Web forms, is it better to add at top or bottom

gregjohnsondsm43126

I have been using web forms to populate existing sheets with new data.  But I have a question as to whether it is better to have new data at the top of the sheet or the bottom?

1. I see that updates are referenced by row number, so if I have data come in and an update request is sent out.  And then new data is added at the top, will the update request still be valid?

2. I have seen data being added to the bottom of the sheet causing blank rows to be added.  Is this only the case with adding to the bottom?

I can see advantages and disadvantages to both solutions.  Is there one "Best practices" answer?

Paul Newcome

The update request is attached to the row, so if the row moves, so does the update request.

 

The issue of adding forms to the bottom causing blank rows is because those rows previously had data in them. When adding a form to the bottom of the sheet there is a difference between an empty row and a blank row.

Blank row HAD data. Empty row did not. The form will populate the first EMPTY row.

So if testing is done, but you want to delete that data before going live with the form, delete the rows themselves as opposed to just deleting whatever is in the cells.

"Best Practice" in this case very strongly depends on your use case and what you plan on doing with the sheet once populated.

They both have their pros and cons depending on how you are using/displaying the sheet.