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BPAS

Related Values, formulas and Swap Relation Tables let product data be entered once and reused. A Related Value shows on each product a value held on the list item it picks, such as the licence number of the unit that makes it. A formula in a String or Text feature composes stored values into a display value, such as a product title, and expressions format it with captions, units and bullets. A Swap Relation Table holds rows of data, such as ingredients with weight and percentage, in one feature on the product.

At a glance

Perfion name
Related Values, Formulas and Swap Relation Tables
Where
Feature definitions, the grid and the Item EditorRelated ValuesFormulasSwap Relation TablesRelated Values: Perfion 4.6 (2019) and later
Used by
Product editors and administratorsAdministrators create Related Values and switch formulas on
Documented expressions
5 expressionsFormatValueFormatMultiValuesFormatVariantTitleCaseReplaceConvert
How It Works

How data reuse works in Perfion, held once, used everywhere

Related Values show data where it is needed without copying it. Formulas compose text from it. Swap Relation Tables hold the data that comes in rows.

  1. Hold the detail on the list value

    A list value can carry its own data. A manufacturing unit in a pick list holds its licence number and address, set out in its configuration.

  2. Show it on every product

    A Related Value shows that data on each product that picks the unit, in grey, read from the unit itself. Nothing is copied.

  3. Compose the text

    A formula in a String or Text feature builds a product title or description from the values already stored, such as brand, name and pack size.

  4. Format it for the reader

    Expressions add captions and units, format numbers, turn lists into bullets and replace codes with words.

  5. Keep rows as rows

    A Swap Relation Table holds data with several rows and columns, such as ingredients with weight and percentage, in one feature on the product.

An illustration, not a screenshot: details held once on the unit, shown on every product, titles composed by a formula, and ingredients held as rows.
Copied Text vs Perfion

Copied text vs Perfion data reuse: what changes when data is reused, not retyped

Typed and copied, every detail exists many times and drifts apart. In Perfion, a detail is held once, shown where it is needed, and composed into the text channels use.

Typing and copying product details by hand, compared with Perfion Related Values, formulas and Swap Relation Tables as described in Boyum IT Solutions' Perfion documentation.
Task Typed and copied Perfion Related Values, formulas and tables
Showing a list value’s details on products The unit’s licence number typed again on every product it makes. A Related Value shows the value held on the list item, on every product that uses it.
Changing those details Every product edited by hand, and some missed. The value is changed once, on the list item.
Product titles and short descriptions Typed by hand for each channel, in a different style each time. A formula composes them from the brand, name, pack size and other stored values.
Units and number formats “100gm”, “100 G” and “100 grams” on the same range. Expressions add the caption and unit and format the number the same way every time.
Lists shown as bullets Retyped as a bulleted list for each channel. One expression turns the values of a multi-value feature into a list, with a bullet or separator of your choice.
Codes shown as words Looked up in a separate sheet and typed in. CaseReplace turns stored codes, such as V and N, into the words a reader understands.
Ingredients and components Columns named Ingredient 1, Ingredient 2, Ingredient 3, or one pasted block of text. A Swap Relation Table holds one row per ingredient, with a column for each value.
Channels and the API Each export keeps its own copy of the text. Display values are used in the grid, reports and exports, and the Perfion API returns the resolved value.

See how your product titles and details would be reused in Perfion.

See it on your product data
Capabilities in Depth

Perfion data reuse capabilities: eight ways to enter data once and use it everywhere

Each capability shows what it does in Perfion and what it is worth to the business.

Operational Reality (Capabilities)

A Related Value shows on an item a value that really belongs to another item. Boyum’s example is a Colour pick list whose items each carry a HEX code, a RAL colour number, a description and an image. A Related Value shows those values on every product that picks the colour. Related Values are shown with a grey background, the same as other remote features, because they read from the Perfion database itself as a self-remote. Before Perfion 4.6 (2019) the same result needed a self-remote to be built by hand; Related Values make it much less tedious.

