About formula columns

When you need to apply your own calculations to reporting data in DoubleClick Search (DS), instead of downloading the data and using spreadsheet functions, you can create a formula column directly in DS. A formula column applies spreadsheet-like functions to data from existing DS columns. You can add formula columns to DS reports, create bid strategies that optimize to the formula, or use them in other formula columns.

See the list of functions you can use in formula columns, and the list of columns that can appear in formula columns.

Examples

For example, you can use formula columns to:

• Create custom metrics. For example, instead of cost per action, you can create actions per cost, which displays the total number of conversions (to create this column, you add Actions and Trans).

• Rename a column. For example, your vertical may actually refer to CPA as CPL; you can rename the column so reports are more relevant.

• Sum up Floodlight columns with weights. You can refer to already-created formula columns in your formulas. So, if you created a column named KPI that weighs Floodlight activities and clicks, you could then set up a column for cost per KPI.

• Apply fixed values. For example, you could set up a formula for a Q3 budget goal of $30,000. You could also set up two different CPA goals for brand and generic: CPA goal (brand) of $30 and CPA goal (generic) of $50. It might also be helpful to set up a column with the number of days for this month, which you could then use in other formulas.

• Create custom alerts using logical operations (If, And, and Or) and string concatenation. For example, make bid changes, pause ad copy, or set certain alerts when certain conditions or thresholds are met.

• Date handling: You can specify the values in formula columns based on a date range that you set.

You can use all the same features on formula columns that are available on standard DS columns, including sorting, charting, downloading, filtering, and date comparison. Also, data in formula columns is backfilled and calculated in real time (not just from the time of creation onwards).