Request: Report summaries should count checked = 1 and unchecked = 0 for Checkbox columns

CMathews
CMathews ✭✭
edited 05/10/23 in Formulas and Functions

Love the reporting column summaries feature for most column types. However, the Count summary option isn't very useful for Checkbox fields. I want to see how many "violations" there are which we denote with flags being checked or unchecked. I'd expect the following scenario to return "3" and not "5".

Or am I missing a way to configure this to make it return the number of checked flags?


Tags:

Answers

  • Kelly Moore
    Kelly Moore ✭✭✭✭✭✭

    Hey @CMathews

    Add a filter to your report where Flag column 'is checked'. This will only count the flagged flags. If you want a count of both, don't add the filter but add a grouping on the Flag column. You will then see the total of unchecked and checked.

    or, with the Group on the Flag column, sorted Descending Order

    Will this work for you?

    Kelly

  • Good morning. I'm also working with check boxes in a report and am having the same problem. I have filters set to only show checks but the report is still counting all of the rows. I'm sure I've just been looking at this too long and am missing something obvious. I appreciate any help you can offer.



  • Appreciate the idea @Kelly Moore! Unfortunately we're trying to retain grouping and sorting another way in that report. I ended up making a helper function column that counted a checked checkbox as 1 and unchecked as 0, and then used SUM. It's not my favorite workaround because it really clutters my report, but it at least helps with the issue.

  • Kelly Moore
    Kelly Moore ✭✭✭✭✭✭

    Hey @Leslie S.

    Is it possible to get screenshots of your Filter, Grouping and Summaries?

  • Hi Kelly. They are attached. Let me know if you need anything else.


    Thanks so much for your help!


  • HectorH
    HectorH ✭✭✭

    The proposed solution while viable is not ideal. I would much rather see a true count of checked boxes in comparison to the total number of rows without having to use one of the three available grouping layers. This should be a simple side by side view.

  • Stephen_at_ODOC
    Stephen_at_ODOC ✭✭✭✭

    I find it very counterintuitive that on a Report, using the Summarize function on columns that have checkboxes, the report always counts every row instead of only the ones with the boxes checked. Why would it count unchecked boxes, too?

    I have three different checkbox columns that I want summarized on a single report. Using the filter workaround would work for a single column, but not for multiple columns.

    Ultimately, the goal of this report is to watch the progress (of the three right-most columns) go up until they match the "Facility Count", which tells me that they've all been completed (noted by a check in the box on the associated sheet). Currently, it just looks like everything is already completed.


  • RubyL
    RubyL ✭✭

    I ran into the same issue and would like to see if Smartsheet has the solution to sum up the checked boxed today.

  • Agree with the feedback, it would make much more sense to have the count only count the check boxes/flags/symbols, or at least have the option for this. otherwise it defeats the purpose of a report with groupings and columns of different counts.

Help Article Resources

Want to practice working with formulas directly in Smartsheet?

Check out the Formula Handbook template!