# Number formulas

In Ruby, Fixnum refers to integers, for example, 9, 10, 11, while Float refers to decimals, for example, 1.75.

Workato supports a variety of number formulas. Formulas in Workato are in the allowlist for Ruby methods, and therefore not all Ruby methods are supported. You can always reach out to us to add additional formulas to the allowlist. Syntax and functionality for these formulas are generally unchanged. Take note that most formulas will return an error and stop the job if it tries to operate on nulls (expressed as nil in Ruby), except for present?, presence and blank?.

You can refer to the complete Ruby documentation for Fixnum (integers) here (opens new window) as well as the Ruby documentation for Float (decimals) here (opens new window).

# Arithmetic operations

In the cases of arithmetic operations, whether the values are of integer types or decimal (float) types are important. Formulas will always stick to the types given as input, and the returned result will be of the most precise type.

For example:

  • If integer values are provided, an integer value will be returned.
  • If float values are provided, a float value will be returned.
  • If both float and integer values are provided, a float value will be returned, as that is more precise.

# The add (+) operator

This operator allows the addition of operands on either side. This section talks about number arithmetic. Date arithmetic is possible as well and can be found here.

# Sample Usage

Formula Result Type
4 + 7 11 Fixnum
4.0 + 7 11.0 Float
4.0 + 7.0 11.0 Float

# The subtract (-) operator

This operator subtracts the right hand operand from the left hand operand. This section talks about number arithmetic. Date arithmetic is possible as well and can be found here.

# Sample Usage

Formula Result Type
4 - 7 -3 Fixnum
4.0 - 7 -3.0 Float
4.0 - 7.0 -3.0 Float

# The multiply (*) operator

This operator multiplies the operands on either side.

# Sample Usage

Formula Result Type
4 * 7 28 Fixnum
4.0 * 7 28.0 Float
4.0 * 7.0 28.0 Float

# The divide (/) operator

Divides left hand operand by right hand operand.

# Sample Usage

Formula Result Type
4 / 7 0 Fixnum
4.0 / 7 0.571428... Float
7 / 4 1 Fixnum
7 / 4.0 1.75 Float
7.0 / 4 1.75 Float
7.0 / 4.0 1.75 Float

# The exponential (**) operator

Left hand operand to the power of the right hand operand.

# Sample Usage

Formula Result Type
5**3 125 Fixnum
4**1.5 8.0 Float
4.0**2 16.0 Float
3**-1 "1/3" Rational
8**(3**-1) 2.0 Float
7**-1.6 0.044447... Float

# The modulo (%) operator

Divides left hand operand by right hand operand and returns the remainder.

# Sample Usage

Formula Result Type
4 % 7 4 Fixnum
4.0 % 7 4.0 Float
4 % 7.0 4.0 Float
7 % 4 3 Fixnum
7.0 % 4.0 3.0 Float

# Other number formulas

# abs

Returns the absolute (positive) value of a number.

# Syntax

number.abs

  • number - An input integer or float.

# Sample usage

Formula Result
45.abs 45
-45.abs 45
45.67.abs 45.67
-45.67.abs 45.67

# round

Rounds off a numerical value. This formula returns a value with a specified number of decimal places.

# Syntax

number.round(offset)

  • number - An input integer or float.
  • offset - (optional) The number of decimal places to return, you can provide negative values. If not specified, this formula will return the number with no decimal places.

# Sample usage

Formula Result
1234.567.round 1235
1234.567.round(2) 1234.57
1234.567.round(-2) 1230

# Conditionals

# blank?

This formula checks the input and returns true if:

  • Input is a non-value number, sometimes referred to as NaN (not a number). This is an undefined value or value that cannot be represented. For example, the result of division by zero, or a missing value.
  • Input is null.

# Syntax

Input.blank?

  • Input - An input datapill. It can be a string, number, date, or datetime datatype.

# Sample usage

Formula Result
123.blank? false
0.blank? false
nil.blank? true
"".blank? true

# How it works

If the input is null or an empty string, the formula will return true. For any other data, it returns false.

# See also

  • presence: Returns the data if it exists, returns nil if it does not.
  • present?: Returns true if there is a valid input.

# even?

Checks the integer input and returns true if it is an even number.

# Syntax

integer.even?

  • integer - An input integer.

# Sample usage

Formula Result
123.even? false
1234.even? true

# See also

  • odd?: Checks the integer input and returns true if it is an odd number.

# odd?

Checks the integer input and returns true if it is an odd number.

# Syntax

integer.odd?

  • integer - An input integer.

# Sample usage

Formula Result
123.odd? true
1234.odd? false

# See also

  • even?: Checks the integer input and returns true if it is an even number.

# present?

This formula will check the input and if there is a value present, it will return true. If the input is nil, boolean false, an empty string, or an empty list, the formula will return false.

# Syntax

Input.present?

  • Input - An input datapill. It can be a string, number, date, or list datatype.

# Sample usage

Formula Result
"Any Value".present? true
123.present? true
0.present? true
"2017-04-02T12:30:00.000000-07:00".present? true
nil.present? false
"".present? false
[].present? false

# How it works

If the input is null, an empty string or an empty list, the formula will return false. For any other data, it returns true.

Evaluating a list with nil values

  • Only an empty list will return false.

[].present? returns false.

  • A list with nil and empty string will return true.

[nil,""].present? returns true.

# See also

  • presence: Returns the data if it exists, returns nil if it does not.
  • blank?: Returns nil if the data does not exist or if the string consist of only white spaces.

# presence

Returns the data if it exists, returns nil if it does not.

