I don't see the "automation" tab at the top of the sheet that I want to share

Tom Mueller

I've set up automations before using the tab in the left-hand corner but now I want to share a sheet on a weekly basis and the automation tab is missing. Is this because of the type of sheet I'm trying to share? Or is it the ownership? Or is it something else? Thanks for your help.

Samuel Mueller

The orange Icon is a report, and you cannot create automations in a report. The blue icon is a sheet.

Samuel Mueller

@Tom Mueller it could be an ownership issue, or a license issue.

You have to be an editor or above on the sheet, or a licensed user

Automation | Smartsheet Learning Center

Tom Mueller

I meet all the criteria to create a workflow. What about the difference between a sheet with this icon:

and this icon. It seems I can create workflows with the blue-icon sheets (below) but not the orange (above).

Samuel Mueller

The orange Icon is a report, and you cannot create automations in a report. The blue icon is a sheet.

Tom Mueller

Thank you! (I've been at this all of 2 weeks...)

Samuel Mueller

No worries @Tom Mueller the community is happy to help. These Learning Tracks are great beginner resources

Level 1: Get Started | Smartsheet Learning Center

Level 2: Intermediate Users | Smartsheet Learning Center

Level 3: Advanced Users | Smartsheet Learning Center

Tom Mueller

As long as I'm on a roll...please tell me how to avoid this error when creating a workflow:

Thank you!

Samuel Mueller

If you have a system column in your source sheet, you have to have the target sheet with the same name be the same type of system column.

This could be the Created Date, Modified Date, Autonumber, etc.