Conditional Formatting and Checkboxes

kherring

Is there a way to set conditional formatting on a checkbox column so that if text is entered in one column, the checkbox in another column is automatically checked?

Mike Wilday

This question was just asked in the forums. 

You can't adjust checkbox with conditional formatting, you have to use conditional formulas. Please see the notes for ideas of what needs to happen in below's post.



https://community.smartsheet.com/discussion/automatic-checkbox 

kherring

Thank you for connecting me with this previous post. My situation is a bit different though- I am trying to get the checkbox to automatically "check" when a certain cell is no longer blank. In the post you provided, the user was using the word "done" as the instigator of the checkbox process. Could you tell me how to adapt the formula to my specific needs? I am a smartsheet newbie.

Mike Wilday

I see, the basis is the same. Try this formula in the checkbox column. =IF([Column Name]255 = "", 0, 1)

Replace Column name with the name of your column and replace 255 with the row you are actually wanting to check against. 

Mike Wilday

That formula should go in your checkbox column. As long as the field you are referencing is blank the checkbox will be blank. If anything gets entered the checkbox will check off. 

Robert S.

Hello,

 

Thanks for the question. Mike is correct on this. You can also write the formula like this:

 

=IF(ISBLANK([Column Name]255), 0, 1)

Or

=IF(NOT(ISBLANK([Column Name]255)), 1, 0)

 

I only add this to show that formulas can be written many different ways. To learn more on the basics of creating formulas in Smartsheet, check out our article here (https://help.smartsheet.com/articles/2476171). To learn more about all of the functions we offer, take a look at the functions list here (https://help.smartsheet.com/functions).

tharness

Maybe you can help me with mine. Mine is kind of like this, but I want to be able to have the checkbox autocheck when another column in that row has the dropdown changed to "Completed" for the checkbox to then be checked. What would the formula look like for that? Or is a formula the best way to do that ?

 

 

Andrée Starå

Hi,

Try this, place the formula in the checkbox cell.

=IF(Value@row = "Complete"; 1; 0)

Value = Dropdown with Complete

Depending on your country you’ll need to exchange the comma to a period and the semi-colon to a comma.

I hope this helps you!

Best,

Andrée Starå

Workflow Consultant @ Get Done Consulting

Steve S

Hi ...I have the formula correct. For some reason (I need help with) if I am selecting MULTIPLE cells in the formula, I get UNPARSEABLE...

Is this a Smartsheet limitation or what ?

I want the formula to look at 9 different cells on the same row and then only check the checkbox once all nine cells have data entered. 

Mike Wilday

Can you share the formula you are using? 

Steve S

Here is the formula I am using in an attempt to look for data in 9 different cells (on same row) before auto checking the checkbox

=IF(NOT(ISBLANK([Ann Thome]1,[Cheryl Zurek]1,[Josh Strunk]1,[Michele Vachon]1,[Terri White]1,[Steve Stellini]1,[Tadeo De Leon]1,)), 1, 0)

This formula should be accurate yet I get errors from Smartsheet. 

UNPARSEABLE

Mike Wilday

Try removing the commma from the end of [Tadeo De Leon]1 like this. 

=IF(NOT(ISBLANK([Ann Thome]1,[Cheryl Zurek]1,[Josh Strunk]1,[Michele Vachon]1,[Terri White]1,[Steve Stellini]1,[Tadeo De Leon]1)), 1, 0)