Custom Algorithms and Custom Fields Validated for Calculation Errors

What's changed? When creating or updating custom field default formulas or custom algorithms via script, ClearTrial validates the plan for any errors that you may have introduced. For example, if your user-defined formula for a cost item contains a division by zero, a new View Plan Errors link appears in the top right of your plan which allows you to view error details or download the list of errors to distribute to other users.

Who sees the change?

• If an error is introduced while your Expert Algorithm Editor is defining a custom algorithm via script, for a resource or indirect cost, when another user opens that plan, they will also see the View Plan Errors alert in the plan.

• If your Custom Field Designer introduces an error while defining a custom field in one of your custom field models, only that user with the Custom Field Designer will see the alert, since they are the only ones who can fix it.

Other types of errors ClearTrial validates for are the following:

• Issues in task-resource or indirect cost algorithms:

  • You are using variables that do not exist in the ClearTrial or the current custom field model published and applied to the plan.

  • The algorithm divides by zero due to an assumption or custom field whose value has become 0.

  • The custom algorithm now returns a negative value.

• Issues in custom field default value formulas:

  • You are using variables that do not exist in ClearTrial or the current custom field model published and applied to the plan.

  • Algorithm divides by zero.

  • The result of your formula is outside the expected range.

  • The formula now returns a negative value.