SCC Projects - Circular Reference Error

Is anyone else experiencing random #CIRCULAR REFERENCE errors in their projects created by Control Center? I've triple checked and confirmed that the formulas do not include a circular reference and can typically correct the error by updating a cell in the metadata. Curious if this is a known issue or if anyone else is experiencing this.

Originally this was only showing up in my projects that were created via automation, but now it is starting to occur in my projects I manually run through SCC.

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Michael Culley

Yes i've had this problem in the past. It's a bug that seems to only happen when you leave the reference name as the default option (example: MySheet Range 1). Try naming the range something specific and you won't get that issue anymore.

JCluff

https://community.smartsheet.com/discussion/comment/335063#Comment_335063

How custom do I need to make the reference name? I rename every reference to display as SheetName - ColumnName so I can track where my references are coming from without needing to click into it. When you rename your references do you come up with an entirely unique reference? I have over 60 projects using that exact template and only 3 are creating that circular reference. Previously if I made an update to the metadata it would refresh and clear the error but now that's not working.

Michael Culley

Oh ok if you're renaming all of them then I don't believe that's the problem. Is it a vlookup formula?

JCluff

https://community.smartsheet.com/discussion/comment/335094#Comment_335094

No, I exclusively use Index(Match). I believe you are correct that this is a bug, I just am curious if others are experiencing it too.

WhitMoreland

I'm receiving the same error for every new project I provision. It's not the default name for any formula.

Screen Shot 2022-09-01 at 3.30.18 PM.png

Any new thoughts since July?

JCluff

@WhitMoreland ,

I still get projects that randomly create a #CIRCULAR REFERENCE error, sometimes even months after I provision them. If your error is being generated the same way as ours, a quick fix is to move one of the metadata cells to another column and then move it right back.

Detailed Instructions:

If you click on a cell in metadata (ie: Project Name) and move your cursor to the edge, you'll see a white cross appear. Click and drag that cell to a blank cell in your metadata - this will cause the page to auto-save. Once moved, repeat the process to move the cell back to where it belongs - this will not break any cell links. This immediately corrects the error on the sheet that is referring to the metadata and has yet to repeat itself.

Our metadata includes a hyperlink to the project plan itself, which is where some think the error is being created. I've adjusted formulas to not include that cell and the error still persists. This is still just one of those unsolved mysteries.

If the error persists, I would quadruple check the formula(s) to be sure that you are not creating a circular reference in your syntax.

Best of luck to you!

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