  • Values of a list item shown on the products that use it
  • Shown in grey, read from the list item
  • No copy of the value on the product

Executive ROI Value

Details such as a unit’s licence number or a colour code are maintained in one place and are correct on every product that uses them.

  • One change, every product updated
  • No stale copies in channels

Operational Reality (Capabilities)

Every Related Value is defined by three things: a unique name, a Base Feature and a Value Feature. The Base Feature is the selectable feature that carries the configuration, such as Colour; it must have a configuration and must not be multi-value. The Value Feature is one of the features in that configuration, of type Date, String, Number, Link, Text or Image, and not itself a remote. A multi-value String can be used too: its values are shown as one string, separated by semicolons. A new Related Value takes the captions, units, help text and groups of its Value Feature, and can then be edited like any other feature.

  • Six data types, including Image
  • Multi-value strings joined with semicolons
  • Captions, units and help text taken from the source

Executive ROI Value

Product pages, reports and catalogues show the brand logo, colour code or unit address without anyone keying it twice.

  • Less typing on every product
  • Images and codes always from the source

Operational Reality (Capabilities)

Perfion uses formulas to compose feature data into display values, which appear in the grid, in reporting and in exports. Text and String features can process formulas, and the setting can be switched on or off at any time, whatever data the feature already holds. Like a spreadsheet, the grid shows the formula while a cell is being edited and the display value the rest of the time. One text can hold several formulas, so a title such as brand, name and pack size is built from three stored values. A formula that refers to a value it cannot find shows nothing.

  • String and Text features can hold formulas
  • Several values composed into one text
  • Formula in edit mode, display value otherwise

Executive ROI Value

Hundreds of titles follow one agreed pattern and are built from data that is already checked, instead of being typed and retyped.

  • Hours saved on titles and descriptions
  • One style across the whole range

Operational Reality (Capabilities)

Expressions convert a value as it is shown. FormatValue combines a value with its caption, unit, abbreviation or group, and formats numbers and dates: currency, decimals, thousands separators, percentages, short and long dates. FormatMultiValues shows the values of a multi-value feature with a separator of your choice, such as a bullet on each new line. FormatVariantTitle works the same way for variant titles. Expressions are used throughout Perfion, not only in formulas.

  • Caption, value and unit in one pattern
  • Number and date formats
  • Multi-values as bullets or lists

Executive ROI Value

Weights, sizes and claims read the same on every product, in every channel, without anyone formatting them by hand.

  • No mixed units in channels
  • Bulleted lists without retyping

Operational Reality (Capabilities)

CaseReplace replaces stored values with other text. Pairs of values are listed, such as V for Vegetarian and N for Non-vegetarian, with one text for any value that does not match and another for an empty value. Boyum’s example turns a product status into New, Pending or Missing. The Convert expression changes a value so that it can be shown with an EAN-13 or UPC-A barcode font.

  • Codes replaced with readable text
  • A text for unmatched and for empty values
  • EAN-13 and UPC-A barcode font text

Executive ROI Value

Internal codes stay short and consistent in the data, while customers and printed labels see clear words and scannable barcodes.

  • No lookup sheets for codes
  • Label text straight from the data

Operational Reality (Capabilities)

A Formula Editor can be switched on for formula features that are not selectable, and is then available from both the grid and the Item Editor. It has three tabs. Edit holds the formula text, Result shows what the formula produces, and the Formula Insert Helper lists the features in the system, filtered by name, caption or ID, with ready-made formulas for each one, such as its caption or its value with two decimal places.

  • Edit, Result and Formula Insert Helper
  • Features found by name, caption or ID
  • Available in the grid and the Item Editor

Executive ROI Value

Product data editors write and check formulas themselves, with fewer mistakes and less reliance on one specialist.

  • Fewer broken formulas
  • Results checked before saving

Operational Reality (Capabilities)

Formula display values are used in every output format, except Excel exports meant for re-import, which carry the formula itself so it can come back into Perfion. Results from the Perfion API contain only the values the formulas resolve to, so solutions already built on the API work with new formulas without changes. Formulas respect security: a formula cannot retrieve a value the user has no access to. A formula on a localizable feature is entered for each language that needs it.

