Need Help: Lock row automation is locking incorrect rows

Vivien Chong

Here is workflow:

1) Each staff has their own timesheet which they will receive update request everyday to update their works.

2) Automation is set to lock the rows after 7 days from the actual date (Meaning 1st July row will be locked on 8th July)

With reference to the following screenshot, today is 18th July. But rows 14th - 20th July has been locked. It happened to at least 50 - 60 sheets. We are still checking if there are more.

Has anyone experienced such incident before?

One easy way I know is to manually unlock the rows, sheet by sheet. But will the issue occur again?

We have submitted the case to Smartsheet Support but receiving the reply that they may taking longer to response. As this is urgent and impacting the work records of many staff, so I am checking here if anyone has any suggestion or know how we can resolve this issue.

Thanks.

Mary_A

You could create a helper column called Lock_Helper. In that column, create an IF statement. IF date is 7 days past the actual date, enter LOCKME in Lock_Helper, otherwise, do nothing. Then, change your automation to look at the helper column value, lock the row if it contains LOCKME

Mary_A

Vivien Chong

Thanks @Mary_A . We already have automation to lock the row after 7 days, however it is locking the wrong rows. At the time of taking the screenshot, it's 18th July, row 14th - 20th July shouldn't be locked.

Mary_A

If you can screenshot your automation confguration it would help.

The fact that support is "looking into it" could mean that the automation is not calculating days past correctly when running the calculation from the automation module

If you do the days past calculation not in the automation config but in a cell formula with a helper, you would be simplifying the automation and troubleshooting the days past calculation in particular.

Vivien Chong

Hi @Mary_A I think the automation is straightforward. (refer screenshot below)

We have been using this template since 2020 :D

Mary_A

The fact that it was working and now is NOT could imply a breaking change in the code. If you need to unlock, you can create a filter by Row is locked and date to find locked rows to unlock. Sounds like you are super experienced with this and already know that.

Vivien Chong

hi @Mary_A the simple way is to manually unlock it. But will the issue happen again? Will we have to constantly unlock hundreds of sheets manually? Hopefully Support team will assist to resolve the issue soon. Thanks for all your advice and help.