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Using Approvals with a formula cell

Kyle Kaldor
Kyle Kaldor ✭
inArchived 2017 Posts

I am trying to use an approval request to change the value of a cell that contains a formula. The cell that has the formula is based on data in two other cells. For example, the other two cells can either be "Yes" or "N/A". If both of them are "N/A", then my approval cell automatically changes to "Yes" and it does not generate an approval request. If either or both of the cells are "Yes", then it changes to "Submitted" and sends an approval request. The problem is my approval request does not overwrite the formula, so the cell does not change. Is there any way to get around this?

Thanks, Kyle

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  • Schiff A.
    Schiff A. Employee

    Hi Kyle,

    Here's a workaround you can use. Essentially, this solution uses an additional column to store approval status and updates the formula to display the contents of the approval status column .

    1. Create a new approval status column called "Approval"

    2. In your formula column, enter=IF(ISBLANK(Approval1), IF(AND([Column1]1 = "No", [Column2]1 = "No"), "Yes", "Submit"), Approval1)

    Be sure to update "Column1" and "Column2" to reflect the names of your columns. This formula as written will only proceed if the approval column is currently blank. Once the Approval column is not blank, the cell will display the contents of the Approval column which would include options for Submitted, Approved, and Denied as specified.

    3. Set up your Approval request to trigger when the formula cell displays "Submit"

    Please don't hesitate to reach out if you need further assistance.

    Thanks,

    Schiff A.

    Smartsheet Technical Support

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  • Peter Smith
    Peter Smith ✭

    Hi,

    As I know, after I set up the rule for approval request, they will send automatically and they can add the approval status on new column or using existing column. I usually try new column. So, I choose old column, if it is not blank（e.g. have formula.,so smartsheet can not do that because formula inside?

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  • Kyle Kaldor
    Kyle Kaldor ✭

    Peter, the approval request will still send, but because of the formula it will not update when it is marked "approved".

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  • radkison
    radkison ✭

    I am trying to initiate an approval request based on a cell with a vlookup formula referencing another sheet. The vlookup cell is updating when the other sheet is updated, but the approval trigger is not sending the approval request email.

    If, however, I manually change the vlookup cell it sends the approval request email. I tried creating another column as suggested above with no success. Any ideas?

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  • Andrée Starå
    Andrée Starå ✭✭✭✭✭✭

    Hi,

    Have it worked before?

    有一个美妙的周末!

    Best,

    Andrée Starå

    Workflow Consultant @ Get Done Consulting

    SMARTSHEET EXPERT CONSULTANT & PARTNER

    https://workbold.com/

    Andrée Starå| Workflow Consultant / CEO @WORK BOLD

    W:www.workbold.com| E:[email protected]| P: +46 (0) - 72 - 510 99 35

    Feel free to contact me about help with Smartsheet, integrations, general workflow advice, or something else entirely.

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  • radkison
    radkison ✭

    No, this is a fresh build. The logic works, but the automation doesn't. If I manually change the vlookup cell, it triggers the workflow.

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  • Kristin Komassa
    Kristin Komassa ✭

    我有issu相同e -- everything works except the automation using a formula.

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This discussion has been closed.

Categories

Hi Dear Andrée Starå<\/strong><\/a><\/p>

Thank you so much for your solution!<\/p>

It can work, but more like a compromise way. Editing on a report is less convenient.<\/p>

It would be better for me to set access right to each column.<\/p>

But that can also work for now, thanks a lot.<\/p>

By the way are you a BOT?<\/p>"},{"commentID":383283,"body":"

@流风回雪<\/a> <\/p>

Excellent!<\/p>

Happy to help!<\/p>

I agree. Great idea! That would be a great addition to Smartsheet features.<\/p>

Please submit this as a Product Feedback or Idea <\/strong>(If it hasn't been added already)<\/em><\/strong> when you have a moment.<\/strong><\/a><\/p>

