Contact type column across multiple sheets

KMan1190

I have a list of contractors that is constantly being updated, from when they are on-boarded, to when they are deactivated. I would like them to be entered as a contact type column. I have multiple sheets where I want this column to be identicle, and also want that when I update Sheet A and add a new contractor and their email address into the list of contacts in the contact column, It should also now be entered into the list of contacts in Sheet B, C D, etc. Sort of like a data source list where adding them into one space enables their accurate and identical selection in the other sheets. It does seem that if I enter a contractor in Sheet A, it sometimes does show up in Sheet B and C as a prefill option when you start typing the persons name in the contact column, but it will not be in the actual Contact List in that contact column unless I double click the column header and add them manually. This is playing out in multiple ways, the main issue being people trying to submit forms containing this contact column into Sheets B, C, and D, but the correct contractor is not showing up in the dropdown list because it was only added to Sheet A.

Any advice for having the sheets sync up so that when a new contact is added to the contact type column in Sheet A, it will automatically update them on the other sheets?

Jeff Reisman

To do this within Smartsheet, you would need an add-on such a Bridge and their Dynamix Dropdowns. https://www.smartsheet.com/marketplace/apps/dynamic-dropdowns-sheets-and-forms

Otherwise, if you have API access, you could use a script to update the column properties for those columns and add new contacts. It takes some time to build it, especially if you have a lot of columns to update, but it should be doable.

https://smartsheet.redoc.ly/tag/columns#operation/column-updateColumn

PPS Solutions

Hi @KMan1190 we have actually built the API @Jeff Reisman suggests above. Here is some info, please get in touch if you would like a demo https://www.projectplanservices.co.uk/drop-down-sync Cheers