Setting up a Record a Date workflow - will it account for fields already changed?

jmo

Hello - I have a sheet that requires text in a specific column field. I want to set up a Record a Date workflow for anytime the text field goes from blank to containing any text (not blank).

There are currently over 900 entries and half have some sort of text entry already in the field in question.

If I were to start a Record a Date workflow now, will it calculate when the text entry field actually changed (in the past) or will it only record dates from here forward?

Thanks.

Kelly Moore

Hey @jmo

Unfortunately it will only record future occurrences since the trigger has already passed for the existing texts

If the existing modification date reflects the change date of that text field (or is good enough to just go with), you could filter your sheet for non blank cells in that text column, copy all the mod dates and paste into the record date column. Then going forward the automation would record accurate dates.

Sorry there isn't an easy way to get what you need

Kelly

Kelly Moore

Hey @jmo

Unfortunately it will only record future occurrences since the trigger has already passed for the existing texts

If the existing modification date reflects the change date of that text field (or is good enough to just go with), you could filter your sheet for non blank cells in that text column, copy all the mod dates and paste into the record date column. Then going forward the automation would record accurate dates.

Sorry there isn't an easy way to get what you need

Kelly

jmo

@Kelly Moore thanks for the response and confirming what I thought might be the case (unfortunately).

I’ll take your advice and look to use the modified date field. That might be an acceptable solution, I’ll just need to confirm that the last modification was to my specific text field and not some other column row.