Feature Request: timestamp() function

Mike Wilday

It would be great if there was a way to timestamp the value of a cell. To enter the exact date that an event occurred. Several people have volunteered a modified date column, but something like the following functionality in an if-statement would be really great.

 

=IF(FieldName1 = "blah", timestamp())

J. Craig Williams

In order for something like this to be effective, timestamp() would need to function only once.

when FieldName1 = "blah", the timestamp gets set.

And set again.

And set again, as fast as the browser processing can go.

 

If timestamp() was only a one-time function, then it would be like the QA guy in the match factory. Lights the match - "That one works." Lights another - "That one works." and so on.

 

In order to accomplish this, we might be able to use a SET/RESET sort of function.

Or a TOGGLE function.

Instead of evaluating the criteria (for example of the IF statement), evaluate if the input has changed and then evaluate the criteria if it has.

 

Using that functionality, your timestamp would be the Modified Date/Time, which is already captured.

 

Craig

Mike Wilday

I see what you are saying... We'd actually need a trigger based on an item changing. Similar to the modified date, but perhaps focused on a cell of our choice? That way when the cell is modified, the current time is added.

 

This is definitely a peculiar need, but one that SOOOOOO many people have asked for. Functionality that allows for tracking the date a particular field has changed would be a game changer for many people in this space. 

Shaine Greenwood

Hi Mike,

 

I've got your vote down for functionality to track time and use time formulas in Smartsheet. Craig's right on the money with the need to update the formula constantly, and with the current Smartsheet architecture, you'd need to constantly save the sheet after each update.

 

We'd likely need to improve our overall app performance to reduce the processing load on your browser as well.

J. Craig Williams

Do you know about the cell's version history?

The timestamp is stored there, but is not accessible from a formula elsewhere in the GUI.

https://help.smartsheet.com/articles/518314-viewing-cell-history

 

This post's is solving a slightly different problem, but might also accomplish what you are looking for with some slight modifications.

 

http://ronin-global.com/2016/12/11/smartsheet-fixed-date-upon-completion/

 

Craig

Mike Wilday

It doesn't have to be a formula so to speak, but we need some ability to timestamp the exact date/time something specific happened, whether that is the ability in a formula, or some other method, it would be ideal for a user to be able to document with a hard coded time when something was checked.

 

I wonder if there is a way to access the cell history? You guys are documenting the date a cell changes in view history. If there was a way to access that cell's historical change date, that would serve nicely as a hard-coded date. Accessing that date in a formula like =ModifiedDate([Column2]2) would be superb to get the last date that a cell was modified. It would be wonderful for triggering Date Alerts and Notifications and allowing email messages to be attached. 

Mike Wilday

Thanks for your suggestion. I asked for an enhancement request to get the ability to add the cell history date via a formula. It would seem like this wouldn't be a terrible feat to make happen and it would help a LOT of people out without requiring them to spend money on Smartsheets AND Zapier. Essentially I could just use Google Sheets which our educational institution already uses, and Zapier, and save a lot of money by not using

 

I asked for an enhancement request to get the ability to add the cell history date via a formula. It would seem like this wouldn't be a terrible feat to make happen and it would help a LOT of people out without requiring them to spend money on Smartsheets AND Zapier. Essentially I could just use Google Sheets which our educational institution already uses, and Zapier, and save a lot of money by not using

 

Essentially I could just use Zapier with Google Sheets which our educational institution already uses and save a lot of money by not using smartsheets. 

J. Craig Williams

I can't speak for Smartsheet.

 

Craig

Loper

Please add this feature!

jacob sundermeyer

Please add this feature!

Maxime Vanwynsberghe

We need the Auto number/system to work on a particular Cell, not on the Row

Like a conditional formating that would allow to enter a date

Mike Wilday

Amen, and yes, please! 

Please submit a product enhancement request for this feature! 

Colin Entrekin

I wonder how many votes it takes for Smartsheet to hear us?  It's not very comforting getting the "we added your vote for this feature" reply.  Very soon my reply will start being "Nevermind, I found somebody else who listens and responds to their customers requests."

If you want to know why I can't get widespread adoption in our company for your product, it's because certain features are missing. If someone would just add those, I could probably get approval for scores of licenses.  As it is, people get excited, then ask how we do "X," and all I can tell them is "Smartsheet added my vote for that feature."  They always reply, "Ohhh," and the conversation shifts. 

Not good, Smartsheet.  Not good.

We need real target dates and a roadmap.  Absent that, the frustration grows with every passing month, and year, and...  decade?  Hope not.  I love your product, but there's only so much patience I can give waiting for basic features common to some of your competitors apps, sorry.

Mike Wilday

That is a question that I have asked multiple times as well. A product roadmap, even if target dates are consistently changing, still show your users what is being prioritized and clearly indicates your targets to your user. 

Maxime Vanwynsberghe

I don't get it why it's this hard, "right click - show history" captures the changes with timestamps, there must be a way to be able to store it in a cell when you set specific criteria

 

Fe: user entry column properties must be set to dropdown, add a function that creates x columns to the number of dropdown options, each time dropdown changes the timestamp is captured.

 

Mike Wilday

You would think it would be easy to create that. But alas, they haven't yet. Please add a vote by submitting a product enhancement request.