Combining multiple emails into a contact list cell for automation

Dallas G

I am using smartsheet to send automated email updates to people if they are required to provide approval. I have a contacts column which includes a joined list of emails that are from other columns. (e.g. eng contacts, qualit contacts etc). The formula i have in the cell is "=JOIN([contact 1]1:[contact 3]1, "; ")", however, when i set up the automated email, where i click a checkbox in another cell, to initiate the automation and send an email to the column with the joined contacts, the contacts do not receive any emails. what am i doing wrong?

I've noticed that even though the column type is set as contact list with multiple contacts, it does not recognize the multiple emails and i think this is why the automation is not working.

Dallas G

I tried changing column type to text, saving it, and then back to contact list, and sometime it would change to a recognized email and other times nothing would happen.

What can i do to prevent this? I need to be able to rely to on these emails being consistent so the correct people are contacted during the automation steps.

thank you,

jmyzk_cloudsmart_jp

Hi @Dallas G

Unfortunately, you can not create a multiple contacts list using a formula.

There is a request for this feature.

https://community.smartsheet.com/discussion/97466/combine-contacts-from-multiple-columns-into-a-single-cell

A workaround may be to use a group and send the request to everyone shared on the sheet. You may need to separate the sheet for approvals and requesters or others.

It is possible to use the Smartsheet API to combine contacts or email columns into a single multiple-contact cell, but you need some programming knowledge.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IkX2EqTFwlY&t=18s

Dallas G

Thank you for the feedback. I was looking through the thread, and it seems like there are many others who are requesting this feature. Is this feature/functionality on the road map and is there an ETA for when it will be implemented?

thank you,