  • Display values in reports and exports
  • Resolved values through the Perfion API
  • User rights respected

Executive ROI Value

The title a merchandiser sees in Perfion is the title every channel receives, with no separate copy to keep in step.

  • One title in every channel
  • Existing integrations keep working

Operational Reality (Capabilities)

A standard feature holds one or several values. For table-like data with several rows and columns in a single feature, such as an ingredient list with name, weight and percentage, Perfion uses Swap Relation Tables. The rows are built on a selectable feature with multiple values, whose own configuration provides the columns, and Swap Relation Direction turns it into a table on the product. Despite the name, no Table data type is used. These tables are shown in the Item Editor, not in the grid. Their rows are created in the context of each product and can also be seen in Feature Data. Inheritance is not supported, and the tables are not copied when a product is copied.

  • One row per ingredient or component
  • Columns from the feature’s configuration
  • Not inherited, not copied with the product

Executive ROI Value

Ingredient lists, bills of materials and specification rows are held as structured data that reports and labels can use directly.

  • No fixed Ingredient 1, 2, 3 columns
  • Rows reports can use directly
Core Concepts

5 Core Concepts of Entering Data Once and Reusing It

The first is about reusing data. The next three are about composing text. The last is about data that comes in rows.

  1. Concept 01 · Keep a value where it belongs

    Hold It Once, Show It Everywhere

    The product data problem it solves

    The licence number and address of the unit that makes each product are typed on every product. When the licence is renewed, hundreds of products have to be edited, and the ones that are missed reach channels with the old number.

    The concept explained

    Many values on a product are not facts about the product at all. A colour code belongs to the colour; a licence number belongs to the unit. When each product holds its own copy, every copy has to be kept in step. The better place for such a value is the list item it describes, and every product then shows it from there. A Related Value does exactly this: it shows, on each product, a value held on the list item the product picks. Because Perfion reads it from the list item, there is nothing to copy and nothing to fall out of date.

    Everyday analogy

    A shop board that reads the price from the billing system. Change the price once at the counter, and every board in the shop shows the new one.

    In Perfion

    A Related Value is defined by a Base Feature, the selectable feature whose items carry the data, and a Value Feature, the feature in its configuration to show. It can be added to a configuration like other features and queried in the Perfion API. It is shown in grey, as a self-remote.

    Hold it once, show it everywhereLeft: the list item Erode in the Unit pick list holds its FSSAI licence number, its address and an image. Right: three products made at Erode, Garam Masala, Chilli Powder and Haldi, each show the licence number in a grey Related Value field read from the unit. Bottom: when the licence is renewed, it is changed once on the unit and every product shows the new number.The licence is held on the unit, and shown on its productsUnit · Erodelist itemFSSAI licence10012345000678AddressSIPCOT, Erode, Tamil NaduUnit imageerode-unit.jpgMG-GM-100 · Garam MasalaUnit licence10012345000678MG-CH-100 · Chilli PowderUnit licence10012345000678MG-HL-100 · HaldiUnit licence10012345000678Grey: a Related Value, read from the unitLicence renewed?Change it once on the unit. Every product shows the new number.
    The Erode unit holds its licence once. Three products show it in grey, and a renewal is made in one place.
  2. Concept 02 · Build the text from checked values

    Compose Text, Do Not Retype It

    The product data problem it solves

    Product titles are typed by hand for each channel. The same garam masala reads “Garam masala 100gm” on one app and “GARAM MASALA - 100 G” on another, and a pack size change is corrected in the data but not in the title.

    The concept explained

    Most product titles and short descriptions follow a pattern: brand, product name, pack size. The values in that pattern are already in Perfion, checked and kept up to date. Typing them again into a title creates a second copy that drifts from the first. A formula composes the title from the stored values instead, so every title follows the same pattern and changes when the data changes. The grid marks a formula that needs refreshing after a change, so editors can see when a composed value is not yet up to date.

