Copy Row Automation not working on linked sheet

Amy Meekings

Hello

I saw a thread about this, but wanted to put forward my own situation as it seems a bit different.

I am looking to automate some of our employee offboarding. I currently have a source sheet of employee data (Employee Database) which has a lot of sensitive data. I have set up a "helper" sheet which uses INDEX/MATCH to pull only relevant data into the sheet. The final destination for the information is a Termination Checklist which is accessed by multiple departments. I have set up an automation in the helper sheet to copy the row over to the Termination Checklist based on a termination date being entered. I've read that this can't be triggered by information in a linked cell. So I set up a helper column with an =@row formula. But in the same thread someone was saying that it requires manual saving of the helper sheet?

So, in my instance, sometimes it works, and sometimes it doesn't. Sometimes it won't pull the termination dates, sometimes it won't copy over at all. I just don't understand the random nature of the error. Anyone else had this experience?

Bassam Khalil

Hi @Amy Meekings

Hope you are fine, i prefer to use in this case an automation runs each day or twice a day in specific hours of the day by using the conditions you define, in this way you will not depend on saving or refreshing your sheet every time to made the workflow runs. 

if you can share me as an admin on a copy of your sheet contains a sample data (after removing or replacing any sensitive information) i will design the workflow for you and you can test it if it's work with your requirements then you can copy it to your original sheet. 

My Email:Bassam.k@mobilproject.it

Amy Meekings

Hello Bassam

Thank you, do you mean a separate automation? I tried setting up the copy row automation to run daily, but it's one of the automations that will only trigger "when triggered."

Bassam Khalil

@Amy Meekings

Please try to add a helper column (Checkbox ) type and summarize your conditions with a formula to make the checkbox checked when you conditions are met, then design your workflow to triggered when checkbox changed to checked only. i think it will work better.

Andrée Starå

Hi @Amy Meekings

I hope you're well and safe!

My method below might help with it not triggering consistently.

Please have a look at my post below with a method I developed to update the sheet(s) daily.

More info: 

https://community.smartsheet.com/discussion/74527/daily-update-solution-without-the-need-to-open-the-sheet-use-zapier-or-similar

Did that work/help?

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 or/and as the accepted answer. It will make it easier for others to find a solution or help to answer!

Amy Meekings

Hello

Thank you both. I initially tried just running the Refresh workaround based on the date helper field, but that did not work. So I tried creating a checkbox that would be checked when there is a term date in the helper field to run the copy row automation from, plus the refresh workaround, and it still will not copy the row over. Am I doing something wrong?

Andrée Starå

@Amy Meekings

Happy to help!

Have you checked your personal settings, so it's set to trigger on your own changes?

Ensure that you've checked the box in the Sheet Change Notification Settings to Include my changes in sheet notifications in your Personal Settings.

Did that work/help?

Amy Meekings

Hello

Thank you! I have other copy rows automations working on other sheets, but I did go in and check and yes, that is checked. This is the only sheet I'm having issues with, I assume because it is using linked data.

Andrée Starå

@Amy Meekings

Strange!

Yes, it's probably the linked data, but it should work with my workaround to update the sheet.

I use this method in many of my client solutions.

I'd be happy to take a quick look.

Can you maybe share the sheet(s)/copies of the sheet(s)? (Delete/replace any confidential/sensitive information before sharing) That would make it easier to help. (share too, andree@workbold.com)

Amy Meekings

Thank you so much! I've now shared that with you. I can work on creating copies of the other sheets if necessary, just a lot of sensitive data to delete.