Data Shuttle Upload Workflow Unique Identifier Issue

cko

Hi I have a question regarding the use of upload workflows and the unique identifier in data shuttle. I have an upload workflow that updates rows on my Smartsheet from an external database. To pull from this external database, I have the unique identifier set as the code from the external database. The problem is there are times when I may have to pull from the same row on the external database, which means in my Smartsheet the unique identifier would appear twice on different rows. When this happens, Smartsheet is unable to update rows because more than one unique identifier exists. Anny thoughts/suggestions?

Matt Johnson

HI @cko

Can the external database add a column for an auto-generated numbering series and another column to combine the code+auto number? Then push that into Smartsheet as the Unique Idenitifier? That would probably work going forward but might be a little tricky to do on previous projects. I would suggest setting up a test environment for this and see if it works.

Matt

cko

https://community.smartsheet.com/discussion/comment/386482#Comment_386482

Hi Matt thank you for getting back. Unfortunately this will not be an option for us as I do not have control over this specific external database. On a side not however I do use this method in a separate workflow for a similar problem where I do have control over the external database.

Matt Johnson

@cko

Understood. Another idea, if datashuttle is using a spreadsheet export from the external database, then you could build a spreadsheet shell and copy and paste the export data into the shell which would be connected to Smartsheet. The shell could have those extra columns and the database would remain untouched. I'm usually not for injecting a manual process into an automated one but the options are limited here.

Matt