managing a dropdown field from a single source used by multiple sheets

Marie C

we are tracking courses taken by folks throughout our org. each student (apx. 58) has their own sheet (student record), tracking the courses they have taken and the date completed. this is how the owner of the process currently wants this managed. the course catalog is relatively static and we would like it maintained in a single place. we want each of those 58 student records to point to that single source for the course drop down options. there is also a template sheet for the student record, used when a new student is added. attached are screenshots of a student record sample and the source course listing. is this a scenario that might work with index/match? a one to many relationship? other options to consider?

Student Record Sample.jpg

course list_source.jpg

Andrée Starå

https://community.smartsheet.com/discussion/140271/managing-a-dropdown-field-from-a-single-source-used-by-multiple-sheets

Hi,

I hope you're well and safe!

A solution that would be perfect for this use case is the premium add-on, Data Shuttle.

More info:  https://www.smartsheet.com/marketplace/premium-apps/data-uploader

Is that an option?

I hope that helps!

Be safe, and have a fantastic day!

Best,

Andrée Starå | Smartsheet Expert Consultant & Partner / CEO @ WORK BOLD

✅ Did I help answer your question/solve the problem? Please support with💡 ⬆️ ❤️, and/or ✅ Answer. This will make it easier for others to find a solution or help answer! I appreciate it, thank you! 🙏

Andrée Starå

https://community.smartsheet.com/discussion/comment/487412#Comment_487412

Happy to help!

Yes, unfortunately, you'd need to create one upload for each.

Yes, Control Center is like magic.

✅ Remember! Did I help answer your question/solve the problem? Please support with💡 ⬆️ ❤️, and/or ✅ Answer. This will make it easier for others to find a solution or help answer! I appreciate it, thank you! 🙏

Darren Mullen

@Marie C

As Andree said, yes you'd need a configuration for each destination sheet. That's what makes a fit of purpose dropdown updater so powerful, you can have it automatically update new sheets with 1 configuration as long as you configure everything correctly.

You could use Control Center and update dropdowns if you provision the sheets with it, but that update would be a manual operation whenever the source changes.

Or, if you have access to Smartsheet Bridge there are ways you can make it update new sheets as they are created from your template. This video doesn't go into that, but shows how to use Bridge to update dropdowns.

https://youtu.be/Kn8zRPNMrnE

Darren Mullen

@Marie C Are you asking that you want the options in the dropdown list tied to the single source of truth?

That can't be done through formulas BUT it can with the proper tools. If your organization doesn't have a tool like Smartsheet Bridge to keep these updated dynamically, then there is a great option I have available that will do exactly this for you!

https://smartsheetguru.com/smartsheet-dropdown-list-from-another-sheet/

Andrée Starå

https://community.smartsheet.com/discussion/140271/managing-a-dropdown-field-from-a-single-source-used-by-multiple-sheets

Hi,

I hope you're well and safe!

A solution that would be perfect for this use case is the premium add-on, Data Shuttle.

More info:  https://www.smartsheet.com/marketplace/premium-apps/data-uploader

Is that an option?

I hope that helps!

Be safe, and have a fantastic day!

Best,

Andrée Starå | Smartsheet Expert Consultant & Partner / CEO @ WORK BOLD

✅ Did I help answer your question/solve the problem? Please support with💡 ⬆️ ❤️, and/or ✅ Answer. This will make it easier for others to find a solution or help answer! I appreciate it, thank you! 🙏

Marie C

Thank you, Andree. I am a huge fan off data shuttle. I read that the major drawback for DS in this scenario is that while I only need one offload DS, I would need 56 upload DSs to update all of the student record dropdowns. and that would grow as new students are added. unless I misread the articles.

I am also looking to our system administrator here to consider control center?

Andrée Starå

https://community.smartsheet.com/discussion/comment/487412#Comment_487412

Happy to help!

Yes, unfortunately, you'd need to create one upload for each.

Yes, Control Center is like magic.

✅ Remember! Did I help answer your question/solve the problem? Please support with💡 ⬆️ ❤️, and/or ✅ Answer. This will make it easier for others to find a solution or help answer! I appreciate it, thank you! 🙏

Darren Mullen

@Marie C

As Andree said, yes you'd need a configuration for each destination sheet. That's what makes a fit of purpose dropdown updater so powerful, you can have it automatically update new sheets with 1 configuration as long as you configure everything correctly.

You could use Control Center and update dropdowns if you provision the sheets with it, but that update would be a manual operation whenever the source changes.

Or, if you have access to Smartsheet Bridge there are ways you can make it update new sheets as they are created from your template. This video doesn't go into that, but shows how to use Bridge to update dropdowns.

https://youtu.be/Kn8zRPNMrnE