How to put formulas in smartsheet form without it automatically override as text?

Shirley Vue

When I use an automation workflow from a form question hidden as I have the formula as the default value of that question, how can I get it to work it's formula instead of it overriding as a text? So when I put in the formula in the default value in the form and when after the form has been filled, the formula is exposed in the cell with an apostrophe in front of the equal sign indicating it as text rather than a formula.

Andrée Starå

Hi Shirley,

The cells that you want to have the formula need to be empty or not included in the form. You'll also have to make sure that the conditions below are met. The short version. There needs to be at least two rows above or under the new row with the same formula structure for it to auto-fill the new one.

Make sense?

If the formula structure is the same above/below the Formula Autofill will add the formula(s) automatically.

Conditions That Trigger Formula Autofill

You’ll see formulas populate automatically when you type in a newly inserted or blank row that is:

• Directly between two others that contain the same formula in adjacent cells.
• At the topmost of the sheet if it’s above two rows that have the same formula in adjacent cells. (This includes rows inserted from a form.)
• At the bottommost of the sheet if it’s below two rows that have the same formula in adjacent cells. (This includes rows inserted from a form.)
• Above or below a single row that is between blank rows and has formulas.

More info: 

https://help.smartsheet.com/articles/1641473-auto-filling-formulas-and-formatting

Did that work?

I hope that helps!

Have a fantastic week!

Best,

Andrée Starå

Workflow Consultant / CEO @ WORK BOLD

✅Did my post help answer your question or solve your problem? Please help the Community by marking it as the accepted answer/helpful. It will make it easier for others to find a solution or help to answer!

Paul Newcome

Andree is correct. You would need to leverage the auto-fill feature instead of using the default value of in the form.

The simplified version of Smartsheet's explanation on how to use auto-fill:

You need to have at least two rows of the same hierarchy containing the formula above and/or below the new row.

Andrée Starå

Hi Shirley,

The cells that you want to have the formula need to be empty or not included in the form. You'll also have to make sure that the conditions below are met. The short version. There needs to be at least two rows above or under the new row with the same formula structure for it to auto-fill the new one.

Make sense?

If the formula structure is the same above/below the Formula Autofill will add the formula(s) automatically.

Conditions That Trigger Formula Autofill

You’ll see formulas populate automatically when you type in a newly inserted or blank row that is:

• Directly between two others that contain the same formula in adjacent cells.
• At the topmost of the sheet if it’s above two rows that have the same formula in adjacent cells. (This includes rows inserted from a form.)
• At the bottommost of the sheet if it’s below two rows that have the same formula in adjacent cells. (This includes rows inserted from a form.)
• Above or below a single row that is between blank rows and has formulas.

More info: 

https://help.smartsheet.com/articles/1641473-auto-filling-formulas-and-formatting

Did that work?

I hope that helps!

Have a fantastic week!

Best,

Andrée Starå

Workflow Consultant / CEO @ WORK BOLD

✅Did my post help answer your question or solve your problem? Please help the Community by marking it as the accepted answer/helpful. It will make it easier for others to find a solution or help to answer!

Paul Newcome

Andree is correct. You would need to leverage the auto-fill feature instead of using the default value of in the form.

The simplified version of Smartsheet's explanation on how to use auto-fill:

You need to have at least two rows of the same hierarchy containing the formula above and/or below the new row.