The new Borrowing Capacity Calculator (Early Release) is here, bringing enhanced features, improved accuracy, and a modern interface design. This guide will walk you through how to access the calculator, use its modules, validate your data, and generate clear lender results.
1. Accessing the new calculator
You can open the new Borrowing Capacity Calculator:
1. From the Mercury Nexus dashboard
2. From the Mercury Nexus apps menu
3. From an Opportunity (Borrowing Capacity v2)
Options 1 and 2 provide access to the calculator as a standalone tool. Option 3, when accessed through an opportunity, enables data syncing by automatically importing the financial details from that opportunity into the calculator.
Note: The original calculator is still available, but the new Beta release is recommended as it includes more features and a streamlined workflow.
2. Understanding the calculator modules
Applicants
Enter details for up to four applicants (same as Apply Online).
New: Marital status determines household grouping.
- Married applicants are treated as one household.
Shared dependents, expenses, and liabilities are entered once - not duplicated.
This makes data entry faster, cleaner, and more accurate.
Proposed loan
Defaults are auto-calculated based on security.
Add multiple loan splits with no limit, e.g.:
$800K owner-occupied purchase
$20K cash out for renovations
Choose fixed or variable rates per split.
Why it matters:
Splits affect monthly repayments, which affects Debt-to-Income (DTI) ratios, which lenders assess for serviceability.
You can also:
Link existing properties as security.
Add multiple securities (no restrictions).
Specify if a property is being refinanced.
Income & earnings
Add unlimited PAYG incomes.
Add self-employed income alongside PAYG.
Selecting self-employed activates the Business Income section for detailed entry.
Living expenses
Entered per household, not per applicant.
Flexible options:
Enter one total monthly expense (e.g., $2,500).
Or itemise expenses by category.
The calculator also auto-fills common categories to save time.
3. Validation: Errors vs. warnings
One of the biggest improvements in the new calculator is built-in validation.
Errors:
Missing required data (e.g., dependents not entered).
Must be fixed before lender results can be calculated.
Clicking an error scrolls you to the exact field.
Warnings:
Incomplete or optional details.
Don’t block calculations but may affect accuracy.
Clicking a warning also scrolls you to the field.
This ensures your results are reliable before submission.
4. Lender results panel
The results panel has been redesigned for speed and flexibility.
Favourites & pinning
Pin or favourite lenders for quick access.
Favourites remain visible at the top or bottom of the panel as you scroll.
Filter results to show only your favourites for a simplified view.
Customising rates
Two ways to test scenarios:
1. Individual discounting
Edit a lender’s rate, save, and recalculate.
The original rate remains visible for comparison.
2. Generic discounting
Apply one discount across all lenders at once.
Generating reports
Create a lender comparison summary with modern visual formatting.
Includes rates, repayments, and other key data.
Works like a merge doc, but clearer and more client-friendly.
Note: Throughout the tool, you can expand or collapse sections. For example, if you want to focus only on lender results, collapse all other sections for a distraction-free view.
Feedback
Please use the Feedback button (located at the top right-hand corner of the calculator dashboard) to share comments or suggest improvements. This makes it easier for our product team to track and implement updates.
