Conditional dropdown list

Mehran Bagherian

Hello,

I have a question regarding dropdown list in SmartSheet.

Is it possible to have a conditional dropdown list? I mean; based on a selection on the first dropdown list, my second dropdown list options change.

e.g. first column values be; Group A, Group B

second column values be; Task 1, Task 2, when user select Group A at the first column

and second column values be; Task 3, Task 4, if user selected Group B at the first column

Actually I am aiming to limit the dropdown suggested values of second column, just to the group that is selected by first column.

Andrée Starå

Hi @Mehran

Unfortunately, it's not possible at the moment, but it's an excellent idea!

Please submit an Enhancement Request when you have a moment.

As a possible workaround, you could use forms with conditional logic instead.

It's possible in Smartsheet to create a solution that would highlight different columns, and then you could get a sort of conditional dropdown list.

Would that work/help?

I hope that helps!

Be safe and have a fantastic week!

Best,

Andrée Starå | Workflow Consultant / CEO @ WORK BOLD

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Steve Holt

@Mehran this is exactly what I'm looking to do as well. I'll submit an enhancement request as well

Steve Holt

@Andrée Starå how does that workaround work? I know it's possible to reveal a whole field based on the first selection, but is it possible to limit what options with those fields can be seen?

Steve Holt

@Mehran I've worked out a solution to this.

1) Create your field with the first level of hierarchy, as a Dropdown (Single Select) list

2) Create fields for each value on the above list. Label them clearly. For each of them create another Dropdown (Single Select) with the second level of hierarchy

3) Create another field with a formula to concatenate the entries in the second level fields. Only one will be entered, so the result will just be the selected second level category

4) In Forms create a Logic flow to show the correct second level field when the associated first level category is selected. Use radio buttons to make it clear. It should only be possible to enter a single second level category.

5) Back in the sheet you can hide all of the additional second level fields, just keeping the main field with the concatenated formula.

6) If you cannot hide the fields (because perhaps you need people to update them) double check the labelling is clear, and just make it explicit to people the they only complete one of the second level fields

It's not the tidiest solution, but I've just give it a go with 6 separate first level groups and it works perfectly. I'm not able to share any screengrabs as the data I'm using is confidential, but hopefully the above makes sense

Mehran Bagherian

@Steve Holt

Hi Steve,

Thank you for information you shared with me. fantastic! I will give a try.

Kimberlie

I have the same situation. Category droplist (single select) has 6 choices. Ideally a Subcategory Droplist (also single select) would then bring up 1-20 choices based on the Category choice. I'm maintaining the data in grid, not a form, so the extra columns would be a problem. Has there been any update to this question? I'd like to create a reference sheet with the columns labeled the same as the Category droplist, then find that column, and list the rows for the Subcategory. Has anyone done this?

Andrée Starå

Hi @Kimberlie

I hope you're well and safe!

Unfortunately, no, but it's still an excellent idea!

To add your vote! Please submit this as a Product Feedback or Idea (If it hasn't been added already) when you have a moment.

I hope that helps!

Be safe and have a fantastic weekend!

Best,

Andrée Starå | Workflow Consultant / CEO @ WORK BOLD

✅Did my post(s) help or answer your question or solve your problem? Please support the Community by marking it Insightful/Vote Up, Awesome, or/and as the accepted answer. It will make it easier for others to find a solution or help to answer!

Paul G.

@Steve Holt Your solution appears to be what I am looking for which what some call a dependent drop down in Excel. But I am still new to Smartsheet and learning the verbiage. I want to confirm my understanding of your solution. I will use regions and offices as the example.

1) Develop the primary drop down categories of five regions in the first column.

2) In the next column I would develop a list of the offices in region 1. In another column I would develop a list of the office in region 2 and so on.

3) You indicated "Create another field with a formula to concatenate the entries in the second level fields. Only one will be entered, so the result will just be the selected second level category" I understand the use of a formula to concatenate. I am uncertain of what is to be concatenated when you say "concatenate the entries in the second level fields."

Could you be so kind and provide some clarity on this.

Or if @Mehran Bagherian did use this solution they might be able to provide some clarification.

Thank you both so much for your time and response.

Paul

Adrian Mandile CHESS

Hi @Paul G.,

Enter a Concatenate() formula across ALL of the second-level columns. Since only one of these will have had a value selected in the Form because of the Logic used, the formula will return that one value only.

Paul G.

Thank you @Adrian @Chess for your reply. I have been away on vacation so my response is delayed.

My question is what does it mean to enter a "formula across all of the second level columns"? What does that look like? Would you be able to mock up an example to include with your explanation.

Thank you again and I appreciate the time your taking to assist me.

Paul

Adrian Mandile CHESS

Not a problem, @Paul G,

If you have the following dropdown (single-select) columns:

Region (first-level selection with options: “Region 1”, “Region 2”, “Region 3”)

Office_Region1 (second-level selection with options: “Office A” , “Office B”)

Office_Region2 (second-level selection with options: “Office C”, “Office D”j

Office_Region3 (second-level selection with options: “Office E”, “Office F”)

then create another column called “Office”, with the column formula:

= JOIN( Office_Region1 : Office_Region3 ) … i.e. “across all second level columns”

In a form, use Logic so that only one second-level column is made visible for selection, based on the first-level option that was selected. The JOIN formula will then only return one Office value. For example, if “Region 2”, is first selected, then only the Office_Region2 column will be made visible. If the user then selects “Office C”, then the Office column formula with calculate as:

= JOIN( “”; Office C”; “” )

= “Office C”

Hope this explains it more clearly.

Regards,

Adrian

Paul G.

Thank you @Adrian @Chess

I will give that a try once I get all my secondary columns built. Might be a week or two before I come back to this project given some others have taken priority.

Paul

Christina Bayma

I'm in the same boat. I need to create a list of Resources per Performance Unit and would like to allow those filling out the form to see just the Resources for their selected Performance Unit. Then I want the Performance Unit and selected Resource to receive the request upon submittal of the form. I did see there's a feature called Dynamic Dropdowns, but it seems to be an additional level of account (Add-On). I'm going to try what's been suggested here as a workaround, but like others it will take some extra time to set that up so it will be an enhancement to what I'm offering to my internal customers.

Adrian Mandile CHESS

Hi @Christina Bayma,

In your Sheet, create new (to be hidden) columns for your secondary 'Resources' dropdown lists – one for each category of 'Performance Unit', In each new column, only add/allow only the dropdown option items that apply to that sub-category of Performance Unit. For example, if you have Performance Units of 'Finance', "HR' & 'Legal', then create something like "Resources_Finance", "Resources_HR", "Resources_Legal" columns. The finance column might have dropdown options of: "Accountant", "A/Pay Officer", "A/Rec Officer", etc.

In your Form, include the main Performance Unit column AND (below it) each of the sub-category columns. Add logic to the main column to only show the relevant sub-category column when a certain value in the primary Performance Unit is selected. For example, if you have Performance Units selected as 'Finance', then show the 'Resources_Finance" column, etc.

This will have the 'cascading dropdown' effect that you are after on the Form.

Back in the Sheet, then 'JOIN()' the sub-category columns as I described in my earlier post (09/13/2022).

robmassie

https://community.smartsheet.com/discussion/comment/296085#Comment_296085

Hello Steve: I'd like to discuss your solution to this SmartSheet issue...

Please contact me through rdmassie@outlook.com.

Thank you,

Robert Massie