--- title: "Using GravityMath inside a GravityView Custom Content field" date: 2026-04-23 author: "GravityKit" link: "https://www.gravitykit.com/docs/gravitymath/using-gravitymath-inside-a-gravityview-custom-content-field/" --- When using the `[gravitymath]` shortcode inside a GravityView Custom Content field, you may encounter issues with merge tags being processed in the wrong order. This article explains the problem and provides a workaround. ## Understanding the Problem GravityView processes merge tags in Custom Content fields **before** shortcodes run. This means any merge tags inside your `[gravitymath]` shortcode get replaced by GravityView before GravityMath ever sees them. ## Example Scenario: Sales Team Dashboard Let's say you have two forms: **Form A (ID: 10) - Sales Reps** - Field 1: Sales Rep Name - Field 2: Region - Field 3: Email **Form B (ID: 20) - Orders** - Field 5: Sales Rep Name (dropdown matching reps from Form A) - Field 6: Order Total - Field 7: Order Date You create a View using Form A to display your sales team. For each rep, you want to show how many orders they have in Form B. ### What you might try (and why it doesn't work) In a Custom Content field, you add: ``` Orders: [gravitymath scope="form" id="20" filter="filter_5={Sales Rep Name:1}"]{Order Total:6:count}[/gravitymath] ``` ``` Orders: [gravitymath scope="form" id="20" filter="filter_5={Sales Rep Name:1}"]{Order Total:6:count}[/gravitymath] ``` **Expected result:** Each sales rep shows their order count. **Actual result:** The count is wrong or empty. **Why?** GravityView processes `{Order Total:6:count}` first. Since field 6 doesn't exist in Form A (the View's source), it fails. GravityMath never gets to process it. ## The Workaround We need a way to tell GravityView to leave certain merge tags alone so GravityMath can process them. The workaround below uses an alternate syntax (tildes `~~` instead of curly braces `{}` ) to mark merge tags that should be handled by GravityMath. ### Step 1: Add the helper snippet Add this code to your site (where to add code): ``` /** * Allows using ~Field:ID~ syntax in GravityMath shortcodes. * Prevents GravityView from processing these merge tags prematurely. * The snippet converts ~~ to {} right before GravityMath runs. */ add_filter( 'gravityview/math/shortcode/before', function ( $formula ) { preg_match_all( '/~[^~]*?:(\d+(\.\d+)?|[a-z_]+)(:(.*?))?~/mi', $formula, $merge_tags, PREG_SET_ORDER ); foreach ( $merge_tags as $merge_tag ) { $updated_merge_tag = str_replace( '~', '', $merge_tag[0] ); $updated_merge_tag = sprintf( '{%s}', $updated_merge_tag ); $formula = str_replace( $merge_tag[0], $updated_merge_tag, $formula ); } return $formula; } ); ``` ``` /** * Allows using ~Field:ID~ syntax in GravityMath shortcodes. * Prevents GravityView from processing these merge tags prematurely. * The snippet converts ~~ to {} right before GravityMath runs. */ add_filter( 'gravityview/math/shortcode/before', function ( $formula ) { preg_match_all( '/~[^~]*?:(\d+(\.\d+)?|[a-z_]+)(:(.*?))?~/mi', $formula, $merge_tags, PREG_SET_ORDER ); foreach ( $merge_tags as $merge_tag ) { $updated_merge_tag = str_replace( '~', '', $merge_tag[0] ); $updated_merge_tag = sprintf( '{%s}', $updated_merge_tag ); $formula = str_replace( $merge_tag[0], $updated_merge_tag, $formula ); } return $formula; } ); ``` ### Step 2: Update your shortcode Wrap merge tags that reference the **queried form** (Form B) with tildes instead of curly braces: **Before:** ``` Orders: [gravitymath scope="form" id="20" filter="filter_5={Sales Rep Name:1}"]{Order Total:6:count}[/gravitymath] ``` ``` Orders: [gravitymath scope="form" id="20" filter="filter_5={Sales Rep Name:1}"]{Order Total:6:count}[/gravitymath] ``` **After:** ``` Orders: [gravitymath scope="form" id="20" filter="filter_5={Sales Rep Name:1}"]~Order Total:6:count~[/gravitymath] ``` ``` Orders: [gravitymath scope="form" id="20" filter="filter_5={Sales Rep Name:1}"]~Order Total:6:count~[/gravitymath] ``` Now each sales rep's row correctly shows their order count from Form B. ## Which Syntax to Use | **Syntax** | **Processed by** | **When to use** | |---|---|---| | `{Field:ID}` | GravityView (first) | The field is from **the View's form** and you want its current value | | `~Field:ID~` | GravityMath (after snippet runs) | The field is from **the queried form** and GravityMath should process it | ### In our example: - `{Sales Rep Name:1}` uses curly braces. This is from Form A (the View's form). We want GravityView to replace it with the current rep's name so it can filter Form B. - `~Order Total:6:count~` uses tildes. This is field 6 from Form B (the queried form). We need GravityMath to count it after applying the filter. ## More Examples ### Counting filtered entries Count orders for the current sales rep: ``` [gravitymath scope="form" id="20" filter="filter_5={Sales Rep Name:1}"]~Order Total:6:count~[/gravitymath] ``` ``` [gravitymath scope="form" id="20" filter="filter_5={Sales Rep Name:1}"]~Order Total:6:count~[/gravitymath] ``` ### Summing filtered values Sum order totals for the current sales rep: ``` [gravitymath scope="form" id="20" filter="filter_5={Sales Rep Name:1}"]~Order Total:6:sum~[/gravitymath] ``` ``` [gravitymath scope="form" id="20" filter="filter_5={Sales Rep Name:1}"]~Order Total:6:sum~[/gravitymath] ``` ### Calculating an average Average order value for the current sales rep: ``` [gravitymath scope="form" id="20" filter="filter_5={Sales Rep Name:1}"]~Order Total:6:avg~[/gravitymath] ``` ``` [gravitymath scope="form" id="20" filter="filter_5={Sales Rep Name:1}"]~Order Total:6:avg~[/gravitymath] ``` ## Troubleshooting **Still not working?** - Make sure the snippet is active on your site - Verify the field IDs match your actual forms - Check that the filter field (e.g., Sales Rep Name) has matching values in both forms - Remember: use `{}` for the View's form fields, `~~` for the queried form's fields If you're still having trouble, [contact our support team](https://www.gravitykit.com/support/) and we'll be happy to help you set this up. ## Related Articles - [The Shortcode](https://www.gravitykit.com/docs/gravitymath/math-shortcode/) - [How to target a specific field value with filters](https://www.gravitykit.com/docs/gravitymath/how-to-target-a-specific-field-value-with-gvmath-filters/) - [Using the Custom Content Field](https://www.gravitykit.com/docs/gravityview/getting-started-gravityview/using-the-custom-content-field/) - [Where to put code samples](https://www.gravitykit.com/docs/gravityview/customizing-your-views/where-to-put-code-samples/)