Delete Rows using an Automation

Karron Alford

I agree that this feature is needed.

eseymour

Moving to a 'archive' or 'dump' sheet just moves the problem down a step. Ultimately you need to delete rows to avoid a chain of multiple archives of archives of archives... Logically we need to delete at some point.

+1 on others calling for this option.

JPUMBARGER

Need a way to setup an automation to delete rows by trigger or schedule date.

Grant Lagimodiere

To automatically delete rows in an "archive/trash bin" sheet I do this. I use a standard "move" automation template to move the rows into a newly created "trash bin" sheet. Using Data Shuttle I do this:

1. Create an Upload workflow.
2. The source file will be a blank .xls or .csv with the identical structure as your regular data import file - but blanked out, no data.
3. Configure the workflow for complete replace of the target sheet (the "delete bin" sheet).
4. Schedule the new delete bin workflow frequency greater than the frequency of your data import. For example, if you upload your data every hour, then empty the trash bin every 15 or 30 minutes. I do this to reduce the chance that I could "overflow" the trash bin and halt the automation.

aramirez2

I believe it would be helpful to add an Automated Option to Delete Rows, we currently have Move or Copy Rows to another sheet when certain criteria are met and then manually deleting them in the new sheet. This requires creating an additional sheet and manually deleting them (time consuming plus added tasks). With Automated Delete Rows option, we would select our conditions to when these rows would need to be Deleted form the sheet (task completed, or Date reached).

Best Regards,

Carson Penticuff

https://community.smartsheet.com/discussion/comment/396699#Comment_396699

I would absolutely love to see the addition of a "delete row" automation, but I will definitely be implementing your workaround for now. I have been setting up multiple "trash" sheets, but this would allow me to use only one and data shuttle it back to empty daily. Great solution!

MikeS

https://community.smartsheet.com/discussion/comment/396699#Comment_396699

Such a simple workaround. Thanks for posting.

For the record, I would also like the ability to delete rows natively in smartsheet

Genevieve P.

Hi all,

Hopping in here to let you know that this functionality is currently possible if you have access to Bridge!

Here's a new Help Article that goes through the steps on how you would set up this Bridge workflow:

https://help.smartsheet.com/articles/2483102-use-bridge-to-delete-row-on-condition

Cheers,

Genevieve

BrendanD24

This is my first post, so please let me know if you see any areas for improvement.

I'm not sure if this is a result of Smartsheet or if it's due to the way I've set up my automations. I'll explain how I've set up my current sheets, which are being pulled through the "Move" automation to an Archive sheet. The Archive sheet has conditional formatting set up with a combination of formulas to count the total cells. Once I reach a certain number of cells in the Archive sheet (typically 30-60 days worth), I have another automation to clear the column. This automation clears all of the necessary columns, and my formulas restart for the next inbound batch. It's a bit of a chain reaction effect for supplemental workflows.

This was a bit difficult to set up initially, but it's been perfected with each version update. Please let me know if you have any questions!

Matt.Hartfield

I appreciate all the workarounds people have posted, and I use several variations across different sheets and workflows.

However, I would still like to have an action for "Delete Rows" as an option. There are cases where this really is the right answer, and it seems like a low-hanging fruit for the development team to add.

Ban

We need this feature as well.

Thanks.

DicksonK

@urmila.kukreja

I agree with this. I have replicated a sheet throughout our organisation (set up by location) and all past date information gets moved to a separate sheet (again by location). However, if there are certain fields that are left blank, then I do not want it to go to those sheets.

Due to the sheet limitations and the size of my sheets, I do not have time to delete the information manually over the 16 locations.

Thanks

J_B

Still need a feature to automatically delete rows. Manually tracking and deleting is an unnecessary expenditure of time and tracking.

meb_0101

https://community.smartsheet.com/discussion/comment/405380#Comment_405380

Hi Genevieve,

I was excited about this option until I realized Bridge is a paid add on. Why is a delete automated workflow unavailable when we already have move and copy? It's not wildly different from what's already available on the main platform. It would be extremely helpful. At the very least, it would be great if the move automation was updated so it didn't leave behind blank rows.

Thank you! :)

aramirez2

Is there a way to add a "Delete Row" as an action in automation workflow after a date is reached or certain criteria is met?

Currently we have Move Row, Copy Row, Lock & unlock rows, clear a cell but to delete a row I have been moving a row to another sheet and then deleting it form that new sheet but for this to work I need to create another sheet which means another sheet I need to be managing.

Or is there a better way to do it?

Thank you