Update Request Form - How to see changes?

RiseUpPNW

Is there a way to see the changes made in an update request form? If an update request is sent, you see the little icon over on the first column. When it's complete, it disappears. But is there a more clear way to see that a request update has been completed and if so, WHAT they updated?

jmyzk_cloudsmart_jp

Hi @RiseUpPNW

To effectively track and monitor changes made through an update request in Smartsheet, you can use a combination of the "Highlight Changes" feature, "Cell History," and workflow automation:

Step 1: Use "Highlight Changes" to Identify Recent Updates

The "Highlight Changes" feature allows you to identify recent changes made on your sheet visually:

• Open the sheet where the update request was sent.
• Click the "Highlight Changes" button (the highlighter icon in the toolbar).
• Select a timeframe (e.g., the last hour, day, or since your last viewing) to highlight cells that have been modified within that period.

This step helps you quickly locate which cells were updated recently, potentially in response to an update request.

Step 2: Check "Cell History" for Detailed Changes

Once you've identified the highlighted cells, use the "Cell History" feature to see precisely what was changed:

• Right-click on any highlighted cell to review its change history.
• Select "View Cell History."
• This will display detailed information, including the previous value, the new value, the date and time of the change, and who made the change.

Step 3: To Check Without Looking at Cell History, Use Workflow Automation to Track Specific Column Changes

To automatically capture and compare changes in specific columns without looking at the cell history, you can set up workflow automation that triggers a copy rows action whenever a monitored column changes:

• Create a workflow that triggers when a specific column (or columns) you want to monitor is changed.
• Set the automation to copy the changed rows to a helper sheet or section with a unique ID for each entry.
• Use this unique ID to retrieve the latest copied column information and compare it to the current data in your main sheet.
• This approach allows you to effectively compare old and new values without manually checking the cell history.

To monitor who made the changes, you can use the "Modified By" system column, which records the user who last modified each row.

Summary:

By combining "Highlight Changes," "Cell History," and workflow automation, you can:

1. Quickly locate recent updates using "Highlight Changes."
2. Understand exactly what changes were made using "Cell History."
3. Automate the tracking of changes in specific columns using workflow automation to compare old and new values and identify who made the change with the "Modified By" column without manually checking the cell history for every change.

Sample Solution

https://app.smartsheet.com/b/publish?EQBCT=d85de86472a94288a2d0f18468d8bbb4

https://app.smartsheet.com/b/publish?EQBCT=5acbbd1dbd324d529fd3a00133e9f1e6

jmyzk_cloudsmart_jp

Hi @RiseUpPNW

To effectively track and monitor changes made through an update request in Smartsheet, you can use a combination of the "Highlight Changes" feature, "Cell History," and workflow automation:

Step 1: Use "Highlight Changes" to Identify Recent Updates

The "Highlight Changes" feature allows you to identify recent changes made on your sheet visually:

• Open the sheet where the update request was sent.
• Click the "Highlight Changes" button (the highlighter icon in the toolbar).
• Select a timeframe (e.g., the last hour, day, or since your last viewing) to highlight cells that have been modified within that period.

This step helps you quickly locate which cells were updated recently, potentially in response to an update request.

Step 2: Check "Cell History" for Detailed Changes

Once you've identified the highlighted cells, use the "Cell History" feature to see precisely what was changed:

• Right-click on any highlighted cell to review its change history.
• Select "View Cell History."
• This will display detailed information, including the previous value, the new value, the date and time of the change, and who made the change.

Step 3: To Check Without Looking at Cell History, Use Workflow Automation to Track Specific Column Changes

To automatically capture and compare changes in specific columns without looking at the cell history, you can set up workflow automation that triggers a copy rows action whenever a monitored column changes:

• Create a workflow that triggers when a specific column (or columns) you want to monitor is changed.
• Set the automation to copy the changed rows to a helper sheet or section with a unique ID for each entry.
• Use this unique ID to retrieve the latest copied column information and compare it to the current data in your main sheet.
• This approach allows you to effectively compare old and new values without manually checking the cell history.

To monitor who made the changes, you can use the "Modified By" system column, which records the user who last modified each row.

Summary:

By combining "Highlight Changes," "Cell History," and workflow automation, you can:

1. Quickly locate recent updates using "Highlight Changes."
2. Understand exactly what changes were made using "Cell History."
3. Automate the tracking of changes in specific columns using workflow automation to compare old and new values and identify who made the change with the "Modified By" column without manually checking the cell history for every change.

Sample Solution

https://app.smartsheet.com/b/publish?EQBCT=d85de86472a94288a2d0f18468d8bbb4

https://app.smartsheet.com/b/publish?EQBCT=5acbbd1dbd324d529fd3a00133e9f1e6

RiseUpPNW

WOW. So I sure have missed out on some seemingly basic and simple features that I didn't know existed! I feel like I've watched a lot of videos, but these things are great and exactly what I need! Thank you!

jmyzk_cloudsmart_jp

Happy to help!😁 @RiseUpPNW