Haha!, No, I'm not a bot! 🤣<\/span><\/p>

✅Remember! <\/strong>Did my post(s) help or answer your question or solve your problem? Please support the Community by <\/em>marking it Insightful\/Vote Up\/Awesome or\/and as the accepted answer<\/em><\/strong>. It will make it easier for others to find a solution or help to answer!<\/em><\/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":[]},{"discussionID":107112,"type":"question","name":"How to we exclude a specific name from a DISTINCT LIST USER formula","excerpt":"I would like to exclude a specific user name from this formula. The formula is working fine, and it is returning a distinct list of user names. However, we need to exclude certain users, that are no longer in the group. For example, how do I say to exclude user \"Joe Black\" from this list? =IFERROR(INDEX(DISTINCT({Trial…","snippet":"I would like to exclude a specific user name from this formula. The formula is working fine, and it is returning a distinct list of user names. However, we need to exclude certain…","categoryID":322,"dateInserted":"2023-06-29T22:30:22+00:00","dateUpdated":"2023-06-29T22:33:31+00:00","dateLastComment":"2023-06-30T13:51:12+00:00","insertUserID":157974,"insertUser":{"userID":157974,"name":"Filippo","url":"https:\/\/community.smartsheet.com\/profile\/Filippo","photoUrl":"https:\/\/us.v-cdn.net\/6031209\/uploads\/defaultavatar\/nWRMFRX6I99I6.jpg","dateLastActive":"2023-06-30T14:54:34+00:00","banned":0,"punished":0,"private":false,"label":"✭✭"},"updateUserID":157974,"lastUserID":157974,"lastUser":{"userID":157974,"name":"Filippo","url":"https:\/\/community.smartsheet.com\/profile\/Filippo","photoUrl":"https:\/\/us.v-cdn.net\/6031209\/uploads\/defaultavatar\/nWRMFRX6I99I6.jpg","dateLastActive":"2023-06-30T14:54:34+00:00","banned":0,"punished":0,"private":false,"label":"✭✭"},"pinned":false,"pinLocation":null,"closed":false,"sink":false,"countComments":5,"countViews":63,"score":null,"hot":3376213894,"url":"https:\/\/community.smartsheet.com\/discussion\/107112\/how-to-we-exclude-a-specific-name-from-a-distinct-list-user-formula","canonicalUrl":"https:\/\/community.smartsheet.com\/discussion\/107112\/how-to-we-exclude-a-specific-name-from-a-distinct-list-user-formula","format":"Rich","lastPost":{"discussionID":107112,"commentID":383323,"name":"Re: How to we exclude a specific name from a DISTINCT LIST USER formula","url":"https:\/\/community.smartsheet.com\/discussion\/comment\/383323#Comment_383323","dateInserted":"2023-06-30T13:51:12+00:00","insertUserID":157974,"insertUser":{"userID":157974,"name":"Filippo","url":"https:\/\/community.smartsheet.com\/profile\/Filippo","photoUrl":"https:\/\/us.v-cdn.net\/6031209\/uploads\/defaultavatar\/nWRMFRX6I99I6.jpg","dateLastActive":"2023-06-30T14:54:34+00:00","banned":0,"punished":0,"private":false,"label":"✭✭"}},"breadcrumbs":[{"name":"Home","url":"https:\/\/community.smartsheet.com\/"},{"name":"Formulas and Functions","url":"https:\/\/community.smartsheet.com\/categories\/formulas-and-functions"}],"groupID":null,"statusID":3,"attributes":{"question":{"status":"accepted","dateAccepted":"2023-06-30T13:43:49+00:00","dateAnswered":"2023-06-30T12:01:20+00:00","acceptedAnswers":[{"commentID":383296,"body":"

Hi @Filippo<\/a> <\/p>

You can use a COLLECT Function<\/a> to filter results, for example:<\/p>

=IFERROR(INDEX(DISTINCT(COLLECT(<\/strong>{Trial Lead}, {Trial Lead}, <> \"Joe Black\")<\/strong>), [Unique Row ID]@row, 0), \"//m.santa-greenland.com/community/discussion/comment/\")<\/p>

An alternative would be to use a Report and Group by the Trial Lead column, ignoring out the users you don't want by adding them to the filter criteria in the Report.<\/p>

