Form Approver sees field name, not label

Josh Runnion

I have a form filled out and approved by two parties not associated with smartsheets. Testing the application, i noticed that the approver doesn't get to see the same form as the person who filled it out. They see a different form. The main difference is the field names. The approver sees the name from the smartsheet column and the person who fills out the form sees the label name.

Is there a way to change this?

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Andrée Starå

Hi @Josh Runnion

Not sure I follow.

Can you describe your process in more detail and maybe share the sheet(s)/copies of the sheet(s) or some screenshots? (Delete/replace any confidential/sensitive information before sharing) That would make it easier to help. (share too, andree@workbold.com)

I hope that helps!

Be safe and have a fantastic week!

Best,

Andrée Starå | Workflow Consultant / CEO @ WORK BOLD

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Josh Runnion

Hi @Andrée Starå

I revised my comment. I published it while it was being revised.

Andrée Starå

@Josh Runnion

You'd need to change the column names in the sheet or add so-called helper columns that show the correct column names and use that for Approval.

Make sense?

Would that work/help?

Josh Runnion

Hmm. That is an oddity. Seems like an oversight by smartsheet. I'm not sure why they wouldn't simply have the approver see the same form that the user sees. Even when the approver follows the link (via the "View Request" button in the email) the browser opens to a page that looks very much like the form but with the labels changed to the column name, and the field order rearranged.

Do you have a link to "helper columns"? I've never seen that functionality.

Thanks for the help!

Andrée Starå

@Josh Runnion

I hope you're well and safe!

Excuse the late response.

A helper column is a column that doesn't have any function except helping with the structure/process. There isn't any documentation.

Be safe and have a fantastic weekend!

Best,

Andrée Starå | Workflow Consultant / CEO @ WORK BOLD

Megan Finn

Running into this same problem. The form allows you to create custom labels and help test that do not appear when you request an update.

A solution on a different discussion thread suggested sending an update request if someone doesn't have time to fill out the full form because we cannot have them save and come back to it. In my case, I want to fill out some of it with information I have already gathered and then have them confirm and add to the responses.

Wondering if there is any new Smartsheet solutions in the works for this issue.

Oddly, I notice even for this discussion platform you can "Save Draft" - why can't we do it with forms!