Unable to use formula based date column in gantt/timeline

Any workarounds welcome. I'm importing some task data using Data Shuttle. The task data includes Created Date, Start Date, End Date. We want to use a column formula to set the start date (if its empty) to equal the Created Date. Easy enough.. I renamed the incoming Start Date column and added a new Start Date date column, and added a column formula to populate the Start Date with our logic.

Then when I go into Project Settings to set the Start Date, the formula based date column isn't selectable.

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SCSDmoore

Thanks @Paul Newcome.. I found another possible workaround..and actually I'm thinking this is the best solution. In the Data Shuttle job I added my formula to an Input Expression. I mapped the Start Date column to this value, and it seems to be working as desired!

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SCSDmoore

I tried a workaround.. I added a 'helper' column to hold the formula below. The formula sets the Start Date value…this worked until the next Data Shuttle ran. The helper column still exists but the formula isn't automatically setting the [Start Date] with the formula in the helper column.

=IF([Imported Start date]@row = "", [Start Date]@row = [Created Date]@row, [Start Date]@row = [Imported Start date]@row)

SCSDmoore

Found another possible workaround. My question though is, will a non column formula apply to new rows?

https://community.smartsheet.com/discussion/82448/why-cant-gantt-charts-have-a-formula-in-the-start-end-date-columns?_gl=1*13bz6cw*_gcl_au*MjA4ODIxNzc1Ni4xNzMyNzM3MDQ4*_ga*MTc1MzIxMzAzNS4xNzMyNzM3MDQ4*_ga_ZYH7XNXMZK*MTczNDYyNTI2My40LjEuMTczNDYyNTUyMS41OS4wLjA.

Paul Newcome

You can use a formula to drive the dates in the Gantt, but it can't be a column formula.

Non-Column formulas will apply to new rows so long as there are at least two rows containing the formula immediately above and/or below the new row.

SCSDmoore

Paul Newcome

I missed that you were using Data Shuttle. Glad you were able to get it sorted.

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