Auto-fill form/cells when a certain item is selected from a drop-down

Daniel Stanescu

I was wondering if it is possible to auto-fill cells based on an item that is selected from a drop-down. I am trying to create a form for our subcontractors to upload submittals and I wanted them to be able to select from a drop down list what they are submitting. I.E. Product Data for Paint, or Samples for flooring. Once that is selected I want smartsheet to auto-fill the rest of the questions or cells in with the specification or drawings number, and who is responsible, for submitting this, etc. 

 

I am trying to create a dummy proof system to keep everything organized and in-check. Let me know how and if this can be done. 

 

Thank you so much!

Mike Wilday

You could essentially do this with a nested if statement in each of the fields. You would have to use =IF(DropDownColumnName)1 = "paint", "ProductNumber", IF(DropDownColumnName)1 = "Samples", "ProductNumber", "")).

 

Basically, you put that in each field, and in the "ProductNumber" quotes you put whatever information you want to appear in the cell when the dropdown field = Samples, or paint, or whatever you want. Do that in each field and then they select it and it will produce whatever you want in that field. But I am not sure how you are going to automatically grab the user's name, or the drawing number they are working on unless you have your dropdown based on the list of addresses you have work at. or something like that. 

Daniel Stanescu

Okay, I see what your saying. Is there a way for the sheet to pull from another sheet? In other words if I create a master sheet or database with all the information spelled out and then when an item is selected from the dropdown list it pulls all the data that was entered in the master sheet into the new sheet with the uploaded item? 

 

The problem I have with nested IF statements is that I have over 800 items and that would create a very lengthy formula. lol. 

 

I already have the back-up master sheet. I just don't know how to have the sheet with the online form auto-fill information from the other sheet when an item is selected from the drop down. 

 

Let me know if this doesn't make sense. 

 

Thanks!

Mike Wilday

There is currently no way to pull data from another sheet in a formula. Lookups can only be done within the same sheet. You can cell link, but it a very manual process, not sure if that is what you want to do. You actually create physical links between one cell on one sheet and one cell on another, but this cannot be done via formula. 

 

I understand your issue with lengthy if statements. We have several in our processes. 

 

There might be a way to add more data to your master sheet, and then create reports for users from that data to only provide them certain columns from your master sheet, but that might be too cumbersome. Reports however, don't let you add additional rows to the sheet, you can use the report to populate what is already created. It doesn't quite sound like what you are trying to accomplish.

Jon Brown

I am looking for this functionality also.