Multi-Step Workflow: Creating and Linking Forms with Unique Identifiers

Halli9

Good morning!

I'm trying the following in Smartsheet:

1. Create a form that has a field to input multiple emails, each submission has a Unique ID.

2. When the form gets submitted, it will send an email to the emails in the submition with a new form of a different sheet.

3. Once the second form is filled by the email receiver and submitted, a new row is created in the second sheet with the Unique ID of the first sheet.

I'm able to do 1 and 2, but I can't figure out how the piece in 3 could be created. Is it possible to achieve this with Smartsheet? Maybe with the help of Data Shuttle, DataMesh, Dynamic View?

I also thought that it might be possible to create new rows in the second sheet for each email recipient in the first form, and then send a form based on that second sheet. But, I don't know how to trigger the creation of new rows that would contain the Unique ID.

Any help would be immensely appreciated.

Thank you.

Toufong Vang

@Halli9 Yes, it is possible with the usage of Smartsheet's URL query string.

Let's say that the URL to the Sheet 2 form that you want users to complete is:

https://app.smartsheet.com/b/form/6145a2c33c4e42e68bf53900e4a4845b

Also, in Sheet 2, the column in which you store the Unique ID from Sheet 1 is something like Sheet1UniqueID.

If you want to include the Sheet 2 form URL in the email alert/notification message, your email message will need to contain:

https://app.smartsheet.com/b/form/6145a2c33c4e42e68bf53900e4a4845b?Sheet1UniqueID={{Unique ID}}

If you're including rows from Sheet 1 in the email, your Sheet 1 will need to have a column like Sheet 2 Form URL that contains the formula,

="https://app.smartsheet.com/b/form/6145a2c33c4e42e68bf53900e4a4845b?Sheet1UniqueID=" + [Unique ID]@row

When the email recipients submit the completed Sheet 2 form via the URL sent by the Sheet 1 automation, the unique ID will be inserted into the new rows created.

Here is Smartsheet documentation on using query strings in a form URL: https://help.smartsheet.com/articles/2478871-url-query-string-form-default-values

Toufong Vang

@Halli9 Yes, it is possible with the usage of Smartsheet's URL query string.

Let's say that the URL to the Sheet 2 form that you want users to complete is:

https://app.smartsheet.com/b/form/6145a2c33c4e42e68bf53900e4a4845b

Also, in Sheet 2, the column in which you store the Unique ID from Sheet 1 is something like Sheet1UniqueID.

If you want to include the Sheet 2 form URL in the email alert/notification message, your email message will need to contain:

https://app.smartsheet.com/b/form/6145a2c33c4e42e68bf53900e4a4845b?Sheet1UniqueID={{Unique ID}}

If you're including rows from Sheet 1 in the email, your Sheet 1 will need to have a column like Sheet 2 Form URL that contains the formula,

="https://app.smartsheet.com/b/form/6145a2c33c4e42e68bf53900e4a4845b?Sheet1UniqueID=" + [Unique ID]@row

When the email recipients submit the completed Sheet 2 form via the URL sent by the Sheet 1 automation, the unique ID will be inserted into the new rows created.

Here is Smartsheet documentation on using query strings in a form URL: https://help.smartsheet.com/articles/2478871-url-query-string-form-default-values

Andrée Starå

Hi @Halli9

I hope you're well and safe!

To add to Toufong's excellent advice/answer.

• Another option is to start with a form and continue the process with automated Update Requests.

Would that work/help?

I hope that helps!

Have a fantastic week & Happy New Year!

Best,

Andrée Starå | Workflow Consultant / CEO @ WORK BOLD

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Halli9

Hi @Toufong Vang and @Andrée Starå!

Thank you so much for both of your ideas, I will try them out and let you know how it goes!

Happy New Year to you as well!

Andrée Starå

@Halli9

Excellent!

Happy to help!

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