Send only Columns in row with data when sending Notification

pierced

Any way to, when sending notifications on a row being added or edited, omit columns that have no data?

Say I had an order form with 100+ possible items on it. I don't want to send a 5 page email detailing all the items the person did and didn't order, I want to have the notification only include the handful of items the person did order and leave off the rest.

Andrée Starå

Hi,

Yes, it is. In the notification alert setting, you will have to add a condition for what you want to be included.

I hope this helps you!

Best,

Andrée Starå

Workflow Consultant @ Get Done Consulting

pierced

I understand that I can specify the columns I want included in the notification, or include all columns by default.

What I'm wondering is can software automatically detect columns with no data in them, and omit them from the notification?

Say I have an order form, with 100 products that can be ordered for various amounts each (so 100 columns, each column taking a number for the amount being ordered.) If someone orders one item, I don't want to send a listing that includes all 99 items they didn't order and the one they did order.

I want to send a notification only containing fields in the form that have data entered into them.

Paul Newcome

@Andree

What I think pierced is looking for is to only include POPULATED columns and exclude blank.

@pierced

If this is the case, there are 2 way of going about it. 

 

1: Placeholders in the body of the notification. This will require some tedious set up, but will give you the cleaner look you are looking for. To do this, edit your notification and go to the portion where you can edit the subject and body.

 

In the body portion of the message, enter each of your column names in a double set of curly brackets along the lines of:

 

Opening message saying "Hello, etc. etc."

{{First Column Name}}

{{Second Column Name}}

{{Third Column Name}}

{{Fourth Column Name}}

 

What this will do is input whatever is in that row directly into your message. If any of those are blank, it will skip over it.

 

2. Use a JOIN/COLLECT function in another column (I'll call this "Ordered Column" for this example) to pull all populated cells in that row into a list where you can specify a delimiter (I'll use a , for this example).

 

You could then use the placeholder in your message body of {{Ordered Column}} and it will populate with whatever is in that cell for that row.

 

In either option you could edit your notification to not send any columns at all because the placeholders are filling in that information for you.

 

I suggest option number 2 if you have a lot of options. This along with some pretty quick sheet formatting will allow you to use checkbox columns for each piece of merchandise, and have only one column that you would need to look at to see everything that was ordered. You could also very easily set up a basic form for the entry of each order that will automatically populate everything you need to include the notification being sent out (almost) as soon as you submit the form. There may be a delay of 10 - 15 minutes or so, but it could be set up to be that user friendly and clean.

Andrée Starå

@Paul @Pierce

 I read it like it was the rows. Sorry about that!.

Paul Newcome

No worries. You should see some of the REALLY boneheaded moments I've had on here...

Andrée Starå

It's from the bonehead moments we learn and grow 

jennifer.van

Hi All,

Is this still the best solution in 2024 or are there others? Thanks for the help!