Automatically create multiple rows in a smartsheet

Gene Hurley

I'm creating a couple of web forms with a single smartsheet.  Each one will capture slightly different details.  The forms are sort of like a helpdesk queue, where the users can have different requests, but ultimately all the work goes to the one helpdesk team, and the work is all 'queued' into the smartsheet, and from there, the team goes through planning and execution activities.  I'd like the web form to add a couple of rows into the smartsheet at once, basically like copying a template in.  Ie, when a user has a request of type a, I know the team is going to have to do these 4 different activities, each of which needs their own timelines, actions, owners, etc.  Type b, would have a slighly different set of fields.  Is it possible to have a web form inject multiple rows in?  If not, anyone know of another way to do this?  ..it'd be cool if there was some kind of macro function that could be invoked.

JamesR

Gene,

The form can only add one line to a sheet.  I cannot at this time think of any way to automaticly add additional rows.  Unfortunatly there is no macro language in smart sheet.  If you have access to somebody with programming skills they might be able to create something using the API.

Richard Rymill SBP

James is right, this would be best achieved using API integration from eg a CRM or other App that will then tell smartsheet to create the rows you want according to the type of request. 

Depends upon what other Apps you are using, as to which one to use, or take a look at the Smartsheet Apps gallery for the best match.

If you know what you want, we have people who can set up your API links for you for Google of Microsoft Apps if you don't have someone already?

Hope that helps?

Gene Hurley

Thanks all for the responses!  I'd assumed there was a programmatic way of doing this, but was looking to see if there was something easier, like the SS web forms.  

 

Anyone else like the macro idea?  To me anyway, seems like it could cut down on standard/repeated actions, and ensure that manual misses in copy/paste/edit are minimized.  In my example, the end users would submit the form request, then the team managers would process the request, filling in all their additional project planning details around the request.

 

On an aside, my real "issue" here is that a single request will have several sets of dates captured on the form, all of which need to be scheduled/planned for.  ie, we need to staff for a feature going to UAT on these days, slow ramp up over these 4 or 5 different sets of dates, and production on this date.  All those dates in a single row are not ideal - they need to be broken down into line items, each with their own start/end date.  Preference is to have one web form for request type to ensure that all the pertinent data is captured at input time.

Travis

Gene, I would look into Zapier which is an online service that uses our API to perform automated actions (no programming required!). You could create a 'Zap' that is triggered when a new row is added (new form submission) and can create a new row in the same sheet. That new row can contain data from the form submission and/or unique data that you add when setting up the Zap. You can set up multiple Zaps that are triggered by different aspects of the form submission. For example, if "Type A" is selected, run this Zap but if "Type B" is selected, run this Zap.  Check out https://zapier.com/ for more information!