# Syntax

Input.presence

  • Input - An input datapill. It can be a string, number, date, or datetime datatype.

# Sample usage

Formula Result
nil.presence nil
"".presence nil
"Any Value".presence "Any Value"
45.0.presence 45.0
0.presence 0

# How it works

If the input is null or an empty string, the formula will return nil. For any other data, it returns the original input data.

# See also

  • blank?: Returns nil if the data does not exist or if the string consist of only white spaces.
  • present?: Returns true if there is a valid input.

# Conversions

# ceil

Rounds the input number to the next greater integer or float. You can specify the precision of the decimal digits.

# Syntax

number.ceil(precision)

  • number - An input integer or float.
  • precision - (optional) The number of decimal places to return, you can provide negative values. If not specified, this formula will return the number with no decimal places.

# Sample usage

Formula Result
1234.567.ceil 1235
-1234.567.ceil -1234
1234.567.ceil(2) 1234.57
1234.567.ceil(-2) 1300

# floor

Rounds the input number to the next smaller integer or float. You can specify the precision of the decimal digits.

# Syntax

number.floor(precision)

  • number - An input integer or float.
  • precision - (optional) The number of decimal places to return, you can provide negative values. If not specified, this formula will return the number with no decimal places.

# Sample usage

Formula Result
1234.567.floor 1234
-1234.567.floor -1235
1234.567.floor(2) 1234.56
1234.567.floor(-2) 1200

# to_f

Converts data to a float (number) datatype.

# Syntax

Input.to_f

  • Input - An number input data. You can use a string datatype or a integer datatype.

# Sample usage

Formula Result
45.to_f 45.0
-45.to_f -45.0
"45.67".to_f 45.67
"Workato".to_f 0

# How it works

This formula checks whether the input contains any numbers, if no numbers are found, it returns 0. If the number does not have a decimal point, .0 will be added the number.

# See also

  • to_i: Convert data to an integer (whole number) datatype.

# to_i

Converts data to an integer (whole number) datatype.

# Syntax

Input.to_i

  • Input - An number input data. You can use a string datatype or a float datatype.

# Sample usage

Formula Result
45.43.to_i 45
-45.43.to_i -45
"123".to_i 123
"Workato".to_i 0

# How it works

This formula checks whether the input contains any numbers, if no numbers are found, it returns 0. If the number has a decimal point, everything after the decimal will be omitted.

Check for integers

You can use this formula to check if a string contains an integer. If the input does not contain any numbers, the formula will return 0.

# See also

  • to_f: Converts data to a float (number) datatype.

# to_s

Converts data to a string (text) datatype.

# Syntax

Input.to_s

  • Input - Any input data. You can use number, array, object, or datetime datatypes.

# Sample usage

Formula Result
-45.67.to_s "-45.67"
"123".to_s "123"
[1,2,3].to_s "[1,2,3]"
{key: "Workato"}.to_s "{:key=>"Workato"}""
"2020-06-05T17:13:27.000000-07:00".to_s "2020-06-05T17:13:27.000000-07:00"
"2020-06-05T17:13:27.000000-07:00".to_s(:short) "05 Jun 17:13"
"2020-06-05T17:13:27.000000-07:00".to_s(:long) "June 05, 2020 17:13"

# How it works

This formula returns a string representation of the input data.

Quicktip: Output is a string datatype.

A string representation of a list cannot be used in a repeat step.

# See also

  • to_f: Converts data to a float (number) datatype.
  • to_i: Converts data to an integer (whole number) datatype.

# to_currency

Formats integers/numbers to a currency-style.

# Syntax

Input.to_currency

  • Input - Any input string.

# Sample usage

Formula Description Result
"345.60".to_currency Adds default currency symbol "$" "$345.60"

# Advance sample usage

Learn more about advance usage for the to_currency formula. A comma-separated combination of these may be used to achieve the desired currency format. For example:

"12345.678".to_currency(delimiter: ".", format: "%n %u", precision: 2, separator: ",", unit: "€")
Formula Description Result
"345.60".to_currency(unit: "€") Changes the default currency unit "€345.60"
"345.60".to_currency(format: "%n %u") Changes the position of the number relative to the unit (where the number is represented by %n and the currency unit is represented by %u). Accepts 0 or 1 spaces in between. Defaults to "%u%n". "345.60 $"
"-345.60".to_currency(negative_format: "(%u%n)") Specifies the format when the number is negative (where the number is represented by %n and the currency unit is represented by %u). "($345.60)"
"345.678".to_currency Precision defaults to 2 decimal places "$345.68"
"345.678".to_currency(precision: 3) Change the precision by specifying the number of decimal places "$345.678"
"345.678".to_currency(separator: ",") Specify the decimal separator as ".", "," or " ". Defaults to ".". "$345,68"
"12345.678".to_currency(delimiter: ".") Specify the thousands separator as ",", "." or " ". Defaults to ",". ""$12.345.68"

# to_phone

Converts string or number to a formatted phone number (user-defined).

# Syntax

Input.to_phone

  • Input - Any input string or number.

# Sample usage

Formula Result
"5551234".to_phone 555-1234
1235551234.to_phone 123-555-1234
1235551234.to_phone(area_code: true) (123) 555-1234
1235551234.to_phone(delimiter: " ") 123 555 1234
1235551234.to_phone(area_code: true, extension: 555) (123) 555-1234 x 555
1235551234.to_phone(country_code: 1) +1-123-555-1234
"123a456".to_phone 123a456


Last updated: 11/20/2023, 3:31:48 PM