SAP Build Challenge – Week 1 – Formulas

[Dan_Wroblewski]

This post is part of the SAP Build Community Challenge (April 2023)

This week’s challenge involves formulas – a key feature of SAP Build Apps. Formulas are used in bindings of components, and enable you to manipulate data before it is displayed in a component or before it is sent to a data source.

Formulas are created in the formula editor, which provides some tools for making writing formulas easier:

• It has a list of functions, which can be added to the formula with a click.
• It has documentation on each function, plus examples.
• It has a live testing of functions so you can be certain how they work.
• It checks the syntax of the formula.
• It shows an expected sample result of the function.
• It checks the resulting data type against the data type expected by the component or flow function using the formula.

Here are some learning materials about formulas:

• Formulas (documentation)
• Formula Functions (reference)
• No-code App Programming 101 (video by Akseli Virtanen)

Setup

We will give you an app that looks like this (I like cats).

To set up the challenge, do the following:

1. Download the skeleton project called Challenge - Formulas.zip.gpg.
2. Create a new SAP Build Apps project in your tenant or the sandbox.
3. Import the downloaded file into your new project by selecting History > Replace in the top-right corner, and then selecting the downloaded project. 

You should now have the skeleton project.

Inside the app, we have already created a page variable called StartValue that contains the starting data that we want you to transform. 

The Challenge

When you are ready, on the UI Canvas, select the Transform button, open the logic canvas, then select the Set page variable flow function, and finally go to set the formula for Assigned Value on the right (which currently returns an empty list).

This is what you need to do:

1. Write a formula that replaces the empty list for the assigned value and that does the following:
   • Aggregates the data from StartValue so that in EndValue each name appears only once with an average calculated from the amount fields.
   • Names should be sorted alphabetically, from A to Z
   • Averages should be rounded to the nearest integer.
2. Launch your app.
3. Click the Transform button (which will display 4 names and an average for each), and then type your name in the input field.
4. Take a screenshot and post it to THIS discussion.
   • BONUS: Add to your entry the movie from where the 4 names in the results are taken.

Your screenshot should look something like this but without the blur (I need to see the names and averages) and with your name:

Good luck ... and have fun!!

Hint

You have to do 3 things in the formula (aggregate/group, sort, round), so find a function that does each one. Use the wonderful editor features that document the available functions.

For example, for aggregating, go to the List area, and then find a function that aggregates (in this case, GROUP). You'll see all the documentation for it on the right, plus a little playground inside the documentation for testing it. Pretty cool! 

 

[Dan_Wroblewski]

Nice data, I just can't check if the function is correct and does what it is supposed to do 😺 

[rudavi]

You’re right, as soon as I can, I’ll publish the one with the correct data.

Sorry!!

[hismail]

Hi Dan,

Thanks for the interesting challenge.

Movie: Madagascar

[dinah]

My Output:

[Dan_Wroblewski]

Nice work 😺 Feel free to do the other challenges

https://blogs.sap.com/2023/03/30/you-think-you-know-sap-build-take-our-challenge/

[Pamela]

Hello Dan,

Thanks for the interesting challenge. 

Just discovered this challenge yesterday, hoping it's not too late to joing it.

Here is my screenshot:

thanks,

Pamela

[Dan_Wroblewski]

Of course not too late 😺Please participate in all the challenges

https://blogs.sap.com/2023/03/30/you-think-you-know-sap-build-take-our-challenge/

[Sai_Nithesh_G]

Hello Dan,

Movie name : Madagascar

Challenge is very interesting. I was trying this quite long time. After going through the steps and suggestions from the comments multiple times, I have achieved finally. 😎

[Dan_Wroblewski]

Sorry it took a long time ... what was particularly difficult?

Try the other challenges 😺

https://blogs.sap.com/2023/03/30/you-think-you-know-sap-build-take-our-challenge/

[Sai_Nithesh_G]

Actually, It took more time for me to identify that I have to use PLUCK to get amount values from the items loop.

Anyhow its a good learning 😀

[rajkumar]

[Dan_Wroblewski]

Nice work...I hope you will try the other challenges

https://blogs.sap.com/2023/03/30/you-think-you-know-sap-build-take-our-challenge/

[HelenaFortun]

Hello Dan,

I started a bit late with the challenge.... I like such tasks!!! 

Here my first part:

The movie is Madagascar!

Best regards!

Helena

[Dan_Wroblewski]

Thanks for participating and glad you liked it. You left out the sorting part.

After adding the sorting, try out the other challenges ... never too late 😺

https://blogs.sap.com/2023/03/30/you-think-you-know-sap-build-take-our-challenge/

[vinay050]

Hello @Dan_Wroblewski ,

Really enjoyed working on this challenge. 

Move name is Madagascar and following is the screenshot of my app 

Regards

Vinay

[rsraj]

Hello Dan,

Here's my first week challenge. Thank you very much!

[Dan_Wroblewski]

Thanks for joining the challenge 😺 Please consider continuing onto the rest

https://blogs.sap.com/2023/03/30/you-think-you-know-sap-build-take-our-challenge/

[shridharshetty]

Thanks for the Build Challenge.

Movie name: Madagascar.

[Dan_Wroblewski]

Great job ... thanks for participating 😺

[mrpz]

Hello,

Starting at full speed the challenge this week! 🙂 

The Key is to work with the appgyver doc webpage.

[Dan_Wroblewski]

Nothing better than good documentation 😺

[jakku]

Great Challenge, Below is my screenshot.

[Dan_Wroblewski]

Thanks for participating ... please enjoy the others 😺

[Alejandro1]

Hello @Dan_Wroblewski,

SAP Build Challenge – Week 1 – Formulas:


Looking forward for more exercises like this one to get familiar with the Formulas of SAP Build Apps!!

Thank you 🙂

[Dan_Wroblewski]

Perhaps we could continue with a regular (weekly, monthly) challenge related to formulas ... we'll see 😺 

[CarlGP]

Hi Dan,

I just found out about these Challenges today, and it took a while to get the hang of the formulas. But I now finally got the result below  😀. Thanks!

[Dan_Wroblewski]

I'm glad you finally found them 😺 Please participate in the others also

[staseeb]

Hello @Dan_Wroblewski ,

Thank you for this challenge! 

Movie Name: Madagascar

[GRABLERE]

Great Challenge!:)

[Dan_Wroblewski]

Thanks for participating 😺

[WannL_Tan]

Great exercise!

[Dan_Wroblewski]

Thanks for joining 😺 The numbers are slightly off. I assume you rounded down instead of up.

[WannL_Tan]

Thanks Dan.  I used function DIV rather than divide with function CEIL.

[VinayKumawat]

I am little late, but it is never too late to learn.

Thanks for the challenge.

Movie is Madagascar

[Dan_Wroblewski]

Never too late, and still more than a week left to do at least 1 more 😺

[TimothySanty]

Hello everyone! I'm a bit late to the party but I'm always game for a challenge! To be honest this one was more difficult than I anticipated. Looking forward to the next! The movie is Madagascar BTW.

[Dan_Wroblewski]

Nice work 😺 Please do the others, too

[johna69]

Movie I already saw someone elses answer... Madagascar ..... 

[Dan_Wroblewski]

Thanks for participating 😺

[P000636]