    Everyday analogy

    A mail merge. The letter is written once with placeholders, and every copy fills in the name and address from the list.

    In Perfion

    Text and String features can process formulas. Display values appear in the grid, reporting and exports. When values are changed in the grid, formulas that use them are marked and updated when the grid is refreshed; Perfion does not refresh them automatically, to protect performance.

    Compose text, do not retype itLeft: three stored values, Brand Masalora, Name Garam Masala and Pack size 100 g. Centre: a formula in the Web title feature that combines them. Right: the display value, Masalora Garam Masala, 100 g. Bottom: when the pack size changes to 200 g, the formula cell is marked with a red corner and shows the new title after the grid is refreshed.One pattern composes the title from stored valuesBrandMasaloraNameGaram MasalaPack size100 gFormula · Web title[Brand] [Name],[PackSize@{Value} {Unit}]Edit mode shows the formulaDisplay valueMasalora GaramMasala, 100 gThe data changes: Pack size becomes 200 gWeb titleMarked: needs a refreshAfter a refreshMasalora Garam Masala, 200 g
    Brand, name and pack size compose the title. A new pack size shows in the title once the grid is refreshed.
  3. Concept 03 · Stored once, shown the right way

    Format Every Value for Its Reader

    The product data problem it solves

    Units, decimals and claims are formatted by whoever types them. One product says “100 g”, the next “100gm”, and the list of claims is a comma-separated line on one channel and bullets on another.

    The concept explained

    How a value is stored and how it should be read are two different things. The data should hold a plain number, a list of claims or a short code; the reader should see a caption, a unit, a clean number format, bullets and words. Expressions do the converting, the same way every time: the caption and unit around a value, the number of decimals, a bullet before each value of a list, and CaseReplace to turn a code into a word.

    Everyday analogy

    A bank passbook. The bank stores the plain number; the passbook prints it with the rupee sign, commas and two decimals, every time.

    In Perfion

    FormatValue combines a value with its caption, unit, abbreviation or group and formats numbers and dates. FormatMultiValues shows multiple values with a separator. CaseReplace replaces values, and Convert prepares a value for an EAN-13 or UPC-A barcode font. Expressions are used throughout Perfion.

    Format every value for its readerThree rows. A stored number, Net weight 100, is shown with FormatValue as Net weight 100.00 g. A multi-value list of claims, Vegan, Gluten free and No added colour, is shown with FormatMultiValues as a bulleted list. A stored diet code V is shown with CaseReplace as Vegetarian.Stored valueExpressionWhat the reader seesNet weight100FormatValuecaption, value, unitNet weight 100.00 gClaimsVegan; Gluten free;No added colourFormatMultiValuesa bullet on each line● Vegan● Gluten free● No added colourDiet codeVCaseReplaceV = VegetarianVegetarianExpressions are used throughout Perfion, not only in formulas.
    A plain number, a list and a code become a weight with its unit, a bulleted list and a word.
  4. Concept 04 · Plan for what formulas leave out

    Know Where a Formula Stops

    The product data problem it solves

    A team builds titles on top of other composed titles, expects formulas to add up weights, and is surprised when a composed value stays blank or out of date in a channel review.

    The concept explained

    Formulas compose and format text. They are not a calculation engine, and Boyum documents clearly what they do not do. A formula cannot use another formula. Formulas do not resolve remote values, do not aggregate values, are not updated in the grid until it is refreshed, and their results cannot be searched through the Perfion API. A formula that refers to a value it cannot find shows nothing. Designing around these limits from the start keeps composed text reliable.

    Everyday analogy

    A label printer. It prints exactly what the product master tells it, beautifully, but it will not count the stock for you.

    In Perfion

    A formula that refers to another formula gives the error Disallowed Reference(1). Formulas referencing remote values are not resolved, for performance reasons. The Item Card Editor does not show resolved display values, and formula results are not queryable through the API.

