Risk Management Blog | Pirani

Calculated Fields in Pirani: Accurate, Automated Data

Written by Yomira Cortez | April 15, 2026

In risk management and compliance teams, data quality is not an operational detail—it is the foundation for critical decision-making. A poorly calculated indicator, an outdated expiration date, or incorrectly recorded income can lead to alerts that don’t trigger, reports that fail to reflect reality, and audit findings that could have been avoided.

However, many of these errors don’t stem from negligence, but from something more structural: the reliance on manual processes to capture, calculate, and update information that should update itself.

Table of contents

What are Calculated Fields and why do they matter?

Calculated Fields are fields that automatically update based on other data already stored in the system. Instead of requiring a user to manually calculate, for example, a customer’s total income by adding multiple sources, Pirani performs this calculation in real time, without intervention.

The result is not editable by the user. This is not an arbitrary restriction—it is a design decision that protects data integrity and eliminates the risk of unintentional or unauthorized changes. In audit scenarios, that detail makes all the difference. This functionality is available across all modules with dynamic fields starting from the Starter plan.

Types of Calculated Fields

Within Pirani, Calculated Fields are divided into three main categories:

1. Arithmetic Calculation

Allows mathematical operations between numeric fields in the system, whether dynamic or fixed. Users select the fields they want to combine and define the operators (addition, subtraction, multiplication, or division). Fixed values can also be included for percentage-based or constant calculations.

Common use cases:

  • Calculating a customer’s total income by combining base salary and additional income
  • Generating risk indicators expressed as percentages
  • Automating onboarding or relationship metrics with real-time updated values

This type of field allows you to define decimal precision and measurement units (percentage, currency, etc.), making it easier to interpret and use in reports or alerts.

2. Date-Based Calculation

Automatically extracts time-related information: calculates the difference in days, months, or years between two dates, or determines a person’s age based on their date of birth and the system’s current date. One of its most useful features is the “current date” variable, which recalculates automatically on a daily basis without manual intervention.

Common use cases:

  • Determining contract duration between start and expiration dates
  • Calculating customer tenure within the organization
  • Triggering automated alerts as key deadlines or expiration dates approach

This type of calculation is especially valuable in audit and compliance processes, where deadlines carry direct regulatory implications.

3. Index-Based Calculation

Automatically assigns a sequential numeric identifier to each record, making organization and tracking easier. It is auto-incremental and configurable: users can define a prefix (e.g., “RISK-”) and the starting value for numbering. This index can be applied to new records as well as existing ones, assigning sequential numbers based on creation date. It’s important to note that numbering gaps may occur if records are deleted, and that this index is independent of Pirani’s internal code, meaning it does not affect system traceability.

Common use cases:

  • Identifying and filtering records using custom numbering
  • Organizing events or risks with standardized naming conventions
  • Facilitating cross-references in reports and audits

Complementary Dynamic Fields

In addition to Calculated Fields, Pirani offers two additional dynamic fields that enhance information management:

  • File Upload Field: Allows documents to be attached directly to records (PDF, DOCX, XLSX, PNG, or JPG, up to 10 MB per file). This centralizes the documentary evidence required for audits and event tracking.
  • Person-Type Field: Enables assigning individual users or groups within Pirani as responsible for a task or event. It is also available in workflows and state transitions, and can be displayed in external event forms when enabled.

The Real Impact on Risk and Compliance Teams

Automating calculations is not just an efficiency improvement—it has direct implications for how teams operate and the reliability of the information they produce. Manual data entry errors are eliminated because the system calculates directly from source data, without intermediaries. Information remains up to date because fields such as the current date automatically refresh every day. And traceability improves because indexes and calculations structure data in a way that simplifies reporting and audit reviews.

Altogether, this frees up team time to focus on higher-value analysis and decision-making, instead of spending it on data verification and correction tasks.

Where to Start?

If your team still manually calculates indicators that could update automatically, or if you’ve faced audit findings related to outdated or inconsistent data, Calculated Fields are a strong starting point. This functionality is available from the Starter plan and does not require complex configurations. You can begin with a simple arithmetic calculation—such as consolidating a customer’s income—and then explore the possibilities offered by date-based and index-based calculations.

Ready to create your calculated fields?

Learn how to set up your calculated fields in our Help Center modules.

Try it now! Schedule a demo with our sales team!