Build Discovery Items, Inputs, and Calculations/Formulas

Use the Value Model Configuration tabs to add the discovery items sellers answer, the inputs they fill in, and the formulas that compute results. This article applies whether you created the model from scratch or are refining an AI-generated model.

See what it looks like

You need this to succeed

The quick way

1. Sign in to Value Factory and go to Value Models. Open your model's three dot menu and select Value Model Configuration.
2. On the Discovery Items tab, add your discovery items from scratch or from a template.
3. On the Inputs tab, add the required input fields.
4. On the Calculations / Formulas tab, define your formulas.
5. Test and publish. See Test and publish a value model.

Do this step by step

Discovery Items

Discovery items capture qualitative information about the prospect and business situation. They guide the conversation between the seller and the prospect, appear in the order configured here, and provide context that is not referenced by formulas.

1. Sign in to Value Factory (value.showpad.com) and navigate to Value Models.
2. Open your model's three dot menu and select Value Model Configuration.
3. Select the Discovery Items tab.
4. Click + Create and choose how to add the item:

Create from scratch

1. In the Create Discovery Item modal, complete the following fields:
   • Name: An internal, case-sensitive identifier. Must be unique across discovery items, inputs, and formulas. No spaces.
   • Description: Explains the purpose of the discovery item. Visible to administrators only.
   • Display Label: The question or prompt sellers see.
   • Group: Assign to a Discovery Item Group to control how it is organized in the seller experience.
   • Sequence: Controls the order the item appears. Enter a number starting at 1.
   • Required: Check to include this item in basic discovery. Sellers must respond before proceeding.
   • Externally Visible: Check if this item and its response may appear in prospect-facing shared Experiences such as live report links.
2. Click Save.

Create from template

The Business Case template is a built-in example structure. After adding items, update the Display Labels, Groups, Sequence, Required, and Externally Visible settings to match your process before publishing.

1. In the Create Discovery Items from Template modal, select the sections and individual items you want to include. The Business Case template includes:
   • Executive Summary: High-level summary of the business case, including up to three key value metrics to highlight.
   • Business Challenges: Captures the prospect's primary pain point and up to three specific business challenges, each with a title and description.
   • Proposed Product & Key Features: Documents the proposed solution and its description, plus up to three key features with titles and descriptions.
   • Business Impact: Describes the expected business impact and identifies the areas of greatest interest to the prospect.
   • Next Steps: Records up to three agreed-upon next steps to move the opportunity forward.
2. Click Save. The selected items are added to the Discovery Items tab.

Back to top

Add inputs

Inputs are the fields sellers fill in to supply the values formulas use to compute results. Each input has a type that controls the format of the value the seller enters.

1. Sign in to Value Factory (value.showpad.com) and navigate to Value Models.
2. Open your model's three dot menu and select Value Model Configuration.
3. Select the Inputs tab.
4. Click + New.
5. In the Create Input modal, complete the following fields:
   • Name: An internal, case-sensitive identifier. Must be unique across discovery items, inputs, and formulas. No spaces.
   • Input Type: Choose the format for the value sellers enter. See Input types below.
   • Display Label: The label sellers see in the Experience.
   • Assumption Value/Formula: A default value or formula that pre-fills the field. Sellers can edit it.
   • Description: Explains the purpose of the input. Visible to administrators only.
   • Sequence: Controls the order in which the input appears. Enter a number starting at 1.
   • Group: Assign to an Input Group to control how it is organized in the seller Experience.
   • Required: Check if the seller must fill in this field.
   • Externally Visible: Check if this input should appear in shared reports and live links.
   • Response Values: Optional. Enter predefined values sellers must choose from. If left empty, sellers can enter their own response. Type a value and press Enter to add it.
6. Click Save.
7. Repeat for all inputs.

Input types:

Back to top

Define formulas

Formulas use input values and constants to calculate results. Each formula produces a single output that can appear in reports.

1. Sign in to Value Factory (value.showpad.com) and navigate to Value Models.
2. Open your model's three dot menu and select Value Model Configuration.
3. Select the Calculations / Formulas tab.
4. Under Add Formula, complete the following fields:
   • Name: A unique identifier for the formula. No spaces. Referenced in report templates.
   • Description: Explains what the formula calculates. Visible to administrators only.
   • Formula: Enter the formula using input names and operators. Input names are case-sensitive and must exactly match the names on the Inputs tab.
   • Is Key Driver: Check if this formula represents a primary outcome. Marking a formula as a Key Driver makes it available in scenario testing and key-driver comparisons. To include the result in a report, add the corresponding token to the report template.
5. Click Add Formula.
6. Repeat for all formulas.

Formula syntax:

• Reference inputs by their exact name (case-sensitive)
• Supported operators: + - * / and parentheses for order of operations
• Constants can be used inline, for example: input_name * 0.25
• Formulas can reference other formulas by name
• Circular references are not supported

Example

Suppose you have two inputs:

• annual_hours_saved — the number of hours saved per year
• average_hourly_rate — the average hourly cost of the affected employees

And one constant representing your investment cost: 50000

Define the formulas in this order:

1. annual_savings = annual_hours_saved * average_hourly_rate
   Expected result: if hours saved is 2000 and hourly rate is 75, annual savings = 150,000
2. net_annual_value = annual_savings - 50000
   Expected result: using the above, net annual value = 100,000

The second formula references the first. Run the same inputs through your source model or spreadsheet and confirm the outputs match before publishing.

Back to top

Troubleshooting