Using same status column in separate conditions

Ritika Bhalla

Hi,

Context :

I have a form that allows users to input 2 email IDs : Requester and Approver. If the two IDs are the same, then then I need to skip an approval step (STEP 1) and go to another step (say) STEP 2. If they are not the same, then I need to go through STEP 1 and then go to STEP 2. STEP 2 is a mandatory approval step, whose status I store in a separate column 'IT Status' with possible values as 'Submitted/Approved/Declined'.

Questions :

1. Is there a way I can compare the 2 email IDs in the workflow directly?
2. As a workaround, I compared the 2 fields at the time of data entry & stored the result in a separate column which is a flag. However, one issue that I have been facing with this - since I need to go to STEP 2 in either case and store the result of STEP 2 in the 'IT Status' column, I created two branches - one with STEP1 and one without. However, Smartsheet is showing me an error and prompting me to save the status of STEP 2 as two separate columns if I use it in separate branches & this is something I cannot do. Is there a workaround that can be suggested?

Thanks

Ritika

Genevieve P.

Hi @Ritika Bhalla

There isn't a way for the workflow to check the emails, so your helper column with the flag is a great idea!

Instead of building this in the same workflow, you'll want to have two separate workflows: one if the flag is checked and the submitter/first approver is the same (so skipping right to the IT approval), and a second, separate workflow for if the flag is not checked, to go through two approvals.

If the two approval workflows are separate, you'll be able to select the same IT Status column for where to store the Approval status for that part of the process.

Let me know if this works for you!

Cheers,

Genevieve