How can I find/replace a value (text) for multi-select column w/out removing all options

Kathy PPT

In my project plan template, I have a multi-select column for Assigned To where the dropdown contains placeholder options. When I create a new project, I need to remove one a placeholder for the onboarding manager and replace it with the person who is going to do the work. I would enter that person's name in the Assigned To label and would like to have it populate all the cells that have "ADM" as the place holder. I did a find/replace but it removed all the other names that were also in the cells. Any ideas?

Kathy PPT

Thank you!

Humashankar

Hi @Kathy PPT

If Smartsheet's find and replace function is deleting all other names in the cells, I get the point that when you replace text, it's replacing everything in the cell instead of adding the new name to the existing ones.

Can you try this approach

Export your sheet to Excel

Try using the formulae to concatenate the existing values with the new value

if the cell contains "ADM" and "Other Name", you could use a formula like =IF(ISNUMBER(SEARCH("ADM", A1)), "User1, "& SUBSTITUTE(A1, "ADM", ""), A1) assuming the data is in column A

Which will sove the actual use case 

Then import

After importing, Smartsheet should recognize the values as multi-select options, preserving both the existing names and the new name you've added.

Hope this helps - Happy to help further!!

Thank you very much and have a great one!

Warm regards

Kathy PPT

Thank you!