Cheers,<\/p>

Genevieve<\/p>"}]}},"status":{"statusID":3,"name":"Accepted","state":"closed","recordType":"discussion","recordSubType":"question"},"bookmarked":false,"unread":false,"category":{"categoryID":322,"name":"Formulas and Functions","url":"https:\/\/community.smartsheet.com\/categories\/formulas-and-functions","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":[]},{"discussionID":107109,"type":"question","name":"Bridge Workflow - Runs with no Errors but doesn't copy data to column. Am I missing modules?","excerpt":"I have a Bridge Workflow that is set up to copy data from a row\/column to the same row\/different column. The workflow runs with all module steps \"SUCCEDED\". However, the end result is not copied in my Smartsheet's target column. Its blank. Am I missing a module or module steps to complete the copy routine? -- Here's a…","snippet":"I have a Bridge Workflow that is set up to copy data from a row\/column to the same row\/different column. The workflow runs with all module steps \"SUCCEDED\". However, the end…","categoryID":343,"dateInserted":"2023-06-29T21:27:54+00:00","dateUpdated":null,"dateLastComment":"2023-06-30T14:52:39+00:00","insertUserID":148855,"insertUser":{"userID":148855,"name":"cabbsman","url":"https:\/\/community.smartsheet.com\/profile\/cabbsman","photoUrl":"https:\/\/aws.smartsheet.com\/storageProxy\/image\/images\/u!1!88cq90f5xTs!8sDpd7uL9Ps!kj4X4avpgGN","dateLastActive":"2023-06-30T14:53:00+00:00","banned":0,"punished":0,"private":false,"label":"✭✭"},"updateUserID":null,"lastUserID":148855,"lastUser":{"userID":148855,"name":"cabbsman","url":"https:\/\/community.smartsheet.com\/profile\/cabbsman","photoUrl":"https:\/\/aws.smartsheet.com\/storageProxy\/image\/images\/u!1!88cq90f5xTs!8sDpd7uL9Ps!kj4X4avpgGN","dateLastActive":"2023-06-30T14:53:00+00:00","banned":0,"punished":0,"private":false,"label":"✭✭"},"pinned":false,"pinLocation":null,"closed":false,"sink":false,"countComments":2,"countViews":24,"score":null,"hot":3376212033,"url":"https:\/\/community.smartsheet.com\/discussion\/107109\/bridge-workflow-runs-with-no-errors-but-doesnt-copy-data-to-column-am-i-missing-modules","canonicalUrl":"https:\/\/community.smartsheet.com\/discussion\/107109\/bridge-workflow-runs-with-no-errors-but-doesnt-copy-data-to-column-am-i-missing-modules","format":"Rich","tagIDs":[369],"lastPost":{"discussionID":107109,"commentID":383331,"name":"Re: Bridge Workflow - Runs with no Errors but doesn't copy data to column. Am I missing modules?","url":"https:\/\/community.smartsheet.com\/discussion\/comment\/383331#Comment_383331","dateInserted":"2023-06-30T14:52:39+00:00","insertUserID":148855,"insertUser":{"userID":148855,"name":"cabbsman","url":"https:\/\/community.smartsheet.com\/profile\/cabbsman","photoUrl":"https:\/\/aws.smartsheet.com\/storageProxy\/image\/images\/u!1!88cq90f5xTs!8sDpd7uL9Ps!kj4X4avpgGN","dateLastActive":"2023-06-30T14:53:00+00:00","banned":0,"punished":0,"private":false,"label":"✭✭"}},"breadcrumbs":[{"name":"Home","url":"https:\/\/community.smartsheet.com\/"},{"name":"Using Smartsheet","url":"https:\/\/community.smartsheet.com\/categories\/using-smartsheet"},{"name":"Add Ons and Integrations","url":"https:\/\/community.smartsheet.com\/categories\/apps-and-integrations"}],"groupID":null,"statusID":3,"image":{"url":"https:\/\/us.v-cdn.net\/6031209\/uploads\/G9744765U09U\/screenshot-28106-29.png","urlSrcSet":{"10":"","300":"","800":"","1200":"","1600":""},"alt":"Screenshot (106).png"},"attributes":{"question":{"status":"accepted","dateAccepted":"2023-06-30T14:52:58+00:00","dateAnswered":"2023-06-30T11:53:00+00:00","acceptedAnswers":[{"commentID":383292,"body":"

Hi @cabbsman<\/a> <\/p>

It looks like you're using the Update Column module, which would update column properties<\/em> (e.g. what elements appear in a dropdown list to select, or changing it to a Contact type of column). <\/p>

Instead, use <\/strong>Update Row<\/strong> (see here)<\/a><\/p>

\n
\n \n \"Screenshot<\/img><\/a>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n

You'll want to add the Data Reference from your Get Row call to input the Sheet<\/strong> and the same Row ID<\/strong>.<\/p>

Then under Cells<\/strong>, use the Key to identify the column and the Value can be pulled from the Run Log of your Get Row module. <\/p>


<\/p>

Let me know if that makes sense and works for you!<\/p>

Cheers,<\/p>

Genevieve<\/p>"}]}},"status":{"statusID":3,"name":"Accepted","state":"closed","recordType":"discussion","recordSubType":"question"},"bookmarked":false,"unread":false,"category":{"categoryID":343,"name":"Add Ons and Integrations","url":"https:\/\/community.smartsheet.com\/categories\/apps-and-integrations","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":369,"urlcode":"bridge-by-smartsheet","name":"Bridge"}]}],"initialPaging":{"nextURL":"https:\/\/community.smartsheet.com\/api\/v2\/discussions?page=2&includeChildCategories=1&type%5B0%5D=Question&excludeHiddenCategories=1&siteSectionID=0&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":10000,"limit":3},"title":"Trending Posts","subtitle":null,"description":null,"noCheckboxes":true,"containerOptions":[],"discussionOptions":[]}">

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