Make Numeric aggregator: sum quantities by category

Combine order quantities into one total per category with Make's Numeric aggregator. This example uses fictional records on Make Free, with no app connections.

1. Create three practice records

1. Click Create scenario, name it Category quantity totals and add JSON > Parse JSON.
2. Leave Data structure unset. Paste the example below into JSON string and click Save.
3. Click Run once. If Make warns that the output is unused, click Run anyway for this practice. Open the result bubble above JSON.

Expect three output bundles. Here, each bundle is one record passed to the next module. Keep the space after the second category so you can see how it affects the grouping. To read small screenshot controls, select Enlarge image, then Open full-size image.

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Parse JSON output showing three fictional records with quantities 2, 3 and 4

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2. Sum quantities by category

1. Click the plus beside JSON and add Tools > Numeric aggregator.
2. Set Source Module to JSON - Parse JSON [1] and Aggregate function to SUM.
3. Click Value and select the purple quantity item from JSON's mapping panel.
4. Turn on Show advanced settings. In Group by, select JSON's category item. Click Save, then Run once and Run anyway if prompted.
5. Open the bubble above Tools. The raw labels produce three totals: Stationery = 2, stationery with a trailing space = 3, and Packaging = 4.

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Numeric aggregator output split into three groups by inconsistent category labels

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The original labels split stationery into totals of 2 and 3.

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3. Clean the grouping value

1. Open the Numeric aggregator. Select everything in Group by and paste the expression below. It assumes JSON is module 1.

trim removes edge spaces; lower makes the label lowercase. Keep Value mapped to quantity and leave Stop processing after an empty aggregation unticked for this example.

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Numeric aggregator settings using SUM on quantity and lower(trim(1.category)) for Group by

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SUM adds quantities; lower(trim(1.category)) controls the grouping.

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2. Click Save, then Run once. Choose Run anyway if the unused-output warning appears.
3. Open Tools' result bubble. Check both output bundles: Key: stationery, result: 5 and Key: packaging, result: 4.

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Numeric aggregator output showing stationery total 5 and packaging total 4

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The cleaned labels produce two totals: stationery 5 and packaging 4.

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4. Save the practice scenario

1. Click Save on the bottom toolbar. Choose Save anyway if Make warns that the final output is unused.
2. Keep the scenario Inactive. This practice ends at the result inspector and sends nothing elsewhere.

These totals cover the records supplied in this run. They do not accumulate across separate runs. In a larger workflow, check which records the aggregator includes and map its Key and result into the next module.

If the totals look wrong

If quantity or category is missing from the mapping panel, run JSON alone first. If a formula names the wrong module number, replace 1 with your JSON module's number. If categories remain separate, check spelling: trim and lower do not correct typos. Check the numeric quantities before accepting the totals.

If you also need a row count

A quantity total does not tell you how many source rows produced it. For both values, build a separate practice scenario with the same three JSON records above. Keep your Numeric aggregator practice unchanged.

1. Name the new scenario Grouped totals and row count practice. Add JSON > Parse JSON, paste the original three records and run it once.
2. Add Flow Control > Array aggregator. Set Source Module to JSON, keep Target module as Custom, and select quantity under Aggregated fields. Open Show advanced settings and use {{lower(trim(1.category))}} for Group by. Save the module.
3. Add Tools > Set variables. Add a variable named category and select the aggregator's Key token as its value. Add the two variables below.

For quantity_total, use:

For row_count, use:

These expressions assume Array aggregator is module 2. If its number differs, select its Array[] token from the mapping panel instead. Make documents map and length (opens in a new tab) and sum (opens in a new tab) separately.

4. Save the module and scenario, then click Run once. Inspect both Tools operations. Expect stationery: quantity_total 5, row_count 2 and packaging: quantity_total 4, row_count 1.
5. Replace the JSON input with the single record below, save and run again. Expect only packaging: quantity_total 0, row_count 1. Restore the original three-record input, save and rerun to recover both groups. Leave scheduling Inactive.

row_count counts input rows in that group, including a zero-quantity row. It is not a count of units or distinct orders. Both values cover only the records supplied in the current run.

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Full Make editor showing the stationery group with quantity_total 5 and row_count 2 from the same grouped array.

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To practise category totals with the fictional records, start with Make Free (opens in a new tab) and compare the raw and cleaned group labels. Check both output bundles and leave the scenario inactive.

Sources: Make Academy: Numeric aggregators (opens in a new tab); aggregation scope and Group by (opens in a new tab); trim and lower (opens in a new tab). Screenshots show the fictional practice scenario.