Copy a row to multiple sheets then move it to another sheet question

Steven Deem

Hello,

I'm trying to create a workflow where a row on an intake sheet is able to be copied to one or multiple team sheets then the row move to a master assigned sheet after sending the copied row to one or multiple team sheets. The trigger is when the value in the Assignment Status is changed to Assigned.

Without the master copy assigned sheet I'm good to go but I need it for records and I can't just leave it on the intake form as that can only have unassigned work. The workflows I've tried out on my own only go to one teams sheet and the master assigned sheet.

I've tried adding Conditions based on what team info is in Team Assigned column but that's a lot of different combinations and I've run into limits.

Any ideas or suggestions out there to create something like this? I'm running into a wall and have been trying this out all morning.

Thank you,

Steve

Samuel Mueller

You can add multiple copy rows then an move row, is that what you mean? If the number or sheets change based on a value in a Team column, you can utilize conditional paths.

Deric

Can you provide a little more info or add some screenshots?

How are the teams determined? Multiselect dropdown?

Is the master copy assigned sheet an archive sheet?

How many teams do you have? Are the team names fixed? Will you add or remove teams in the future?

Steven Deem

That's sort of one of the flow attempts I made. It's more like if the assignment is going to Team A, the row goes to Team A's sheet then moves to the Master List just fine. The trouble comes in when the assignment is going to multiple teams, Teams A-D. Getting the row to copy to A&B then move to Master or A&B&C then move or B&C or any other such combination.

Samuel Mueller

Gotcha. If it was me, I would have an automation to copy row for each team, so 3 teams 3 automations. Then I would have a fourth automation that moves the row at the end of the day. The move row criteria would be the assigned or whatever to indicate that it's ready to be "archived"

Archive:

Steven Deem

This is what what I was trying:

Just imagine a Copy Rows action for each managers sheet (I couldn't fit it all into one screenshot if I put them in)

Samuel Mueller

You can't do this because it will follow the very first path it meets, then it's done. You have to do separate automations, or create every possible unique path and set it to equals -which would be an outrageous number of paths

Steven Deem

Samuel,

I totally think what you're saying would work, I could put in Hourly for the Run to clean the intake sheet up throughout the day. I was really hoping for a workflow that could run all at once. I plan on using the intake sheet as part of a report view for the submitters to the intake.

Samuel Mueller

If you are using a report, you can in addition just filter out anything that's been "assigned", so they wouldn't see it anyway. But I do understand your situation and I wish there was a better way. Just duplicate the automations, give them clean names, and it won't be too bad. The only caution with hourly I can think of is timing. Super unlikely but it could get moved before the copy automations ran.

Steven Deem

Thank you for your help, Samuel.

I appreciate the insights

Deric

@Steven Deem

The way that @Samuel Mueller is recomending that you create the workflows is the best practice for workflows in my opinion.

A couple of other thoughts:

1) When I have a demand/intake process, I like to capture all of my intakes on one sheet and copy to a working sheet. Doing this keeps the intake intact as it was submitted.

2) I don't know what yoru teams are and why you need different sheets, but I would try to limit the number of separate sheets you create. You should be able to do everything on one sheet by using reports to restrict the information that each team has access to. If you have 5 sheets, you have to maintain 5 sheets, change columns on 5 sheets, change formulas on 5 sheets, create separate cell and sheet references for 5 sheets, etc. This isn't a problem if the solution is pretty small, but once you start connecting it to other solutions or adding to it, you will have a a lot of unnecessary complexities to deal with.

3) I save my workflows with two digets and a letter along with a detailed description: 01a copy from intake to sheet A when manager A is selected; 01b copy from intake to sheet B when manager B is selected; 02 archive assigned intakes daily at 10pm; etc.

4) Keeping your workflows simple will help you scale your solution in the future. It is a nightmare to update complex workflows. As an example, lets say that you want to change where you archive the sheet - in your example, you would have to change every conditional to the new sheet. Using separate workflows allows you to change it in one place. The situation gets even worse if you need to add or remove actions - sometimes you are forced to delete conditionals or actions.