Duplicated entries
Hello Smartsheet community,
I'm using a form to update my Smartsheet, and I'm wondering if there's a method for Smartsheet to notify me if I add entries that already exist in the table, in other words, to avoid duplicates. Thank you in advance.
Answers
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You would set up a flag type column with a formula in it to flag any duplicate entries and then set up an alert automation to alert you whenever this column becomes flagged.
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@Paul Newcome , How would I set up automation/column formula to only send one notification? In other words, I have a column with formula Countif([ID#]:[ID#], ID#@row) . The duplicate rows would have value >1 for that column. If my automation is to notify whenever the column value is greater than 1 there would be two notification sent right? One for the original and one for the new duplicate? I'm sure I'm missing something obvious. But how would you approach to only send one notification for one ID#?
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Would setting the automation to "on new row added" only..
Rather than both "new row & row update"..
should only send a notification for the "newly added" duplicate ?
And thus resolve your "double notification issue" ?
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@Jerome.m Thanks for the reply, that makes logical sense to me, but it did not work when I tested that out.
I think since the row is added through a form submission, and then the duplicate entry column updates after the row has been updated it is not working. I think it would have to be triggered "when rows are changed". I think I need a formula somehow only add 1 to one of the duplicate entries.
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I would insert an auto-number type column (called "Auto" in this example) and then adjust my formula to flag all duplicate rows and not flag the original row.
=IF(COUNTIFS([ID#]:[ID#], @cell = [ID#]@row, Auto:Auto, @cell < Auto@row) > 0, 1)
This will output a 1 (no matter the total count) on all rows that are actual duplicates and not flag the original row.
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@Paul Newcome That did the trick. Thank you!
