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Calculation Notepad
Type takeoff-style lines. Use variables (even multi-word ones), percentages, GST, currency and common metric units — each line's result shows inline as you type.
Syntax
name = expr — variable, name can have spaces, e.g. sheet area = 2.88 m2
ans, line 3 / L3 — reuse the previous or a numbered line's result
x + 10% / x - 10% — add or remove a percentage, e.g. 4500 + 10%
10% of x / x as % of y — percentage of a value, or what percent one is of another
x + gst / x ex gst / gst on x — Australian GST at 10%
12 m2 @ $45 — rate idiom: quantity at a unit price
2400 mm + 1.2 m — mixed units convert automatically
x in m — convert a value to another unit
total / subtotal — sum the current section; grand total sums the whole pad (dates aren't counted)
+ 4500 deposit / - 1200 rent — a section of these shows a running balance
# note or // note — a comment; plain words with no number are a label
today / tomorrow / 1/10/2026 / 1 Oct 2026 / 2026-10-01 — a date
date + 10 days / date - 3 days — add or remove calendar days
date + 10 wd (or 10 working days / 10 business days) — add working days, skipping weekends
date2 - date1 — days between two dates; add in wd to count working days instead
Alt+click a line to insert line N at your caret
Copy results includes each line's answer inline; Copy table copies a two-column TSV (line, result) that pastes straight into a spreadsheet
"Start from…" loads a starter pad — feature wall, labour day rate, GST check or programme dates
About this tool
The Calculation Notepad is the multi-line mode of the Calculator, built for takeoff-style working: type one plain-English line per calculation and it carries variables (even multi-word ones) down the page, handling percentages, GST, currency, metric units, working-day date maths and a rate idiom like 12 m2 @ $45 as it goes. Results line up in their own column as you type, and a handful of built-in templates give you a running start. It's built for estimators who want to see their workings later, not just a final number.
How to use it
- Type a line such as area = 12 * 8 and press Enter to see the result inline.
- Reference an earlier variable in a later line, e.g. cost = area * 45, or reuse ans and line 3 / L3 — or Alt+click a line to insert its reference at your caret.
- Add percentages, GST (x + gst, x ex gst), units (2400 mm + 1.2 m) or a rate (12 m2 @ $45) directly in a line.
- Work out programme dates with possession = 5/10/2026 then handover = possession + 45 wd (working days, skipping weekends) or + 10 days for calendar days; handover - possession gives the days between two dates.
- Add total, subtotal or grand total to sum a section or the whole pad (dates are skipped); a section of + / - lines shows a running balance.
- Pick a starter from "Start from…" — feature wall, labour day rate, GST check or programme dates — and use Copy table to paste a line/result table straight into a spreadsheet.
FAQ
Is this free?
Yes — every feature here is free, with no account or limits.
Where do my notes go?
Nowhere but your browser. Nothing you type leaves this device, and Copy link only encodes your pad text into the URL you choose to share.
Can I audit an old estimate later?
Yes — that's the point: your workings stay visible line by line, not just a final total. Save named pads locally or copy a share link.
What units and formats does it understand?
mm, cm, m, km, m2, m3, lm, kg, t, ea, hr, min and L, plus percentages, GST, currency and dates (today, tomorrow, 1/10/2026, 1 Oct 2026 or 2026-10-01) — with mixed-unit and working-day maths converting automatically.
Can I get my figures into Excel or Sheets?
Yes — Copy table copies each line and its result as tab-separated values, which pastes straight in as two columns.
Estimates only — always verify on site. ← all tools