user-approval matrix reference

JamieLim

I have a form for users to submit documents for approval and gets loaded into sheet A where the approval automation is set-up.

The approver column in sheet A is linked to a user-approver matrix that is managed on another sheet B, such that when user submits form and sheet A is updated with a new row, sheet A will reference the user name using sheet B and identify who the approver should be.

This works fine if there is no change in the approver along the way. However, if there is a change in the user-approver matrix in sheet B, existing rows in sheet A (that had already been approved previously) will also be updated to reflect the new approver name for the user. This becomes inaccurate as those existing records were approved by the previous defined approver.

Any idea how we can update the user-approver matrix in sheet B without affecting the existing records in sheet A and still retain those existing records in sheet A?

Regards,

Jamie

Andrée Starå

Hi @JamieLim

I hope you're well and safe!

Please have a look at my post below with a method I developed.

More info: 

https://community.smartsheet.com/discussion/68589/lock-or-store-date-value-solution-without-using-zapier

Would that work/help?

I hope that helps!

Be safe and have a fantastic week!

Best,

Andrée Starå | Workflow Consultant / CEO @ WORK BOLD

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

Andrée Starå

Hi @JamieLim

I hope you're well and safe!

Please have a look at my post below with a method I developed.

More info: 

https://community.smartsheet.com/discussion/68589/lock-or-store-date-value-solution-without-using-zapier

Would that work/help?

I hope that helps!

Be safe and have a fantastic week!

Best,

Andrée Starå | Workflow Consultant / CEO @ WORK BOLD

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

JamieLim

Hi @Andrée Starå

Thanks for pointing me to the right direction. Have managed to do the following which solved the problem totally:

1) set up the copy rows automation to copy the "approved" records to a new sheet and

2) added the "helper" column in my existing sheet A to identify the value of the approver and

3) amended my column formula for the "Approver" to pick up the value of the approver from the "helper" column, but if error (in the case of records that are new/ not approved yet), then pick up the value from the user-approver matrix.

Thank you!