I would like to send my sheet to users for viewing purposes and only want them to have the ability t

I'm sharing my sheets w/ external vendors and want them to view all the data but only update their comments (1 specific column).

1) The update request does not allow the abiity to change some fields from edit to view only.

2) The update report is ok but does it send a request to the spreadsheet owner? So far i'm not receiving it.

in summary, I DESIRE,

a) The capability to share my entire sheet with vendors but only allow them to edit limited columns.

b) Version Track Control - How can we better track the changes that have ocurred w/in a spreadsheet. Can you include a history of changes for each SMARTSHEET owner?

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Comments

Brett Evans

JK,

you can solve (a) by locking columns. In this spreadsheet all columns are locked except for the user input one.

https://app.smartsheet.com/b/publish?EQBCT=3522c35c29c34120bb5d1208ec1362cc

-Brett

But does that also lock those columns from input gather by other folks. The concern is I'll share 1 sheet w/ both teammembers and vendors. I want the vendors to only be able to influence/update their column but my teammembers should be able to edit all columns. Which then brings me to the second question of Track History. How can we track the edits made to the sheets. The CM piece is a critical component to our PM efforts.

Richard Rymill SBP

Hi JK, Brett' advice is good and easily achieved if your own team can be admins (not Editors) who can enter data into locked Rows, then just add system columns that tell you when and who last changed a row. Then R Click Cell history to interrogate changes or use the Highlight changes button.

You also have some more choices to achieve what you need...

By Publishing the sheet and providing that Unique URL to those who you wish to see it in Real Time view only mode, they will see the full picture.

Your team can interact with the same sheet as Editors so no need to lock Rows.

For your updates from Vendors, use the "Send Update Request" and only select the one column you wish them to edit. Schedule it for regular weekly entering if that helps.

One of those solutions should work for you if not you can always look at Cell linking two versions of the sheet. Or modifying your workflow a little.

Hope that helps. Richardr

Tim Meeks

I concur with Brett and Richard's answers. Depends on your approach.

Vendors and internal persons should have differnt levels of access so thus the locked column would work.

Also, the recent Send Row Update enhancement allows you to only have them edit the columns you select

Customize the columns included in the Update Request. By default, all columns (including attachments and discussions) will be sent, but you can click the Edit button to exclude anything you don't wish for the recipient to view.

To add to Richard's comment about tracking the changes via the Modify Column, you can run a Report and get it to pull Rows based on the Modify Date being changed.

tim