The only benefit you would receive from the shared variable is the ability to pass it to and from subreports. Are you saying the above didn't work? If no, make sure you are careful where you place the Formula 1. It is resetting the value of X, thus if it is placed in any details, group headers or group footers before Formula 3 is displayed, it will set the value of x back to 0. If you don't want the value of x to ever reset, place it in the report header section. Formula 2 should be placed in the detail section, create a suppressed subsection of details if you like (I prefer that to keep it neat). And Formula 3 would be in the group or report footer where you want the formula displayed.