Re: Document Builder - Generate 1 PDF Document w/ Multiple Rows

Bruce Venhuizen

I designed a weekly status report form using Adobe Pro, imported it into Smartsheet Document Builder by using Shift to select all rows then mapped the corresponding fields.

How do I generate ONE PDF document containing all my mapped fields per row instead of getting it to spit out multiple PDF's?

I also see duplication of data when generating the PDF within Document Builder (see screenshots). How do I correct it?

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Please help!

Thank you

Paul H

I do not believe the Document generator can do what you are trying to do

You may be better off creating a report, then printing the report to PDF, you can add your header info when you print

Bruce Venhuizen

Thanks for responding Paul. Creating a PDF report would normally be okay however this was my attempt at creating a more polished template report using the new Document Builder tool to share with our senior executive level sponsors.

Dale Murphy

@Bruce Venhuizen Have you considered laying out a dashboard that has all your content on it? You could use that for online presentation, but with some careful arrangement of widgets, also be able to print to small or large paper. Or print to pdf for that matter.

dm

Sowen

https://community.smartsheet.com/discussion/87326/re-document-builder-generate-1-pdf-document-w-multiple-rows

I needed to do something similar and found a way to accomplish this. - I created some "helper" columns and used parent / child rows to combine the child row data into the parent row.

rjanders913

@Sowen I am trying to create a simple Purchase Order system using SmartSheet and was searching for a way to merge multiple rows into one document. Looks like you are creating the same thing, ran into the same challenge, and have a solution.

I plan to create it the same way, now that you have confirmed this is possible.

Rather than start from scratch, would you be willing to share sanitized copies of your sheets, forms, templates, etc.?

Sowen

Hi, I would be happy to export the sheet and send it, when I export I can only send to excel and the formulas are gone. - I'm not sure if there is a way to post it as an attachment in its native format.

Here is the excel export and the formula I used. If there is a better way to share the file just let me know.

I just set up a parent child relation with some helper columns.

Here is the formula I used in each helper column:

=IF((COUNT(CHILDREN(Description@row))) > 0, INDEX(CHILDREN(Description@row), 1), "")

Purchase Orders (2).xlsx

Vinny

@Sowen This is precisely what I was looking for. I am running into a roadblock with the formula saying unparseable. I don't fully understand the logic to create it and therefore am struggling with the trouble shooting.

Would this function hold true if you dragged other rows into the reference group?

I attached pictures for reference and am hoping you are still into smartsheets

Snip of smartsheet with formula.png

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Genevieve P.

Hi @Vinny

The formulas above are using the CHILDREN function to evaluate indented rows beneath a Parent level row.

Here's information on Hierarchy in a sheet: Hierarchy: Indent or Outdent Rows

Once you've set up your sheet with Hierarchy and parent level rows, then you can place the formula in that top row. However keep in mind any time you're referencing a column name with a space or number in it (such as "Subcontractor Name"), you'll need to wrap that column name in square brackets so it's recognizable:

[Subcontractor Name]@row

Here's information about referencing cells: Create a Cell or Column Reference in a Formula

Cheers!

Genevieve

Sowen

Hello @Vinny - Set the row with the formula as a parent and indent the other rows as children... Here is the formula with the brackets

=IF((COUNT(CHILDREN([Subcontractor Name]@row))) > 0, INDEX(CHILDREN([Subcontractor Name]@row), 1), "")

VictoriaD

https://community.smartsheet.com/discussion/comment/366711#Comment_366711

This cade is a game changer for a program I'm supporting! My sheet needed to calculate totals across various programs at different campuses. This then needed to be generated into a PDF.

In case it might save anyone else some head scratching, to identify the next child to copy over, you just change the final number

Child 1: =IF((COUNT(CHILDREN([Subcontractor Name]@row))) > 0, INDEX(CHILDREN([Subcontractor Name]@row), 1), "")

Child 2: =IF((COUNT(CHILDREN([Subcontractor Name]@row))) > 0, INDEX(CHILDREN([Subcontractor Name]@row), 2), "")

You can also change out the Index column's name to copy over data from a different column, change the Index column.