Suggestion for dynamic lists

Richard Rymill SBP

Good news on Dynamic lists in Smartsheet for Chris and David, we have been testing an API solution for this extensively over the last couple of weeks and can now help anyone wanting to implement this in their workflows. 

What do we mean? 

If a dropdown list is used in many sheets, then updating just ONE sheet with new info will automatically "Transmit" that new Dropdown list detail, to as many sheets that need to use it. 

This also means that when a Smartsform is used with that same Dropdown list included, the revised Dropdown list appears for selection. 

There are a number of other automatic Data triggers and Actions available but this one was one that numerous clients of ours have asked for. There is a cost, so may not be justifiable except in larger orgs, but that is where this solution is targeted. Unfortunately you cannot do this in such as Zapier, which is free. 

Anyone needing this please email me from my profile?

RichardR

Smarter Business Processes. 

Chris Winfield

Hi Richard,

 

Thanks for the update. Perhaps you could give us a sense of how the solution you have created works? (i.e. does it involve other services, or is it an elegent solution within smartsheet itself?)

 

For us, if there is an additional cost involved, or other separate services then it's probably not worth getting into yet. 

 

All the best,

Chris

Jim Hook

Richard,

 

Too bad it's not implemented within Smartsheet to avoid the incremental cost of some other service and the resulting complexity of making it work. Internally we've replaced the part of our Smartsheet application that would have relied on this feature with an internally developed tool so I no longer need that function.

 

Jim

Richard Rymill SBP

Hi Chris and Jim

The slution is set up in an API and once the set up is done, the updates are all done in smartsheet, eg go to master list for revised dropdown list , add or Modify that list and the resultant dropdown appears in all the sheets you want it to appear in.

There is a cost involved, so only suitable where that can be justified.  

Happy to discuss / Demo if needed? 

RichardR 

Travis

Just as another option for users - this is also possible using Azuqua. 

 

https://azuqua.com/integrate-smartsheet

Stian Totland

Why isn't this part of Smartsheets out-of-the-box standard functionality? Just asking.

Chris Piercy

Ideally, one would be able to populate dropdowns in forms and fields, using data from a column in a separate sheet.  This seems like it would be easy for SmartSheet to implment, and would be a panacea for large scale, large organization usage of SmartSheet.  I have to create disparate instances of the same dropdown selections over and over, again, in multiple sheets.  It would be terrific if I could create these selections, once, in a central data sheet and pull it into drowdowns across all my sheets that need the same values to be available.  It would also make updating these values, so much easier/better, since I would only have to update the values in a single location.

Richard Rymill SBP

Chris, as things stand right now, the only way this can be achieved is to use Azugua to carry out the update of Dropdown lists in many sheets from one source sheet. It works just fine and we use it for Product and Cstomer lists that are used in lots of sheets. It costs money above and beyond the Smartsheet costs,  so would have to be justified? Azuqua does lots of other cool integration stuff as well but that is not the question.

 

If Smartsheet could provide this, within the License fee there would be a huge round of applause and many of us have already voted for it, but in the meantime, at least we do have a solution and can show you how if that helps?

 

Regards RichardR.

 

 

 

 

Chris Piercy

Thanks for the reply, Richard.  Can you achieve this with multiple dropdowns, using a single Azuqua workflow?  This solution might be cost-prohibitive, if you need a workflow for each dynamic dropdown.

Richard Rymill SBP

Hi Chris

One flow can Flow (Transmit) the same new Dropdown list to as as many sheets as you wish without any extra cost. We have one LIVE Client list that autopopulates all our consultant timesheets with a 5 minute delay, which is fine for us. 

 

I can demo this if it helps but do be aware of the costs vs benefits 

https://azuqua.com/pricing/

Alternatively we are delighted with the low cost and fantastic functionality that Appsheet and Smartsheet working together provide. Here is our launch explanatory video. Might be worth discussing? 

https://youtu.be/1GkUzki_Hao

Chris Piercy

What I need is to have about 40 lists/columns populate dropdown-type SmartSheet columns, in 100s of SmartSheets.  Can Appsheet do this?

MIke Leser

Richard - can you point me to that solution that back in April last year was 'probably @ 10 days time'? Thanks!

 

MIke

Richard Rymill SBP

Hi Mike

There are two solutions. One using Azuqua that will peovide Dynamic Dropdown lists with one list that updates as many dropdown lists in Smartsheet as you wish. The only issu is the cost but if you can also justify that cost by using it to connect other Apps with automation, then prove affordable.

Alternatively using Appsheet in a different way, similar and far more useful solutions can be accessed at low cost once the logic and set up have been completed, by linking either Excel or Google Sheets with Smartsheet. 

We offer a free initial consultation to anyone seeking more detail or a demo but both of these solutions extend the use of Smartsheet very nicely. 

Hope that helps

RichardR

Richard Rymill SBP

Hi Mike

I have good news for you and anyone else who is seeking a way to update dropdown lists in just one place and have that list populate all the sheets that use that list. 

Both of our Solutions are now LIVE and available on demand. 

Smarter Dropdown List manager - entirely managed within Smartsheet was launched on 17th September 2018. There is a small subscription cost as it is not part of the standard Smartsheet License, it has been developed by our API team, hence we need to recover some of our costs. Happy to Demo. 

Link to more info here....

https://www.smarterbusinessprocesses.com/smarter-dropdown-list-manager/

For those needing Dynamic Dropdowns using Conditional logic, more info here...

https://www.smarterbusinessprocesses.com/dynamic-lists/

Happy to be able to solve two of the BIG ASKS of the Smartsheet Community. 

Regards to all

Richardr

Andrée Starå

Hi all,

Here is a workaround that gives you the possibility to use lists of information and choose from that list inside a sheet (doesn't work with mobile, only desktop)

I'm utilizing cell-linking for this workaround. The main sheet is linked to the dropdown/list sheet.

Please see the attached link/screenshot for more information.

Example of dropdown/list

I hope this can be helpful for you!

Best,

Andrée Starå

Workflow Consultant @ Get Done Consulting