virtual parent to create high level view

David Peng

I have a smartsheet like that.

 

The question is, can I set line #4 as virtual parent of line #16, 17, 19, 20, so that on the start/end date and complete (%), it can reflect as a parent?

 

Thanks,

 

David

David Peng

Travis

There isn’t a way to create a ‘virtual parent’ but you can always build formulas to represent the rollup function. For the Start and End dates, use the MIN and MAX function and for the percent complete use the ROUND and AVG functions. 

 

Here is a link to our help center article on formulas: http://help.smartsheet.com/customer/portal/articles/775363-using-formulas

 

 

Let me know if you have trouble setting this up. 

David Peng

In example above, I want line #4 as virual parent of #16/17/18/19. Two issues with this approach:

 

1. The start date/end date/complete % columns can't use formula.

2. Even if I can manage to use formula, I need to input the row number three times of MIN/MAX/AVG on start/end/complete.

 

Any solution for the first one?

 

For the second, can I write a customer macro/function to automate it?

 

Thanks,

 

David

Travis

David - if you are using dependencies then you cannot have formulas in your start/end/% complete columns. Apologies, I should have stated that in my previous post! You could add additional start/end/% complete columns to your sheet containing the formulas to track those values. There isn’t a macro you can write, but once you have the formula built, you won’t need to edit it again unless you add additional rows. 

David Peng

Thanks, Travis.

 

I'll say the create extra column for milestones/briefs are quite clumsy. Can you change it in the future? Why can't I use formula in dependency cells? seems not reasonable.

Travis

Hi David, columns associated with dependencies already have background formulas applied to them which is why you cannot add additional formulas to those cells. I would be happy to pass your feedback along to our product team for consideration in future development!