Automation - replace existing values in multi-select column?

laura.sandoval

Hi all! I have a question about an automation I'm trying to set up. We have an onboarding status dropdown column that people can check off as certain steps are completed, and I'm trying to automate so it's not so manual and time intensive.

The automation is the following: when a date is reached for date field "SIV Date" (meaning it's now completed) with a certain condition, then it will change a cell value in the onboarding status dropdown and check off "Site Initiation Complete".

Essentially once the action is completed on that date and it's past the date, I want that checkbox to be checked off in the dropdown. My question is...what does it mean if I check the "replace existing values in multi-select column"? Will that change all the cells that are already checked off previously? Should I not toggle that on? Thanks!

Below are the steps and pics of what I was referring to:

Jason P

HI @laura.sandoval

It will not change the values in any other cells as you have specified the column cell change is applied to. The only way I can see it changing the value of another cell is if you have set up an automationwhere whereby if cell X is OK, change cell to Completed- in effect you could end up creating circular type senarios. Good article here.

https://help.smartsheet.com/articles/2482299-change-cell-value-in-an-automated-workflow#:~:text=Select%20the%20column%20where%20the,value%20overwrites%20the%20existing%20one.