---
title: "Formula components"
slug: "formula-components"
updated: 2026-04-27T20:08:32Z
published: 2026-04-27T20:08:32Z
---

> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://help.quickbase.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Formula components

Formulas are made up of several components, as shown in the following example.

### Example formula

```plaintext
If([Order Complete]=TRUE, [SUBTOTAL] + [TAX], null)
```

- **Formula function**: `If()`
- **Argument**: `[Order Complete]=TRUE, [SUBTOTAL] + [TAX], null`
- **Field references**: `[Order Complete], [SUBTOTAL], and [TAX]`
- **Literals**: `2`
- **Operators**: `+`

## Formula function

A formula function is a pre-defined term that performs an action on values and generates a new value. See the [Formula Functions Reference app](https://www.quickbase.com/db/6ewwzuuj?a=td)for a list of formula functions.

You don't need to use formula functions in basic formulas; however, most formulas contain at least one function. Complex formulas may contain many functions. See [examples of formula functions.](/v1/docs/commonly-used-formula-functions-and-formula-examples)

## Argument

An argument is information in a formula function that tells the function which values to act on or produce.

- Arguments appear inside parentheses that follow a function
- Separate arguments with commas
- Arguments can be exact [literals](/v1/docs/formula-components#literal), [field references](/v1/docs/formula-components#field-reference), or other [functions](/v1/docs/formula-components#formula-function)
- Arguments follow an [order of operation](/v1/docs/operator-precedence-in-formulas), so the order you list them is important

## Field reference

A field reference retrieves values from a specific field in the record to display or use in a calculation.

- Enclose field references in square brackets, e.g., `[Manager]`
- A field reference uses a field value in the formula, e.g., `[First Name] &" "& [Last           Name]` joins the values in the **First Name** and **Last Name** fields (i.e., "John Smith")
- Use a field reference to call an application variable; see [Creating and using application variables](/v1/docs/creating-and-using-application-variables)

## Literal

A literal is a value that's used exactly as displayed in the formula. Literals can be numbers or text.

- Enclose textual literals in double quotes; e.g., `If([Discount %] > 0.15,"Enter a discount of 15% or           less."`
- Textual literals can contain quotation marks. If a character is part of the literal put a \ before the character; e.g., `"The \" character is part of this literal."`
- Use a backslash to include an open or close square bracket []; e.g., `"The \[ character is part of this literal."`
- To use a backslash in your literal, use a \ before the backslash; e.g., `"The \" and the \\ are both special characters."`

## Operators

Operators are special symbols like `+` and `*` that act on one or two values to return a new value.

### Unary operators

Act on a single value. See list of [unary operators](https://www.quickbase.com/db/6ewwzuuj?a=q&qid=10).

In a formula, unary operators might look like:

- -5
- +4
- not true

### Binary operators

Act on two values. See list of [binary operators](https://www.quickbase.com/db/6ewwzuuj?a=q&qid=11)

In a formula, binary operators might look like:

- 3 - 4
- [Start date] + Days(7)

## Up next

- [Adding formula fields to tables](/v1/docs/adding-formula-fields-to-tables)
- [Writing formulas](/v1/docs/writing-formulas)