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Creating a Simple Data Entry Screen and Ability to Search and Display Data Entered in the Past

I'm just starting to look at SmartSheet... does anyone know how easy it would be to create a simple data entry screen (maybe 15 fields) and save the data in such a way that it would be easy for others to search through the data that has already been entered? It's not exactly my use case, but an example would be a simple form to allow people to add their name and contact information, and their skills... and for others to easily search through the "database" to find people based on certain criteria such as what state or country the person lives in, skills, etc.

Thanks in advance for any information or guidance anyone can provide.

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Andrée Starå

Hi Brent,

That would be reasonably easy. One way could be to use a dashboard to show the sheet and the form side by side, and then it would be possible to add to the sheet and to search/filter on the sheet.

Would that work?

Can you describe your process in more detail and maybe share the sheet(s) or some screenshots? (Delete/replace any confidential/sensitive information before sharing) That would make it easier to help. (share too, andree@getdone.se)

Have a fantastic weekend!

Best,

Andrée Starå

Workflow Consultant @ Get Done Consulting

brentnhunter

Hi Andrée,

I can't share my specific use case here but let's use the hypothetical example I gave earlier. I am not familiar with SmartSheet so please forgive this if it's a simple question... I want to create a simple form that allows people to enter their name, contact information, perhaps a brief bio, and to click a number of checkboxes to indicate what skills they have (e.g., project management, change management, risk management, IT security, firewalls, etc.). I want the user to see a simple, non-technical form to enter this information.

Then, on another screen, I want people to see a list of the people who are entered into the system so far.

In addition, I want people to be able to search through the "database" on one or more of the fields that are on the initial data entry screen.

From what I've seen of SmartSheet so far, it looks very similar to a spreadsheet. I do not want a glorified spreadsheet; I want a data entry screen that looks more like an online form. Similarly, I want the search capability to allow users to easily search through one or more fields.

Thanks in advance for your thoughts.

Debbie Sawyer

Hi Brent

Yes, Smartsheet can do this relatively straightforwardly!

I concur with Andree above and would suggest all you need is a "Grid" sheet with a Form designed (from the Forms menu in the Grid sheet).

Your collaborators can then use filters on the Grid sheet to find data specific to their needs or you could use the Reports item in Smartsheet to create some generic views of the data.

All these items can be added to a Dashboard as Andree has mentioned above. This is a great tool for this type of Flatfile data functionality.

The collaboration side to Smartsheet is its selling point (in my humble opinion) with this product there is one true dataset and everyone connects to it - no confusing different versions of data, it can cope with multiple collaborators all updating at one time etc.

Good luck using it!

Kind regards

Debbie Sawyer Consultant & Training Manager

brentnhunter

Hi Andree,

Thanks very much for your reply. I sent you a long reply on Friday, I'm not sure why it's not showing up here.

I can't provide the exact use case but I'm hoping to use SmartSheet to create a data entry form that looks like a form (as opposed to a spreadsheet), and to allow people to view the list of entries that were added into the "database". I also want to be able to search based on any fields on the data entry form. As mentioned previously, the fields would be such things such as name, contact information and the user should be able to select from a list of pre-defined skills such as project management, change management, knowledge management, IT security, database, Java, etc.

Thanks in advance for letting me know if SmartSheet would be well suited for this type of system.

Brent Hunter

brentnhunter

Hi Debbie,

Thanks so much for your reply.

I don't know anything at all about SmartSheet yet, but it sounds like you and Andree think it can do what I want it to do. Do you by any chance have some sort of simple bulleted list of what I need to do to (1) get the data entry screen created, (2) view a list of all entries added to the system and (3) search through the entries in the system based on any fields entered on the data entry form?

Thank you very much for any assistance you can provide.

Brent Hunter

Shaine Greenwood

Hi Brent,

Sorry about that—our spam filter flagged your prior reply. (The reason for that escapes me.)

I've just approved it.

Andrée Starå

Happy to help!

The easy answer is yes!

Please email me at andree@getdone.se and I'll share an example with you.

Let me know if you want me to describe it here instead.

Best,

Andrée

Andrée Starå

I saw this post now, and the answer is still yes.

Best,

Andrée

Debbie Sawyer

Hi Brent

Smartsheet Help Videos and Articles are really great. (more so than Microsoft help!) I would recommend looking at the video for creating a Sheet (found here):

https://help.smartsheet.com/learning-track/get-started/create-sheet

Then you would create a Form...(there are related pages here to show you how to distribute the link to the form to others too.)

https://help.smartsheet.com/articles/522221-collect-information-form

To find relevant data in the grid (from the form submissions) would be using filters. Filters are described here:

https://help.smartsheet.com/articles/504659-using-filters-to-show-or-hide-sheet-data

Please don't feel that I am just sending you to help screens, Smartsheet help articles are written very well and provide you with the step by step guides that you are after. (Knowing what to look for is the hardest bit, as help is only good if you know the name of the thing you are struggling with!)

If you would rather have a 1-2-1 remote training session with me, that is something that I offer through the Smartsheet Consultancy firm that I work with (SBP). We use Zoom Meetings conference tool for a remote training session, I am UK based, but I support and train clients globally at a time that is convenient to both. That way I can teach you how to do all these things in context on your own sheet. This scenario could be trained (including a little on reports too) in a 90 mins 1-2-1 workshop. If you are interested in that you are most welcome to contact me on debbie.sawyer@smarterbusinessprocesses.com

Good luck!

Kind regards

Debbie Sawyer Consultant & Training Manager

Andrée Starå

How did it go? Did you get it working?

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