Usage of [ ] symbols and ( ) in formulas.

Jonathan Chan

Hello Smartsheet community:

 

In the attached picture, why "Task Name" variable needs to be surrounded by [ ] symbols while "Cost" variable does not?

 

Thank you.

 

Jon

 

 

 

Heidi Decker

Hi Yagu,

I believe the reason for the [ ] around Task Name is because it's 2 words. If your column was TaskName without the space, you wouldn't need the [ ]. By the way, your example didn't show up.

Peace!

 

Jonathan Chan

Heidi:

 

Tks again.

 

The picture (example) is displayed when I view the message.  Wonder what could be the issue?

 

Jon

J. Craig Williams

I recommend always putting [] around column names when creating them.

 

If Smartsheet deitermines they aren't needed, it removes them (I find this annoying, but it isn't a bug).

 

If you have a column named Cost1, then the correct usage in a formula for row 23 would be [Cost1]23, so spaces aren't the only thing at work.

 

As Heidi mentioned, the other most likely reason is a space.

 

It is all about the parsing.

Craig