AutoNumber or AutoPopulate Formula or Linked Cells

Ross Novotny

This seems like a very simple problem, but for some reason Smartsheet does not like what I am trying to accomplish. I am starting with a row of company information on grid that is a "Company Onboarding" sheet. When it hits a certain stage it is moved to a "Main Company" sheet. That works fine. I also need that same company information to show up on a "Company Task List". I would like the Company ID to be autopopulated on the "Company Onboarding" sheet then be carried through to the "Main Company" Sheet and "Company Task List sheet. But if I have the Company ID as an System/Auto Text column, it won't populate on the sheets its moving the information to because it says "Rows can't be added to the destination sheet because a column has the same name as a system column on the source sheet". Is there a workaround here?

Genevieve P.

Hi @Ross Novotny

It sounds like you created the Company ID as a System column in your first sheet, but didn't set it up as a System Column in your second sheet. That column will need to be the same type in both sheets in order for it to move the row from one to the other. That could either mean making it a regular Text/Number column and using a formula to create an ID, or changing the Company ID column in your destination sheet ("Main Company") to be a System Auto-Number Column as well.

I don't quite follow what information you need on the third sheet, the "Company Task List". You could use cell-linking or cross-sheet formulas to bring in the ID, or potentially use a Report if that would be easier, but it depends on what your set-up is like and why you need this third sheet. If you're using an another automation, like a Copy Row workflow, you'll want to set up the ID column to be a System Auto-Number column in this third sheet, too.

Once you've tested adjusting the column type in your destination sheet, if you have more questions or if this doesn't work for you, it would be helpful to see screen captures of all 3 sheets with a bit more information as to what the "Task List" sheet is used for (but please block out any sensitive data!).

Cheers,

Genevieve

Ross Novotny

Thanks @Genevieve P . I have updated the process a bit, but still running into some systematic issues. I eliminated the auto system numbering in the origin sheet, now I just have the destination sheet creating the Client ID. One of the challenges is that the autonumbering skips numbers, I believe based on some rows that existed at some time but are now deleted. Meaning the auto number for client ID matches the row number for rows 1-844, but then as I am testing adding a new row, it jumps to 856 for the client ID on row 845. This might not be the end of the world, however, I have that third sheet that I need this system to integrate with and that is looking up the client ID in sequential order. Meaning that third ID is using a series of VLookups, and row 844 it is finding the company information as it should, but then there are 11 blank rows until it can find the company information on 856. Is there a simple formula that I could use on this third sheet with the VLookups that would just find the next populated row of information, so I could avoid the blank rows?

Genevieve P.

Hi @Ross Novotny

Could you explain a little more about the third sheet's process? Screen captures of both the source sheet and destination (the third sheet) would be ideal, if you can blur out sensitive data. There may be other ways to pull in the information you need, but it will depend on your set up and what else is in the sheet. For example, is the Client ID the only unique value for that row?

Additionally, I'm wondering if you could use a Report instead of a third sheet, but again, this would depend on your process.

Thanks!