Can't build an alert - formula-based email not acceptable

ron.zanetti53836

Hello community! Anyone have a work-around for this? Here's the situation:

I’ve created a vlookup formula in my sheet to obtain an email address from another sheet, and then want to alert someone using the email address result from the formula. When I go to build the condition in the alert (for approval), the alert will not allow me to create the condition to send an alert to that email address. What’s the workaround?

Additionally:

1. When I define the email column as a text field it is not available in the alert to send an approval request to

2. When I change the definition of the email column to a contact list and then return to define the alert condition, I get the error message "Contact Column does not support formulas"; I've also tried other col defs, but the column doesn't show up as a selection option in the alert condition on anything other than type = contact list.

 

Mike Wilday

That error is unfortunate, yet correct. Contact columns cannot accept formulas which makes contact columns extremely difficult to work with, and an utterly manual process. I recommend submitting a Product Enhancement Request. Let them know that you would like to use formulas in a contact column and provide them a good use case as to why. 

We are facing the same challenge. 

Wilbsguy

We are doing workarounds that aren't very good, manually flagging everything or making defaults that need to be changed and triggers alerts. Yuck.

L_123

This was more fun than I had thought.

 

https://app.smartsheet.com/b/publish?EQBCT=be6355de7ed94f26af145884918fec4a

 

This will work if it is just an alert and not an update request.

 

Feel free to submit forms (link below)

https://app.smartsheet.com/b/form/d2cff8f5fb524498b54bcec5b6ab918e

 

All you need to do is set an alert on the rows where the emails are in.

 

The criteria for the alert are for changes in the "Latest Sub" where "Send Me Home" is checked.

 

Andrée Starå

Hi everyone,

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

Maxim Lobko

Hi Andrée,

I have created a grid (lets call it ABC just for referencing purposes) that has a contact column that is dynamically filled in using VLOOKUP that is referencing another grid which holds a mapping table for contacts.

Then there is another column in that grid ABC that is using COUNTIFS with multiple criteria - one criterion is referencing a different grid (let's call it XYZ), another criterion is a contact that is dynamically assigned.

Now whenever a referenced data in grid XYZ is updated, VLOOKUP formula in grid ABC generates an error message ("contact column does not support formulas"). Once I refresh the page that shows grid ABC, the error message goes away and the formulas are generating correct outcomes however the grid is asking to save it. If I'm not saving it, then it stays with the error messages and then all denendent formulas stop working until I refresh the grid and save it again. Same behaviour happens again and again.

Is this a bug or am I missing something?

Thanks,

Maxim

Andrée Starå

Hi Maxim,

There are some known issues at the moment and Smartsheet are working on fixing them.

More info at the bottom of this post: https://community.smartsheet.com/announcement/announcing-formula-support-contact-columns

Hope that helps!

Have a fantastic day!

Best,

Andrée Starå

Workflow Consultant / CEO @ WORK BOLD