    From BPAS · prodRecord newsletterprodRecordKeeping the record straight.One product data practice every month, written in plain English for product data teams.
    Know where a formula stopsLeft: what a formula does: composes text from stored values, feeds its display value to the grid, reports and exports, gives the Perfion API its resolved value, respects each user's access rights, and can leave out a label whose value is empty. Right: what it does not do: use another formula, resolve remote values, add up values, update in the grid before a refresh, or be searched through the API.A formula doesCompose text from stored valuesFeed the grid, reports and exportsGive the Perfion API its resolved valueRespect each user’s access rightsLeave out a label when its value is emptyA formula does notUse another formulaResolve remote valuesAdd up or total valuesUpdate in the grid before a refreshGet searched through the API
    What a formula does, and where it stops, as documented by Boyum.
  5. Concept 05 · Data with rows and columns

    Rows Belong in a Table, Not in Numbered Columns

    The product data problem it solves

    Ingredients are typed into columns called Ingredient 1, Ingredient 2 and Ingredient 3, or pasted as one block of text, so weights and percentages are missing and the fourth ingredient has nowhere to go.

    The concept explained

    Some product data is naturally a table: ingredients with a weight and a percentage, or the components of a product. Squeezed into numbered columns, it runs out of columns. Pasted as text, it cannot be checked, sorted or reused. A Swap Relation Table holds one row per ingredient, with a column for each value, inside a single feature on the product. Because it is designed into the data model, it has to be decided before products are set up, including how copied products and variants will get their rows.

    Everyday analogy

    The nutrition panel on a pack. One line per nutrient, the same columns on every line, and room for as many lines as the product needs.

    In Perfion

    Swap Relation Tables are built on a selectable feature with multiple values, whose configuration provides the columns, with Swap Relation Direction set on the product configuration. They are shown in the Item Editor, not in the grid; inheritance is not supported, and they are not copied when a product is copied.

    BPAS method · toolDeploy EnterpriseDesign before configurationThe data model is designed and signed off before anything is configured: the Design phase of toolDeploy Enterprise.
    Rows belong in a table, not in numbered columnsLeft: numbered columns Ingredient 1, Ingredient 2 and Ingredient 3 hold Coriander, Cumin and Black pepper with no weight or percentage, and a fourth ingredient has no column. Right: a Swap Relation Table on product MG-GM-100 holds six rows, Coriander 40 g 40 percent, Cumin 25 g 25 percent, Black pepper 15 g 15 percent, Cardamom 10 g 10 percent, Cloves 5 g 5 percent and Cinnamon 5 g 5 percent. Bottom: the table is shown in the Item Editor, is not inherited and is not copied when a product is copied.Numbered columnsIngredient 1CorianderIngredient 2CuminIngredient 3Black pepperCardamom: no column leftNo weight, no percentageSwap Relation Table · MG-GM-100IngredientWeight%Coriander40 g40Cumin25 g25Black pepper15 g15Cardamom10 g10Cloves5 g5Cinnamon5 g5Total 100Shown in the Item EditorNot inheritedNot copied with a product
    Three numbered columns run out of room. The table holds six ingredients, each with weight and percentage.
Best Practices

10 Best Practices for Related Values and Formulas in Perfion

Each practice says what good data reuse looks like and what it costs to ignore it. Setting them up for your team is what BPAS consultants do.

  1. 01Hold shared details on the list value

    Related Values · Source

    The rule

    Details that belong to a list value, such as a unit’s licence number or a colour code, are held once on the list item and shown on products through Related Values.

    Risk if ignored

    Copies typed on each product drift apart, and a change such as a licence renewal is made on some products and missed on others.

    Get it right with BPAS

    Not sure this is in place for your team? Talk to a BPAS consultant.

    Talk to BPAS
  2. 02Give every Related Value a caption that names its source

    Related Values · Captions

    The rule

    Each Related Value has a caption that tells editors where the value comes from, such as Unit licence or Colour HEX.

    Risk if ignored

    A Related Value starts with the caption of its source feature, so a product can show two fields called Description and editors change the wrong one.

