Referencing a Contact with VLOOKUP

gdi2k

I have an employee list that has a column for "supervisor", which is a "Contact" type column, allowing the selection of a supervisor from a pre-defined list.

I have another sheet, a time sheet, which needs to reference that supervisor column with vlookup so that approvals can be sent to that person for hours logged. It must be a "Contact" type column to allow the column to be used in the approval request rules ("Send an approval request o" -> "Contact in column"). However, it seems like I can't use vlookup in a Contact type column - it returns "#INCORRECT ARGUMENT SET". 

Is what I'm trying to do not possible? 

Mike Wilday

Hello, no. At this current time it is not possible to place formulas in the contact column. For whatever reason, you can't reference other cells in contact columns and are required to manually enter your contacts there. It would be a great feature and one I've requested multiple times. Please add your vote by submitting a product enhancement request. 

gdi2k

Thanks, I went ahead and filled out the product enhancement form. 

Tamara Gordon Berlik

Do you have a workaround for this?  I have multiple sheets I am doing the same on and am wondering how you are dealing with this until the Contacts columns  can use a formula?

 

Mike Wilday

At this point, I don't have a workaround. We use a Handoff-To Column that we populate with the assignee of the task that follows the current one but it has to be manually populated. Kind of a bummer.  

Parkyreiner

If this works it will be very useful. 

 

Thx

Andrée Starå

Hi everyone,

Formulas in contact columns. It's released now! 

https://community.smartsheet.com/announcement/announcing-formula-support-contact-columns

Have a fantastic day!

Best,

Andrée Starå

Workflow Consultant @ Get Done Consulting