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Calculated & Derived Attributes

Calculated attributes (also called derived or formula fields) allow you to compute values automatically from existing CMDB data — tags, names, relationships, and other fields — so you can standardize reporting and automation without manually updating every record.

Typical use cases include:

  • Mapping cloud tags and labels into standardized fields such as Environment, Cost Center, Application, or Owner.
  • Deriving a Risk or Criticality score from multiple attributes (exposure, data classification, tier, compliance scope).
  • Aggregating counts or statuses, such as “Number of open vulnerabilities” or “Is monitored”.

Creating Calculated Attributes​

On supported objects, you can create formula and rollup fields using the underlying Salesforce/Force.com capabilities:

  • Formula fields compute values from other fields on the same record (for example, environment inferred from a name pattern or a tag).
  • Rollup summary fields can aggregate data across related records (for example, number of instances attached to an application).
  • Validation rules enforce patterns or required combinations of values for custom fields (for example, production systems must have an owner and cost center defined).

Use calculated attributes to keep your source data simple, and leverage formulas for derived logic rather than duplicating data across fields.

Best Practices​

When creating custom fields to use calculated attributes:

  • Prefer a small set of well‑named calculated attributes over many overlapping fields.
  • Keep formulas transparent and documented so other teams understand how values are derived.
  • Test new formulas on a limited scope before rolling them out broadly to avoid unexpected impacts on reports or automations.
  • Reuse calculated attributes across Compliance, Cost Management, Monitoring, and other modules so that definitions remain consistent.