diff --git a/vue/src/utils/utils.js b/vue/src/utils/utils.js
index 5d332ee59..1eae4833b 100644
--- a/vue/src/utils/utils.js
+++ b/vue/src/utils/utils.js
@@ -148,20 +148,15 @@ export function resolveDjangoUrl(url, params = null) {
 /*
  * other utilities
  * */
-export function getUserPreference(pref = undefined) {
-    let user_preference
-    if (document.getElementById("user_preference")) {
-        user_preference = JSON.parse(document.getElementById("user_preference").textContent)
-    } else {
+export function getUserPreference(pref) {
+    if (window.USER_PREF === undefined) {
         return undefined
     }
-    if (pref) {
-        return user_preference[pref]
-    }
-    return user_preference
+    return window.USER_PREF[pref]
 }
 
 export function calculateAmount(amount, factor) {
+    console.log('converting, getting pref' , getUserPreference("use_fractions"))
     if (getUserPreference("use_fractions")) {
         let return_string = ""
         let fraction = frac(amount * factor, 10, true)