    Get it right with BPAS

    Not sure this is in place for your team? Talk to a BPAS consultant.

    Talk to BPAS
  3. 03Compose patterned text with formulas

    Formulas · Titles

    The rule

    Titles and short descriptions that follow a pattern, such as brand, name and pack size, are composed by formulas from stored values, one agreed pattern per text.

    Risk if ignored

    Typed titles differ by channel and by editor, and stay wrong after the data behind them is corrected.

    Get it right with BPAS

    Not sure this is in place for your team? Talk to a BPAS consultant.

    Talk to BPAS
  4. 04Build formulas on stored values only

    Formulas · References

    The rule

    Every formula refers to stored values, never to another formula and never to a remote value.

    Risk if ignored

    A formula that uses another formula gives an error, and one that uses a remote value is not resolved, so the composed text is missing where it matters.

    Get it right with BPAS

    Not sure this is in place for your team? Talk to a BPAS consultant.

    Talk to BPAS
  5. 05Leave out labels whose value is empty

    Formulas · Empty values

    The rule

    Composed text never shows a label without its value. Where a value can be empty, the formula leaves out its part.

    Risk if ignored

    Channels show texts such as “Net weight: g” that make the product look unfinished.

    Get it right with BPAS

    Not sure this is in place for your team? Talk to a BPAS consultant.

    Talk to BPAS
  6. 06Let expressions format units and numbers

    Expressions · Format

    The rule

    Units, decimals, bullets and readable words come from expressions, so the stored values stay plain numbers, lists and codes.

    Risk if ignored

    Units and formats typed into the values themselves come out differently on every product, and the numbers can no longer be used as numbers.

    Get it right with BPAS

    Not sure this is in place for your team? Talk to a BPAS consultant.

    Talk to BPAS
  7. 07Treat a marked formula cell as unfinished

    Formulas · Grid

    The rule

    Editors know that a red corner on a formula cell means it needs a refresh, and a black corner means the formula gives no result, and they clear both before review.

    Risk if ignored

    Composed values are reviewed while they are out of date or empty, and the wrong text is approved.

    Get it right with BPAS

    Not sure this is in place for your team? Talk to a BPAS consultant.

    Talk to BPAS
  8. 08Enter localizable formulas in every language

    Formulas · Languages

    The rule

    Formulas on localizable features exist in every language the business publishes.

    Risk if ignored

    A formula entered only in English gives display values only in English, and other languages show nothing.

    Get it right with BPAS

    Not sure this is in place for your team? Talk to a BPAS consultant.

    Talk to BPAS
  9. 09Hold rows of data in Swap Relation Tables

    Data model · Tables

    The rule

    Ingredients, components and other row-by-row data are held in Swap Relation Tables, one row per entry, not in numbered columns or pasted text.

    Risk if ignored

    Numbered columns run out and pasted text cannot be checked, so labels and reports rely on someone reading every product.

    Get it right with BPAS

    Not sure this is in place for your team? Talk to a BPAS consultant.

    Talk to BPAS
  10. 10Plan how copied products get their table rows

    Tables · Copies and variants

    The rule

    The team knows that Swap Relation Tables are not inherited and not copied with a product, and has an agreed way to fill them on new and copied products.

    Risk if ignored

    A copied product looks complete but has an empty ingredient table, and it goes live without one.

    Get it right with BPAS

    Not sure this is in place for your team? Talk to a BPAS consultant.

    Talk to BPAS
Self-Audit · 10 Best Practices

Data reuse self-audit: how many are in place today?

Tick each of the ten practices above that your product team already follows. Your score updates as you go.

Practices in place
0 of 10

Tick the practices that are in place.

Book a data reuse review

Nothing you tick is stored or sent.

Illustrative scenario · not a client case study A Business Like Yours

Illustrative scenario: an Indian spice brand, with every title and detail typed by hand

A spice brand makes about 400 products, spice powders, blends and ready-to-cook mixes, at two manufacturing units, and sells them through its own web shop, two quick-commerce apps, two marketplaces and modern trade. Orders, stock and invoicing are in the ERP. Product data is kept in spreadsheets.

