Unintentional Mass Changes - Causes?

Bill Raymond

Good morning,

We have a pervasive problem within one of our Smartsheets. The sheet contains columns with data, and columns with formulas, each that Index/Match to 4 other sheets (in one formula).

The problem is that, every so often, a mass update will occur to seemingly random lines and activate one of our automations (see below). The change shows that someone changed the cell, but it does not make sense, because it was the formula that returned a different result (verified by formula output, see below).What causes this sort of thing to occur? Should I change my formula (see below)? Is there anything that we are doing to trigger the change?Formula:

=IFERROR((INDEX({Sheet1 Start Date}, MATCH(SO#@row, {Sheet1 SO#}, 0))),

(IFERROR((INDEX({Sheet2 Start Date}, MATCH(SO#@row, {Sheet2 SO#}, 0))),

(IFERROR((INDEX({Sheet3 Start Date}, MATCH(SO#@row, {Sheet3 SO#}, 0))),

(IFERROR((INDEX({Sheet4 Start Date}, MATCH(SO#@row, {Sheet4 SO#}, 0))), "NO RESULTS")))))))

Automation:

Was designed to change the status to "Updated" and record the phrase "Updated - Start Dates" in a designated column whenever the data in the cells for Start Date change. The intention is to update the statuses when the information gets updated on the sheet referenced in the formula.

Cell History:

This is how the mass updates always appear. The source of the change always has the same form: it states someone specific and the formula returning "NO RESULTS" and then changing back in the same minute.

Cell History.jpg

Automation.jpg

Paul Newcome

How exactly is the source sheet being populated? Is it possibly through a Data Shuttle?

Bill Raymond

We do not have data shuttle. The sheet is populated by user form, which then generates lines which have formulas in other columns. This is in relation to one of those formulas.

Due to data inconsistencies in this specific sheet, this column is populated by cell formulas, rather than a column formula.