Multi-select dropdown into multiple rows

Patrick O

I have multi-select dropdown column. (Data will be entered via form and there will some approval automation.) I have two questions. Is it possible to select individual items within the multi-select options. I was planning to use some kind of delimiter within the options and use index but wondering if there is a more built-in function.

The other more involved question is whether there is a method to take an item within the multi-selection option and then generate a new row within the sheet or another sheet. (I have to eventually export the sheet contents into a different database and it would be easier if each response had its own respective row. There is a preference of using the multi-select dropdown instead of multiple columns or addtional forms.

Here's what I'm trying to do:

Row Column 1 (multi-select dropdown)

Row 1 A, B, C, D

into something like this in another sheet

Row 1 A

Row 2 B

Row 3 C

Row 4 D

thanks in advance, -patrick.

KPH

To answer your first question, there is a function for this, you do not need to add delimiters. Take a look at the HAS function

https://help.smartsheet.com/function/has

For your second question, you could use an index match and the HAS function to return cells in separate rows based on the single row added by the form. These won’t be copies but will dynamically refer to the original. You could then use an automation to copy them.

Sunil Kadikar

I'm trying to do this same thing, but don't understand how this would work "you could use an index match and the HAS function to return cells in separate rows based on the single row added by the form"

Would you be able to explain this step-by-step? Thanks for any help you can provide,

KPH

Hi

I was going to ask for more details about your use case but I see another thread from you that sounds the same, so I will respond over there.

Brooke Weber

I'm looking for the same solution - I have a multi-select column I need to break into separate rows on another sheet. Is there a link you could share to the other thread?

KPH

Hi, If you click on the user's name you can see other posts they have made. I think this is the one:

https://community.smartsheet.com/discussion/120686/how-to-transform-a-multi-select-dropdown-into-multiple-rows

BrianSCI

I am throwing my feature request for this to be included out-of-the-box as well. While we can ask a user to submit the same form multiple times, they won't do it. Having the same form loaded after submission is fine, but it requires them to continuously re-enter basic information for each item.

For instance if we have a simple form that requires name, email, and a multi-item field with 10 food options. I'd like them to fill out their name and email once, and if they select 5 food items have the sheet updated so five rows have their name, email and individual food item. Later we need to add quantity and comments to each items's row.

I appreciate all the work-arounds the community has posted which may or may not work, but this would be extremely useful core functionality.