The app was originally a single app with visibility to separate layouts for supplier/consumer. Recently we split the apps up, same tables linked. We have a table for filtering data our suppliers want to pull. Eg, user specific date columns for them to do queries between those dates in the layout, among other filters. The consumer does not have access to said table, they will never be able to input dates, which will trigger the query and a bunch of other computed columns(joined lists, etc).
My question is, since the consumer can never input, does this mean the computed columns will never get triggered for them? Would deleting the computed columns on their app since they’re not used help speed it up at all or does it have no impact?
Yes, more or less correct. The computations may still happen, but the input values from the user specific columns will always be empty.
Yes, no, maybe. I guess every little bit helps, but there probably wouldn’t be any noticeable difference. But personally I think its good practice to get rid of any computed columns that aren’t referenced in an App.
You just need to be a bit careful with non-computed columns in shared tables. Even though the column may not be referenced in one App, it could be in another. And if you delete a non-computed column in a shared table, it will be gone in all Apps that use that table.
Thank you, I will still end up deleting them was more so curious as to how exactly it worked compared to generalized computed columns that aren’t triggered by specific users.
Well, the thing is (ignoring Big Tables), all computations take place on each users device. So every user will get their own set of results. If the computed columns are referencing non-user specific columns, then every user should get the same set of results. But if the computed columns are referencing user specific columns, then each user will get a result based on their own value that’s entered/stored in the user specific column/s.
Big Tables are a little different, because some computations happen server side, but the overall behaviour should be the same.