Control Center - Global Update to add a column forumula

Jon Baier

I have an Overdue column (column type is flag) in a project plan/task list. I have a formula that calculates when to set the flag indicating that the task is overdue.

With the newly added Column Formula feature, I would like to set the existing formula for the column instead of in each cell. The reason is I have discovered that if people manually set/clear the flag, it overwrites the formula for that cell - ie no more automatic calculation to set the flag.

I don't see an option in the Control Center Global updates that lets me apply a column formula and push it out to existing projects. I updated the template so that new projects with get the column formula, but would like to apply that to existing projects as well.

Is this feature missing from Control Center? I suppose I can create a helper column with the correct formula to set the flag (and then hide the helper column), but I was hoping to use Column Formula feature.

Ameya Athalye

Hi @Jon Baier ,

I use the Find/Replace type of global updates to update a formula in the column. I'm curious to know how will it apply with the new column formula feature.

You can also use Modify existing column type update to add new formula to the column.

Hope this helps.

Jon Baier

I've used the Modify Existing column update to correct an error in a formula before, but it applies a cell level formula - ie the formula is written to each cell. I don't see a way to add a Column Formula to an existing column.

Control Center may just need to catch up with the feature release.

Trevor Brown

Hi, I found I could add a column formula and deploy via a global update as follows:

(1) Run global update to Add New Column with a formula to the template and existing projects

(2) Convert the newly added column in the template from cell to column formula

(3) Run a global update to Modify Existing Column, which converted all existing projects from cell to column formula as well

Mackenzie Barrett

Thanks to Trevor for the tip above - this worked for me! I played around with other solutions and the following also worked for me:

1. Add the formula column to your template. Be sure to convert it to a formula column (rather than a column full of cell formulas).
2. Run a global update to Add New Column and choose the option for "Use an existing column from the template". In the "Add Column" dropdown, choose the column that you created in step 1.