The Operational Challenge

Product titles are typed by hand for each channel, so one garam masala reads “Masalora Garam masala 100gm” on one app and “MASALORA GARAM MASALA - 100 G” on another. The licence number and address of the unit that makes each product are typed on every product, and ingredients sit in a block of text, with percentages missing on half the range.

When the Erode unit’s licence was renewed last year, 260 products had to be edited by hand, and 40 were missed until a marketplace flagged them.

  • Titles typed for every channel, in different styles
  • Unit details copied onto every product
  • Pack sizes written in different ways
  • Ingredients pasted as text, without percentages

The Financial Transformation

In Perfion, each unit’s licence number and address are held once, on the unit, and every product shows them through Related Values. Titles are composed by a formula from brand, name and pack size, and expressions format the net weight and turn the claims into bullets.

A CaseReplace turns the diet code into Vegetarian or Non-vegetarian, and ingredients are held in a Swap Relation Table, one row each, with weight and percentage.

  • One title pattern across the range
  • A licence renewal made once
  • Units and claims formatted the same way
  • Ingredients held as rows, with percentages
Illustrative figures for a typical Indian spice brand of this size. They add up, but they are not a client case study.
Cost line Before (per month) After (per month) Difference (per year)
Typing and correcting titles and descriptions₹ 90,000₹ 25,000₹ 7,80,000
Updating unit and brand details across products₹ 40,000₹ 5,000₹ 4,20,000
Rework of ingredient and label data₹ 70,000₹ 25,000₹ 5,40,000
Total₹ 2,00,000₹ 55,000₹ 17,40,000
Illustrative saving a year₹ 17,40,000Same figures as the table, not a client result

See your own titles composed and details reused in Perfion.

Book a data reuse review
From BPAS

prodRecord Live

Enterprise product data insights from BPAS

Keeping the record straight, live every month

prodRecord Live is a monthly webinar series on product information management, held on the second Wednesday of every month from January 2027. Each session takes one product data topic and works through it in plain English with time for your questions.

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Who Benefits

Who benefits from data held once: one range, three answers

  • Promoter & CXOs

    Will every channel show the same product?

    Titles are composed from one set of checked data, and details such as licence numbers are held once, so every channel receives the same product and compliance changes are made in one place.

  • Product Data Manager

    Can a change be made once and reach every product?

    Related Values show list item details on every product, and formulas compose titles from stored values, so a correction is made once and the composed text follows.

  • Product Executive

    How do I write 400 titles without typing 400 titles?

    Agree the pattern once. A formula composes every title from the brand, name and pack size, and a Swap Relation Table holds the ingredients as rows.

Vocabulary

Data Reuse Vocabulary and Definitions

From values shown from another item, to text composed by formulas and rows held in a table. Each term shows what it means, why it matters, and a household comparison.

  1. Base Feature

    Related Values · source

    Has a configuration

    Operational definition

    The selectable feature whose list items hold the values a Related Value shows, such as Colour or Manufacturing Unit.

    Why it matters in Perfion

    It must have a configuration and must not be multi-value.

    Everyday analogy

    The supplier master that holds each supplier’s address.

    See it in action:What a Related Value shows under Capabilities →

  2. Value Feature

    Related Values · shown value

    Six data types

    Operational definition

    The feature in the Base Feature’s configuration whose value the Related Value shows, such as HEX or RALColorNo.

    Why it matters in Perfion

    It can be a Date, String, Number, Link, Text or Image feature, but not a remote. A multi-value String is shown as one string separated by semicolons.

    Everyday analogy

    The one column you read from the supplier master: the address, not the whole record.

    See it in action:What a Related Value shows under Capabilities →

  3. Self-remote

    Features · remotes

    Reads Perfion itself

    Operational definition

    A remote feature that reads from the Perfion database itself rather than another database. Related Values count as self-remotes.

    Why it matters in Perfion

    Self-remotes and normal remotes are both shown in grey, so editors can see that the value is read from somewhere else.

