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[This is my first Meta post, so please be gentle....]

The following question was closed as being Off-topic (as viewed when on the main question page) and "Not suitable for this site" (as viewed on the question edit/revisions page):

Error: Incorrect number of parameters for function 'IF()'. Expected 3, received 4 getting error while merging two formula fields

It seems to me that this question about a SF formula field is actually on-topic. However, considering that the questioner never gave requested clarification, I could completely understand this question being closed as Needs details or clarity.

I think this is my first time trying to go "behind the scenes" of a closed question, so I may not be looking in the correct place, or maybe it is because I don't have enough reputation to vote on closure, but I can see no discussion regarding this closure. On the edit/revisions page I see who voted to close it, but no discussion.

Not yet being involved in the SFSE Meta, I am unsure whether accuracy in the stated reason for closure is of priority or concern for this community. I'm not judging or necessarily trying to change the way things are done, I just haven't learned that part of this culture yet. So forgive me if it is not and I'll (try to) refrain from posting something like this again. But the developer in me yearns for that accuracy. :^)

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I wasn't one of the voters and cannot speak for their mindset. But reading through the question and its comments, Pepe's comment strikes me as crucial and unanswered:

why do you need to merge it?

It is not clear to me what the merged value is even supposed to mean, so this answer needs to be there.

Beyond that, none of the specific attempts nor errors are shown. So that all speaks to the reasoning of why it was right to close, or why I would vote not to reopen without those issues being addressed.

As far as what discussion took place, almost certainly all of it is in the comment thread. Unless there is some level of controversy, that's usually all. In this case, given all of the above, the post is just noise, and there's not much counterargument to be had about closure.

P.S. - On Meta, signal-to-noise ration isn't as crucial, and any post about the exchange itself is always welcome. As long as you're not spinning up discussion threads about arbitrary topics having nothing to do with SFSE, there is no need to apologize!

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  • Thanks for the info in your P.S. || Regarding my original post, I might not have made my true point clear by surrounding it with meta info about my Meta question.... I am not asking for the question in question to be reopened, rather I'm suggesting that closing it with the 'tag' of Off-topic is not accurate, and that closing it with the 'tag' of Needs details or clarity would be more appropriate. – Moonpie Jun 4 at 13:26
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    You're not wrong that reason would fit. In fact there is a lot of overlap between these reasons. But the selected reason fits IMO because the post does not "demonstrate the work or research" done by the OP, nor does it ask any question whatsoever, let alone a specific one. – Adrian Larson Mod Jun 4 at 13:30
  • My own P.S. regarding the closed question and your comments on it: My guess - from other comments in the question - is what the OP means by "merged" is that there are currently two formula fields that need their logic combined into one formula field. – Moonpie Jun 4 at 13:31
  • @Moonpie regarding it's shown as "off-topic", it's because the question is closed with the community-specific reason. All questions closed with a community-specific reason will be shown as "off-topic", regardless if the topic of the question itself is actually on-topic. – Andrew T. Jun 5 at 15:49
  • @AndrewT. : I think that is the answer. salesforce.stackexchange.com/help/closed-questions shows Off-topic and Needs details or clarity separately, so it made sense to me that they would be separate reasons shown on the question. I also read other pages on closing, although I can't cite them. I do not recall seeing anywhere that "custom" (community-specific) reasons were all grouped under Off-topic. Is that stated somewhere findable? – Moonpie Jun 7 at 23:06
  • I went back to the page I linked to in my previous comment and it states, "These are the categories of questions that may be closed by community members with the close/reopen votes privilege." Then it lists 5 bullet points, two of which are Off-topic & Needs details or clarity. Then it states, "The quoted text below reflects what is shown to close voters when voting to close a question:" with different quoted text for each of the categories. My assumption was that after voting (which I obviously can't see) the bullet-pointed category is what would show to the public as the reason. – Moonpie Jun 7 at 23:19
  • I know an answerer is not supposed to ask a questioner to select your answer, but I hope as a questioner it's OK to ask a commenter to add an answer to be selected. If not, please mildly scold me and I'll delete this comment: @AndrewT. : If you will make your comment into an answer I will select it. Thanks for making me understand the public-facing closed reason better. – Moonpie Jun 7 at 23:23

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