Is there any way to select only specific columns to be included in alert messages that are sent out

Gary M. Gordon
Gary M. Gordon ✭
edited 12/09/19 inSmartsheet Basics

Is there any way to select only specific columns to be included in alert messages that are sent out using the SmartSheet Automation feature?

Currently, I set up an alert. And it displays all of the columns, even if I hide certain columns in the sheet. I'd like to be able to select which columns are sent and included as part of the alert. I didn't see any option for selecting which columns (of information) would be included. Is this possible? If so, can you explain how to do this?

I'm using the current version of SmartSheet as of 8/5/2019. I saw previous and similar posts in the community regarding this, going to back to around 2017. As of now, the interface has changed so the information I saw wasn't applicable. Can someone explain precisely if this is possible and how to do this?

Thanks,

Gary Gordon

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Hi @Jenn Moffett<\/a>,<\/p>

One approach is as follows.<\/p>

  1. Create a helper column. Name it \"Modified\", and select \"Modified Date\" as the column type. You can optionally hide this column.<\/li>
  2. Create a Sheet Summary field. Name is \"Last Updated\", and select \"Date\" as the column type.<\/li>
  3. Type the following formula into the \"Last Updated\" Sheet Summary field: =MAX(Modified:Modified)<\/li><\/ol>

    Hope that helps! I just tested it before recommending, and it worked like a charm! :)<\/p>

    BRgds,<\/p>

    -Ray<\/p>"}]}},"status":{"statusID":3,"name":"Accepted","state":"closed","recordType":"discussion","recordSubType":"question"},"bookmarked":false,"unread":false,"category":{"categoryID":321,"name":"Smartsheet Basics","url":"https:\/\/community.smartsheet.com\/categories\/smartsheet-basics%2B","allowedDiscussionTypes":[]},"reactions":[{"tagID":3,"urlcode":"Promote","name":"Promote","class":"Positive","hasReacted":false,"reactionValue":5,"count":0},{"tagID":5,"urlcode":"Insightful","name":"Insightful","class":"Positive","hasReacted":false,"reactionValue":1,"count":0},{"tagID":11,"urlcode":"Up","name":"Vote Up","class":"Positive","hasReacted":false,"reactionValue":1,"count":0},{"tagID":13,"urlcode":"Awesome","name":"Awesome","class":"Positive","hasReacted":false,"reactionValue":1,"count":0}],"tags":[{"tagID":292,"urlcode":"dashboards","name":"Dashboards"},{"tagID":335,"urlcode":"sheet-summary","name":"Sheet Summary"}]},{"discussionID":110982,"type":"question","name":"Convert to Column Formula Error","excerpt":"I'm trying to make the below formula a column formula. If I copy and paste the formula into cells, it works as expected. =IF(OR([Status]1 = \"Complete\", [Status]1 = \"//m.santa-greenland.com/community/discussion/54341/\"), \"//m.santa-greenland.com/community/discussion/54341/\", \"Yes\") Two issues, though: 1) The [Status]1 brackets are being automatically removed and reformatted as Status1 2) When I try to convert to a column…","snippet":"I'm trying to make the below formula a column formula. If I copy and paste the formula into cells, it works as expected. =IF(OR([Status]1 = \"Complete\", [Status]1 = \"//m.santa-greenland.com/community/discussion/54341/\"), \"//m.santa-greenland.com/community/discussion/54341/\", \"Yes\")…","categoryID":321,"dateInserted":"2023-09-29T12:37:39+00:00","dateUpdated":null,"dateLastComment":"2023-09-29T13:37:17+00:00","insertUserID":167683,"insertUser":{"userID":167683,"name":"aurea","title":"Program Manager","url":"https:\/\/community.smartsheet.com\/profile\/aurea","photoUrl":"https:\/\/us.v-cdn.net\/6031209\/uploads\/defaultavatar\/nWRMFRX6I99I6.jpg","dateLastActive":"2023-09-29T14:14:56+00:00","banned":0,"punished":0,"private":false,"label":"✭"},"updateUserID":null,"lastUserID":45516,"lastUser":{"userID":45516,"name":"Paul Newcome","title":"","url":"https:\/\/community.smartsheet.com\/profile\/Paul%20Newcome","photoUrl":"https:\/\/us.v-cdn.net\/6031209\/uploads\/userpics\/082\/nQPUTVFKKWDJ2.jpg","dateLastActive":"2023-09-29T13:42:35+00:00","banned":0,"punished":0,"private":false,"label":"✭✭✭✭✭✭"},"pinned":false,"pinLocation":null,"closed":false,"sink":false,"countComments":1,"countViews":15,"score":null,"hot":3391986296,"url":"https:\/\/community.smartsheet.com\/discussion\/110982\/convert-to-column-formula-error","canonicalUrl":"https:\/\/community.smartsheet.com\/discussion\/110982\/convert-to-column-formula-error","format":"Rich","tagIDs":[254],"lastPost":{"discussionID":110982,"commentID":397635,"name":"Re: Convert to Column Formula Error","url":"https:\/\/community.smartsheet.com\/discussion\/comment\/397635#Comment_397635","dateInserted":"2023-09-29T13:37:17+00:00","insertUserID":45516,"insertUser":{"userID":45516,"name":"Paul Newcome","title":"","url":"https:\/\/community.smartsheet.com\/profile\/Paul%20Newcome","photoUrl":"https:\/\/us.v-cdn.net\/6031209\/uploads\/userpics\/082\/nQPUTVFKKWDJ2.jpg","dateLastActive":"2023-09-29T13:42:35+00:00","banned":0,"punished":0,"private":false,"label":"✭✭✭✭✭✭"}},"breadcrumbs":[{"name":"Home","url":"https:\/\/community.smartsheet.com\/"},{"name":"Get Help","url":"https:\/\/community.smartsheet.com\/categories\/get-help"},{"name":"Smartsheet Basics","url":"https:\/\/community.smartsheet.com\/categories\/smartsheet-basics%2B"}],"groupID":null,"statusID":3,"attributes":{"question":{"status":"accepted","dateAccepted":"2023-09-29T13:39:02+00:00","dateAnswered":"2023-09-29T13:37:17+00:00","acceptedAnswers":[{"commentID":397635,"body":"

