How can I get automation to send alert when one column is less than another column

Tracy Ashton

I have values in my inventory column that fall below my minimum order quantity column. How can I set up an automation to alert me when the inventory column falls below the minimum order quantity column

Anelise Wilhelm

@Tracy Ashton It's something like this:

Create a new column to be used as a flag (I usually set this as a checkbox column). I"m calling mine [Below Minimum] in this example.

In my example the other two columns are [Inventory] and [Minimum Order Quantity].

Then place the following formula in the [Below Minimum] column.

=IF(Inventory@row < [Minimum Order Quantity]@row, 1, 0)

So, when the inventory is below the minimum then the checkbox gets checked.

Create an automation to notify someone that is triggered when [Below Minimum] changes to IsChecked. Once everything is working as you want, you can also hide the flag column so that other people don't get confused by it. It will still work while hidden.

Let me know if this works for you 😃

Andrée Starå

Hi @Tracy Ashton

I hope you're well and safe!

You'd need to add a so-called helper column with a formula to check it, and then that would trigger the Alert.

Make sense?

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 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!

Tracy Ashton

Is the helper column an iferror statement?

Anelise Wilhelm

@Tracy Ashton It's something like this:

Create a new column to be used as a flag (I usually set this as a checkbox column). I"m calling mine [Below Minimum] in this example.

In my example the other two columns are [Inventory] and [Minimum Order Quantity].

Then place the following formula in the [Below Minimum] column.

=IF(Inventory@row < [Minimum Order Quantity]@row, 1, 0)

So, when the inventory is below the minimum then the checkbox gets checked.

Create an automation to notify someone that is triggered when [Below Minimum] changes to IsChecked. Once everything is working as you want, you can also hide the flag column so that other people don't get confused by it. It will still work while hidden.

Let me know if this works for you 😃

Andrée Starå

@Tracy Ashton

I saw that Anelise answered already!

Let me know if I can help with anything else!

✅Please support the Community by marking the post(s) that helped or answered your question or solved your problem with the accepted answer/helpful. It will make it easier for others to find a solution or help to answer!

Tracy Ashton

Thank you so much

Andrée Starå

@Tracy Ashton

You're more than welcome!

dstej

Can someone help me I'm trying to do this but with different columns - and it's not working.

=IF(PO Amount@row > [Invoice Amt]@row, 1, 0)

Genevieve P.

Hey @dstej

When you reference a column with spaces or numbers, make sure you wrap that name in square brackets:

[PO Amount]@row

An easy way to build formulas and make sure you're typing them correctly is to click on the cell that you want to reference as you're building it! 🙂 This will ensure the column name comes into the formula spelled correctly and referenced with the right brackets.

Try:

=IF([PO Amount]@row > [Invoice Amt]@row, 1, 0)

Cheers,

Genevieve

dstej

Thanks! I actually used ChatGPT and after one failed attempt I was able to get it working with assistance from ChatGPT.