Timestamping

AndrewWalter

Hello.

Is there currently anyway to do timestamping in Smartsheets? 

For instance, timestamping a cell when a tick box cell is ticked?

Thanks

            Andrew

 

GracePendlebury

Hi,

Yes I've been very interested in this too. I'm trying to freeze a date cell that keeps up to date with TODAY(), when I tick a checkbox cell to say a task is complete - thereby keeping a record of date completed. Only problem is the workaround solutions I've been able to find only work if you don't modify anything else in the row after you tick the box... i.e. last modified date columns.

This is a pretty sore point for me, hopefully someone's working on an update!

Grace

Andrée Starå

Hi Andrew & Grace,

Zapier is a great option for this scenario. Is that an option for you?

Smartsheet is also working on enhancing the time functionality. 

Hope that helps!

Have a fantastic week!

Best,

Andrée Starå

Workflow Consultant @ Get Done Consulting

Richard Rymill SBP

Andrew & Grace. if the system column that denotes when a row was last changed and by whom, is not enough for you? ... and the ability to use "Cell History" to get what you need is not enough for you? and you want a timestamp on a single cell then you can have it. 

A number of our clients need this level of Timestamping of a single cell so our API development team created that solution as part of our Smarter Mini Control Center (SMCC) package. There is a subscription cost to recover our costs and coupled with the rest of the features and automations in SMCC it is proving very popular with solutions like Hot backups and Project initialiser most popular.  

Smarter Mini Control center info here... 

a free initial consultation and demo available on request. 

RichardR@smarterbusinessprocesses.com 

 

Jesse

Hi Andree

With regards to enhancing time functionality, does Smartsheets have a timeline for this? And will this include the timestamping function that Andrew and Grace mentioned above?

Our organisation is very interested in this function as it will allow to track historic 'on time delivery' and from what I can find people have been requesting it on forums since 2017. 

The issue we have with the Zapier work around is that our organisation is not comfortable with using such an add on and would prefer to keep all our activities within the SmartSheets platform across our sites.

We have submitted Enhancement requests to Smartsheets on this issue as well hoping for this single function.

If there is any more information you could provide it would be most helpful

Many Thanks

Jesse

Andrée Starå

Hi Jesse,

My guess is that Smartsheet will publicly unveil it at this years Engage conference in about two months at the latest.

Zapier is an excellent service/integration and I highly recommend it. 

Hope that helps!

Have a fantastic day!

Best,

Andrée Starå

Workflow Consultant @ Get Done Consulting

 

Mike Wilday

You can now set a timestamp date based on another cell change using an automation workflow!

https://help.smartsheet.com/articles/2481986-set-the-current-date-with-record-a-date-action?_ga=2.79950226.443393604.1609776795-1074882870.1602114816

Todd Smelser

@Mike Wilday , You can't set a Timestamp with that WF, that I can see. Only a date.

Andrée Starå

Hi @Todd Smelser

I'll also add my answer for others who might be looking for something similar.

Please have a look at my post below with a method I developed.

More info: 

https://community.smartsheet.com/discussion/68589/lock-or-store-date-value-solution-without-using-zapier

I hope that helps!

Be safe and have a fantastic week!

Best,

Andrée Starå | Workflow Consultant / CEO @ WORK BOLD

✅Did my post(s) help or answer your question or solve your problem? Please support the Community by marking it Insightful/Vote Up or/and as the accepted answer. It will make it easier for others to find a solution or help to answer!

Todd Smelser

Thank you Andrée! It's a lot more effort than I think my need warrants but an innovative solution!. I don't understand why it is difficult to display the same timestamp info that is contained in the Cell History data though.

Andrée Starå

@Todd Smelser

Happy to help & thanks for the kind words!

Yes, I can't wait until there is a built-in time feature in Smartsheet.

Primoz

Any idea when Smartsheet will add this as a built-in function. I created a company logging system, basically, we read QR codes to see when an employee entered the company's premises and when they leave. Entering date&time is recorded using 'created date' as it records time as well, for leaving timestamp, we use 'modified date'. You deduct and get to see how long an employee has been at work. All good unless somebody touches any field in that row as it corrects the 'modified date'.

I do use lock rows and move to another sheet option as a workaround but maybe Smartsheet after all this years could provide an easy solution to this everyday need.

Thanks

Primoz

Mike Wilday

You can use the new 'Record a date" workflow to timestamp fields when something has happened in a sheet. This has been available since January 2021

https://help.smartsheet.com/articles/2481986-set-the-current-date-with-record-a-date-action

https://www.smartsheet.com/content-center/product-news/release-notes/new-automated-action-record-date