRelations.SUM(Slave.CustomValues.Number("Field Name"))</codeph>