    You only need the brackets when the column name contains a space, number, and\/or special character. Your column name doesn't contain any of those things which means the brackets aren't needed which is why Smartsheet is removing them.<\/p>


    <\/p>

    The reason it cannot be converted into a column formula is because you are using specific row numbers. Column formulas must use \"@row\" references.<\/p>


    <\/p>

    You have<\/p>

    Status1<\/p>


    <\/p>

    You need<\/p>

    Status@row<\/p>"}]}},"status":{"statusID":3,"name":"Accepted","state":"closed","recordType":"discussion","recordSubType":"question"},"bookmarked":false,"unread":false,"category":{"categoryID":321,"name":"Smartsheet Basics","url":"https:\/\/community.smartsheet.com\/categories\/smartsheet-basics%2B","allowedDiscussionTypes":[]},"reactions":[{"tagID":3,"urlcode":"Promote","name":"Promote","class":"Positive","hasReacted":false,"reactionValue":5,"count":0},{"tagID":5,"urlcode":"Insightful","name":"Insightful","class":"Positive","hasReacted":false,"reactionValue":1,"count":0},{"tagID":11,"urlcode":"Up","name":"Vote Up","class":"Positive","hasReacted":false,"reactionValue":1,"count":0},{"tagID":13,"urlcode":"Awesome","name":"Awesome","class":"Positive","hasReacted":false,"reactionValue":1,"count":0}],"tags":[{"tagID":254,"urlcode":"formulas","name":"Formulas"}]},{"discussionID":110885,"type":"question","name":"MAX COLLECT for dates in a row","excerpt":"I have a certification that requires a few lessons to be fully certified. Each lesson has a completion date in it's own column and a date column for when they become fully certified. So, if there if one training is missing a completion date they are not considered fully certified. My need is to be able to collect the max…","snippet":"I have a certification that requires a few lessons to be fully certified. Each lesson has a completion date in it's own column and a date column for when they become fully…","categoryID":321,"dateInserted":"2023-09-27T20:11:08+00:00","dateUpdated":null,"dateLastComment":"2023-09-28T01:52:58+00:00","insertUserID":120097,"insertUser":{"userID":120097,"name":"Ronald Anderson","url":"https:\/\/community.smartsheet.com\/profile\/Ronald%20Anderson","photoUrl":"https:\/\/us.v-cdn.net\/6031209\/uploads\/userpics\/TW6ZN66U6IZH\/nA9VM54512X3E.jpg","dateLastActive":"2023-09-28T20:52:44+00:00","banned":0,"punished":0,"private":false,"label":"✭✭"},"updateUserID":null,"lastUserID":161714,"lastUser":{"userID":161714,"name":"Carson Penticuff","url":"https:\/\/community.smartsheet.com\/profile\/Carson%20Penticuff","photoUrl":"https:\/\/us.v-cdn.net\/6031209\/uploads\/userpics\/B0Q390EZX8XK\/nBGT0U1689CN6.jpg","dateLastActive":"2023-09-29T12:16:19+00:00","banned":0,"punished":0,"private":false,"label":"✭✭✭✭✭✭"},"pinned":false,"pinLocation":null,"closed":false,"sink":false,"countComments":3,"countViews":43,"score":null,"hot":3391713246,"url":"https:\/\/community.smartsheet.com\/discussion\/110885\/max-collect-for-dates-in-a-row","canonicalUrl":"https:\/\/community.smartsheet.com\/discussion\/110885\/max-collect-for-dates-in-a-row","format":"Rich","lastPost":{"discussionID":110885,"commentID":397353,"name":"Re: