Unable to update event from Calendar App

James Ward

I'm getting this a lot when I try to update events on Calendar App - this might be because I have a status dot that is a formula column (drives R/A/G based on progress and start/end date).

Is there a way to have this reliably work?

Genevieve P.

Hi @James Ward

What columns/values are you trying to edit? Columns that you're unable to edit directly in the sheet won't be editable in the Calendar App either.

For example, System-Generated columns (see here), such as "Modified By" or "Created Date" can't be edited in the sheet or from the Calendar App.

If you've locked a column with a column formula set, then this value also can't be edited from the Calendar App.

This means that if the change you're looking to make is adjusting the status dot (the field that contains a column formula) then this would be the reason for your error message. You would want to adjust the values that drive the formula instead of the status dot itself. So, if the status turns green when the % Complete is 100, change the % Complete instead of the Status. Does that make sense?

Cheers!

Genevieve

Lorraine Metler

Hi @James Ward, @Genevieve P . I am having the exact same issue and get the same error message as you have displayed, James. I am trying to modify fields that are not formula based or locked. Example, i have a notes column where a user simply enters short text for an update on the row. I can make the change at the sheet level, but not in the item in the calendar app. If a user tries, the error message James displayed above is displayed.

Any help would be appreciated!

thank you,

Lorraine

James Ward

Thanks for the help, in this instance I'm changing the value (progress) that drives the dot, not changing the dot itself. Each time I try this it will say unable to update event and then refresh the page.

Genevieve P.

Hi @James Ward

https://community.smartsheet.com/discussion/comment/284495#Comment_284495

Can you provide a little more context into this "progress" value? What type of column is it? Is the column used in Project Settings at all, or is the column locked? Can you change this value in the source sheet? Are you able to change any of the other values, just not this one column?

I'd like to try and replicate what you're experiencing - if you could provide a screen capture of your sheet and a screen capture of your calendar panel tab open that would be ideal, but please block out any sensitive data.

Thanks!

Genevieve

Genevieve P.

https://community.smartsheet.com/discussion/comment/284490#Comment_284490

Hi @Lorraine Metler

Are you able to provide more context as well? For example, how are you accessing the Calendar App (directly through the Calendar App itself or via a Dashboard, etc). Are the users attempting this update shared to the underlying sheet? Can you provide screen captures of your sheet and calendar as well?

Cheers!

Genevieve

James Ward

I am accessing through the web interface, I have no dashboards created on my account.

Dot column formula is as follows:

=IF(Status@row = "", "", IF(AND(Status@row = "Not Started", [Start Date]@row > TODAY()), "Gray", IF(Status@row = "complete", "Green", IF(AND([End Date]@row > TODAY(), Status@row = "In Progress"), "Yellow", IF(OR(AND([End Date]@row < TODAY(), Status@row <> "Complete"), AND([Start Date]@row < TODAY(), OR(Status@row <> "Complete", Status@row <> "In Progress"))), "Red", "")))))

Where Status is a dropdown limited to: In Progress / Not Started / Complete / Blank

Dot is one of: Green / Yellow / Red / Grey

When I remove 'Dot' from the cards, the issues doesn't happen.

Genevieve P.

Hi @James Ward

Thank you for this information!

I've checked in with our Support team and they have confirmed that there is one identified bug which may be causing your error: where do you have this Dot column mapped in the Calendar app, is it in the "Symbol" field?

There is a specific issue where if there is a harvey ball symbol column mapped here, and this column is locked in the source sheet (so either manually locked or via a Column Formula, like I'm guessing you have), then users with Editor permissions receive an error when trying to update other fields.

If this describes your issue, our Product team is actively working on a fix for this, but I don't have an ETA for when this fix will be released.

In the meantime, can you try adding in the Dot data on the Fourth tab as an Additional column (instead of the Symbol column in this 3rd tab). You can still have this display in the card by checking the Display box, but changing the mapping should resolve the issue for now.

Please let me know if this worked!

Cheers,

Genevieve

James Ward

This has addressed the updating issue, thank you.

However it's now displaying the dot as text, i.e: 'Green'.

Is there a workaround for that or is that the limitation of the additional columns?

I also have another question. When the Cal App changes any data, how quickly should that be reflected on the Table/Gantt? I see it when I refresh, but not live - is that as intended?

Genevieve P.

Yes, that's the limitation of using an "additional column" instead of the Symbol field. It will show as a symbol in the Details Panel when you click on the card, but text in the card itself.

You could potentially un-lock the Dot column, making it a cell-formula instead of a column formula. This should allow you to use it in the Symbol field (formulas auto-fill as new rows are added as long as two rows above contain the formula).

Or you could also set up the calendar to colour the "cards" based on this Dot column instead:

In regards to changes, it should be fairly immediate/live. The data does need to transfer over (using the Smartsheet API) so you many need to wait up to two minutes without manually re-freshing the page to see the change happen. I tested just now and it took a count of 5 seconds for the update to happen as I looked at the sheet.

Hope that helps!

Genevieve

James Ward

Perfect, this gets around the issue for the time being - thank you!

culphannah

@Genevieve P. is there any update on this bug? I need to use a column formula to flag changes via symbol, and then need to use that symbol in the Calendar App in order to visually highlight the card. Using a cell formula is less than ideal because this sheet sees constant adds and it's a total pain to have to remember to drag the formula down. I cannot use the "color by column: symbol" workaround suggested above because I then lose my color grouping by category, which is needed to visually organize the calendar. Thanks.

Genevieve P.

Hi @culphannah

I don't have an update for when or if this will be resolved. That said, your formula should auto-fill as long as new rows are added immediately after content that already exists, even if it's not a column formula. See: Use or Override Automatic Formatting and Formula Autofill

Cheers,

Genevieve

culphannah

@Genevieve P. this doesn't work for form submissions though, correct?

Genevieve P.

Hi @culphannah

As long as the new row added from the form is immediately below a row that contains the formula, it will populate down automatically! 🙂

Here's information from the Help Article linked above:

Conditions That Trigger Automatic Formatting

You’ll see automatic formatting occur when you type in a newly inserted or blank row that is:

• Directly between two others that have the same formatting applied.
• At the topmost row of the sheet if it's above two others that have the same formatting applied. (This includes rows inserted from a form.)
• At the bottommost row of the sheet if it's below two rows that have the same formatting applied. (This includes rows inserted from a form.)

I hope that helps!

Genevieve

JonathanB

Hi @Genevieve P. I'm setting up a scheduling calendar on smartsheet where I am entering data through a sheet and use the calendar to have other data added in the details bar. I'm the owner of the sheet and calendar. When i use the calendar and enter data in the details bar, I receive the prompt(attached). The calendar is accessed directly through the app(I added a link on the dashboard to access the calendar). I am able to enter the data into the sheet, but not in the calender app in the details bar. Could you help with this?

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