    Everyday analogy

    A mirror on the wall: it shows the room, but you cannot rearrange the room in it.

    See it in action:Related Values under Capabilities →

  4. Formula

    Text · composed

    String and Text features

    Operational definition

    Text in a String or Text feature that composes feature data into a display value, such as a product title built from brand, name and pack size.

    Why it matters in Perfion

    Composed text follows one pattern and changes when the data changes. Formulas can be switched on or off at any time.

    Everyday analogy

    A mail merge letter with placeholders for each name.

    See it in action:Concept 02 under Core Concepts →

  5. Display value

    Formulas · result

    What the reader sees

    Operational definition

    What a formula shows once it is resolved. The grid shows the display value, and the formula itself while a cell is edited.

    Why it matters in Perfion

    Display values are used in reports and exports and returned by the Perfion API. Excel exports for re-import carry the formula instead.

    Everyday analogy

    The total on a spreadsheet cell, with the formula behind it.

    See it in action:Formulas in every output under Capabilities →

  6. Expression

    Formulas · format

    Used across Perfion

    Operational definition

    The part of a formula that converts a value as it is shown: with its caption and unit, in a number or date format, or as a list.

    Why it matters in Perfion

    FormatValue, FormatMultiValues, FormatVariantTitle, CaseReplace and Convert are documented. Expressions are used throughout Perfion, not only in formulas.

    Everyday analogy

    The passbook printer that adds the rupee sign, commas and decimals.

    See it in action:Concept 03 under Core Concepts →

  7. Formula Editor

    Formulas · writing

    Three tabs

    Operational definition

    An editor for formula features that are not selectable, with Edit, Result and Formula Insert Helper tabs.

    Why it matters in Perfion

    The Insert Helper lists the features in the system and offers ready-made formulas for each, so the syntax does not have to be remembered.

    Everyday analogy

    Autocomplete on a phone keyboard: you pick the word instead of spelling it.

    See it in action:Formula Editor under Capabilities →

  8. CaseReplace

    Expressions · replace

    Codes to words

    Operational definition

    An expression that replaces stored values with other text, with one text for values that do not match and another for empty values.

    Why it matters in Perfion

    Codes stay short in the data, and readers see words such as Vegetarian or Pending.

    Everyday analogy

    The legend on a map that tells you what each symbol means.

    See it in action:Replace values and barcode text under Capabilities →

  9. Swap Relation Table

    Features · table data

    Rows and columns

    Operational definition

    Table-like data, with several rows and columns, held in a single feature on a product. Boyum’s example is an ingredient list with name, weight and percentage.

    Why it matters in Perfion

    Shown in the Item Editor, not the grid. Not inherited and not copied when a product is copied.

    Everyday analogy

    The nutrition panel on a pack: one line per nutrient, the same columns on every line.

    See it in action:Concept 05 under Core Concepts →

FAQ

Related Values and formulas: questions product teams ask

Short answers, each with a link to the part of this guide that explains it.

  1. Yes. The value is held on the list item and shown on each product through the Related Value, so it is changed once, in one place.

    More on Related Values
  2. Not in the grid. When a value is changed there, formulas that use it are marked with a red corner and updated when the grid is refreshed. Perfion does not refresh them automatically, to protect performance.

    More on Concept 02
  3. No. Boyum’s documentation states that formulas do not perform any form of aggregation at this point. They compose and format text from stored values.

    More on Concept 04
  4. No. A formula that refers to another formula gives the error Disallowed Reference(1). Formulas also do not resolve remote values. Build each formula on stored values.

    More on Practice 04
  5. In a Swap Relation Table: one row per ingredient or component, with a column for each value, such as weight and percentage. It is shown in the Item Editor, and it is not inherited or copied when a product is copied.

    More on Concept 05
  6. Yes. Related Values, formulas and Swap Relation Tables are part of Perfion itself, so this guide applies whichever ERP your product data comes from. What changes from one ERP to another is the integration that brings ERP data into Perfion.

    More on ERP integration

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