MAX COLLECT for dates in a row","url":"https:\/\/community.smartsheet.com\/discussion\/comment\/397353#Comment_397353","dateInserted":"2023-09-28T01:52:58+00:00","insertUserID":161714,"insertUser":{"userID":161714,"name":"Carson Penticuff","url":"https:\/\/community.smartsheet.com\/profile\/Carson%20Penticuff","photoUrl":"https:\/\/us.v-cdn.net\/6031209\/uploads\/userpics\/B0Q390EZX8XK\/nBGT0U1689CN6.jpg","dateLastActive":"2023-09-29T12:16:19+00:00","banned":0,"punished":0,"private":false,"label":"✭✭✭✭✭✭"}},"breadcrumbs":[{"name":"Home","url":"https:\/\/community.smartsheet.com\/"},{"name":"Get Help","url":"https:\/\/community.smartsheet.com\/categories\/get-help"},{"name":"Smartsheet Basics","url":"https:\/\/community.smartsheet.com\/categories\/smartsheet-basics%2B"}],"groupID":null,"statusID":3,"attributes":{"question":{"status":"accepted","dateAccepted":"2023-09-28T03:03:43+00:00","dateAnswered":"2023-09-28T01:52:58+00:00","acceptedAnswers":[{"commentID":397353,"body":"

    You can skip the collect and just use MAX():<\/p>

    =IF([Fully Certified]@row = \"Yes\", MAX([Train Date - Blower]@row, [Train Date - Broom]@row, [Train Date - Chem]@row), \"//m.santa-greenland.com/community/discussion/54341/\")<\/p>"}]}},"status":{"statusID":3,"name":"Accepted","state":"closed","recordType":"discussion","recordSubType":"question"},"bookmarked":false,"unread":false,"category":{"categoryID":321,"name":"Smartsheet Basics","url":"https:\/\/community.smartsheet.com\/categories\/smartsheet-basics%2B","allowedDiscussionTypes":[]},"reactions":[{"tagID":3,"urlcode":"Promote","name":"Promote","class":"Positive","hasReacted":false,"reactionValue":5,"count":0},{"tagID":5,"urlcode":"Insightful","name":"Insightful","class":"Positive","hasReacted":false,"reactionValue":1,"count":0},{"tagID":11,"urlcode":"Up","name":"Vote Up","class":"Positive","hasReacted":false,"reactionValue":1,"count":0},{"tagID":13,"urlcode":"Awesome","name":"Awesome","class":"Positive","hasReacted":false,"reactionValue":1,"count":0}],"tags":[]}],"initialPaging":{"nextURL":"https:\/\/community.smartsheet.com\/api\/v2\/discussions?page=2&categoryID=321&includeChildCategories=1&type%5B0%5D=Question&excludeHiddenCategories=1&sort=-hot&limit=3&expand%5B0%5D=all&expand%5B1%5D=-body&expand%5B2%5D=insertUser&expand%5B3%5D=lastUser&status=accepted","prevURL":null,"currentPage":1,"total":5114,"limit":3},"title":"Trending in Smartsheet Basics","subtitle":null,"description":null,"noCheckboxes":true,"containerOptions":[],"discussionOptions":[]}">

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