Smartsheet Contact Issue: Unable to adjust the name and email accordingly.

I'm encountering an issue with how Smartsheet is displaying contact names in a specific sheet. When I add a contact with a name (e.g., John Doe) and email address (john.doe@email.com), the sheet displays the email address instead of the contact name.

This problem persists even after deleting and re-adding the contact information. It seems to be affecting two specific contacts in the sheet.

This inconsistency is causing problems with our Smartsheet automations, particularly one related to our ticketing system. This automation assigns tasks to users based on specific criteria. However, since the contact names are showing as email addresses, automated email notifications sent upon task containing "Completed by: john.doe@email.com.

In essence, the email body contains email addresses instead of the intended contact names, creating confusion.
How can I resolve this issue? TIA!

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jmyzk_cloudsmart_jp

As shown in the image below, I tried to recreate your problem with the demo sheet.

Possible Causes

An email was registered as Add New in the Contact List.
- In the second row, the same jmiyazaki@cloudsmart.jp was registered as 'jmiyazaki@cloudsmart.jp'
An email was registered at My Smartsheet Contacts.
- In the 4th row, for email adriana@cloudsmart.jp, the same email was registered. Note, for the adriana2@cloudsmart.jp, a name, adriana2, not an email, was registered, so it is shown as adriana2 in the contact list.
A name was not registered at User Management at the Admin Center.
- In the 6th row, for info@sheetsmart.jp, no name was registered at the Admin Center.

So, I would check how your two problematic contacts are registered in those places.

https://app.smartsheet.com/b/publish?EQBCT=d9b42e2947564bcc9a613526f7164b91

If your problem persists, a workaround for the automation issue is to consider using a formula column that converts the contact field to display the preferred format.

For example, in the above sheet image, the [Contact List by Formula] column gets names by using the following formula: looking up the Email To Name sheet, as shown above.

=IF(FIND("@", [Contact List]@row) > 0, JOIN(COLLECT({Email to Name Range : Name}, {Email to Name Range : Email}, [Contact List]@row)), [Contact List]@row + "")

You can use the INDEX(MATCH in place of JOIN(COLLECT. In that case, you need to add the IFFEROR.

Message Customization

Then, you can refer to the names in automation's message by {{Contact List by Formula}} placeholder.

Received Update Request

knewmn3

Hi @jmyzk_cloudsmart_jp,

Thank you! We currently have an automated ticketing system set up. One of our team members is responsible for filling a form out and selects categories, for example "Update Status of Gift". When this is populated into the sheet, I have an automation to have it the name "John Doe" in an "assigned to" column. This is set up for multiple categories for multiple users. How would I put this into account? In the automation, in the final "assign to someone" section, I don't have the option to select the name.

How could I integrate this formula to assign "John Doe" and my other user, "Jane Doe" properly? Your explanation works, but I'm hoping to avoid our user delegating tasks to incorrect individuals. The mapping of the categories provides consistency with who gets assigned to what task. Can you help?

Thank you!

jmyzk_cloudsmart_jp

Hi @knewmn3

Your last point, "The mapping of the categories provides consistency with who gets assigned to what task," implies a relationship between the name and category. In that case, we use a table or mapping system with category, name, and optionally email as fields. This table can consistently assign tasks to specific individuals based on the chosen category.

The process involves the following steps.

First, create a mapping table in a separate sheet, such as "Category to Contact Mapping," with category, name, and email address columns.

https://app.smartsheet.com/b/publish?EQBCT=9b776e2c0e2444ed9cc12dfb0728c8e7

For example, the table might show "Update Status of Gift" assigned to jmiyazaki with the email jmiyazaki@cloudsmart.jp.

Next, set up formulas in the main sheet to retrieve the name and email based on the selected category.

[Name by Formula 2] =IF(ISTEXT(Category@row), JOIN(COLLECT({Email to Name Range : Name}, {Email to Name Range : Category}, Category@row)))
[Contact in Email by Formula] =IF(ISTEXT(Category@row), JOIN(COLLECT({Email to Name Range : Email}, {Email to Name Range : Category}, Category@row)))

https://app.smartsheet.com/b/publish?EQBCT=d9b42e2947564bcc9a613526f7164b91 (I update the demo sheet to include new columns.)

Add a "Discrepancy Warning" column to detect discrepancies in the main sheet. Compare the "Created By" email, which is automatically captured when the form requires login, with the email retrieved from the mapping table. Use a formula to flag mismatches.

Set up an automation to notify the administrator or responsible team member when a discrepancy is detected. This ensures that mismatches are addressed promptly. (In my demo, I set up the automation to send an update request to the assigned contact if there is no email discrepancy and send alerts to everyone who shared the sheet.

With this setup, the "Assigned To" and email fields in the main sheet are automatically populated using the mapping table based on the selected category. A discrepancy is flagged if the "Created By" email does not match the email in the lookup table.

Notifications and formatting will make these discrepancies visible and allow for quick resolution.

This system ensures consistency in task assignments, reduces manual errors, and provides a mechanism to address potential mismatches between user-submitted and mapped data.

Update Request Example

Alert Example

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